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SEPTEMBER 1949

FISH and WILDLIFE SERVICE

United States Department of the Interior

Washington, D.C

UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

J.A.KRUG, Secretary ALBERT M. DAY, Director

LTD

<— COMMERCIALE
) FISHERIES

A REVIEW OF DEVELOPMENTS AND NEWS OF THE FISHERY INDUSTRIES
PREPARED IN THE BRANCH OF COMMERCIAL FISHERIES
A. W. Anderson , Editor
R.T. Whiteleather, Associate Editor
Wm.H. Dumont and J. Pileggi, Assistant Editors

AVNTUALUNYUAELNLENY
"
a0

Applications for COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW, which is mailed tree to members of the
fishery industries and allied interests,should be addressed to the

Director, Fish ond Wildlife Service, United Stotes Department of the Interior, Washington, 25, D.C.

The contents of this publication have not been copyrighted and may be reprinted freely; however, reference to

the source will be apprecioted. The Service assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of material from outside sources.

CONTENTS

COVER: LOADING BARRELED SHELL OYSTERS IN REFRIGERATOR
CAR IN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY AREA. THE BARRELS
CARRY THE SLOGAN OYSTERS ’R’A TASTY TREAT ....

PAGE
THE MUSSEL RESOURCES OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC REGION - PART |--THE SURVEY TO DIS-
COVER THE LOCATIONS AND AREAS OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC MUSSEL PRODUCING BEDS, BY
AW! CSCATTERGOOD), AND: (Gs (Gi. MAY WOR i) co Liye ey YO TRESS 1 A Iai ere eon I
E VALUE RATIOS FOR GRAYFISH, SOUPFIN SHARK, SABLEFISH, AND HALIBUT LIVER OILS
PRODUCED IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST, BY F. 8. SANFORD AND E. VAUGHAN ....e.e.e. it
-_ e- * © *& ©
PAGE PAGE
RESEARCH IN SERVICE LABORATORIES ... 13 FOREIGN (CONT. ):
TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS$.....-e+e-+- ID NEW CALEDON!|A AND DEPENDENCIES ... 34
ADDITIONS TO THE FLEET OF U.S. NEWROUNDLAND <5 shia co eee eas
FISHING VESSELS .....4. sree 15 NIGERIA. ...... ca a atatnepe ae Cre ene Reng
CALIFORNIA SARDINE QUOTA FOR RE~ NORWAY ee NR GE iene! <S
DUCTION PURPOSES CHANGED ........ 15 SOLAN) “Las teas ee area D Se Sm)
FEDERAL PURCHASES OF FISHERY PORTUGAL, .)s ceiaiaiais eles alee ole ietee Stee Sem
PRODU GiiSmyeweicrevenelererere Ob00 d0b00b06 16 UNION OF SOUTH ARRIIGA 2, 522. 55 eae
FISHERY BIOLOGY NOTES ........ Roe allie UNITED ICINGDOM cayenne Sn oc ents
NATIONAL FISHERIES TRENDS, JULY- DRS se ene eas eM a
SEPTEMBER: 949) San eee ites obo. Ne URUGUAY ...... aera
PACIFIC OCEANIC FISHERY INVESTI- VENEZUCLE | Ne
GATIONS oo. esse eres eres ceases 19 FEDERAL WACTIONS:imninie tana 46
U.S. PACK OF MISCELLANEOUS CANNED DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY:
FISHERY PRODUCTS, 1948 .........- 20 PROCUREMENT OF FISHERY PRODUCTS
U.S. PRODUCTION OF MARINE-ANIMAL AND EXPORTS TO OCCUPIED AREAS . 46
SCRAP AND MEAL, 1948 o.eseseceses 21 INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISS1ON:
WHOLESALE AND RETAIL PRICES ...... 22 RAILROAC FREIGHT RATES AND
FOREIGN: ..... , i aeslctavais py avarpaee 24 rE DUCTS
ni GRRGRaaes caveaueceienee 2 CHARGES FOR FISHERY PRODUCTS |
sistance Od dopo GDC G00G NC es DEPARTMENT OF STATE:
BIZ ONENCER MANY IT a las Ra ee ee INTERNATIONAL MEETING ON HERRING
GANADA DHE WEL OUR Ud) oo Redan Be Se AND JALL JED SPECIES’ 82 ete ear
FRANCE. cMneins O02 ot siti lina oo GRAPHS: sysreiatane i okie ate: sie oa S
CRENCERMGROC CONE rumaye maar reat LANDINGS AND RECEIPTS ............ 49
HUNGARY SRC aS Orn io) clas ek ne os COLD STORAGE HOLDINGS AND FREEZ-
ICEEAND chi aboricts PRR Nae 5G INGS OF FISHERY PRODUCTS ........ 50
eve eS AP PARA Lion Wee NESS CANNED FISHERY PRODUCTS ..........+ 5
SRDAN SE ee ero eee GG gi PRICES, IMPORTS AND BYPRODUCTS ... 52
MBER TARE Ta Es eR OR Rr RECENT FISHERY PUSLICATIONS:........ 53
HOBGC TONE ine ou *isieitie oe hers Si FIs site WILDLIFE SERV!CE PUBLI- 53
poe ISobAo bo .G 6 ae CATIONS? Sere yodaensie seers

MISCELLANEOUS PUBLICATIONS seer ee 59

iain

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(a

September 1949 Washington 25,D.C. Vol.11,No.9

oe ce

THE MUSSEL RESOURCES OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC REGION

PART I--THE SURVEY TO DISCOVER THE LOCATIONS AND AREAS
OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC MUSSEL-PRODUCING BEDS

By Leslie W. Scattergood** and Clyde GC. Taylor **

This is the first of three papers discussing the World War II pro-
motion of the North Atlantic mussel fishery, The present article is
primarily concerned with the quantitative results of a survey of the
productivity of mussel areas.

INTRODUCTION

During the recent war, the fishing industry had the problem of increasing its
production despite relative shortages of manpower, equipment, and materials. One
of the ways of efficiently augmenting the catch of fish and shellfish was to uti-
lize species ordinarily disregarded. One of the probable sources of sea food was
the edible mussel
(Mytilus edulis),
which is so common
along. the North
Atlantic Coast of
the United States.
This species can
be harvested dur—
ing that time of
the year when the
small—boat fishery
is least active.
In the late winter
and the spring
months, the mussels
are in good con- 8
dition for marketing, as it is then that they reach their fat
in this period other fishing activities are at a low level.

The mussel, although relatively unknown to the American public, has attained
great popularity in Europe. Large quantities have been consumed in European coun-—
tries for hundreds of years.

The annual English, Welsh, and Scotch production of this shellfish, as re—
corded in the statistical reports of the British Ministry of Agriculture and Fish—
eries, averaged about 19 million pounds ("in the shell" weight) for the 15-year
period between 1924 and 1938. In addition, large quantities of the shellfish are
imported or landed by foreign boats. For example, 104 million pounds in 1930 and
12 million pounds in 1932 were brought into Great Britain. Considering the im—
ports and local production, nearly 30 million pounds were used annually in Great
* Fishery Biologist,

%Formerly Biological es Branch of Fishery Biology, U. S, Fish and Wildlife Service,

2 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 11, No. 9

Britain during these years, Most of the mussels are consumed as food; some are
used as bait in the long—line fisheries,

France consumes much greater quantities of mussels, and so important is this
shellfish that extensive artificial cultivation has been practiced for several
centuries in that country. Lambert (1935) states that generally France consumes
about 143.3 million pounds, of which about one-third comes from natural beds, one—
third from mussel "farms", and the balance imported from Holland.

The mussel production for 1933 in Holland, which consumes only small quantities
of this shellfish, was about 144.5 million pounds, of which 44.1] million pounds
were used for duck food, 4.4 million pounds for fertilizer, and 90.4 million pounds
were exported to Great Britain, Germany, Belgium, and France, according to Lambert.
The latter two countries absorbed about 95 percent of the Dutch exports. During
1917 and 1918, Holland shipped over 2,204,600,000 pounds of mussels to Germany, ac—
cording to estimates of some Dutch mussel culturists interviewed by Lambert.

In the United States, mussels have been utilized only slightly. The records
of the United States Bureau of Fisheries and the Fish and Wildlife Service show that
during the 10-year period (1929 to 1940), the annual production of the mussel fish—
ery averaged 200,000 pounds of meats, or to make the figure comparable to those
given for Great Britain, less than 1,000,000 pounds ("in the shell" weight). About
75 percent of the Atlantic Coast mussels were landed in New York City. As a re—
sult of the recent war, a fishery for the ribbed mussel (Modiolus demissus) has
been prosecuted in the middle Atlantic and Chesapeake Bay areas, but these mussels
have been used in the preparation of vitamins for poultry, rather than for human
consumption.

Efforts have been made in the past to popularize the sea mussel in this coun—
try. Field (1910a, 1910b, 1911, 1913, and 1922) noted the potentialities of an
Atlantic Coast mussel fishery. Field in 1917 made an investigation of the mussel
beds at Plymouth Harbor, Narragansett Bay, and around Long Island, New York. An
examination of 19 localities in the three sections revealed that an estimated
2,726,000 bushels of marketable mussels were available in these areas during the
winter and spring of 1917-18. In 1918, the coast of Maine was surveyed from Port—
land to Eastport and a total of 127,000 bushels of marketable mussels were esti-
mated to be available in the 32 localities surveyed. According to Field, a mar—
ketable mussel was one which was two inches or more in length. Some attempts to
promote the use of mussels as food were initiated by the United States Bureau of
Fisheries during the years 1917 to 1919, but an important fishery never material-—
ized. Mussels remained generally unknown to the American public.

When renewed efforts to develop a mussel fishery were under consideration in
1942, it was thought that the consumer's reaction to the product should first be
evaluated. Fresh, frozen, and canned mussels, prepared in a variety of ways were
served to a considerable number of people by members of the Fish and Wildlife Ser—
vice. The mussels, with the exception of several frozen lets, were judged to be
excellent when served in chowder, fried, or eaten raw as a cocktail. The first
general test of the public's reaction to mussels was sponsored by the Massachu-—
setts Division of Marine Fisheries. At the 1942 annual fair in Brockton, Massa-—
chusetts, steamed mussels on the half shell were served at the marine fisheries
booth. The consumption of over two tons of mussels at the fair indicated that
the public found the shellfish acceptable. In addition, representatives of the
Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries prepared mussel chowders which were
served in the commissaries of several Massachusetts defense plants. The enthusi-
astic acceptance of the mussels was nost encouraging. The Division representatives

September 1949 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 3

reported that the few individuals who did not enjoy mussels were those who did not
like shellfish in general. It was felt that once consumers were acquainted with
the excellent flavor of the mussels a demand for this new product would soon be es—
tablished.

Mussels are an excellent source of protein, are rich in vitamins (riboflavin
and Vitamin A), iron, copper, and iodine, and contain magnesium, phosphorus, and
calcium; therefore, they would be a valuable addition to the diet. The possibil-—
ities of increased use of mussels in this country were recently stated byHerring-
ton and Scattergood (1942, 1943) and Loosanoff (1942, 1943a, and 1943b).

As the mussel resources had been but slightly utilized along the North Atlatic
coast, there was little recent available information concerning the supply of the
species. Data from Field's survey of 1917-18 were available, but it was not known
whether his estimates of productivity were applicable to the 1942 supplies, or
whether the beds which he examined still existed. In order to determine the ex-—
tent of the supply and the possibility of developing a fishery, it was necessary
to make a preliminary survey of the mussel rescurces and the factors affecting their
utilization. No attempt was made to make a complete survey.

Because of the limitations in time, it was not possible to cover the entire
North Atlantic region. However, the principal mussel—producing areas between Point
Lepreau, New Brunswick, and Rockland, Maine were examined. Parts of the New Hamp—
shire and Massachusetts coastlines also were examined. Available data indicated
that these areas included the most productive beds along the coast at that time.

The mussel survey was planned to provide the following information:
1. The locations and sizes of the principal mussel beds,

2. The total contents of the beds in terms of quantity
and size of mussels.

3. The yield in pounds of meat per bushel for each area
and season,

4. The quantities and sizes of pearls found in mussels
taken from each area,

wa
ry

Practical methods of harvesting mussels,

6, Information concerning available canning facilities,
boats, and manpower,

The mussel surveys of 1942 and 1943 were made possible by the active cooper—
ation of the Maine Department of See and Shore Fisheries, Maine Development Com—
mission, New Hampshire Fish and Game Department., Massachusetts Division of Marine
Fisheries, Fisheries Research Board of Canada, Canadian Department of Fisheries,
and interested cannery operators and fishermen. Without this assistance much less
ground could have been covered with the time and personnel available.

An examination of the mussel resources of Southern New England was carried on
by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in cooperation with the Rhode Island
Department of Conservation, and the Connecticut State Board of Fish and Game. The
preliminary results of the survey in southern New England are given by Loosanoff

(1943c)

4 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 11, No. 9

MUSSEL SURVEY

The object of the survey was to locate and examine the most important mussel
beds in the various sections. In many localities, small areas which might possess
enough mussels to be worthy of a fisherman's attention were not covered; therefore,
the survey represents the very minimum extent of the supply.

Local information from fishermen and fishery wardens was of great assistance
in locating the mussel beds in many localities, although in general the mussel was
not of any interest among the residents along the East Coast. The best informa—
tion was obtained in those regions where mussels are used as fish bait or are con—
sidered to compete with soft clams (Mya arenaria) for space on same tidal flats.

SURVEY METHODS

The New Brunswick, Maine, New Hampshire, and some Massachusetts mussel beds
were located near the low-tide mark; consequently, examination was relatively
simple. Inspection of the bed at low tide was made either by rowing around it in
a dory or by walking over it, if conditions permitted. The location, shape, and
dimensions of the bed were plotted on a U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey chart of
that region and from such information, the area was determined by planimeter
measurements. The variations in mussel sizes and population densities were noted,
for these vary considerably on most beds, particularly where the bed extends from
several feet below to several feet above the mean low-water mark. One or more
samples were taken from what were considered to be characteristic parts of the bed
to determine the weights of the meats and the average sizes of the mussles. In
some cases, a sample from one square yard of the bed was removed. With this in-
formation it was possible to estimate rougnly the total number of bushels of mar—
ketable mussels on the beds. It was not possible to determine how accurate the
estimates were, but is was felt that the error was small and that the quantities
were representative of the abundance of the shellfish.

In the Nantucket Island region the mussel beds were not completely exposed
at low tide, but were in depths of about one to two fathoms. Here, due to the
clearness of the water, most of the beds were easily seen and the examination of
the remaining beds was completed by using a boat and a long—handled rake. Inthe
Cape Cod Bay region, the mussels were located by dredging.

All mussel samples were washed free of mud and the dead mussels and shells
were separated from the live mussels. The ratio of live mussels to dead mussels
and shells was recorded. The live mussels were measured for individual lengths
and the ratio of the volume of mussels over two inches in length to those under
two inches was ascertained. The meats were removed from those mussels above two
inches to obtain the yield per bushel.

LOCATION, AREAS, AND TOTAL CONTENTS OF BEDS

Table 1 presents the data on the locations, areas, and total contents of the
mussel beds.

