may be purchased from Director. Sept. 15, 1973, scale o f 1: 40,000. editi o n of C hart o. 411 6 .0 . National Ocean Survey (formerly Price$ I .75. 19060). issued Sept. 15, 1973, ca le Coast and Geodetic Suney), ational 2. Florida-Everglades National of I :250,000. Price $ 1.75. Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra­ Park-Shark River to Lostmans 4. Ala s ka-Southeas t Coast­ tion, U. S. Department of Commerce, River, 6th editi o n of ha rt No. 599S Southern Entrances to Summer Strait, and its authorized sales agents. (N.O. 11154), iss ued Sept. 15, 1973, 6th editio n of C ha rt o. 8 173 ( .0 . I. New York Harbor, 62nd edition scale of I :50,000. Price $2.20. 17 1(3), iss ued Sept. 22, 1973, scale o f of Chart No. 369 ( .0.12141), i sued 3. Hawaii-Hawaii to Oahu, 16th I AO,OOO. Pri ce $1.7 5.

Monthly Fishery Market Review September Groundfish Supplies High as Landings Gain

Table 1.-Groundfish supplies (fillet weight in million pounds) , September 1973. Groundfish FILLET SUPPLI ES include c od, flounder, haddock, and ocean perch .

CONTINUE HIGH Jan- Jan- July Aug Sept Sept Percent Sept Sept Percent 1973 1973 1973 1972 change 1973 1972 change Supplies of groundfish fi ll ets (cod, flounder, haddock, and ocean perch, M illion Pounds Percent Million Pounds Percent Tables 1-5) continued high during Beginning Inventory 426 47.5 491 33.5 +47 52.4 45.0 +16 Total landings 46 42 57 4.9 + 16 477 522 - 9 September, but some notable changes Imports 25.9 321 29.3 34.3 -15 2354 2086 + 13 in the components of supply occurred. Total supply 73 1 838 841 72.7 + 16 335.5 3058 + 10 Ending Inventory 47.5 491 55.3 42.4 +30 562 42.4 +30 First, landings recorded one of the Consumption 25.6 347 288 30.3 - 5 279.3 263.4 + 6 fe\.\ gains this year with a 16 percent increase to 5.7 millio n pounds. In­ Table 2.-Cod supplies (fillet weight in m illion pounds) in September 1973. creased catches of from 40 to 25 Jan- Jan- percent in the cod and flounder fish­ July Aug Sept Sept Percent Sept Sept Percent eries, respecti vel}, were responsi ble 1973 1973 1973 1972 change 1973 1972 change for the September advance. Million Pounds Percent Million Pounds Percent Second, imports fell during the Beginning Inventory 157 147 15 .5 148 + 5 162 61 + 166 month after eight con ecutive month­ Total landings 10 10 1.4 10 +40 10 .9 10.7 + 2 ly Imports 5.8 7.5 52 89 -42 67.0 80.5 17 increases this year. The lower Total supply 22.5 232 221 247 -11 941 973 3 quantity of cod received this month Ending Inventory 147 15.5 14 .8 162 - 9 157 16.2 3 Consumption 78 77 7.3 8.5 -14 H million pounds less) was primarily 78.4 81 1 3 re ponslble for the overall decline, although both flounder and haddock Table 3. - Flounder supplies (fi llet weight in million pounds) in September 1973. imports were also down. The decline Jan- Jan- July Aug Sept Sept Percent Sept Sept Percent may be tied to a drop in the quantity 1973 1973 1973 1972 change 1973 1972 change caught In (our major supplier) MillIOn Pounds Percent Million Pounds Percent during September. and some redirec­ tion of supplies from the Beginning Inventory 84 9.6 9.6 4 7 + 104 86 9.3 -11 Total landings 2 1 19 3.0 2.4 + 25 213 22.9 - 7 to European markets where high Imports 6.6 8.8 8 .7 9.3 6 71 3 53.1 +34 demand and pnces have attracted Total supply 17 1 20.3 21 3 16.4 + 30 1012 85.3 +19 Ending Inventory 96 96 10.6 57 + 86 10.6 5.7 +86 additional quantities. Consumption 7.5 10.7 107 107 906 79.6 +14 In spite of the higher total quantity

of fillets available, consumption Table 4.-Haddock supplies (fillet weight in million pounds) in September 1973. dropped about 5 percent to 28.8 Jan- Jan- million pounds. This appears to have July Aug Sept Sept Percent Sept Sept Percent been in response to an increasing level 1973 1973 1973 1972 change 1973 1972 change of fish prices in conjunction with M illion Pounds Percent M illion Pounds Percent declining prices for some meat and Beginning Inventory 83 8.8 88 4.5 +96 9.8 8.9 + 10 poultry products. E:\.cept for cod a nd Total landings 0.3 0.3 0 .1 0.3 -77 2.5 3.3 -24 Imports 3.3 4.3 3.6 44 -18 32.5 25.9 +25 flounder e.'\-vessel prices, almost all Total sup p ly 11.9 13.4 12 .5 9. 1 +37 44.8 38.1 + 18 fillet price rose during the month Ending Inventory 8 .8 8 .8 9.8 71 +38 9.8 7 1 +38 Consumption (Table 6). 3.1 4 .6 2.7 80 -66 35.0 3 1.0 + 13

