do do 1,052 do do do 299 Boston, Mass. Sopt. 14,988 12,989 14,985 Gloucoster, Mass. 21,904 23,696 24,259 do 2,053 do 3,685 do 8,708 812 441 do 11,883 14,533 15,134 do 2,069 do 2,788 do 609 do 1,322 2,751 3,144 do 1,270 11,852 7,325 11,169 do 1,265 do 953 17,381 12,201 17,258 do 56 do 896 do 2,790 do 4,024 do 322 Oct. 6,558 2,269 6,745 do 4,892 do 17,087 12,762 17,629 Mackerel (ozcopt Spanish) do 11,852 7,982 11,882 do 2,734 4,057 3,898 do 11,174 8,727 8,856 Whiting do 10,587 10,607 9,410 do 2,063 do 32,757 23,592 31, 904 28,427 26,684 do 5,630 do 15,088 12,302 14,582 4,310 4,306 5,796 4377 do 39,437 28,859 36, 215 reported by wholesale dealers including smokers. Boston which are for the last Wednesday of the month. Data on United States holdings do do do do nI FISHERY MARKET NEWS DECEMBER 1944 CONTENTS Page 2 October landings at three ports greater than in 1943 October receipts at Seattle show 68 percent gain 18 And t. 25 to MPR-364 effective November 25 Final Alaska salmon pack to tals 4,856,330 cases Point values for canned fish Use of bags for fish meal restricted Whitefish inspection in Canada begun in November New import forms required by WFA WFA purchases $12,218,000 in fishery products in October Inside back cover Outside back cover Index to Volume 6, Nos, 1 to 12, inclusive, 1944 28 Contents continued on page 27 Applications for FISHERY MARKET NEWS, which is mailed free to members of the fishery industry and allied interests, should be addressed to the Director, Fish and Rildlife Service, United States Department of the Interior, Washington 25, D. C. The Service assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of material from outside sources. December 1944 Washington 25, D. C. Vol. 6, No. 12 RECEIPTS OF FISHERY PRODUCTS AT SEATTLE, 1943 By E. C. Hinsdale* During 1943, the receipts of fresh and frozen fish, shellfish, and grayfish (dogfish) and soupfin shark livers at Seattle totaled 80,909,000 pounds, an increase of over 10ž million pounds, or 15 percent, above the 1942 figure of 70,257,000 pounds. Making up the year's total were the local landings and shipments reported by the halibut and salmon exchanges, direct local receipts by wholesalers, coastwise vessel arrivals from Alaska, imports from British Columbia, and other shipments from non-local sources. Halibut led all other varieties with a total of 24,384,000 pounds, or 30 percent, of all receipts. Following in order were: salmon, 16,922,000 pounds, or 21 percent; flounders (sole), 10,295,000 pounds, or 13 percent; lingcod, 6,942,000 pounds, or 8 percent; sablefish, 5,046,000 pounds, or 6 percent; and rockfishes, 4,506,000 pounds, or 5 percent. Pacific oyster receipts were 2,486,000 pounds, only 3 percent of all receipts, but 53 percent of the shellfish total. Crabs followed with 1,448,000 pounds of meats, representing 2 percent of all receipts and 30 percent of those of shellfish. Heavier production by the otter-trawl fleet increased turbot receipts about 2-3/4 million pounds over 1942, but the total volume of other flounders (sole) was approximately on the same level as the previous year. Fresh lingcod receipts rose over 1 million pounds, or 19 percent; while fresh rockfishes, including sea bass, rock cod, and similar species, gained 163 percent. In 1943, receipts of chinook salmon dropped over 1-3/4 million pounds, or 22 percent, falling from 8,130,000 pounds received in 1942 to 6,349,000 pounds. Sockeye salmon receipts of 26,698 pounds were practically negligible in comparison to the abnormal total of 1,321,000 pounds the previous year. Although 1943 was classed as a good pink salmon year, receipts were not heavy at Seattle, the bulk of the catch going to canneries at other Puget Sound points. The 1943 pink salmon total, 538,000 pounds, cannot be compared to the 1942 receipts of only 1,547 pounds because pink salmon runs are negligible in even-numbered years. The comparable 1941 total was 896,000 pounds. The chum or fall salmon total of 2,768,000 pounds was 55 percent less than the 6,134,024 pounds received in 1942. Receipts of silver salmon also failed to measure up to the preceding year'ş total of 3,042,000 pounds, being nearly half a million pounds less. The most notable decline was in the landings of the United States halibut fleet. Receipts were nearly 1-3/4 million pounds less than those received in 1942, which, in turn, were over 4 million pounds less than the 1941 total. Until July 13, 1943, when ceiling prices were put into effect, the halibut season progressed normally, with indications that it would compare very favorably with 1941. As a direct result of the ceiling prices, halibut fares from Area III, the only fishing area open at the time, dropped to the lowest figure ever reached for Seattle. The halibut vessels practically stopped landing at Seattle and de*Fishery Marketing Specialist. 