THE COVER PAGE

Originally appearing in "Fisheries of North America, With Special Reference to the United States", by R. H. Fiedler, our illustration for this month's cover page represents what is perhaps the most complete cartographic attempt to locate our several domestic commercial fisheries. In normal times the most productive in the world, in some areas they have now flourished for more than four centuries--the great cod fishery of the Western North Atlantic, for example, which began shortly after Cabot carried back to the Old World glowing accounts of the great abundance of fish in these waters. A historical report prepared by Thomas Jefferson when he was Secretary of State mentions that by 1577 some 315 vessels from the Old World were prosecuting this cod fishery--150 from France, 100 from Spain, 50 from Portugal, and 15 from England.

1 Includes all arrivals as reported by express and rail terminals, and truck receipts as reported by wholesale dealers including smokers.

2/ Data for individual cities are as of the last Thursday of the month, except those for Boston which are for the last Wednesday of the month. Data on. United States holdings by various species and by geographical areas are as of the first of the month for both the "Latest month" and "Previous month", but are as of the 15th of the month for the "Same month a year ago."

Note:--Data for the latest month are subject to revision.

A new publication, "Fish and Shellfish of New England", by Rachel L. Carson, Aquatic Biologist, of the Division of Fishery Biology, has recently become available. This timely publication is the Service's Conservation Bulletin No. 33.

Millions of Americans are developing new wartime food habits, trying foods they once neglected, turning to alternates for long familiar products. For every one of the ten fish or shellfish that make up more than four-fifths of New England's catch there are seven species little known or utilized, many of which could provide tasty and nutritious foods. Turning to these under-utilized species will conserve food resources by lifting the burden of over-exploitation from such fishes as cod and haddock and will augment dwindling supplies of protein foods. Exploring the seafood markets for unfamiliar species rewards the housewife and her family with delightful taste surprises, for scarcely any other class of food offers so great a variety, so rich an opportunity for meal time adventures.

Before we can try new foods, we must know what they are--some thing of their nutritive value, where they come from, how market supplies vary with the season. Our enjoyment of these foods is heightened if we also know some thing of the creatures from which they are derived, how and where they live, how they are caught, their habits and migrations.

"Fish and Shellfish of New England" provides such an introduction to the more important fish and shellfish of New England. Conservation Bulletin No. 33 can be obtained from the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington 25, D. C., for 15 cents.