4-' BLOCK IMPORTS DOWN, in 1972 Becau~ e hl1 ld ing, \\ ere dra\\ 11 I,JIld"d an 19_ STICK AND PORTION do~\n rapidly In the fir,t hall. Cllntlnued 1111p,'rl PRODUCTION STABLE 10\.\ landing~ (ra rtlcul a r! ) In th e Gull ) 1"10\111 ' and Imports re~ulteu In th e lo\\er 9- ,lUI ma)"f L(lllli dill 11 r U.S. il1lport of fish blocks declined month total. , hrlmp UPlllc, ''1p,lrcnth h.J sharpl y in Septel1lber to 33.6 l1lillion In spite of the merall \hll rtdge, curtailed thur 1'1Ir"h,\ 111 r nl pounds. 9 million pounds less than the there arc ~ol1le bri ght ~rOh In th e Ill!l nt h, bce.lll l' 01 hleh uppltc previous month but about a fourth suppl) picturc thi~ l1l onth . Gull Idnd­ declin ing rrlclng In Ih,1I LI untr hi gher th an las t September (Table 7l. in gs continue to feel the effcct, 01 a rc ult Im p"l t h.l\<': Illll'rl \C lIn Priccs of a ll major fish blocks (Table the spring Roous: howc\cr. the gain ",derah" ,lnd \\ cr' )l1h II ·hl" I 8) showed harp in creases in Septel1l­ registered in the Pacdic catch 11l0re th c 4L1 dl1tlt \ rCLcl\cd 1,1,1 \CM ber, and although prices for flsh slicks than offset that uecllnc. Orego n ha, O\\ lng t,l thc l!cnadl hortd'l' I and portions also rose, they were not had a record catch thl'- ) car unu ,urI' '' . rrlCl ' h.( \ l' II1Ue.1 l'd I,\pld" suffici ent to halt the continuing cost Alaska landing during th e month !Tahle 121 Thc \\h,'1e ak I fiLL r f sq ueeze faced by domestic stick and were about four time the 4uantlt) 15-20 CIlUl1t hrlmp," r l' ,II11JlIe rn l: portion producers (Tables 9 and 10) . Table 5.-0cean perch supplies (1I1Iel weighl in million pounds) In September 1973 In o rder to realize even the minimum 10-cent margin on cod portion , for I July Aug Sept Sept Perceni Sept S p P example, dOl1le tic flrms would have 1973 1973 1973 1972 change 1 ;, to produce portions from cod block M,llIOn Pounds Percent M nP imported in April when the blocks were sellin g for 58.5 cents per pound. Beginnin g Inventory 10.2 144 152 95 + 60 178 Total landings 1 2 0.9 1 2 13 8 , 0 By September, cod block prices were I mp orts 10.2 11.5 11.8 11 7 4 Q Total supply 216 268 282 225 .. 25 ~ up to 78 .5 cents, all1l ost 10 cents per Ending Invenlory 144 152 20 1 134 +50 201 pound higher than the cod portion Consum plion 72 116 81 91 11 75 prices. Total stick and portion production Table 6.--

La nding were practically the same a Jan· Jan· 111 1972. but impo rt dro pped off July Aug Sept Sept Percent Sept Sept Percen 1973 1973 1973 1972 cnange 1973 1972 change sharpl). This mo nth' decline in imports \'va prima ril ) the re ult o f M Il,on Pounds Percenl M I/,on Pounds Percenl