533; 537,823 1,547 + + 1, 282 + 918 37,450 TABLE I - Volume and Source of Total Receipts, By Species, 1943 and 1942 1943 Varie ty compared compared 1943 1943 1942 and with Source 1942 1942 FISH(Cont'd.) Pounds Per cent Pounds Carp, Tocal 9,213 Salmont Continued): Catfish, local 174.927 Pink: Cod, true: Local + Local 609,151 23 786,545 8.951 1,547 Total fresh & frozen 627,021 20 786,545 Silver or coho: Dolly Varden trout: Local 2,445, 246 20 3,041,473 Other 1,600 80 1.300 +1525 Other 20 8.300 Frozen, other 75 20 3,041,553 26 124,651 Frozen, other 9.900 : 2,324, 122 Total fresh & frozen 72 35,048 To tel fresh & frozen Flounders: 4.770,660 23 6,166,250 Sockeye or blue back, : : 26,698 98 1,321, 117 Sand & Dover, Unclassified, frozen, other 1,277.493 + 1,170, 742 Turbot, 3,102, 215 304,507 Grand total fresh 12,128, 239 35 18,627,820 Flounder, 199,699 5.203.941 Total local 10,283,779 + 33 7,711,767 fresh & 16,921,811 29 23,831,761 Sole, other 8.479 frozen To tal fresh 10, 292,258 + 34 7,711,767 Shad, other 225,952 Flounder, frozen, Skate wings, local 21,613 Smelt: Eulachon: Haddock frozen, other. 41,450 Local 568,935 +1419 Halibut: Other 8,535 No.1-Exchange, local 6,931,725 10 7,726,550 To tal fresh 577,470 +1442 37.450 No.25,514,754 176,649,530 Silver, local 198,326 17 239,720 Unclassified 583,485 + 77 329.374 Soupf in shark: Sub-total 13,029,964 11 14,705,454 Local 1,573,16% + 817 171,615 Unclassified, other 2,606,156 870 268,570 Other 28,352 To tal fresh 15,636, 120 4 15,074,024 To tal fresh 1,601,514 + 833 171,615 Unclassified, frozen, Frozen, other 78,057 other 8,747.979 + 109 14,147,082 To tal fresh & frozen 1,679,571 + 879 171,615 To tal fresh & frozen 24.384,099 + 28 19,121,105 Steelhead trout: Herring: Other 1,200 Local 479,040 3.900 Frozen, other 31,700 96 753,000 Total fresh & frozen 5.100 To tal fresh & frozen 510,740 34 778,550 Sturgeon: Lingcod: Local 18,607 Local 6,511,350 + 13 5,743, 781 Other 4501 Other 324,783 + 312 21,484 To tal fresh 19.057 To tal fresh 6,836,133 + 19 5,765,265 Tench, local 109,364 Frozen, other 105.794 332 / Tuna, Albacore: Total fresh & frozen 6,941,927 + 20 5,765,597 773,212 + 660 101,748 Perch, local 220,904 + 84 120, 105 Other 2.990 + 33 7,492 Pilchard, local 110,330 Total fresh 783,202 + 616 109,240 Rockfishes: i All fish: Local 4., 201,400 + 154 1,652,344 Local 51,686,882 + 3 50,059,659 Other 164 422 4.879.600 + 99 2,444.854 To tal fresh 4,365,822 56,566,482 + 8 52,504,513 Frozen, other 140,083 + 5 134,037 Frozen, other 16,852,964 + 39 39 12,130,425 To tal fresh & frozen 4,505,905 + 151 1,790,780 To tal fresh & frozen 73,419,446 + 14 64,634,938 Sablefish: SHELLFISH Local 2,159,138 12 2,448,752 Clams, hard Treats): Other 5.909 + Local 169.480 + 49 113,851 Total fresh 2,165,047 122,449,052 Other 138,4971 + 125 61 560 Frozen, other 2,881, 074 + 36 1,858, 267 To tal fresh 307,977 + 75 175,411 Total fresh & frozen 5,046,121 17 4,307, 319 Frozen, other 126,823 Salmon: Total fresh & frozen 434.400 + 148 175.411 Chinook or king: Crabs, Dungeness: Local 4,630,869 235,988,332 Local 1,414,991 + 6 6 1,334,196 Other 1,718,424 20 2,141, 247 Other 33,240 To tal fresh 6,349,293 238,129,579 To tal fresh 1,48,231 + 9 1,334,196 Frozen, other 799,602 10 892,802 Lobsters, spiny(Calif. 