‘In New Brunswick, the region between Point Lepreau and Saint Andrews was ex—
amined during November 1943. Musquash, Beaver, L'Etang, and Bocabec Harbors were
not surveyed because information from representatives of the Fisheries Research
Board of Canada and the Canadian Department of Fisheries indicated that few mus—
sels were present in those areas. Very limited supplies of mussels were found at

September 1949

Lepreau Point, Lepreau Har—

. e yee Table 1 - Locations, Areas and Estimated Quantities of Mussels on Some Surveyed Beds
for, Mill Cove, Midjik Bluff, — EEE EES SEE —

Digdequash Inlet, Parker,
Jameson, and McMaster Is-—
lands (Figure 1). This re~
gion was examined byMossop
(1921) during 1917 and her
observations agree with
those of the 1942 survey.
The mussels were so small
that they were considered
to be of no commercial im-
portance. To be commerci-
ally important mussels
should be at least two
inches long and in great
enough quantities to make
their harvesting profit—
able.

In the Eastport—Lubec
region, which was surveyed
during October 1943, mussel
beds were not abundant. Jim
Island, Spectacle Island,
Pennamaquan River near West
Pembroke, Scrub Island, and
Long Island had small patch—
es of messels. The largest
bed was located in Lubec
Narrows at Leadurny Point.
Less than 26 acres of mus—
sel flats were discovered
in the entire Eastport—Lu-—
bee section and mussels of
over two inches in length
were so scarce that the beds
were not commercially im-—
portant.

Information from fish-
ery wardens and fishermen
indicated that mussels were
not abundant enough to war-
rant a fishery in the re-
gion extending eastward from
Jonesboro, Maine, to Lubec,
Maine.

COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW

lepreau Point
Leprean Harbor ..ccceserseccececess
Letite Harbor, Mill Cove .........
Little Letite Passage ...... eceree
Midjik Bluff ....c.sscceserocecece
Digdequash Inlet ......c.seeeerece .
Total .oscecesc.ccecesccecscseretseressseee
Maine, Eastport-Lubec Section:
Moose Island Bridge
Spectacle Island ...
Jim Island ......
Leadurny Point
Long Island ...

ne, Jonesport Saction:
Goandler River once

Indian River ....scseseseseces eee
West River, Goose Islands
Cape Split Harbor ........0...0+0-+-
Pleasant River, Reef Point .........
Harrington River, Ripley Islands ...
Narraguagus Bay, Back Bay
Narraguagus River, Long Point
Pigeon Hill Cove

Estimated Bushels Per
Acre of

=
SS

beget

1

beret le le

yr

Maine, fence

Winter Harbor ,
Stave Island Har
Hog Island ....
Soward's Island
Ingall's Island .
Sullivan Harbor, Moon Ledge
Raccoon Cove ...sccesesesecceseces
Skillings River
Jordan River ,.

Maine, East Penobscot Bay
Pattens Bay .
Morgans Bay ,
Blue Hill Harbo:
Allen's Cove
Herrick Bay ,
Centre Harbor .
Deer Isle, Fish Creek ........
Deer Isle, Greenlaw's Cove
Deer Isle, Webb Cove
White Island

Sectior

Jim's Island ..
John Island ,

Opechee Tslendl eee eenccececcccccce
Swans Island, Mackerel Cove Bonnin
Swans Island, Atlantic Harbor ..,.
Isle au Hant Harbor

Duxbury aa
Chathan

Area of Bed
Containing

Marketable-size Mussels |Marketable | Total
Locality (2" or more in length) Mussels |Bushels
Number Acres Number
|New Brunswick:

|

1, Re 3

“i i :
15 134 zone
75 1B 5,625
600 84 50,400
70 a 9,380
10 280
3 a4 8,680
- 20

y 5 2 a
41 49,610
44 30,140

0

Fa basit

500 2 1,000
380 65 24,700
100 3 300
75 36 2,700
195 10 1,950
146 7 1,015
1 225 40,500
100 10 1,000

SS

12 zo

12, 550"|

spects of a commercial fishery, the survey was not extended to that region.

In order to avoid the expenditure of time on areas offering little pro-

The principal mussel areas of eastern Maine were surveyed in October and
November 1942, with the exceptions of Pattens Bay, Morgans Bay, and Allen's Cove,

which were examined during October 1943.

of the beds.

Figures 2, 3, and 4 show the locations
In the Jonesport area (Jonesboro to Gouldsboro Bay) a total of 620

acres of mussel beds contained about 182,000 bushels of marketable mussels; the

SAILILNVND LNVLYOdW! ATIVIDYSWWOD NI LN3S3Yd 3G OL GNNO4 LON 3YSM STSSSNW HOIHM NI ING G3ASANNS SNOIS3Y - | JYNNDI4

AV4Yd31 LNIOd

OL
AVG AQGONOVWNYSSVd

MOIMSNNYE MAN - ANIVA

oo §

4
or vere te)

ae @ o.
peut Ey

AvV3edd37 LNIOd

SM3YOQNV LS

AVG AGGONDVWYSS¥d

jjnnd
HIPOIW

September 1949 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES

Frenchman Bay section had 358 acres of beds and

REVIEW

73,000 bushels of mussels; and

the East Penobscot Bay region had 551 acres of beds and about 65,000 bushels.

The survey did not
investigate thoroughly
the entire coastline even
of any one section. The
Maine coast has a_ very
large number of islands,
rocks, bays, and inlets,
many of which offer fa—
vorable conditions for thi
growth of mussels. Most
of the beds reported by
fishermen, wardens, etC.,
were examined; however,
many small beds were un—
doubtedly not visited,
consequently, the esti-
mated available supplies
must be considered as a
minimum. Furthermore,
the survey of the Jones—
port region was more in-
tensive than that of

@ HAR

EAST STEUBEN (44)

«(| US. FISH 4 WILDLIFE SERVICE

RINGTON

MAINE

[ JONESPORT REGION

ACRES OF MUSSEL BEDS

ap) PEARL AREAS TO BE AVOIDED

Frenchman Bay, while East
Penobscot Bay received
the least attention. The

2

FIGURE - PRINCIPAL MUSS

reason for this difference was that there was insufficient time to examine

EL BEDS OF THE JONESPORT, ME., REGION.

tne

latter two areas as thoroughly as the first; therefore, a comparison of the re-—

lative productivity of the three regions cannot

MAINE

FRENCHMAN BAY

oe i f

BAR HARBOR @ >)
; ;

&. WINTER HARBOR
}: Ox.

. (2)5
g

MOUNT DESERT
ISLAND

ACRES OF MUSSEL BEDS

B PEARL AREAS TO BE AVOIDED 4
ran? US. FISH & WILOLIFE

FIGURE 3 - PRINCIPAL MUSSEL BEDS OF THE FRENCHMAN BAY, ME.

be made from the survey. As the
fishery developed, the
mussel gatherers found
many more small beds,
particularly in Hancock
County.

The areas around
Mount Desert, Vinalhaven,
and North Haven Islands,
and West Penobscot Bay,
were not surveyed. War-—
dens of the Maine De-
partment of Sea and Shore
Fisheries reported that
a good supply of mussels
was present around Mount
Desert Island; however
there was little avail-
able information about
the other three sections.
The remaining sections
of the Maine coast between
Rockland and Portland were
not examined, but fisher—

SERVICE

REGION.

2

8 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 11, No. 9

men who were familiar with both the sizes of the beds and mussels reported large
quantities. No beds of commercial importance were reported by wardens or fisher—
men in the coastal area between Portland and Kittery, Maine.

In New Hampshire, the area at the mouth of the Hampton River was examined in
October 1942, but the mussels were scattered and of small size. Fishermen and
conservation officers did
not believe that a mussel
fishery was possible in
that State, due to the
scarcity of large mussels.
The Great Bay area was
not surveyed because of
lack of any information
on possible mussel beds.

Some regions in Mas—
sachusetts also were vi-
sited. In December 1942,
Plymouth Harbor and Dux—
bury Bay in Massachusetts
were examined. Although
there were 36 acres of
mussels present in the
@ oe intertidal zone, the mus—

Kook B PEARL AREAS TO BE AVOIDED sels were generally SO
[cconiea cro e) a E : sma]1 that a fishery would
FIGURE 4 - PRINCIPAL MUSSEL BEDS OF THE EAST PENOBSCOT BAY, ME., be impractical. Chatham
REGION’. Harbor, also examined at

this time, contained only

mussels under two inches in length. In April 1943, Maddaket Harbor at Nantucket
Island contained about 16,000 bushels of large mussels, while at nearby Muskeget
Island, an estimated 250 bushels were present. According to local fishermen, the
mussel beds at the latter locality had been severely depleted by sea birds, prin—
cipally the eider duck (Somateria sp.), during the preceding winter. There was
no definite evidence: to show the extent or cause of any depletion.

OBSERVATION OF A SMALL MUSSEL FISHERY: A mussel fishery of minor importance
was being carried on in Cape Cod Bay by a scallop dredger operating about two

miles northeast of Dennis, Mass., during December 1912. In May 1943, the fishery
was resumed by three boats. A trip was made on the Whitewater, a 40-foot shell—
fish dredger, to observe the operation of the fishing gear. This boat towed two
scallop dredges, one from each side. The width of the mouth of the dredge was
seven feet. The towing speed was 24 miles per hour. The dredges, dragging over

a muddy bottom at a depth of about 30 to 40 feet, collected 147 bushels of mussels
in slightly less than three hours. Dividing the number of bushels taken by each
dredge by the length of time each dredge was actually on the bottom, it was found
that the starboard dredge averaged .45 bushels per minute and the port dredge .57
bushels per minute. The difference in efficiency between the two dredges was known
to the boat operator but he was unable to offer any explanation.

After the mussels were dumped on the deck of the boat, most of the kelp, rocks,
whelks (Buccinum undatum), etc. were culled out and the mussels were shoveled into
burlap bags. Examination of the contents of the bags revealed that about 80 per—
cent of the volume was live mussels, the remaining 20 percent being empty shells,
rocks, sand dollars (Echinarachinus parma), and other debris.

September 1949 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 9

On the same trip, the Whitewater dredged for scallops and caught 96 pounds of
meats in over 5 hours. While the scallop fishing may not have been particularly
productive in that region, some comparison can be made between the productivity of
the two fisheries in terms of edible meats produced. Scallop fishing yielded 18.8
pounds of meats per hour while the hourly catch of mussels in terms of fresh meats
was 645.7 pounds. However, the fresh scallop meats need no further processing
before reaching the consumer, while the mussel meats must be subjected to consid-—
erable handling before being sold as a canned or frozen product.

EXPERIMENTAL MUSSEL DREDGING BY SERVICE'S VESSEL: During August 1943, the
Fish and Wildlife Service boat Skimmer was employed for experimental dredging in
the Cape Cod Bay area, The survey of this section was planned primarily to deter-—
mine the extent of the important mussel beds reported in that region. Thirteen
dredging hauls were made in the region between Brant Rock and Scorton Neck, but

no marketable mussels were obtained (Table 2). Fishermen in the Plymouth area were
unaware of any beds except those in Plymouth Harbor and Duxbury Bay. Tows No. 6
and 7, off Plymouth Bay, brought up kelp on which many small mussels measuring
1/16 to 5/16 of an inch were found. Whether or not these seed mussels will form

a bed is. questionable. The failure to discover beds of marketable mussels in the
Brant Rock-Scorton Neck area does not mean that such beds might not exist, for it
would be relatively easy to fail to contact some small beds, especially as the
number of dredging operations was not large. The absence of local knowledge of
mussel beds in the northwestern portion of Cape Cod Bay gives additional evidence
that marketable mussels are not common there.

Mussels were dredged in the area between Billingsgate Shoal and the Brewster-—
Dennis shores. From the results of the Skimmer's dredge hauls as shown in Table 2,
a rough idea may be obtained of the size of this mussel—producing section. The
probable center of the mussel bed or beds, is about 2,700 yards southwest of the
Billingsgate Shoal buoys, which mark its northern limits, and its southern limit
is about 3,300 yards north of the Sesuit Harbor breakwater. Its greatest length
is 6,000 yards in a north northeast half east direction and its greatest width
3,600 yards in an easterly direction. The area of this bed has been roughly es-—
timated to be 2,450 acres. The actual limits of the bed are not known exactly,
as a great many more dredge hauls would have been necessary to plot the area ex-
actly. This area offered great possibilities in 1943 and, as mentioned before,
some mussels had already been taken commercially from the region.

The technique of dredging as employed on the Skimmer varied little from that
on the Whitewater; the dredge, however, was somewhat smaller. The mouth of the
dredge was 33 feet wide; the bottom bar or rake bar held 11 one-inch square teeth;
and the bag was designed to retain mussels two inches in length. The dredging
operation was performed by dropping the dredge overboard and paying out about three
times as much wire as the depth of the water. The duration of the tow was the time
elapsing between the instant the dredge struck bottom, which was determined by the
vibrations in the wire, and the moment when the dredge left the bottom as the wire
was hauled in. The speed of the boat was determined frequently by ship logs.

The efficiency of the dredge is affected by the character of the bottom. The
dredge bounces violently over rough bottom and has a less marked jumping effect
on smooth bottom. Since it is not known what proportion of the mussels in the
path of the dredge are removed from the bottom and retained, it is not possible to
obtain a reliable estimate of the density of mussels on the beds, unless a consider
able number of data are accumulated concerning the efficiency of the dredge. Frey