lov.er shIpment receiv ed from a nad a. Beginning Inventory 33 I 488 645 938 - 32 758 62 7 ... 21 T he combinati o n of lo,v e r la ndings Production 03 05 06 02 ... 100 39 1 5 ... ISO Imports 274 429 336 265 + 27 247 7 286 I - 13 and imentorie In anada during Total supply 60 8 922 987 120 5 - 18 3274 3503 7 September apparently ha limited the Ending Inventory 488 645 60 8 1044 - 42 S08 1044 - 42 Consumption 12 a 277 3" 9 16 I ... 135 2666 2459 ... 8 quantity a\ailable fo r e\.po rt . Prices at t he e\.-\ es el and \\ hole­ Table B.-Prices of blocks and slabs In Seplember 1973. sale le\els stabilized during the mo nth Jan Fel Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep oc' ov Dec in the v. ake of sharp increases because Cenls Per Pound of the ev. Bedfo rd trIke in Augu t (Table 141. Reta il prices. hov. e \ er. Cod 1972 465 470 470 47 a 456 465 47 a 4- a 4- a 47 a 4 - a 48 a 1973 486 524 566 585 61 667 689 71 9 785 80 a ro e rapidly d uri ng the month fro m $2.51 per pou nd in August to $2.8 4 Flounder 1972 435 444 453 492 5 I - 533 556 5" 0 58 a 58 a 58 " 595 1973 595 596 60 a 60 a 60 a 62 a 63 a 653 678 68 a in September. In spite of the hi ghe r retail prices. demand v. as stro ng a Haddock 1972 47 I 47 5 475 479 50 3 528 544 4" a 58 I 595 595 595 1973 60 I 60 5 614 633 649 69 a 733 755 -96 823 consumption 'v'vas 27 percent above Ocean perch 1972 385 385 38 .7 395 395 39 8 4 I 6 45 a 480 48 3 49 4 495 the pre\ ious year. earl )' a ll the nev. 1973 512 53 I 539 540 54 8 539 5 4 a 657 667 67 a supplies \\ere consumed a nd the Pollock 1972 32 .3 32 a 32.0 32 I 3 I 2 315 31.5 310 296 295 28 3 28 a q uantity in storage 'v\ a practicall) 1973 29 a 30 1 330 34 0 352 39 8 43 I 46.0 512 55 a u nchanged. Wn l11 ng 1972 330 335 33 a 33 a 332 332 3 1 5 315 3 1 5 32 a 34 I 345 AMERICAN LOBSTER 1973 346 35.8 3- 5 375 375 394 4 I I 426 484 50 4 SUPPLIES DOWN W o lfflsh 1972 49 .3 500 50.0 50 a 503 50 .5 5 10 5 1.5 5 1.3 5 10 5 10 5 10 1973 57.0 50 a 545 52 a 52 a 52 a 52 a 61 8 635 A vailable supplies o f A merican lobsters were well below the previous Table 9.-Supplies of fish sticks and portions in September 1973. year in Sep tember o n the basis of Jan· Jan· lower landings a nd imports (T able July Aug Sepl Sept Percenl Sept Sept Percent IS). M ai ne landings were down 1.3 1973 1973 1973 1972 cnange 1973 1972 change

percent fro m , but M ,I/ion Pounds Percenl M ,lllOn Pounds Percenl were double the quantity caught in Beginning Inventory 31 .6 28.2 26.8 216 +24 34.4 232 +48 July and about 10 percent above Pro duction August landings. Imports from Canada Slicks 7.7 9.3 100 9.7 + 3 64 .6 81 .3 -21 Portions 21 .0 27.5 263 23 .9 + 10 147 .3 1925 -24 were off about I I percent du ri ng the Total 28.7 36.8 36.3 33.6 + 8 2119 273 .8 -23 month . Most of this decline can be Imports 0.1 0.1 a I 0.1 1.3 1.2 + 8 Total supply 60.4 65.1 63.2 55.3 +14 247 .6 298 .2 -17 attributed to the lower qua ntity Ending inventory 28 .2 26.8 24.7 23.5 + 5 247 23.5 + 5 landed in Canada this year (down Consu m pti on 32 .2 38.3 38.5 31 .8 +21 222 .9 274.7 -19

46 Table 10.-Weekly average wholesale prices ollish slicks and porlions in September 1973. ) ~ar. \I ,,',,: Jr,I\\ 11 .1\1\1 n r.lptul\ Jan- Jan- r~ ult ,II t h" 1ll.lIk I upph" r" (I July Aug Sept Sepl Percent Sepi Sepi Percent t h~' o.:nd III t h" 1ll'1I11h Ih,,\ 1973 1973 1973 1972 change 1973 1972 change HI \\ "r pcrL~nt hel,1\1 th" .1111" date tn Cents per pound In 'r'l~ III Iho.: 111\\ ~ I lj u ~1I1l1l \ .1\ at! Cod portions 670 670 69.3 60.5 + 14 659 59.2 + 11 ahl~. Clln,umrtilln Il"\? ~tI I "rccnt Haddock 720 72.0 743 65.0 + 14 704 639 + 10 Cod s ti c ks 870 87.0 89.8 770 + 17 81 .3 75.5 + 8 Juring ert~lllh"r. The ,h.lrp lIh.re.1 ~ Haddock stlGks 880 792 +11 81 1 777 + 4 In cOIJ-\hllcr t

h o\\e\ ~r. the , ~-c~nt I n~1 t:~t'C till Table 11 .-Shrimp supplies in September 1973. month Clahk I,') apparo.:ntl\ JIJ n t Jan- Jan- ~Ignlficantl~ reJuc~ J"manJ Ju ly Aug Sept Sept Pe rcent Sept Sept Percent 1973 1973 1973 1972 change 1973 1972 change