7, Total fresh & frozen 7, 148,895 21 19,022,381 other 5,100 Chum or fall! Octopus, local 2,478 6,239 Local 2,767,879 556,134,024 Pyşters, (meats): 383,404 Frozen, other Local: 25 15.700 Olympia, shucked 34,579 14 42,177 To tal fresh & frozen 3.151,283 516,149,724 shell 100 7,651 TABLE I - Volume and Source of Total Receipts, By_Species, 1943 and 1942 (Continued) 1943 Varie ty compared compared 1943 1942 with Source 1942 1942 SHELLFISH (Cont'd. Pounds Percent Pounds SHELLFISH (Cont'd.) Pounds Percent Pounds Oysters (meats) (Cont'd.) All shellfish: Local: Local 4,160,023) +48 2,801,033 Pacific, shucked 2,485,641 115 1,157,535 Other 502,151] +48 338.795 shell - 100 84,335 Total fresh 4,662,174 +48 3,139,828 Other, shell 2,450 Frozen, other 126,823 To tal shucked 2,520,238 + 110 1,199,712 Total fresh & frozen 4.788,997 +53 3.139,828 shell 2,450 - 97 91.986 All fish & shellfisa: To tal shell & shucked 2,522,688 + 95_1.291,698 Local 55,846,905 + 6 52,860,692 Scallops, bay meats), local 9,076 - 72 32.375 Other 5,381,751 +93 2,783,649 Total fresh 161, 228,656 +10 155,644,341 Local 39,233 + 520 6,339 Frozen, other 16,979,787 +40 12,130,425 Other 55,320 Total fresh & frozen 78,208,443 +15 67.774,766 To tal 94,553 +1390 6,339 LIVERS Shrimp meat, other 198,419- 28 277,235 Grayfish (Dogfish) 2,246,072 + 5 2,149,178 Squid: Soupf in shark 454,853 +37 333,009 Local 4,527 72 16,335 Total 2,700,925 19 2,262,187 Other 69,125 To tal fish, shellfish, To tal 73,652 + 350 16,335 and livers 80,909,368 +15 170,256,953 *Not classified separately in 1942 **Includes all sole except turbot. NOTE: Sources listed as "local" are either direct landings or receipts from nearby areas. Sources listed as "other" are receipts from Alaska, British Columbia, Oregon, California, etc. Shrimp: livered their catches to Alaskan ports and Prince Rupert, Canada. It was contended that more profitable prices could be obtained in the northern ports because the longer haul to Seattle, in most instances, involved shrinkage, loss of grade, and limited the number of trips that could be made before the season's end. Excluding livers and shellfish items, total fresh and frozen fish receipts amounted to 73,419,000 pounds. of this volume, 16,853,000 pounds, or 23 percent, consisted of frozen fish from Alaska and other non-local sources, representing an increase of 39 percent over 1942. Halibut accounted for 52 percent of the total, all species of salmon, 28 percent; and sablefish, 17 percent; with the remaining 3 percent consisting of true cod, lingcod, and rockfishes. The 1943 receipts of frozen halibut, 8,748,000 pounds, were more than double those in 1942, and frozen sablefish increased over 1 million pounds, or 36 percent. Frozen chinook and silver salmon, however, declined 10 percent and 26 percent, respectively. Receipts of fresh fish from local sources, including landings of the halibut fleet but not receipts of grayfish and soupfin shark livers and shellfish, totaled 51,687,000 pounds, or about 64 percent of the port's grand total of landings and receipts from all sources, This was 3 percent greater than the 1942 fresh fish figure of 50,060,000 pounds. Receipts of fresh fish from other than local sources doubled as compared with the previous year due primarily to a 2 million-pound increase in halibut receipts. This development resulted from the dearth of halibut landings at Seattle after price ceilings went into effect. Prices received by fishermen during the early part of 1943 were far above any paid in 1942. For example, during the first six months of 1943, the average price for chinook salmon reached 31.8 cents per pound compared to 18 cents in 1942. Halibut prices for the same period averaged 23.6 cents per pound for No. 1 and 21,7 cents for No. 2 compared to the 1942 average of 17.8 cents per pound for No. 1 and 16.6 cents for No. 2 fish. These price comparisons are for the first six months of 1943 only since OPA ceiling prices were established and became effective in mid-July of that year. The Pacific Coast shark fishery, which expanded considerably during 1942, continued to grow during 1943 with receipts of livers of soupfin shark and grayfish (dogfish) increasing appreciably. Soupfin shark livers amounted to 462,000 pounds and sold for an average price of $4.55 per pound compared to the 1942 receipts of 333,009 pounds and average price of $4.26. Grayfish livers totaled 2,246,000 pounds and averaged 46 cents per pound compared to 2,149,000 pounds at 28 cents per pound received in 1942. Soupfin shark carcasses changed from a practically worthless item to one of relative importance in the shark fishery as evidenced by the fact that dressed and trimmed carcasses brought from 9 to 17 cents per pound during the latter months of 1943. |