10 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 11, No. 9

x 41° 58" 51" | 70° 35" Plymouth Bay 2,050 | Sand dollars
Aug. 27/422 2' 43" | 70° 37' 34" | Off Duxbury Beach 2,655 do
do |42° 3' 14" | 70° 33' 9" do 2,050 | Kelp
LoD SJE do 2,050 | Nothing
© 58" 2" | 70° 34! Plymouth Ba; 2,0 Sand dollars
4 59° 9 70° 6 do 2,0 Sand dollars, kelp, many seed mssels
41° 59" 2" | 70° 35" 36" do 2,0! do
41° 49' 51" | 70° 30' 21" | Off Sagamore Beach 2B 2,0! Kelp 2
412.59" 16" | 70° 30' 30" do 2,0! Sand dollars
10 do 41° 59" 6" Q do 2,0) do
pay do 41° 48 do 2,050 | 2 scallops, sand dollars
12 do 41° 46" 32" Off Spring Hill Beach 2,050 |1 horse mssel, sam dollars
13} do |41° 46" 1" Off Scorton Neck 2,050 | Nothing
14 | Aug. 30] 41° 49" 45" Brewster to Billingsgate Shoal E 2,050 | 12 quarts mssels
1 do. 41° 49" 5o”™ 4 E 2,050 |1 quart mssels
61 do [410 49 4 10S 8" Aor do 5 10 E 2,050 lp
17 | Aug, 31/41° 46' 6" | 70° 15' 48" |Off Barnstable Bar 47 10 N by E2 E/ 2,050 | Sand dollars
18| do {41° 46* 58" | 70° 16" 12" do 52 | 10 |w vy win] 2/050 do
19} do |41° 46" 47" | 70° 16% 8” do 45 10 S by E2 E | 2,050 do
20 do 41° 45' 33" 0° 15" 49" do 9. 10 W by N 4 N | 2,050 do
2] do (41° 45 7TO° 16" 36" do 5 0 by E 2,050 do
22| do |41° 46" 32" | 70° 16" 51" do 51 10 N by E ig 2,050 | 2 scallops, whelks
3 do 41° 47" 22" | 70° 16" 59" do 57 10 Noy E { E | 2,050 |7 scallops, sea urchins
| do |41° 47' 50" | 70° 17' 51" | Off Sandy Neck & 10 Wry Nin 12:05 | Send dollars, starfish
ys) do 41° 47" 10" | 70° 18" 32" do 59 10 S by wi W{2,050 | Sand dollars, sea urchins
6 do i> 46° 12 70° 18° 368 do 4 “10 S by W 2,050 jand dollars
Sept. 2 |41° 46" 42" | 70° 11' 22” |Dennis to Billingsgate Shoal 4. 10 E 2,050 | Kelp
3 do 41° 46" 48" | 70° 1o' 53” do 41 10 E 2,050 |5 quarts mssels
rs) 41° 46" 53" do 4. E 2,050 | Kelp
0 ° 46 58" do 0 E 2,050 _|- do
C) 4 4 2,0! quart mussels
41° 46" 15" | 70 38 z 2,050 |1 mussel
41° 47" 5" 34 do 34 10 N 2,050 |32 quarts mssels
34 | do 141° 47" B" | 70° 9" 41" do 34 10 N 2,050 |12 quarts mssels |
do ° 47' 41" m° 9" 4o" do 10 z 2,0! mussels
do [417 47" di 10° 9" 22 do 7 5 1,025 [Nothing
3 do |41° 47" 48" | 70° 9* 12" do 2 10 E 2,050 |12 mssels
3 do 41° 47" 53" | 70° 8" 47" do 28 10 E 2,050 |42 quarts mssels
39 do {41° At 58" | 70° 8' 24" | Brewster to Billingsgate Shoal| 27 10 E 2,050 |16 quarts mssels
jo | do ORAS UMA NN #7 OSEnGLatOr do Fs) 10 E 2,0 11 quarts mussels j
41 do 41° 4 7 do 2,0! "|Many small mussels
42 do 41° 48" 14" | 70° 7' 11" do 28 10 E 2,050 do
43} do }41° 48" 19" | 70° 6" 47" do Z] 10 E 2,050 do
44.) do 41° 48" 24" | 70° 6! 23" do v2) 10 E 2,050 | Kelp |
do © 46" 30" | 70° 6' on do eS) 10 s 2,050 | do i
4 do (41° 47" a [70 22 do 10 Ss 2,050 | Nothing i
47 do {41° 48" 3” | 70° 8: 37" do 2% N 2,050 |1 quart mssels I
48 do 410 48" 2" | 70° 8 44" do vs) N 2,050 |19 quarts mussels i
do 35 N 1,500 | 42 quarts mussels
1" 6" do 6 N 1,500 1 ts mssels
51 do 417 4° 1 do 1,500 2% quarts mussels
52 do 41° 4919" | 70° 9' 6" do 42 10 N 1,500 |2 mssels, 7 horse mssels
53 do 41° 49' 33" | 70° 9* 12" do 46 10 N 1,500 |57 quarts mssels
| 54 |Sept.6 |41° 49' 15" | 70° 10' 18" | Dennis to Billingsgate Shoal 31 10 s 2,050 | Sand dollars
1° 48" 56" do s 2,0 do
41° 4 iy do rat 10 $s 2,050 do
410 48' 1S" | 70° 10! do 41 10 s 2,050 |5 mussels
do 41° 47' 57" | 70° 9" 57" do 37 5 s 1,025 | Nothing
| 59 do {41° 47" 44" | 70° 9° San do 35 7 s 1,435 |1 quart mssels
60 | do [41° aye -- on fr 51" do s 2,0! 2 horse mssels
do 410 4 10° 4 do s aT 2 mussels, 3 horse mussels
62 do 41° 46" 42" | 70° 9* 40" do s 1 l horse mussel, many seed mussels
63 do 41° 46" 25" | 70° 9! 37" do Ss 1 2 mussels, many seed mssels
64 do 41° 46" 3" | 70° 9! 57" do N 2,0! 3 horse mussels, many seed mssels
| 2 do He 46) 2" iS 10" 5" do ‘ 32 10 N 2,0! 2 horse mussels
| C 2 2 do 2 horse mssels
eh | do {41° 47" oO” | 70° 10" 19" do 32 10 N 2,050 |1 horse mssel
do {41° 47" 19" | 70° 10" 26" do 36 10 N 2,050 |6 mussels
69 do 41° AR 38" | 70° 10" 32" do 42 10 N 2,050 |4 mussels, 1 horse aussel
|_70 | do 1° 48" 20" | 70° 11' 33" do 6 10 sew 2,050 | Scallops
7 | do [41° 4B" 2 oo 11" 31" do 4 1,435 do
72 do 41° 48" 16" | 70° 11" 32" do 47 7 st Ww 1,435 do
2B do Alon4ey Vom) FoR aie 31M do 47 5 se 1,025 do
7&4 | do |41° 47" 36" | 700 11" 30" do 37 10 s3 q 2,050 |8 mussels, 3 scallops
175 | do 41° 47" 16" | 70° 11" 27" do 40 8 sin 1,640 |3 mssels, 3 scallops
| 76 do |41° 47" oO" | 70° 11' 25" do 36 16 sq 2,050 |Sand dollars
do 1° 46" 42" | Joo 11' 24" do 36 lo {sw 2,050 _|2 norse mussels
nese and scientific names: Sand dollar (Echinarachnius parma); Sea urchin (Stronglyocentrotus drobachiensis); Starfish (Asterias vulgaris
anda forboatt)sp Melk (Cacermun linda tun) {Mic solely ti las: edulis) qgHorsermarel | WudiGlwelnodiclus)¢Scatica
(Pecten magellanicus); Kelp - Principally memters of the LA\INARTACEAE, Fan jeder nS

(1946) cites similar difficulties with dredging operations in oyster population
studies. In view of such difficulties, no attempt has been made to estimate the
abundance of mussels in the Cape Cod Bay area.

(This article will be continued in the October 1949 issue of this periodical )

September 1949 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW dL

E VALUE RATIOS FOR GRAYFISH, SOUPFIN SHARK, SABLE -

FISH, AND HALIBUT LIVER OILS PRODUCED IN THE
PACIFIC NORTHWEST

By F Bruce Sanford** and Elizabeth Vaughan** *

ABSTRACT

Ratios of the amount of light absorbed at the wave lengths
300, 328, and 350mmu, by vitamin A in several species of fish
liver oils were investigated, The average values of these ratios,
the variation to be found, and the maximum and minimum values to
be expected on a probability basis are given,

INTRODUCTION

Through the cooperation of the Pacific Northwest vitamin A processors, E value
ratios for a substantial number of commercial batches of grayfish, soupfin shark,
sablefish, and halibut liver oils have been made available to the Seattle Techno—
logical Laboratory. The data were taken over a number of years, and they are repre-
sentative of a large tonnage of livers.

Ratios are used to evaluate the results obtained by the spectophotometric method
of vitamin A analysis. Since this method is widely employed, and since the bulk of
the vitamin A oils produced in the United States are of the four types here consider— -
ed, these data are believed to be important.

Two ratios were investigated. These are E(300mmu.)/E(32&mmu.) and E(350mmu.)/
E(328mmu.). The purpose of this paper is to give the average values of these ratios,
the variation to be found, and the maximum and minimum values to be expected on a
probability basis.

Table 1 - Data on the Ratio E(300mmu, ) /E(328mm.)2/

Range in Range in
which 95% of | which 9% of]
Type Coefficient| the ratios the ratios
of are expected| are expected!
oi 2 to fall to fal
xt 1.%s x + 2,571s
Grayfish (Squalus suckleyi) ..c.ccceccccees 0.5977-0.7369 |0. 5760-0. 7586
Soupfin shark (Galeorhimis terus) ...06 0. 6112-0. 7190 |0. 5944-0, 7358
Sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria) vsssecssocce 0, 5696-0. 6476 jo, 5574-0.6598

Halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) ...... : 0. 5605-0, 6331 10. 5492-0, 6444

1/These data were taken by means of the Beckman spectrophotometer employing a tungsten light source, The slit
widths were not standardized, The solvent used was isopropanol,

|2/The manufacturers stated that to the best of their knowledge the oils were not mixtures and that they were

Tepresentative of commercial oil shipments from the Pacific Northwest,

[3/The grayfish data were taken during the year 1947. ‘The sounfin shark, sablefish, and halibut data were taken

in the years 1944-47, The data for each type of fish are representative of many tons of livers.

\4/The mere fact that the ratios for an oil fall within a given range is no guarantee that the oil is of a. given

type or even that it contains vitamin A, Conversely, the fact that the ratios do not fall within the speci-

fied range is no proof that the oil is not of the type claimed, It must be remembered that these are the

variations encountered in the Pacific Northwest with large lots of oils. Smaller lots or oils processed else-

where may not exhibit the same veriation, The data do give a good indication, however, of what should rea-
sonably be expected.
- |

* Chemist, Seattle Technological Laboratory, Branch of Commercial Fisheries, Seattle, Wash,
**Statistician, Branch of Fishery Biology, Seattle, Wash,

2 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 11, No. 9

OBSERVATION ON E VALUE RATIOS DATA

ESS | par naar j “Significance of
ete difference
eee he between means

not significant

highly significant

very highly significant
Soupfin shark and sablefish .. OS L very highly significant
Soupfin shark and halibut ..../ B very highly significant
Sablefish and halibut . . A significant

The average values of the ratios are given in Tables 1 and 3 as are alsotheir
coefficients of variation. In the case of a natural product, such as a fish liver
oil, one might anticipate that its properties would be widely variable. In view of
this probable variation, the compiled data show that the individual ratios are
surprisingly constant. The maximum coefficient of variation found for any one of
them is only 5.32 percent. This value is of the same order of magnitude as the in—
strumental error in making the measurements. It can be noted that, in the case of

ieneh| Average | [Coefficient |: Range in which 95% Penge in which 99%
value of | Standard of iB the ratios are | of the ratios are
sa mies es SE variation pacted is as expected to fall

Grayfilcheeeeenice cine 0. Sat “613 0. 5411-0, 621

Sores ae Aare 0.5522-0, ee 0. ie, aoe
Stl SoGGo0000 0. 5933-0. 6897 0.5783-0.70

Plaldibuibwerieniertemare 6 “06 0, 4201-0, 6996 Ok Cae 0, ae

the shark oils, the greatest variation is in the E(300mmu.)/E(32&mmu.) ratio, while

in the case of the food fishes, the greatest variation is in the E(350mmu.)/E(328mmu.)
ratio. It is also interesting to notethat the average values of the E(300mmu. )/
E(328mmu.) ratio are similar for the oils from the two species of shark and that

they are higher than the ratios for the oils from the food fish, while the converse
is true for the E(350mmu.)/E(328mmu.) ratio. Another observation is that even at

the 99 percent level, the ranges for the E(350mmu.)/E(32@mmu.) ratios of the oils
from the soupfin fark and halibut do not overlap.

A statistical analysis (Tables 2 and 4) of the data shows that, except for the
ratios E(300mmu.)/E(328mmu.) for grayfish and soupfin shark, all other ratios pre-
sented here differ significantly.

Table 4 = Statistics on the Comparison of Means for the Ratio E350mm, to E328mm, and their Interpretatior

Qils whose means Degrees Significance of
are of ys Hicilt difference
compared freedom Probabilit; between mears

Grayfish and soupfin shark ,, highly significant
Grayfish and sablefish ..... very highly significant
very highly sienificant
very highly sisenificant
very highly significant
highly significant

Soupfin shark and halibut ...
Sablefish and halibut .

than 0,001

September 1949 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 13

Ct ez

RESEARCH

oS
IN SERVICE LABORATORIES
YZ

zy
CL: 410 wit hese = Amin

July 1949
College Park, Md.

After 8 months of storage, the strined bass fillets held at.a constant tem-
perature of —10° and 0° F., and at temperatures fluctuating between these two
points received satisfactory scores. The scores were essentially the same for
the three groups. The appearance and odor in the frozen state were still satis—
factory. After thawing, however, a rather fishy odor was apparent. The color,
though not as bright as for fresh fillets, still had not become objectionable.

The samples held at a constant temperature of 15° F. and at temperatures
fluctuating between 0° and 15° F. had decreased considerably in quality and def-—
initely would be unsalable, with the latter receiving the higher scores of the
two lots. Though not so noticeable in the frozen state, the fillets after thawing
had a strong fishy odor and were very noticeably discolored. The discoloration
does not seem to follow any particular pattern, however, and may be dark, a very
flat light color, or have yellow streaks, as sometimes found with fatty fish after
a period of storage.

Volatile acid numbers (state of freshness) have increased very little over
those for the sixth-month period. It was interesting to note that, while proba-
bly not statistically significant, the number for the samples undergoing fluctu-
ating temperatures between -10° and 0° F. falls between the numbers for samples
held at a constant temperature of -10° F. and constant temperature of O° F. A
Similar condition had occurred with the samples held at O° and 15° F. and fluctu-
ating temperatures between these two points.

Ke HK

The frozen fish covered with different wrapping and glazing combinations had
changed very little in quality after four months of storage. The fish: which were
wrapped before freezing and not glazed were showing very slight but almost negli-
gible surface drying.

Ketchikan, Alaska

The survey of clam beaches in the vicinity of Sitka indicated that clams from
this area were sutiable for canning. Clams from other Southeastern areas were con—
sidered suitable for processing as minced clams provided the entire neck of the
clam is removed.

14 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 11, No. 9

Seattle, Wash.

When the current feeding trials in the development of food for hatchery fish
were only about 30 percent complete, a preliminary observation indicated that raw
salmon eggs possess a growth factor potential for young salmon which is greater
than any food material so far tested in this study. However, no definite con—
clusions can be drawn until the present feeding experiments are completed.

OYSTERS AU GRATIN

1 pint oysters 1 teaspoon prepared mustard
slices buttered toast 4 teaspoon paprika
2 eggs, beaten 1 cup grated cheese
1 teaspoon salt 4 cup milk

Trim crusts from bread. Cut each slice into quarters. Combine
beaten eggs, seasonings, and milk. Arrange layer of bread in buttered
casserole, cover with layer of oysters. Sprinkle with grated cheese.
Repeat layer, pour milk mixture over contents of dish, and cover with
grated cheese. Place casserole in pan of hot water, bake in moderate
oven 350° F. for 30 minutes or until brown. Serves 6.

September 1949 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 15

SIRE

ae ee ———— oe =
———SS—SS——S—EESS
N D SS Fe

a a.

6)

Additions to the Fleet of U.S. Fishing Vessels

First documents as fishing craft were received by 94 vessels of 5 net tons
and over during June 1949--42 less than in June 1948, according to the Bureau of
Customs of the Treasury Department. California led with 20 vessels, followed by
Washington with 15, and Florida with 13. During the first six months of 1949, a
total of 495 vessels were documented, compared with 563 during the same period
in 1948.

Vessels Obtaining Their First Documents as Fishing Craft, June 1949
Six mos, ending

Section

New England 5... ceccccccccceccccccccece
Middle Atlantic ..c.cccscccccssccecces
Chesapeake Bay ce.cecerccccerscecccces
South Atlantic and Gulf ...ccscscccece
Pacific Coast Perr eeecveereseso0020000
Great Lakes e@ePeeoeeeteoeoesesoods eed
Alaska Pore cescrOCeeFOOoseoFoa2s022000

Hawai i Ce PCOeesore LO rGeGCOseros7000000
Total SeoSGoeecrFeoeseeeGosoeose2Go92@o

ote: Vessels have been assigned to the various sections on the basis of their home port.

California Sardine Quota for Reduction Purposes Changed

The quota of sardines which may be reduced into fish oils and meal was upped
from 50,000 tons to 75,000 tons for the 1949-50 season by the California fish and
game commissioners at their July meeting in San Diego, according to the July 27
Qutdoor California of the California Division of Fish and Game. The new figure
is the lowest reduction quota in State history and is 25,000 tons below last year's
limit. (See Commercial Fisheries Review, August 1949.)

The tonnage quota will be allocated equally among 47 sardine canners and 54
straight-reduction operators.

Following protests from fishermen and boat owners, the Commission refused to
renew the 8—-inch sardine size limit ruling, which expired July 31.

