12 



COl'fiERCIAL FI3HERI33 HSVDM 



Vol. 13, No. 7 



compared vd.th the previous month increased 5.5 percent in quantity, but declined 

 .7 percent in value, probably because of larger purchases of less expensive fish- 

 ery products. If the May 1951 purchases are considered vrith the corresponciing 

 month of the previous year, both the quantity and value increased by 126.7 per- 

 cent and 154-6 percent, respectively. 



A comparison of purchases for the first five months in 1950 and 1951 shovre 

 that in the latter year there was an increase of 138.5 percent in quantity and 

 129.7 percent in value. 



Fishery Products Production in Consumer-Size Packages, 1950 



A survey by the Service's Branch of Commercial Fisheries shows that 101 plants 

 packed 42,655,000 pounds of the more important fish and shellfish (fillets, shrimp, 

 scallops, and oysters) in consumer-size containers of a fixed weight in 1950 (see 

 table). However, in addition to this amount there were small quantities of other 

 types of fishery products and specialty products packaged which were not included 

 in this survey. 



During the past several years, 

 production and sales of and interest 

 in frozen fishery products in con- 

 sumer-size packages of a fixed weight 

 have increased considerably. Most 

 of these products are being marketed 

 in frozen food cabinets by chain and 

 independent grocery and food stores. 



For the purpose of this survey, 

 only frozen fish fillets, shrimp, 

 scallops, and oysters packed in fix- 

 ed-weight packages of two pounds or 

 less were included. Breaded, cooked, 

 and other prepared fishery products 

 meeting these criteria were also in- 

 cluded . 



Market trends indicate that the 

 production of frozen fishery products in consumer-size packages will increase con- 

 siderably, and the Branch of Conmercial Fisheries estimates that in 1951 production 

 of the following products in fixed-weight consumer-size containers will amount to : 

 fillets, 32,250,000 pounds; shrimp, 15,000,000 pounds; scallops, 4,400,000 pounds; 

 and oysters, 1,050,000 pounds. This 1951 estimate includes scane potential newpackers. 



Gulf Exploratory Fishery Program 



RED SNAPPER FISHING GEAR TESTED BY " OREGON" ( Cruise No . 2) •' Testing red snap- 

 per fishing gear, particularly traps, was the main purpose of the Oregon 's Cruise 

 No. 9. This vessel of the Service's Branch of Commercial Fisheries, vrtiich is carry- 



