Annaul Processed Products Report

Survey of Fishery Processed Products

(Fishery Products Reports)

Dear Processor:

The National Marine Fisheries Service conducts an annual survey of all seafood processors that operate in the United States. Your firm has been identified as participating in this industry. Please take a moment and fill out the enclosed form and return it in the enclosed envelope.

This survey is the only comprehensive survey of the U.S. seafood processing industry and is the source of all regional and national statistics. Reports generated from these statistics include Fisheries of the United States and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization's yearbook, Fishery Statistics-Commodities. The better data we receive, the better these reports will be and ultimately your industry will be represented in a more complete fashion.

These data have been used to calculate disaster assistance to businesses affected by natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The data you provide are also used for calculating annual United States seafood consumption and for determining the value added margins and consumer expenditures related to commercial fisheries. The NMFS Trade Office and the International Trade Commission use the data in multilateral trade negotiations and tariff studies. Industry trade organizations and members of the industrial and financial communities use the data to make business decisions affecting the fishing and seafood industries.

Please be assured that all information regarding production and employment of individual firms is kept STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL. Only aggregated data is reported so that no individual person or business can be identified.

The instructions on the reverse are provided to assist you in completely and accurately preparing the forms. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact Alan Lowther at National Marine Fisheries Service, Fisheries Statistics Division F/ST1, 1315 East-West Hwy, Silver Spring, MD 20910 or call (301) 427-8154.

Sincerely,

Alan Lowther

Fisheries Statistics Division

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING THE FORM

1. Check your company name, mailing address, and phone/fax numbers. If your plant address differs from your mail address please fill in the appropriate information and please make any necessary corrections.

2. In the upper right hand corner indicate the type of business you operate.

3. In the box to the right of your address is the employment section. Enter by month the number of persons which worked at the establishment during the payroll period that included the 12th of the month. Do not forget to include yourself.

4. Directly beneath the employment section, please print or type the name and telephone number and/or e-mail address of the person who prepared the report so that we will know who to contact if we have any questions. It is not necessary to sign the form.

5. The next several sections are for processing aspects of the plant. "Processing" means anything done to the product to increase its economic value. This would include, but is not limited to, filleting, steaking, surimi or analog production, shucking, cooking, removing the roe, or otherwise preparing the product. If the products already listed on the form are correct, please fill in the appropriate finished product volume and FOB plant values. Plant value is the amount that the processor receives for the finished product. For products finished but not yet sold (still held in inventory), calculate the estimated value using the average price received to date for that product.

6. If you receive a form that has no products listed (it only states “New Products” or “Products”), please list all the products you currently process in addition to any new products you have introduced. If there are no products pre-printed on your form, it indicates we have no information for your company in our database.

7. Processors of canned products, please be sure to include the ounces per can, cans per case, and number of cases. If the information is already included on the form, please check it for accuracy.

8. List any NEW products in the appropriate section with volume and values. If a product listed on the pre-printed section of products no longer applies, just draw a line through it.

9. We recommend that you make a copy of the completed survey for your files. A pre-addressed envelope is enclosed for your convenience in returning the form to this office.

10. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call Melissa Yencho or Alan Lowther in the NMFS Fisheries Statistics Division at: (301) 427-8193 or (301) 427-8154. We are more than happy to answer any questions or address your concerns.

Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated to average 30 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to:

Alan Lowther, National Marine Fisheries Service, Fisheries Statistics Division F/ST1, 1315 East - West Hwy, Silver Spring, MD 20910