16 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 11, No. 9

Federal Purchases of Fishery Products
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY, June 1949: The Army Quartermaster Corps purchased

IL, SOR Asiehl pounds (valued at $430,175) of fresh and frozen fishery products for
the U. S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force for military feeding during
June 1949, compared with $1,234,229 pounds (valued, $393,676) for May 1949, and
1,410,309 pounds (valued, $461,212) for June 1948. For the first six months in
1949, purchases amounted to 7,880,324 pounds (valued, $2,644,674), compared with
the 1948 six-months total of 7,924,630 pounds (valued, $2,875,420).

<S

Fishery Biology Notes

"ALBATROSS III": Census of Groundfish Populations Continued (Cruise 26): The
Albatross III on cruise 26 (July 27-August 5, 1949) continued the census of ground—
fish populations on Georges Bank, which was begun in 1948. Eighty one-half hour
tows were made at sixty-one stations in depths from 13 to 115 fathoms.

Large numbers of scrod haddock, chiefly one-year-old fish, were caught on the
southern, eastern, and northern part of the Bank in less than 40 fathoms. Commer—
cial quantities of large haddock were found in 90-100 fathoms off the northern edge.

Ne ’ Bex

MEASURING HADDOCK ABOARD THE ALBATROSS L111

A large bed of sea scallops was discovered approximately 90 miles E. 3/4. S. of
Nantucket Lightship in 42-44 fathoms, and 14 bushels of these shellfish were caught
in a half-hour tow with a 14 Iceland trawl equipped with rollers.

Yellowtail flcunders (51) were tagged on the southern part of Georges Bank to
supplement existing information on migration of this species.

EXPERIMENTAL PLANTING OF EUROPEAN OYSTERS: A small experimental planting of

life Service in Maine waters. A small group of these oysters will be planted near
the U. S. Fishery Laboratory at Boothbay Harbor, some in Taunton River, near West
Franklin, and others in Basin Grove, near South Harpswell. The purpose of this ex-
periment is to determine whether the oysters will survive the Maine winter. A simi-
lar experiment will be conducted in Milford Harbor this winter to determine if they
will survive in Connecticut waters.

September 1949 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 17

SARDINE INVESTIGATICN CRUISES: The Chief of the Service's South Pacific Fish—
ery Investigations, Stanford, California, reports that examination of the material
from Cruises 1 and 2 of the Black Douglas is now complete; the material of Cruise 3
is being examined. On Cruise 1, evidence of very light sardine spawning was found
in the area south of San Diego. On Cruise 2, very intensive spawning was encoun-
tered, but again on the southern lines only. On Cruise 3, sardine spawning was
most intense off San Diego and out to a distance of about 300 miles offshore.

First stations of the Black Douglas are about 30 to 40 miles offshore and re-
latively few inshore forms are taken. It has been possible to identify most of the
young fish taken as to family or genus, and earlier ideas of the abundance and dis—
tribution of some species have been altered. For instance, the hake is abundant
end widély distributed in the areas covered.

Specimens of the following were collected:
The ragfish (Ici chthya locking toni) (formerly considered rare),

The rockfish group (the young of which are found well out on the
station lines, Vinciguerria and Cyclothone ( two deep sea forms
which are dominant off Lower California).

The jack mackerel (which coincides in distribution with the
previous two and occurs farther offshore when taken to the
northward).

The lantern fish group is the most abundant of all five
distinct larval types that can be recognized to date,

Trachypterus (ribbonfish) is widely distributed,

The deep sea smelts (Bathylagus, ete.) are almost as abundant
as the lantern fish,

SPONGE FISHERY INVESTIGATION: To investigate the status of the sponge in-—
dustry centered at Tarpon Springs, Flordia, arrangements have been made for a joint
cooperative survey to secure information on the status of the sponge stocks and
particularly to learn wnether the reported "disease" conditions are as serious as
some reports indicate. The cooperators are the Fish and Wildlife Service, the
Florida State Board of Conservation, and the Marine Laboratory of the University
of Miami. This pooling of resources and facilities will make it possible to carry
on a much more comprehensive survey than would otherwise be the case.

The success of the undertaking will depend largely on the cooperation received
from the sponge industry itself, particularly in the way of furnishing the services
of sponge boats and divers for the collection of material. It is hoped that the
actual field work may be initiated during August.

The Service is assigning one of its own vessels to this survey, but this par-
ticular craft is not equipped for diving.

National Fisheries Trends, July ~ September gag t/

PRODUCTION: United States production of fishery products during the summer
months may be somewhat below that of a year ago, principally because of declines

18 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW \ Vol. ll, No. 9

in the catches of fishery products for fresh consumption on the East and West Coasts
and a prospective reduction in the landings of fish for canning.

The reported total catch of red salmon in Alaska through July 30, 1949, was
almost 40 percent below last year. The impact of the small decline in fish for
canning, however, should not be reflected in the consumer markets until late in

1949.

CONSUMPTION: The per capita consumption rate of fishery products by United
States civilians in the next few months is expected to be approximately the same
as in the comparable period of 1948. Apparent consumption of fresh and frozen
fishery products during the first half of 1949 was not much different from that
in the same period last year.

The market demand for canned fish was somewhat lower than in the first 6 months
of 1948, and stocks at the primary distribution level at the end of the pack year
(i.e., June 30, 1949) are estimated as being much larger than carryover stocks
have been in recent years.

PRICES: Retail prices of fresh and frozen fishery products are likely to
continue at a lower level than a year earlier, but above those in the late spring
of 1949. According to the data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the
retail price index of fresh and frozen fish in 56 cities during the first 6 months
of 1949 averaged about 2 percent -elow that for the same months in 1948.

COLD STORAGE HOLDINGS: July 1 cold storage stocks of frozen fishery products
for human consumption were 11 percent above a year ago. Most of the increase is
due to larger holdings of salt-water fish. During the next few months, with pro—
duction at the seasonal high point, cold storage stocks of frozen fishery products
will be expanded so that sufficient supplies will be available for distribution
during the low production period in late 1949 and early 1950.

IMPORTS: Imports of fresh and frozen cod, haddock, hake, pollock, and rose—
fish fillets during the first 6 months of 1949 were somewhat less than the total
for the same months of last year. However, increased imports are reported for
the first 4 months of this year as compared to the corresponging period of 1948
for fresh-water fish from Canada; frozen swordfish and shrimp; canned tuna and
bonito.

EXPORTS: Exports of edible fishery products during the first 5 months of
this year were only about 12 percent below the total in the same period of 1948.
Current trends indicate that exports in the remainder of 1949 probably will not
exceed last year's level. The international balance of trade and the monetary
position of some of the western European countries thus far in 1949, in addition
to ample supplies of fresh and frozen fish, have tended to restrict canned fish
purchases from the United States. At least in the near future, foreign expendi-
tures in this country are likely to be further restricted to essential food and
industrial machinery and equipment. The United Kingdom has recently completed
a purchase program for canned pilchards. The proposed purchase of canned salmon
by the United Kingdom may be adversely affected by recent actions taken by the

British to limit dollar expenditures.
1/ Prepared by the Bureau of Agricultural Economics, Department of Agriculture in cooperation

with the Fish and Wildlife Service,

September 1949 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 19

Pacific Oceanic Fishery Investigations
PRELIMINARY TUNA SURVEY OF HAWAIIAN-LINE ISLANDS: In its preliminary tuna

survey of the Hawaiian—Line Islands Area, the Section of Biology and Oceanography,

of the Pacific Oceanic Fishery Investigations in Honolulu, reported in July that it
has compiled data on seasons, places of occurrence, abundance, and possible methods
of capture of tunas and tuna-bait fishes by studying the landings of local Hawaiian
fishing vessels, interviews with fishermen, field trips in local waters, and visits

to French Frigate Shoals, Palmyra, and Canton Island.

Commercial tuna fisheries in the Hawaiian-Line Islands exist only in the Hawai-
ian-Islands proper. In addition to diverse minor fisheries which use such gear as
small surround nets and hand lines, important iocal tuna fisheries are conducted
here. These tuna fisheries use pole and line for live bait surface fishing and long-
line for subsurface fishing. The long-line catches landed at the local market were
examined and information obtained on area of catch, time of catch, modification of
long-lines used, amount of gear used, etc. From the detailed data recorded on the
catches of 91 vessels, an analysis of the Hawaiian long—line fishery for the period
from January through June is possible regarding:

1, The species composition of the catches taken by vessels operating the
long-line gear and seasons of abundance for tunas and marlins taken
by subsurface long-line fishing, Yellowfin tuna, big-eyed tuna,
striped marlin, black marlin, white marlin, and albacore compose the
bulk of the catch landed,

2, The efficiency of the long-line gear as determined from the mumber
of hours the gear has fished, the amount of gear fished, and the
amount of catch.

3. The fishing grounds producing the major catches, and the related
conditions of surface current and water depths under which they
are produced,

4, Construction and operation of the long-line gear,

The evailability of live bait in the Hawaiian-Line Islands area appears to be
a limiting factor in the development of a fishery where large tuna clippers can be
operated. It has only been possible for this Section to survey briefly the live-
bait situation at a few outlying islands in the Hawaiian-Line region. Year-round
studies must be carried out to learn the seasonal abundance of the various small
fishes that can be utilized for live bait. Japanese experience in the southwest
Pacific has shown that live bait has also been a limiting factor in developing large
vessel operations in that region. The frequent spawning and rapid rate of growth
of the "nehu," the principal bait soecies, makes possible wide fluctuations in the
stock of these fish in Kaneohe Bay and elsewhere.

PURSE SEINE VESSEL CONTRACT AWARDED: A contract for the construction of a
out the U. S. Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands was awarded to a boat building
company in Tacoma, Washington, on June 27. With the completion of this vessel,
John Ro Manning, the Service will have three exploratory and research vessels as—
signed to the Investigations. The vessel will be of wooden construction, 866" in
length, will have a cruising range of 7,000 miles,and should be ready in December
this year.

The other two vessels (tuna-clipper type) of the Investigations, Henry O'Malley
and Hugh M. Smith, former Navy YPs of the 600 class, 128 feet in length, are already

20 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 11, No. 9

being converted for exploratory fishing and research work in West Coast shipyards.
They will be completed early this fall.

WORK ON HAWAIIAN LABORATORY TO BEGIN SOON: Work will commence soon on the
construction of a fishery research laboratory on a site adjacent to the campus of
the University of Hawaii at Honolulu, according to a July 18 report. The contract

for the construction of the building was awarded on June 27.

This laboratory will house the shoreside research activities of the Investi-
gations. The building, to conform with typical Hawaiian architecture, will be of
hollow concrete block construction, two stories high, and will essentially sur—
round a court with lanais facing the court. Wings to provide additional space
will extend outward from either side of the front of the building, and shorter
wings will extend from the rear. The floor area, including lanais, will approxi-
mate 16,000 square feet. Construction should be completed in December this year.

U.S. Pack of Miscellaneous Canned Fishery Products, 1948

The pack of miscellaneous and specialty canned fishery products in 1948 amount—
ed to 617,974 standard cases (48 cans, 16 oz. net weight, per case), valued at

Table 1 - U.S, Pack of Miscellaneous Canned Fishery Products, 1948 (Production & Value to Packer

|__Rroduct sss C~“‘“C;C*dsS ty <Csses| Total Value Location & number of plants
No.

Fish:

Fish cakesl/ ...... Soaddoo || Se Sy 244259250 Me. 4; Mass, 1; N. Y. 1; Va. 1; Calif. 3
Fish Saar & ep 895 1 Mass. 1; N. Y. 1; Calif. 2
Fish, smoked or kip aa ee 9,901 215,4 Mass.3; Minn, 1; Wash, 3; Ore. 4; Calif, 1
Fish, ete seal NoWada . | 34,456 526,287 |Mass.2; N. Y. 1; N. J. 1; Md. 2; N. C. 1;
Shellfish: Mich, 1; Minn, 1; Calif. 1
Crab: deviled, gumbo, etc.2/.| 3,352 102,372 '|N. Y. 1;9W"C) 1; "S. cl) 1; Aleem ve ame
Wash, 1
Lobster bisque, newburg,
soup, and stew ...ccececcsoes 5, 204 ebb Me.1; N.Y, 1; La, 1
Oysters, smoked ...seec..p5-0| 1,036 2,452 | La. 1; Wash. 3
Oysters, stew, soup, oneal. 2,753 57,904 |N. Y. 1; Ala. 1; La, 2; Wash. 4
Shrimp cocktail, bisque,
creole tcemmeamniiereracelstete 2,594 95,538 |N. Y. 1; S.C, 1; Ala. 1; Miss. I; “Las 4;
Wash, 1
Rew bn ScousHdodancododcade || SMS) 788) 1,373,810 | Calif. 20
Terrapin & turtle meat ..... 940 30,899 | N. Y. 2; Ga, 1; Fla. 1
Terrapin & turtle soup § Boe 11,820 138,74 N. Y, 2; Ohio 1; Ge, 1; Fla, 1; La. 2
Shellfisn,miscellaneous¥/,. 8 Me, 1; Mass. 1; N.Y. 2; La,
Total olerateletalatelelevatetevetavetale - 562 .

Mexican sea bass,

2/Consists of spreads (herring salmon, and tuna) and pastes (sardine, finnan haddie, smoked
halibut, herring and Saiben),

3/Consists of smoked ( carp flakes, finnan haddie, herring, salmon, shad and sturgeon) and kippered
(alewives, herring, sablefish and sturgeon),

4/Consi sts of carp flakes, eels in jelly, fish chowder, frog-leg newburg, mullet, red drum, salmon
in cheese sauce, Spanish mackerel, tuna-fish frankfur ters, and whiting.

5/Includes deviled crabs, soft-snell crabs; and crab gumbo, bisque and cocktails,

6/Consists of cocktails, creole, stew; and smoked pasts and spread.

i eenet ses of bisque, balls, cocktails, creole, curry, deviled, gumbo, paste, and smoked,

0/Consists of bouillabaisse, clam cakes and loaf, creole gumbo, conchs, crayfish bisque, and seafood
newburg.

Note: "Standard cases" renresent the various-sized cases converted to the equivalent of 48 cans,

each containing 16 ounces net weight,

: : 5,271,
I/Consists of cod; haddock alewife and menhaden; rockfish; albacore and lingcod; barracuda and |

September 1949 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW ZAll

$5,271,562 tothe pack—
er. The bulk of this
pack consisted of fish
cakes and squid. Al-
though the pack of fish
cakes is not as highas
in 1947, it still is the
highest for all other

Table 2 - Pack of Canned Fish Cakes & Squid, 1939-48
(Production & Value to Packer

~ Squid _
Standard Cases

10)
iad
3,488, 469

years since 1939. The Sere
pack of squid is not 1 Senta
-as high as in 1946, but 649,671 y
it is the highest for 889,0

all other years since 776, 684

1939 756, 253 1/ =

?
6.64 y
=n /Data not available for publication since the pack was canned
(we by less than three firms,
ee :

U.S. Production of Marine-Animal Scrap and Meal, 1948

The 1948 production of fish and marine-animal scrap and meal in the United
States and Alaska amounted to 199,519 tons, valued at $23,086,734 to the producer.

