Price Spreads and Costs Analyses for Finfish and Shellfish Products at Different Marketing Levels

The rapid increase of fish prices has recently casused public concern. Consumers as well as fishermen have often attributed rises in fish retail prices to increases in marketing costs. To find the cause of the difference between the price the fisherman receives for his product and the ultimate price paid by the consumer, the distribution of the consumer's dollar paid to the retailer as well as to the wholesaler, processor, and fisherman is analyzed. Selected for this study are four groundfish fillets (haddock, flounder, cod, and ocean perch), salmon and halibut in steak and dressed form, canned tuna, canned salmon, and five shellfish products: shrimp, blue crabs, norhtern lobsters, sea scallops, and oysters. Their production accounts for 36% of total sea fish harvested in this country in 1969 on a round weight basis. The difference or margin between selling and purchasing prices of each level and the fisherman's share of the consumer's dollar are presented for each fish product over the period from 1950 to 1969. In addition, the report analyzes the costs and proftis incurred by each marketing function and describes the major influences on margin differences.