April 1951 



COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 



55 



Despite the rise in export values, the volume of exports in 1950 was substan- 

 tially under the I949 level. The decrease in tonnage was very sharp in iced and 

 frozen fish, and was only partially counterbalanced by an increase in salt-fish ex- 

 ports. The increase in the value of exports resulted primarily from the two suc- 

 cessive devaluations of Icelandic currency, which increased local kronur receipts 

 despite falling markets abroad. However, in the case of a few commodities, princi- 

 pally cod-liver oil, rising foreign prices contributed to the increase in total 

 export value. 



FIGURE 2 - COOKERS FOR COOKING HERRING MEAL 

 IN NEW FISH-PROCESSING FACTORY. 



FIGURE 3 - AFTER THE MEAL HAS BEEN COOKED 

 AND DRIED IT IS PUT THROUGH SIFTERS BE- 

 FORE BEING PACKED INTO SACKS FOR SHIP- 

 MENT. 



A considerable change took place in the pattern of fishery products exported in 

 1950. This resulted from the collapse of foreign markets for iced and frozen fish. 

 Whereas Iceland exported almost 120,000 tons of iced fish in I949 to West Germany 

 and the United Kingdom, exports in I95O dropped to 28,000 tons. Only slightly more 

 than one-half as much frozen fish was exported in I95O as in I949 (19,000 tons 

 against 36,000 tons). An interesting development in frozen fish sales was the emer- 

 gence of the United States aa the predominant purchaser of Icelandic frozen fillets 

 (table 5). Exports to the United States increased from 2,480 tons in I949 to 7,409 

 tons in I95O, and the value of these exports increased almost sevenfold. Exports 

 to the United States accounted for 39 percent of Iceland's frozen fish shipments by 

 volume, and 44 percent by value. Another significant change in the frozen fish 

 market was the almost complete collapse of purchases by the United Kingdom, which 

 imported from Iceland less than 2,000 tons in I950 as against more than 18,000 tons 

 in 1949. 



The most significant development in the export field in I95O was the large in- 

 crease in shipments of salt fish. ISie considerable increase of shipments in I95O, 

 together with the collapse of markets for iced and frozen fish, made salt fish Ice- 

 land's leading export conmodity. Shipments of uncured (wet) salt fish increased 