Table 1 - Production of Marine-Animal Scrap & Meal, 1948 (Quantity & Value to Producer)
‘Atlantic and Pacific Coast
Gulf Coast | (including Alacka)4| to ta J
Price
Tons | Per Ton Value

Meal and dried scrap: Value Tons Value
AOD HCE OES F - - 163}$ 21,517 163 | $132.01 |$ 21,517
5 RSM hesepeenesos ; 266,761 - - 5,151 51.79 266,761
MUMS EEL) rs cre sereciore estes - - 341 36,996 341} 108,49 36,996

Groundfish (whi te fish"
inc, rosefish) ........ 2,872,544 = 21,780| 131,89] 2,872,
aiattorscvearslesemabatisays 431,221| 13,054| 1,633,821 | 17,686| 115.75] 21055,0a
| 11,560,914 5 104,058} 111,10 11,560,914
= 9, 076} 2, 614, 616] 19,076| 137.06| 2,614,615)
= 152 12,23

Pilchard)... ciecvsieeccieie
Ue Silat 112, 223

Shack 0) jee. 2 cg eeebes 3/ ANioe 4/11,178 106] 105.45 11,178)
Shrimp eee acie comes g,016 is 724| 67.70 49,016
Tuna and Eales Sversists - 21 305 2,757,778
Whale;

WEEN O69 000000000000 oe 40,900

BONG slolelele sleleieisivielelsieie'«
Miscellaneous ....0.0.0.
MoitaAL iv ccesseeenss
Includes small production of unclassified meal in Minnesota ‘and shark meal in Florida.
A small production of acidulated scrap has been‘included with dry scrap and meal,
Included with West Coast production,
Y/Includes Florida production,
Includes the production of cod-liver press cake, fish pumice; and alewife, horseshoe crab,
lobster, and miscellaneous fish scrap and meal,
[Includes a small production of unclassified meal in Minnesota, and Dungeness crab and miscella-
neous scrap and meal on the Pacific Coast.

3,000
3,958

This was an increase of 7 percent in volume and 3 percent in value compared with
the previous year. The production of menhaden scrap and meal, which exceeded
100,000 tons fer the first time, accounted for over half of the volume and value

22 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 11, Noo 9

of the 1948 production. Due to the continued failure of the pilchard fishery in
California, the yield of pilchard meal amounted to only 19,076 tons——cnly 16 per-—
cent of the record 1936 production of 121,739 tons.

Table 2 - Production of Marine-Animal Scrap and Meal es 8 (Quantit & Value to Producer)

,360, 943
14, 343,138
15,131,918
13,570,331

IL/A small production of acidulated thaian scrap has been included with dry scrap and meal,

— >

Wholesale and Retail Prices

The wholesale index for all foods on July 12 was 164.2 percent of the 1926
average, 0.5 percent above 4 weeks ago, but 13.4 percent below the comparable
period in 1948.

Canned salmon wholesale prices were steadier in July than they were in June.
In July, canned pink salmon prices were 2.8 percent higher than in June, but

Wholesale and Retail Prices

| Percentage ae ge from-

Wholesale; 5 1949
All commodities Index No, eee
oods do

Canned salmon, Seattle:
Pink, No. 1, Tall $ per doz. cans
Red, No. 1, Tall do

Cod, cured, large shore,
Gloucester, Mass. $ per 100 lbs.

Retail: (1935-39 = 100)

Index No,
Fresh, frozen and canned do
Fresh and frozen do
Canned salmon:

Pink ¢ per 1b, can

still were 15.9 percent below July 1948. On the other hand, canned red salmon
prices in July were 2.1 percent lower than the previous month and 14.8 percent
beiow a year ago.

September 1949 _ COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 23

Retail food prices declined 1.3 percent from mid—June to mid-July, and were
now 7 percent below mid—July 1948. Prices of fresh, frozen, and canned fishery
products followed the same trend and on July 15 were 1.6 percent below mid—June,
but were still 2 percent above July 15, 1948. The index for only fresh and frozen
fishery products on July 15 was only 0.4 percent below mid-June and 1.1 percent
below mid-July 1948. Canned pink salmon retail prices were 3.4 percent lower than
on June 15, but were still 7.7 percent above mid-July 1948.

THE CUBAN FISHING INDUSTRY

Unless the Cuban fishing fleet is enlarged and modernized and re—
frigeration is introduced. it is unlikely that productior. of fresh fish
in Cuba during the
next fewyears will
increase beyond
30 or 4O million
pounds. Produc—
tion of canned tun—
ny, albacore, bo-—
nito and sardines
probably will in-
crease and, intime
may compete with
sardines and tuna
fish imported from = : : ss
the United States | = sat
and Latin American HEAVY-DUTY ROW-BOATS WITH REMOVABLE MAST USED FOR COASTAL
countries. BUSTING:

Effective Cuban local demand for fresh fish will continue about
the same as in the past few years—roughly 30 or 40 million pounds—and
will go beyond that only if refrigerated fish markets are introduced
or if the price of fish declines in relation to prices of other meat.

Cuban import requirements in normal times are about 20 to 25 million
pounds of dry salted (cod) and 3 million pounds of other cured and can-
ned fish. When war-time shortages are eased, the demand for salt fish
will continue about the same as before the war but that for canned pro-
ducts may decline owing to increasing domestic production.

Canned tunny, albacore, bonito and sardines may be exported in
increasing quantities, depending on prices in Cuba and abroad. The
duties applying on these commodities in the United States reportedly
hamper Cuban exports.

—-Fishery Leaflet 308

2h COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 11,°No. 9

Aden Protectorate

STATUS OF FISHERIES: For many generations fishing has been one of the im—
portant minor industries along the Aden coast, according to a May 6 report from
the American Consulate at Aden. It is carried on by individual fishermen in
primitive canoes and by groups of from eight to ten fishermen in sailing dhows.
The market is principally to suprly the needs of the local population, and large
catches of sardines along the Gulf of Aden are sun dried and sold as fodder for
the camels.

Excess quantities of fish, above those for local requirements, are sun dried
and sold in the hinterlands and also shipped to Ceylon and India.

During the year, studies were conducted by various experts sent out from
Great Britain under the Colonial Development Scheme, and while the year 1948 was
an abnormally poor season for fishing, the long term outlook for the industry is
considered as favorable. The most satisfactory fishing area is considered to be
along the coast in the area near Mukalla and Ash Shihr. It may eventually offer
employment to many people normally unable to obtain work in their place of re-
sidence.

Australia

DEVELOPS PELAGIC FISHING: Fishermen at Eden, New South Wales, Australia,
and a small Sydney fishing company are pioneering what may become a major develop—
ment of the state's fishing industry, according to the Canadian periodical, For—
eign Trade, of May 14. This is the capture, in commercial quantities, of pelagic
fish (sardines, mackerel, sprats, anchovies, and tuna). It is reported that this
type of fishing cculd supply all the canned fish Australia needs and provide a
basis for lucrative export industry.

Tuna exports might become one of Australia's substantial dollar earners. The
trade in frozen and canned tuna could rise to more than 28,000,000 annually, and
it is probable that the first big consignment of tuna will leave Australiain1949.

The frozen and canned crayfish industry of Western Australia is currently
earning one million American dollars per annum and is operated principally by the
two floating plants which proceed around the Western Australian coast, going from
one crayfish area to another.

PEARLING AND OYSTER CULTURE BSING STUDIED: The Australian pearling industry

is rapidly expanding, but fishing facilities are improving only slowly. Late this

September 1949 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 25

year, a 75-foot vessel left Sydney for Thursday Island, Torres Strait, to study
the pearl—shell oyster and to begin the first Australian experiments with the
cultured pearl.

At present, the pearl oyster is not cultivated in Australian waters as is
the edible oyster in New South Wales. Scientists will develop their own oyster
beds, adopting the Japanese method of growing the oyster on wire suspended from
floating rafts. They will also study the oysters in their natural beds—their
distribution, growth rate, how they breed, how to crop them, and how to conserve
them.

Japan is the inspiration of another major Australian oyster experiment.
This is with the Pacific oyster, a large edible variety suitable for smoking
and canning. Scientists hope it will grow and breed successfully in the colder

southern waters.
oR

Ht. Wee

We

Belgium
FOREIGN TRADE IN FISHERY PRODUCTS, 1948: During the first half of 1948, Bel-

gium imports of fish were maintained preety, much at previous levels, while fish
exports dropped vertically, according to an April 29 report from the American Em-—
bassy at Brussels, The result was a sharp drop in prices to the Belgian producers.
Because of the crisis in the Belgian fishing industry, Belgian fish imports were
restricted in the second half of 1948. The difficulties of the fish industry were
due to the fact that other countries, particularly France and the United Kingdom,
were restricting their fish imports from Belgium. Recently, exports to the United
Kingdom have been resumed.

FISHING FLEET; At the end of 1948, the Belgian fishing fleet consisted of
481 units as compared with 510 units just before the war. The average size of
the ships is larger now than before the war so that the total tonnage at the end
of 1948 was 29,938 metric tons as compared with 28,037 tons before the war. The
fleet has been modernized and now has more power and more fishing capacity than
ever before in Belgian history.

The Belgian Government owns five large fishing boats of which four have been
rented to three Ostend businessmen at $2,662 per boat per month. Two of the rent—
ers have not made any payment, and it is reported that the third is not making
money and will follow the example of the other two, The Libre Belgique says that
it is hoped that the Government will sell these boats.

TRADE AGREEMENTS: A supplementary agreement was signed between Belgium and
Trizone Germany on January 12, 1949. This agreement provided for exports from
Belgium of the following amounts of fish:

Item : Value
re shyseattnen is ie clsisicteisiselaineline cise isclnen sien, eo 20 O00
Fresh and salted herrings ....ccccces-:- e. 300,000

Other salted fish (sardellen) ....ccccc.s0 110,000

A trade agreement has been signed between the Belgo—Luxembourg Economic Union
and Portugal, for the period January 1 through December 31, 1949. This agreement

26 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vole 11, No. 9 |

provides for exports from Portugal of $182,000 worth of sardines in oil and other
sauces.

NOTE; Values converted on basis of one Belgian franc equals 2.275 cents U. S.

Bizone Germany
LIFTING OF BERLIN BLOCKADE AIDS FISHERIES: The opening of zonal borders to

goods traffic has averted the crisis in the German fish industry by creating ad-
ditional markets in Berlin and (through unofficial channels) in the Russian Zone,
according to a May 24 report from the American Consulate at Bremerhaven. In the

week May 16-23, fish prices ex—vessel showed increases ranging up to 25 percent.

Before the blockade began, West Berlin consumed some 1,000 metric tons of
fresh fish monthly, of which 700 tons were supplied by rail from Bremerhaven.
For the next few months, Berlin is expected to consume almost 3,000 tons monthly,
of which 1,000 tons will be drawn from Bremerhaven and will be delivered by truck.
The increased consumption is attributed to the ending of fish rationing in Berlin
and to the fact that Berliners have been without fresh sea fish for almost a year.

Canada

ARCTIC FISHERY INVESTIGATION MAY BE EXTENDED: The investigation of fisheries
in Canada's Eastern Arctic waters (begun in 1947 in Ungava Bay) by the Calanus,
the boat of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada, may be expanded to include the

whole Eastern Arctic area, which covers all the waters of Hudson Bay, Hudson Strait,

Foxe Basin and Ungava Bay, and the waters from Belle Isle north to Baffin Bay and
the polar area, During its general investigation of the physical and biological
oceanography of Eastern Arctic waters, the research party will look for marine re-—
sources for use by the Eskimo population, according to the July 1949 Canadian Fish—
eries Department Trade News,

ee KK EK

LOBSTER CANNING REGULATIONS CHANGED: Lobster canning in Canada is now allowed
all year round on the Atlantic Coast as a result of a recent order—in—council which
amerds the regulations under the Meat and Canned Foods Act, according to the May
1949 Trade News of the Canadian Fisheries Department.

During the past number of years there has been a growing chilled lobster
meat industry which has been allowed to put up fresh lobster meat in "slip—on"
cover cans. Tnese friction—-top cans are not hermetically sealed as required under
the canning regulations of the Meat and Canned Food Act, and thus this industry
was able to put up the chilled lobster all year. The canning of hermetically
sealed lobster, however, was allowed only when the lobster fishing season was
open in each area. Now canning is allowed at any time of the year.

KKHKHK HE

PACKING CANADIAN "SPRING BLOATERS" FCR EXPORT: In order that Canadian ex-
porters may ship a larger size spring herring outside Canada, the Canadian De-

PL ent

September 1949 COMMERCIAL FISHRRIES REVIEW By

partment of Fisheries has announced that an 18—pound box of "spring bloaters" pack—
ed in 1949 for export may contain not less than 60 and not more than 80 fish, ac-
cording to that agency's July 1949 Trade News.

This order is an exception, for the 1949 pack only, to the regulations which
provide that each 18-pound box of "spring bloaters" packed for export shall contain
not less than 80 and not more than 120 fish.

This new regulation was put into force when it was found that some waste was
occurring when packers could not keep within the 80 to 120 count without culling
out larger fish.

TEST OF REFRIGERATOR CAR SUCCESSFUL: The Halifax, N. S., to Vancouver, Be Co,
test run of the Canadian mechanically refrigerated railway car of the Pacific Ex-
perimental Station, Fisheries Research Board of Canada, was comoleted successfully

on July 18, according to the July 1949 Canadian Fisheries Department Trade News.

The shipment consisted of 34,000 pounds of mixed smoked haddock, cod, and kip—
pers, and somé scallops, and was consigned to a West Coast distributor. The tem—
peratures inside the car ranged from —2° to -6.5° F. During its 3,000-mile run,
the car was exposed to outside temperatures of 109° F. in the sun and 92° F. in the
shade. The test demonstrated the car's practibility in keeping fish at a high
quality level by maintaining low temperatures over long distances.

A similar successful test run was made in June from Prince Rupert, B. Co, to
Montreal, Que.

France
IMPORT DUTI#S RESTORED ON CERTAIN FISHERY PRODUCTS: Import duties (suspend—

ed since July 8, 1944) have been restored in France on an extensive list of pro-
ducts, including certain fishery products, by an order of June 3, 1949, published
in the French Journal Officiel and effective June 4, 1949, according to an Amer—
ican consular report.

The following are the fishery products on which import duties have been re-—
stored at the rates listed in the present French import tariff (French tariff item
numbers in parentheses):

Fresh sea-fish (24)

Fish, simply salted, dried, or smoked except cod, including klippfish and
halibut in fillets (25 A, ex 25 B, 25C and £)

Mussels (ex 27 A)

Prepared or preserved fish (164)

Duties. on the following fishery products (suspended since July 8, 1944) have
been re-established at rates lower than those listed in the present French import
tariff:

Cod, including klippfish and halibut in fillets, 35 percent (listed rate
70 percent) (ex 25 B)

28 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vole 11, No. 9

French Morocco

FISHERIES REVIEW, 1948: Fishing Fleet: The fishing fleet in French Morocco,
during 1948, consisted of 1,140 vessels for line fishing, 216 sardine—fishing
boats, 53 trawlers (net fishing), and 31 sardine
trawlers, according to an April 25 American consular
report from Casablanca.

Fish Canning: Morocco had 116 fish canneries.
If tin plate and oil and fat supplies were sufficient,
it is estimated that the present fish canning equip—
ment of Morocco would permit the annual production of
2 million cases of canned fish.

Exports: Exports of fishery products to the
United States during 1948 consisted of 479,123 pounds
of canned sardines, valued at$156,234; and 1,092,582
pounds of other fishery products, valued at $49,739.

Cie aes

Hungary

STATUS OF FISHERIES: Hungary's total yearly fish production was 15,432,200
pounds before the war, compared with 8,818,400 pounds at present, according to a
June 17 report from the American Legation at Budapest, which quotes the Hungarian
newspaper Kris Ujsag of June 14, 1949.

While the total yield of Hungarian fish ponds in 1945 was only 881,840 pounds,
it grew to 1,763,680 pounds in 1946, and to 3,086,440 pounds in 1947. The esti—
mate for this year is 5,070,580 pounds.