Table 12.-Shrlmp prices In Million Pounds Percent Million Pounds Percent September---- 1973 July Aug Sept Beginning Inventory 5 16 52.3 476 88.2 11 927 69.9 + 33 1973 1973 1973 Landings To tal 26.7 24 .3 24 ,9 22.5 + 11 1587 177 5 11 Dotrars P Gulf 14 .5 9.7 10 3 15.3 + 33 776 1093 29 No rth east 0.6 04 04 3 + 33 112 13 .3 16 Ex-vessel Pac ili c 10 .0 12.3 10.9 42 + 160 60.8 446 + 36 15-20 count South AtlantiC 1.6 19 3.3 27 + 22 9.1 10 .3 12 224 251 275 1 71 Imports 17 0 186 18 3 191 4 154 .2 1818 15 31-35 177 214 221 138 51-65 1 42 166 To tal supply 95.3 95,2 90,8 129.8 30 405.6 4292 6 164 0 Wholesale Ending Inventory 52,2 476 53.8 886 39 538 886 39 15-20 count Export s 238 2 75 300 1 6 31-35 198 231 246 Total 3.1 3.3 3.2 2, 1 + 52 38.6 261 + 48 161 51-65 158 1 76 Domestic fresh 2.7 2.9 2,8 18 + 56 292 216 + 35 186 1 10 Retail and Irozen 15-25 count 294 3 13 L 94 Transs hipments 04 0.4 04 0.3 + 33 9.4 4.5 + 109 357 31·42 249 01 Gulf canned pac k 2 1 06 1.4 1.5 7 148 207 28 1. 73 Fresh and Irozen Consumption 37.9 43 .7 32.4 376 14 2984 293.8 + 2 Table 14.-Scallop prices In September 1973 Table 13.-Scallop supplies in September 1973. Ju y Aug Jan- Jan- 1973 1973 July Aug Sept Sept Percent Sept Sept Percent 1973 1973 1973 1972 change 1973 1972 change Do

Thousand Pounds Percent Thousand Pounds Percent Ex-vessel 1 48 198 200 1 Wholesale 163 220 8 Beginni ng Inventory 3,029 3.554 3.655 1,686 +117 3736 1.585 + 136 Retail 280 251 284 Total landings 700 450 500 491 + 2 4,845 5,114 5 Impo rt s 1,780 2.002 1.938 2.281 15 15,318 14465 + 6 Total supply 5.509 6.006 6,093 4.458 + 37 23,899 21 164 + 13 Ending Inventory 3,554 3.655 3,677 2,552 + 44 3,677 2,552 + 44 Table 16 ,-Amerlcan lobster prices In September Consumption 1.955 2,351 2,4 16 1,906 + 27 20,222 18.612 + 9 1973. July Aug Table lS .-American lobster supplies in September 1973. lq73 1973 Jan Jan- July Aug Sept Sept Percent Sept Sept Percent 1973 1973 1973 1972 change 1973 1972 change Ex-vessel 146 , 50 • 13 08 Who esa e Thousand Pounds Percent Thousand Pounds Percent 2 b 2 16 281 282 1'2 2 16 278 274 2 9 Maine landings 1.425 2738 3,001 3.444 -13 10,406 9.589 + 9 1'. 216 72 260 194 Impo rts 3,267 1.877 1.346 1.518 -11 21472 24 196 11 l' • 2 2 268 255 18 Consumption 4 692 4.615 4,347 4962 -12 31878 33785 6 chlx 212 HiB , 48 1 el

Table 17 .- Spiny lobster tail supplies in September 1973. Table lB.-SpinY lobsler lall whole .. le price. In July Aug Sept Sept Percent Jan- Jan Seplember 1973 1973 1973 1973 1972 change Sepi Sepl Percenl 1973 1972 change

Million Pounds Percent Mit 0 PGo.Inds Perce,,'

Beginning Invenlory 7.5 67 68 87 22 89 4 - ... 89 Imporls 20 25 26 27 - 4 247 289 _1,,! ,\ Tolal supply 95 92 94 II 4 -18 336 336 Ending Invenlory 67 68 70 94 -26 -0 94 26 Consumpt ion 28 24 24 20 +20 266 2~ 2 .. 10

47