The fish stock of Hungary was reduced to a large extent during the War, but
immediately after the end of the War reconstruction also began in this field.

Before the War about 50 percent of Hungarian fish production was taken over
by the neighboring countries, While export possibilities are not so favorable
at present, the demand for live carp on the home market has increased notably this
year.

The improvement of the fish stock of Hungary's natural waters is also said to
be taking place, but it cannot be controlled as well as in the case of fish ponds.
Last year's total yield of lake Balaton, with an amount of over 2,645,520 pounds,
exceeded the average of several previous years. The quality of free-water fish,
however, is not yet quite satisfactory. For this reason it-is the intention of the
authorities to improve the quality of the fish stock of the rivers and lake Balaton.

The administrative system of Hungary's pisciculture has recently been reorgan-

ized. The present administrative system‘consists of the National Bureau for Fish
and Reed Economy, and four national enterprises.

E.

SS

September 1949 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 29

Iceland

SUMMER HERRING FISHERY: The summer herring fishery is operated off thenorth
coast of Iceland during the summer mcnths (July, August, and the first part of
September), according to a July 6 report from the American Legation at Reykjavik.
The State Herring Board determines the price of herring to be paid to the fisher—
men. The price of fresh herring to be delivered by Icelandic fishermen to the
factories for processing into oil and meal was placed at 2 cents a pound, 1/10 of
a cent lower than that paid last summer (1948). The price for salted herring
(eviscerated, with head off) was established at $9.22 per barrel. The price is
the same as paid in 1948.

To date, approximately 200 Icelandic vessels have left their home ports to
participate in the North Coast herring fisheries. The press as well as the Fish-
ing Association of Iceland reported that approximately 400 foreign vessels have
arrived to take part in the herring fisheries. Among the foreign vessels are
Norwegian (350), Swedish (90), Danish, Finnish, German, and Russian ships.

The Icelanders are hoping for a very fruitful summer herring season. The
past four summers have been virtual failures and have driven many of the fishing
vessel owners into a dangerous financial position. The Government has been com—
pelled to aid the fishing fleet in order to keep it in operation.

vi

lraq

RECEIVES MCDERN TRAWLER: A motor trawler, Zubaida, ordered some time ago by
the Agricultural and Industrial Bank in Iraq has now been launched in Hngland. It
is expected to arrive in Basra at the end of the summer, according to a May 5 re-
port from the American consulate at Basra.

The trawler has a length of 90 feet, a beam of 20 feet, displaces 200 tons,
a fish hold with a capacity of 3,500 cubic feet, a refrigerating plant capable
of maintaining a temperature of 32° F. in Iragi waters, and a range of 1,500 miles.

The trawler will be operated by the Basra Port Directorate for the account of
the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture, It will be manned by British officers and an
Iraqi crew and will be based at the Port's dredger depot at Fao, at the mouth of
the Shatt-al—Arab. The Port Directorate has undertaken to construct a small cold-—
storage plant at Fao to preserve the fish, and construction was started in June.

Fish will be transported to Basra by truck, part of the supply to be allocated
to the Basra and Southern Iraq market and the remainder shipped by train to
Baghdad. At the request of the Ministry of Agriculture and with the fish traffic
in mind, the Port Directorate last year undertook the paving of the Fao road.

The arrival of the Zubaida and consequent introduction in the Persian Gulf of
modern fishing methods should be of great benefit to the Iraqi populace and
should strengthen the economic base of the nation.

30 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 11, No. 9

Japan
1948-49 ANTARTIC WHALING EXPEDITION: Production: The 1948-49 Japanese

from which 54,500 metric tons of products were obtained. About 20,000 metric
tons of this total were whale oil, and the remainder was blubber, meat, and mic—
cellaneous products. The 1947-48 Antartic whaling expedition took 1,014 blue
whale units and realized about 47,000 metric tons of products, 17,000 metric tons
of which were whale oil, according to various reports received from the Natural
Resources Section of SCAP.

Whaling Expedition Commended: A representative of the Natural Resources
Section, in an address given at a celebration of the return of the Japanese Ant—
arctic whaling fleet, stated in part:

"We are here today to help you celebrate completion of the most notable
tarctic whaling expedition ever carried out by a Japanese fleet.
Your performance on this expedition has been exceptional in many
respects. I wish to comment particularly on those features which
are of special significance to Japan's international position,

"Before World War II, Japanese whaling fleets operated with almost
complete disregard for the regulations drawn up by the Inter-
national Whaling Convention to protect the Antarctic whale herds
from extinction, Nearly one-quarter of their catch was taken in
violation of protective regulations established by this Convention.

"During the past three seasons, you have demonstrated that you can,
and will, carry on whaling operations according to international
agreements and with due regard for the preservation of the whale
resources,

"You have set a magnificent example for the entire Japanese fishing
industry by obtaining maximum production and utilization of aquatic
products while observing all national and international regulations,"

1948 JAPANESE AGAR AGAR PRODUCTION: The Japanese Ministry of Agriculture and

1,019,014 pounds.

KHKHEHKH

FISHERIES CCOPERATIVES: Introduction: Cooperation of fishermen for the pur—
pose of mutual assistance is an old movement in Japan, according to Preliminary
Study No. 31 "Fisheries Cooperatives of Japan" of SCAP's Natural Resources Section
issued in January 1949. As early as 1500 A. D. organizations were formed to build,
cooperatively, landing docks, markers and beacons, as well as other facilities
which were needed, but which could not be provided on an individual basis. The
fishery cooperative associations became especially strong during the Meiji Era,
1868-1912, when practically autonomous power in fishing management was granted to
them, Since about 1900, the cooperative associations began business activities
such as selling the members’ catch and purchasing material for their members. By
1933, there existed 3,778 cooperatives with a membership of 691,185 and 46 feder—
ations which established a link among the local cooperatives.

The Fisheries Organization Law of 1943 gave the central Government of Japan
complete control of the entire coastal industry including the cooperatives. The
law stipulated that "those who do fisheries and owners of fishery rights and who

September 1949 CCMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 31

lease fishery rights and do fisheries by virtue of same in the locality, also
those who have close relations with the fisheries operated by the members, may
be made members" of the respective cooperative. In actual practice, this law
created for the cooperative in each village a monopolistic position and it gave
to the directors of the cooperative exclusive power over fishermen. Denial of
membership in the cooperative was equivalent to the denial of the right to fish.
The new fisheries cooperative legislation of 1948 attempts to break up the monopo—
listic position of the old cooperative. In the future, any 7 fishermen may estab—
lish a production cooperative. The boundaries of these cooperatives may be over—
lapping. The cooperatives may compete each against the other.

General Provisions of the Fisheries Cooperative Legislation, 1948: The fish-
eries cooperative legislation enacted on November 27, 1948, by the Japanese Diet
is composed of two separate laws. The Law Concerning the Consolidation of Fisher-
ies Organizations or the Like in Compliance with the Enforcement of Fisheries Coop-—
erative Association Law abrogates the Fisheries Organization Law (Law No. 27 of
1943) and provides for the dissolution.of all fishing associations and manufactur-—
ers’ associations organized in compliance with it. The Fisheries Cooperative As-—
sociation Law authorizes the formation of fisheries cooperatives and establishes
the legal basis on which they will be organized and operated.

The administrative authorities referred to in the law are the Minister of
Agriculture and Forestry or the prefectural governor, as may be appropriate in
the specific instance.

The effective date of both laws has been set by Cabinet Order as February 15,

1949

Summary of 1948 Fisheries Cooperative Association Law:

SUMMARY OF FISHERIES COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION LAW The law makes the following provisions for the various
types of associations and federations:

The purpose of the Fisheries Cooperative Association
Law is "advancement of the national economy by increasing
fisheries productivity and improving the economic and so-
cial status of fishermen and marine products processors
through the development of fisheries cooperative associa-

a, Fishermen's Cooperative Associations

(1) Business: Fisheries cooperative associations
may engage in one or more of the following functions:

tions," The objective of each cooperative will be "to
furnish direct service for the benefit of its membership (a) Giving credit to members.
consistent with the functions which it is authorized to By Accepting deposits of members.
perform," c) Purchasing or selling goods co-
operatively for business and family
The law authorizes three types of cooperatives and needs,
two kinds of federations: (d) Operating common facilities needed for
business and family use of members,
a, Fishermen's Cooperative Assns. (e) Transporting, processing, storing, or
b. Fishermen's Production Cooperative Assns. selling products of members,
c. Federation of Fishermen's Cooperative Assns. (£) Participating in activities contri-

d, Marine Products Processing Cooperative Assns,
e. Federation of Marine Products Processing Co-
operative Assns.

"fisheries" is defined in the law as "a business to
carry on gathering, taking, or culturing of marine animals
and plants." "Marine products processing" is defined as
"a business to carry on manufacturing food stuff, feed
stuffi/, fertilizer, paste, oil, or hide with marine ani-
mals and plants as their raw materials or stuffs," "Fish-
ermen" are defined as "individuals who operate fisheries
and employees who engage in gathering, taking, or culturing
of marine animals or plants on behalf of fisheries opera-
tors2’," "Narine products processors" are defined as "in-
dividuals who operate marine products processing,"

I/Feed stuff weans livestock feed.

buting to conservation and propagation
of marine animals and plants and ex-
pvloitation of fishing grounds.

(g) Establishing facilities such as docks,
breakwaters, etc,

(h) Offering disaster relief and life saving
activities for its members,

(i) Offering welfare and educational ac-
tivities.

(j) Bargaining collectively on behalf of
members.

(k) Participating in collateral activities
required to accomplish any of the pre-
ceding items.

Cooperatives without capital stock cannot perform

credit or deposit functions, Cooperatives may make their
facilities available to non-members, However, this must
be set forth in the articles of incorporation, and the

2/Tnhis is a departure from established tradition in Japan.
In the past, only those who owned boats or nets or held
fishing rights were considered fishermen,

32 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW

total volume of business with non-members cannot exceed
that done with members, A fishermen's cooperative may
operate fisheries in addition to the above functions,
provided that:

(a) Two-thirds of the fishermen's house-
holds of the area are represented in
its membership.

(bv) A majority of its members are engaged
in the fisheries operated by the co-
perative,

(c) ‘he organization is a capitalized
cooperative. si

(a) No member holds more than double the average
number of shares per member,

(e) A majority of the shares in the cooperative
are held by members engaged in the fishery
or fisheries operated by the cooperative,

(£) Two-thirds or more of the persons engaged in
the fisheries operated by the cooperative are
members or reside in the home of members of
the cooperative.

(2) Membership: Membership in fishermen's cooperatives
is open to any fisherman residing in the area covered by the
association who engages in fisheries a minimum of 30 to 90 days
a year, ‘The articles of incorporation of each cooperative must
designate the exact number of days, not less than 30 or more
than 90, The articles of incorporation of cooperatives whose
area of operation is larger than one city, town, or village may
limit membership to fishermen engaging in one specific type of
fishery, Associate membership may be granted to marine product
processors residing in the area of the cooperative who are not
members of a marine products processing cooperative and to any
fishermen's production cooperative or individual fishermen in-
eligible for full membership. Associate members do not have
the right to vote but have all other membership privileges.

No applicant for membership can be refused membership without
due cause, and no special conditions for membershiv can be im-
posed on any applicant,

(3) Capitalization: ‘the capitalization requirements
(number and value: of shares) for members will be determined
by the articles of incorporation, All units of capitalization
(share) will be of equal value. Each member of a capitalized
fishermen's cooperative will possess one or more units of cap-
italization, The liability of a member will be limited to the
amount of his investments, Shares cannot be held jointly by
members, cannot be transferred without the consent of the co-
operative, and cannot be owned by persons other than members
or associate members,

(4) Elections and General Voting: Each member will be
entitled to one vote, Voting by written proxy on previously
publicized matters is authorized. No member can vote more than
one proxy, Elections will be by secret ballot. One-fifth of
the members may institute recall proceedings by means of a
petition, All directors will be voted upon in a recall elec-
tion.

(5) Secession and Expulsion: Members can secede from
a cooperative at the end of any business year, if prior notice
is given. The time of this notice will be determined by the
articles of incorporation; however, it shall not be less than
days nor more than one year, Members may be expelled from
a cooperative by resolution of the general meeting for the
following reasons:

(a) Failure to utilize the facilities of the
cooperative for "an unreasonably long
period of time,"

(b) Refusal to fulfill their obligations such
as "payment of investments and assessments,

- etc,"
(c) Violation of the articles of incorporation,

i (6) Officers: Cooperatives will have a minimum of
five directors and two auditors, Three-fourths of the directors
must be members of the cooperative. The normal term of office

will be one year; however, the articles of incorporation may
-establish two-year terms,

Vol. 11, No. 9

(7) Reserve Fund and Distribution of Profits: At the
close of each business year the cooperative will set aside a

reserve fund of one-tenth or more of the surplus funds, until
this reserve fund reaches the amount prescribed ir the arti-
cles of incorporation. The amount of the reserve fund pre-
scribed in the articles of incorporation shall not be less
than one-half the total mount of the capitalized stock of

the cooperative. This reserve fund ‘can be used only for the
payment of losses. Cooperatives mst set aside five percent
or more of each year's surplus fund for conducting education-
al activities, After payment of losses, the reserve fund and
the educational fund will be set aside, the remaining surplus

‘will be distributed by paying a dividend not exceeding five

percent on the units of capitalization, and any remainder will
be distributed to the members in proportion to the extent they
used the facilities of the cooperative during the business
years.

(8) Organization: Geographical boundaries for
the area of the cooperative's function will be determined
by the articles of incorporation, Twenty or more fish-
ermen are required to organize a fishermen's cooperative,
Steps in organizing fishermen's cooperatives aret

(a) Twenty or more fishermen must act as —
promoters,

(>) The promoters will prepare a program
showing the scope of business, area
of functions, and qualifications for
membership of the proposed cooperative.

(c) The promoters will hold a preliminary
meeting for organization. A public
notice giving the date and place of
the meeting mst be given two weeks
before the meeting.

(d) At the preliminary meeting at least 20
fishermen will be selected from among
those present to draft the articles of
incorporation, All decisions made at
the preliminary meeting will require
the consent of the majority of the
fishermen present.

(e) Upon completion of the draft of the
articles of incorporation by the
drafters the promoters will hold a
constituent general meeting. At
least two weeks before the meeting a
public notice of the draft of the
articles of incorporation and the
time and place of the meeting must be
given, Approval of the articles of
incorporation, adoption of a business
plan, and other matters necessary for
organization will be carried out at the
constituent meeting. The draft of the
articles of incorporation may be amended
at the constituent meeting; however, this
does not apply to the provisions regarding
the area and qualifications for membership.

(£) Immediately after the constituent general
meeting, the promoters must apply to the
administrative authorities for approval
of the organization.

(g) The administrative authorities mist approve
the application unless the organization is
contrary to tne Fisheries Cooperative Law.

(nh) If notication is not received from the
administrative authorities within two months
after date of apvlication, the formation of
the cooperative is approved automatically.

(4) Upon aporoval by the administrative author-
ities, the promoters must surrender their
duties to the directors, The directors
must then collect the payment of the first
quota of the capitalization from the members.

(5) The’ cooperative becomes established upon
registration at the location of its principal
office.

b. Fishermen's production cooperative associations

(1) Business: Operation of fishing enterprise.

Re ee de

September 1949

(2) Membership: The qualifications for membership will|
be determined by the articles of incorporation. However, all
members must be fishermen, Two-thirds of the members must be
engaged in the fishing enterprige operated by the cooperative,
and two-thirds or more of the persons engaged in the fishing
enterprige operated by the cooperative must be members of the
cooperative,

(3) Capitalization: Each member of a cooperative
must possess one or more units of capitalization shares).
Tne number of units owned by any one member must not be more
tnan twice the average number of units held by other members,
The majority of the total units of capitalization of the co-
perative must be possessed by persons engaged in the fisher-
ies operated by the cooperative.

(4) Officers: Fishermen's production cooperatives
must have three or more directors, all of whom must be members
of the cooperative. A recall election of the officers may be
initiated by a petition of one-third of the members,

(5) Organization: Seven or more promoters may form
a fishermen's production cooperative.

(6) Surplus Fund: A production cooperative may pay
10 percent dividend on its stock, The remainder is distri-
buted on the basis of labor contributed to the cooverative
enterprige.

(7) All other provisions applying to fishermen’s
cooperative associations apply with modifications to fish-
ermen's production cooperatives.

c. Federations of Fishermen's Cooperative Associations

(1) Business: Federations of fishermen's co-
operative associations may, with necessary modifications,
perform any of the business functions conducted by their
‘member cooperatives. However, federafins carrying on the
functions of credit and accepting deposits may not carry
on other activities, The business of credit of the ac-
ceptance of members’ deposits may not be carried on by
non-capitalized federations,

(2) Member shiv: Membership of federations shall
be drawn from the following, as determined by the articles
of incorporation:

(a) Fishermen's cooperetives or federations
having as their jurisdictional area the
whole or pert of the area in which the
federation is to operate,

(>) Fishermen's production cooperatives

which have their official address in

the jurisdictional area of the fed-
eration,

Any cooperative organization situated

in the jurisdictional area of the pro-

posed federation and authorized by
other laws to perform functions similar
to those performed by the cooperatives
mentioned in the preceding two items,

(c)

b (3) Limitations: Federations shall be limited in
size by either of the following items:

(a) The jurisdictional area of a fed-
eration must not be larger than one
perfecture,

(b) The number of cooperatives constituting
the membership of a federation must not
exceed 300,

COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW

23

(a) Organization: Two or more cooperatives may
become the promoters of a federation,

ad, Marine Products Processing Cooperative Association

(1) Business: Marine products processing co-
perative associations may engage in any or all of the
following functions:

(a) Giving credit to members,

b) Accepting devosits of members,

c) Purchasing or selling goods cooperatively
for business needs of members.

(a) Operating common facilities needed for
business purposes of its members,

(e) Transporting, processing, storing, or

selling products of members,

(f) Inspecting products manufactured by
members.

(g) Offering welfare and educaticnal ac-
tivities.

(h) Participating in collateral activities
required to accomplish any of the pre-

ceding items,

The cooperative may, in accordance with the articles
of incorporation, make its facilities available to non-
members; however, this business with non-members must not
exceed one-fifth of the total volume of the business of
the cooperative. Cooperatives carrying on the functions
of lending and accepting denosits may not conduct other
activities,

(2) Membership: The qualifications for member-
ship will be determined by the articles of incorporation; how-
ever, all members must be marine products processors,

(3) Organization: The organization of a marine prod-
ucts processing cooperative requires 15 marine products proc-
essors as promoters,

(4) All other provisions applying to fishermen's co-
operative associations are applied to marine products proc
essing cooperatives with the necessary modifications,

e. Federations of Marine Products Processing Cooperatives

(1) Business: Any of the activities performed by
the member cooperatives may, with necessary modifications,
be performed by the federation. However, federations per-
forming credit and déposit functions cannot conduct other
activities,

(2) Membership: ‘The membership of federations will
be drawn from the following as determined by the articles of
incorporation:

(a) Cooperatives or federations having all
or part of the jurisdictional area of
the federation being formed as their
area of operations.

Any cooperative organizations within
the jurisdictional area of the pro-
posed federations and authorized by
other laws to perform functions sim-
ilar to those performed by the co-
operatives mentioned in item (a).

(>)

(3) Organization: ‘Two or more associations may
become promoters of a federation,

34 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. bbgunoyes™

Liberia

POSSIBILITIES OF THE FISHERIES: Fishing as an industry has not yet been
developed in Liberia. The possibilities for such a venture seem excellent, for
the present supply of fish comes from native fishermen who go out nearly every
day in dugout canoes and return at the close of the day with a few fish, accor—
ding to a March 10 report from the U. S. Economic Mission to Liberia. These are
immediately taken up by customers who flock to the water's edge and who even wade
out into the water to meet the canoes. The supply available does not even begin
to satisfy the demands of the consumers.

There is a variety of fish in the waters of Liberia, which should, and could,
supply the needs of the country. Among the fish and shellfish to be found are
herring, mullet, red snapper, gripper, barracuda, tarpon, crabs, lobsters, crawfish
and a few other kinds.

Native-made drag seines are used in the coastal waters of Liberia. In the
fresh-water streams and lakes, traps and small nets are used. Purse seines are un—
known. To help meet the demand for low-cost protein food, large amounts of canned
and dried fish are imported.

One or two fishing boats, equipped with icing facilities and working with a
fleet of canoes should be able to greatly increase the local take of fish for

which a ready market exists.

\Viorocco
DANISH FISHING VESSELS TO OPERATE IN MOROCCAN WATERS: Negotiations are be—

ing conducted between the authorities of Morocco and private fishing interests
in Denmark to operate Danish fishing vessels in Moroccan waters, according to a

May 23 report from the American Embassy at Copenhagen.

It is expected that Danish fishing vessels will conduct experimental fishing
in Moroccan waters in search of tuna, sardines, hake, and sole. Catches will be
sold to canneries in Morocco which at present cannot be kept in continuous pro—
duction due to the irregular catches of the local fishing fleets. If proposed
operations prove successful and catches are adequate, a Danish export fish busin-—
ess may be established in Morocco eventually.

All proposed operations will be under Danish management. Two Danish vessels
(39 and 49 gross registered metric tons, respectively) have been selected for the
initial trial. Both ships, built in Denmark will be equipped with latest gear
and equipment, including refrigeration plants,moored nets, floating trawls, and
Danish seines. It is expected that these vessels will be followed by others at a
later date.

New Caledonia and Dependencies

FISHERIES: Waters and reefs around New Caledonia contain an abundance of
many varieties of fish, crustaceans, and mcllusks, and there are thousands of

September 1949 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 35

turtles in the area of the Huon Islands. The fishing industry in general, how—
ever, has been developed only sufficiently to supply the local market with fresh
and dried fish, according to a May 1949 report from the International Reference
Service of the Department of Commerce.

The one sea product shipped from the colony in significant quantities is
the trochus shell, and the New Caledonia variety is considered among the finest
obtainable anywhere. Searching for shells was prohibited during the war but was
resumed in 1946. In that year exports amounted to 1,220 metric tons, compared
with an average of 524 tons a year from 1932 to 1939. Shipments went mainly to
France. Considerable activity is anticipated in this field.

ERA

Newfoundland

SEAL FISHERY, 1949: The total seal fishery of vessels based on Newfound—
land for the 1949 season was considerably more successful than in 1948 and much
more so from the viewpoint of Newfoundlanders, according to a June 15 report
from the American Consulate General at St. John's.

The total number of seals caught by vessels of Newfoundland registry increased
by 69.5 percent, the gross weight by 57.4 percent, and the net value by no less
than 112.7 percent (see table).

aN ees JA OL SiGe anes
Gross Weight of | Net Value |Seals |Gross Weight of | Net Value
Seals Caught of Seals Caught | Seals Caught of Seals

land registry .....
Vessels of other

TEZistry ce ccccee
Total

In 1948, there were eight sealing vessels of foreign registry, either Ca-
nadian or United States, based on Newfoundland but in 1949 there were only two,
both Canadian. In addition, there were a number of Norwegian vessels, estimated
at nine by the Newfoundland Fisheries Board,operating in and around Newfoundland
waters, but the details of this catch are not known.

Prices remained the same as last year, $10.00 for young harps, %5.00 for
old harps, $12.00 for young hoods, $5.00 for old hoods, and $6.00 for bedlamers.
The great rise in the value of the catch was due primarily to the greatly in-
creased number of young harps caught, the total figure rising from 69,574 in1948,
to 103,280 in 1949.

KKK EKE

WHALE AND FISH OILS, 1948: Production: The production of cod oil in New—

foundland declined and that of herring oil increased in 1948, according to an
April 13 report from the American Consulate General at St. John's.

36 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 11, No. 9

The production of seal oil also fell sharnly, as was to be expected from
the decline in the catch by vessels of Newfoundland registry.

The most striking increase was in whale oil. The production of whale oil
in Newfoundland in 1948 reached an all time high of 1,476,770 gallons, an increase
of almost 60 percent over the preceding year,
which was also a record year.

Table 1 - Newfoundland's ee Gaal
941

Consumption and Exports: Virtually the en-—
tire production of fish oils in Newfoundland is
exported, the volume of home consumption being
unimportant.

Oil Produced

Wholesale Prices: Wholesale prices on whale
and seal oils during 1948 as quoted by local dealers
were $440.00 per metric ton c.i.f. European ports

in bulk and $515.00 pertonc.i.f. European ports
in packages.

Pure common cod oil remained between 20 cents
New York.

Table 3 - Pr yaaares Importers a Newf ound land
Table 2 - Newfoundland's Exports of Fish Oils, 1947-40 _ Sa Oils 124 oe Fish Oils, 154 BS

2,316

10,558
56

Note: In See during 1948, 35,785 vounds of

cod stearine, valued at $4,940, were imported by
the United States and 515 pounds of seal stea-

rine, valued at $618, by Canada,

Cod liver oil of medicinal grade averaged about $2.50 per gallon c.i.f. New
York while poultry oil averaged about $2.08 per gallon.

Current Market Situation: The current market for fish oils is somewhat de-
pressed as compared with last year. Cod liver oil, whose price is determined
primarily by the Norwegian price, is off somewhat and there have been no sales of
cod oil since December 1948, owing to the fact that the tanneries in the United
States are working only part time and still
have a carryover of cod oil from 1948. The
market for whale oil is also depressed owing
to the decrease in demand from Europe.

Table 4 - Stocks of Fish eee on Hand
in Newfoundland _on Jama 194

Outlook for 1949: Exporters have adopt—
ed a rather cautious outlook toward prospects
for 1949. It is hoped that the market for
common cod oil will become more active in
about six weeks when current stocks in the
United States have declined, but it is ex-

September 1949 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 37

pected that prices will be lower, It is also expected that prices for cod liver

oil and whale oil will fall somewhat.
Nigeria

STATUS OF FISHERIES, 1948: Efforts have been made to improve the fish industry
because of its importance as a supply of food. Fish are now imported, and the
country hopes to become self-sufficient in this respect, according to a March 18
report from the American Consulate General at Lagos. Some two years have been spent
in training and educating Nigerians in the use of large-mesh nets for catching large
fish and to impress upon them the importance of not renoving small, immature fish
from the waters. There are plans for enacting legislation forbidding the catch-

ing of immature fish. Encouragement has also been given to deep-sea fishing in
the hope of giving the waterways some respite.

The one-year training offered by the Fisheries Department is free and consists
of demonstrating improved methods and offering technical advice and assistance.

The present yield of Nigeria's waters, both inland and oceanic, is inadequate
for her own needs. There is no possibility of exporting any fish, but through this
training, |it is hoped production may be increased to fulfill the country's needs.
It is estimated that there are only 12,000 square miles of fishing ground along
the coast and about 1,000 square miles along the waterways. The total annual
catch from these sources should eventually be from 80,000 to 90,000 tons. Be-
tween 3,000 tons and 4,000 tons are now imported, most of which are dried fish.

On the basis of 80,000 to 90,000 tons a year for domestic consumption, there
should be about six pounds of fish per adult which still leaves a large deficiency
on the protein diet of the average Nigerian.

Trial ponds are now in the making for breeding fish, but these are too new
to judge results as yet. Food for these ponds is being vroduced from palm kernel
residue.

Production of commercial fish byproducts is also being encouraged; and the
marketing of shark liver and fish swim bladder (for use in beer and wine cleansing
and the manufacturing of glue) is proving profitable. Mangrove cutch is also be-
ing produced for tanning nets.

There are also experiments under way for the canning of fish in a newly erected
experimental cannery near Lagos.
NOTS; Quantities in metric tons,

DANISH-NORWEGIAN TRADE AGREEMENT SIGNED: Negotiations between Danish and Nor-
agreement for the period April 1, 1949-—March 31, 1950. The agreement has been ap-
‘proved by the Danish and Norwegian Governments and was signed at Oslo on April 13,
1949, according to a May 23 report from Copenhagen.

38 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 11, No. 9

Included among the Danish imports are the following Norwegian fisheries pro-
ducts:

Salted herring - $303,030 } Oyster brood - $20,202
Fresh fish - a au Fish glue = TOs alow
Canned fish - Crude whale oil = 9,500 MT.
Shellfish - 80, 808. | Hardened whale oil - 2,500 MT,

Included among the Norwegian imports are the following Danish fisheries pro—
ducts:

Fresh and’ live fish - $104,188
Fish products = AGS

x KE H

NORWEGIAN=BRITISH TRAWLING DISPUTE: On Friday, July 15th, the Norwegian
Government forwarded a memorandum to the British Government concerning a recent
disagreement over territorial limits off the Norwegian coast, according to a
July 23 report from the Norwegian Information Service. The disagreement arose
early in May when the British trawler was detained by Norwegian authorities on
the charge that it was fishing within the four-mile limit which Norway regards
as itsterritorial boundary. A British protest was forwarded immediately, not—
ing that the vessel was fishing outside the three-mile line which Britain regards
as the limit of a country's territorial waters.

A Norwegian spokesman in London noted recently that it would be of the ut—
most importance were a Norwegian-British agreement reached. It could aid in
setting a precedent for other countries which presently fail to agree on this
same question.

eHeHK*K

PRODUCTION OF 1948-49 ANTARCTIC WHALING EXPEDITION: The total production of

eae ee

=

SS ee 1

TYPE OF MODERN CATCHER BOAT USED BY NORWEGIANS. DUR! NG THE 1948- 49 ANTARCTIC WHALING EXP=DITION.

September 1949 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 39

this season, amounted to 931,008 barrels (155,168 metric tons) of whale oil and
113,755 barrels (18,959 sone) of sperm oil, compared with 939,827 barrels (156,638
sane) of whale oil and 55,288 barrels (9,215 tons) of sperm oil last season when
only nine Norwegian expeditions operated. (See Commercial Fisheries Review,

July 1949, pe 52) Average production this season is 93.2 barrels per whalecatcher
per day, compared with 97.7 barrels last season, according to an April 21 report
from the American Embassy at Oslo.

Results of the 1948-49 season were only on a par with those of prewar despite
the addition of one more expedition and the use of more modern equipment.

Poland

FISHING INDUSTRY, 1948: A steady development in the Polish fishing industry
was attained during the postwar years ( including 1948) in the number of fishing
boats, the employment of fishermen, and the signing of export agreements with
foreign countries which did not exist before the war, according to a March 18
report from the American Consulate at Gdansk.

Fishing Fleet, Ports, and Fishermen: Most of the fishing industry in 1947
was centered in Gdynia, but in 1948, an effort was made to shift the greater part
of the fishing industry to
the district of Szczecin,

FISHING BOATS and to smaller ports (Leba,
a SS eee Soauk Piatie Boats| Ustka, and KoYobrzeg) on
the western part of the
Polish coastline.

Production: In 1948,
a total of 38,174 metric
tons of fish was caught in
the Baltic Sea, an increase of 4,804 tons over 1947. However, the plans for 1948
to reach a total of 42,000 tons of fish were only carried out by 91.2 percent.
This was due to smaller catches in the second half of the year, and to bad weather
conditions during that period. From January through May 1948, one boat caught an
average amount of 21-26 metric tons of fish, whereas in November of the same year,
the average of one boat reached only 5 tons. Accordingly, the first 5 months of
the year yielded 66 percent of the total catches. In addition, 10,000 tons were
produced on the high seas.

In general, 80 percent to 90 percent of the total catches are composed of
cod. The balance consisted of eel, pike, and sander.

Exports: Before the war, the total catches of fish in Poland only amounted
to a yearly average of 6,250 metric tons. This amount of fish was not even suf-
ficient to supply the home market, and therefore a large amount had to be im—
ported. This situation changed in the postwar years, however, so that by 1946
a certain amount of fish could be exported, mainly to Germany and Czechoslovakia.
In March 1948, the Fish Central (Centrala Rybna) signed a contract to export 10,000
tons of cod to Germany (Russian Zone), and in August of the same year, another
contract for 20,000 tons was signed with the same country. The export of fish

40 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vole 11, Noo 9

to Czechoslovakia and the export of salmon to England have also animated the Polish
fish market and the canning industry which, until then, had not been of great im—
portance.

Imports: Aside from the total amount of fish caught in 1948, another 27,355
metric tons were imported from Baltic countries in exchange for Polish coal, less
than the 33,400 tons of fish imported in 1947

Plans for Expansion in 1949: It is planned to add 23 cutters (42.6 to 55.8
feet in length).

All cutters will be equipped with modern motors and modern navigational and
fishing équipment. Apart from these cutters, another 8 cutters (43 feet in length)
and 5 cutters (49 feet) are under construction, but will not be completed before
1950.

Before the war, Poland had only one refrigerated warehouse with a total space
of 8,866 square feet, which was located in Gdynia. The major portion was used
for the storage of fish, and the rest for the storage of ice. Aside from that,
another small cold-storage plant with a freezing capacity of 1,200 metric tons
of fish a year has been utilized. At the present time, a new refrigeration plant
of a total space of 13,776 square feet is under construction, with a capacity for
freezing 100 metric tons of fish every 24 hours which, according to the plans,
will be completed in the first months of 1950. This plant also will contain a
section for fish filleting.

A Ne Slew

Aliso, the construction of an ice plant is planned to be completed in 1950,
capable of producing 150 to 170 metric tons of ice daily. Furthermore, a fish
hall for the weighing, packing, and distributing of fish is under construction.
It has been decided to replace the existing small factory for fish meal and fish
oil by a larger one, with a capacity for handling 150 to 170 tons of raw material
a daye

At Gdansk it is planned to build a fish refrigeration plant of 3,280 square
feet as well as an ice factory, which will produce 15 metric tons of ice daily.
Both will be completed in 1950.

In addition, several smaller fishing ports on the western Polish coastline
are building cold storage, freezing, and ice plants together with other improve—
ments and additions.

Economical and Social Sectors: In the Polish fishing industry, a great part
of the turnover of fish is handled by the so-called social sector which comprises
Government cooperatives and nationalized firms; a smaller part by the general
sectog, which comprises individual fishermen, supplied with Government cutters
or their own equipment; and by the capitalistic sector which comprises private
cooperatives.

Government Aid to Fisheries: In order to still augment the fishing industry,
and secure the efficient participation of the fishermen, several arrangements
have been made to provide more favorable living conditions for them. The entire
coastline has been released for fishing settlements. Fishermen are allowed a
certain amount of land and they can keep one cow and two hogs, to secure their
living during bad fishing periods. No larger assignments will be made in order
to prevent fishermen from becoming farmers. Also, credits are given for repair
works, or new equipment, and fishermen are granted reduced income taxes.

September 1949 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW AL

There are some 150 Dutch fishermen under contract to the polish Government,
who are engaged in teaching modern methods of high-sea fishing to the Polish fish—
ermen. They are stationed for the most part at Gdynia with smaller groups at
the small fishing ports scattered along the Polish coast.

Se

Portugal
DATA ON SARDINE PACKING: Oils Utilized: All Portuguese canned sardines

are packed either in olive oil or peanut oil, according to a May 20 consular
report from Lisbon. The percentage packed in one or the other oil varies,
with the portion packed in olive oil being greater in the years in which the
production of olive oil is more abundant and less in other years. At the pre-
sent time, the percentage packed in each one of tnese oils may be calculated
at about 50 percent.

Classification According to Type: The normal production of the canneries
may be calculated more or less as follows:

Plain - 85 percent of total pack
Boneless and skinless - 13 " " " "
Boneless aN " " " "

Almost the entire pack of boneless and boneless and skinless is destined for
the United States market.

Classification According to Size of Containers: The distribution of the
pack according to the sizes of the containers used is approximately as follows:

of Total Pack
Club, 30 nm, 4 oe SCoveecereseseooe Peace 75
4,

Club, 22 mm, Ck) po GoDodbodoK0NdS6Gd00 15

American, 30 mm 7 oz. ) eeeccvverecvecce bong 3

WariloulsisizO oicialellajeicieieicioieieleiscieloiaiciereleleleleieveieic 7
KE HK KH

MOTHER-OF-PEARL SHELLS AND BUTTON INDUSTRY: Production: Production in Por-—
tugal of buttons and related articles manufactured from mother-of-pearl shells
totaled 219,000 gross in 1947 compared to 224,000 gross in 1946, according to a

March 25 report from the American Consulate at Oporto.

Imports: During 1947 imports of shells totaled 709,320 pounds. The United
States supplied 683,890 pounds, Venezuela 21,635 pounds, and other countries 3,795
pounds.

Current Requirements: According to the trade, Portuguese current requirements
for mother-of-pearl shells are between 250 and 300 metric tons per year, about
93 percent of which are required from the United States. The trade further re-
ports that they are paying between $120—$165 per metric ton f.o.b. for mother—
of-pearl shells and that freight and other charges from American ports to Port—
ugal reaches about $50 a ton.

Exports: Certain quantities of the button production are sent to the Por-
tuguese colonies, and the balance distributed to the market in Portugal.

42 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 11, No. 9

Qutlook: Manufacturers of mother-of-pearl buttons report that much depends
on their ability in the future to obtain the required official permission from
the Portuguese government to import mother-of-pearl shells in quantities sufficient

to keep their plants in production.
<p

Union of South Africa

WHALING PRODUCTION, 1948-49: Only two South African firms are engaged in whal-—
ing, according to an April 13 American consular report from Capetown. One company
operates South Africa's fac—
tory ship, the Empire Victory,
the largest factory ship among
the antarctic expeditions, to—
gether with 25 catcners and a
floating workshop. This firm
also operates two land stations
at Durban which process chiefly
sperm, fin, and humpback whales.
Extensions have been made to
existing workshops and the hydro-
genation plant there is now in
full production.

The other company has a
whaling station, six whalers,
plant, quarters and storage
facilities at Saldanha Bay.

SHORE-wWHALING STATION AT DONKERGAT, ONE OF TWO OPERATING
All whale oil and whale IN THE UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA. THE SLIPWAY AND FLENSING
meat produced at the three shore STASE ARE ON THE RIGHT, WITH THE BUILDING WHERE THE MEAT
: 3 Sirs |S PROCESSED ON THE EXTREME RIGHT. THE BLUBBER |S BOILED
stations is consumed within = pown in THE CENTER BUILDING, AND THE OIL STORED IN TWO

South Africa. All sperm oil TANKS ON THE LEFT.
locally produced at the shore

South African Whale Catch and Production of Whale Products,| stations, except for an in-

significant quantity used

[ngou | Jsvigd Repeacasa | Stove stationd| Mea |OUpee om 8 50a

Item Expedition shone Stations} Total Kingdom. On the other hand,
No, O. O.

Whale catch: all whale oil and whale meat
Baleen: caught by the South African
Blue ee ee: 686 * * antarctic expedition is sold
Mba SG soggoce0onde 4 al asiz bd * to the British Ministry of
Total Baleen ... | 2,05 1,205 3,262 Food.
Sperm eiieisiereiciersinicrele 2 810 1,339
L Grand Total .... {12,500 7 | 2,015 | or Prices: Under South
re Eee cnaiee: ie ae Ton ee Boe African regulations all whale
Gpermoil sks. sone es 4,567 3.554 8.121 oils produced under the South
Whale meat ..e...se0| 3,477 8,332 11,809 African flag must be sold to
Liver flakes .......| 357 60 17 the South African Government
Whale bones ...cocce - 868 8 at $340 per long ton. The
Motalueneen mene 30,634 |: 18,8 [49,527 | Government then sold some of
"Data not available, the whale oil locally at $376

a

per long ton and at $360 per
long ton to the British Ministry of Food (price contracted for at the beginning of
tne season) .

September 1949 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 43

United Kingdom

DEVELOPMENTS IN COD LIVER OIL MARKET: The British Ministry of Food revoked
to a July 13 report from the American Embassy at London. Licenses for the manu-
facture of these oils are no longer required.

The cod liver oil situation is reported to be particularly satisfactory, with

local refiners providing the greater part of the country's needs for medicinal and
industrial cod liver oil,

and leaving a surplus for
export. Certain grades of
cod liver oil have been
imported in small quanti-
ties from Norway and New-
foundland, although the im—
port duty placed on this
oil some years ago encour-
aged the local refiners to
develop their business to
a point that imports are
greatly reduced as compar—
ed with prewar figures.
Exports since the war have
not yet reached their pre—
war volume, although the
increased prices have ac—
counted for a considerable
increase in the value of
exports. Exports, in 1948,
totaled 3,438 metric tons
(valued at $2,402,521)
compared to 2,810 tons (valued at #1,868,796)in 1947. Imports in 1948 amounted to
238 tons (valued at $125,337) compared to 440 tons (valued at $235,723) in 1947.

Sei a

COMPACT LIVER OIL PLANT CAPABLE OF BEING INSTALLED ON BOARD
A VESSEL. USED IN BRITISH COD LIVER O|L INDUSTRY.

Cod liver oil refiners are established in Hull and Grimsby, the two ports at
which the major part of the fish catch is landed. No figures of output are avail-—
able, although it is indicated that some 56,000,000 pounds of fish livers are
available from the total annual landings.

KKeK EK

PRODUCTION OF HERRING OIL, 1948: The British Herring Industry Board states
that herring oil production in the prewar period, 1934-38, probably did not amount
to more than 100 to 200 long tons annually at the most, according to a May 24 re-
port from the American Embassy at London. In 1947, the production amounted to
about 650 long tons; and in 1948, to 1,000 tons. The available plant facilities
would be able to produce some 3,000 long tons in 1949 providing that herring were
caught in sufficient quantities.

The chief uses of herring oil are in margarine and fish canning, for the first
grade product, and in industrial uses (i.e. leather dressing, candle making, paint,
and linoleum manufacture) for the lower grades.

The Board has a long-term plan for the development of the industry and has a
target of processing 175,000 long tons of herring a year and producing 20,000 long
tons of edible oil and about 35,000 long tons of protein feeds.

Lh COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 11, Nou. 9

UsSiS3R:

PRODUCTION. OF FISHERY PRODUCTS: The U. S. S. Ro has not published fishery
products statistics for a number of years. However, the 1948 catch is estimated
at 1,445,000 metric tons, the 1949 catch at 1,791,000 tons, while the plan for
1950 calls for a catch of 2,050,000 tons. These estimates are based on the an—
nounced five=year plan and adjusted by data as published in the Soviet newspapers
from time to time. The latest published statistics available are for 1934.

Sea and Coastal Waters

Area Caspian|Black-Azov |Northern| Ob |Fastern| Aral |Balkhashi| Sea & Coestall| Watery Total
ecies In thousands of metric tons
ish:
Herning sets =. |) 62.9 03 IMIG S|) USD |S 315.1 hay split
Vobla (Caspian roach) | 204.8 ia - - - {3.4 - 220.0 1.5] 221.5)
Large chastikl/ ..... 157.8 60.9 ee ASSN) ass) WS) |) eK) 283.5 $pe1 328.7
Small chastik’/ .....| 47.9 48.8 USE) |) GEG LAI Soe Bo 135.7 3.2] 199.0
Codiiehislinioniclelsisiei-lsieie - - 93.5 - S.2 - 102.7 - 102,
Sallimontster temisteteltereraie Treo = B58) |27 2020282 5)|) = = 140.4 .4| 140,
Sturgeon ....0..----s WGI 4.5 - 1.4 6P |) 62 - 21. 2.0 B.
Flounder .....see.ee 3 - ofl 21 | - 10.8} - - 13. - 13.
Carpi oteletelestelsiersterateve - - - - - - - - 1.6 1.6
Tul adoocous 350000 - = - - = - - - 3.4 3.4
Other misc, fish .... cll ls als}o)- 16,2 | - -7| - = 158.0 -0| 161.0
Total fish ...++e0. 495.0 [22.7 3B OT 31 53. 2 2390.5 30 1S 8
ey oo ee AS i a 8
[L/Pike,~pike-perch, bream, mackerel, grey mullet, ling, barbel, eel, bass, etc.
2/Goby, smelt, tench, perch, crucian, gudge, ruff, etc,

3) Gee delicatula s, cultriventris.

It is reported that the Russians are now working the rich fishing grounds,
formerly fished by the Japanese, in the Northern Pacific (Karafuto, Hurile Is—
lands, Bokbalin Island, Kamchatka and the Siberian coast north and west of the
Sea of Okhotsk), but are handicapped by lack of man power, boats, and supplies.
The bulk of the catch from this great region is salmor and king crab (most of
which is canned), and these would probably account for the increase in total

catch, as the other regions seem to be producing about the same as in former
years or somewhat less.

Uruguay

PLANS FISHERIES EXPANSION: Two Danish fishery cutters (44 and 34 gross regis—
tered metric tons) departed from their home port of Thybordn, Jutland, on April 12,
1949, bound for Montevideo, Uruguay, according to a May 19 consular report from
Copenhagen.

These ships were built in Denmark, one in- 1946, the other 1948. They carry
complete and modern fishing equipment and are manned by Danish crews, all expert
fishermen. It is understood that the crews will remain with the ships to perform
fishing operations out of Montevideo for two years. The crews will also assist
in training local fishermen. It is reported that this entire program is covered
by contract between Danish and Uruguayan private interests with the sanction of
the respective governments.

a
ol
¥
>
a
7
j

Se ee Sees ea ae er

September 1949 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 45

-On the Danish side, the hope is expressed that the expedition will result in
the opening of new markets in Uruguay for Danish fishery equipment, refrigeration
machinery, and other supplies.

- Venezuela

FISH CANNING INDUSTRY, 1948: The Venezuelan production of canned fish in 1948
‘increased 1,799 metric tons compared to 1947, according to a June 2 report from the

American Embassy at Caracas.
Venezuelan Production of Canned Fish, 1943-48

Matric Tons
9, 278|7,47917, 74216, 023 |4,198}2,000)

The increase in 1948 was due
to the construction of additional
canneries. Most of the increased
production was absorbed by the
domestic trade.

Canned fish 200

KEK HK

SPINY LOBSTER CLOSED SEASON LENGTHENED: The Venezuelan Ministry of Agriculture
issued a resolution published in Gaceta Oficial 22904. dated April 28, 1949, which
prohibits fishing spiny lobsters (Palinarus argus)
for the period June 1 to August 31, according to a
May 12 report from the American Embassy at Caracas.
The resolution also prohibits the transportation,
sale, and possession at any time of lobsters which
measure less than 8 centimeters from the point be-—
tween the eyes to the end of the carapace, or of . - i

berried lobsters. ee a

_ The current resolution differs from the pre— TY PlGALs VENEZUELAN) FISHING) BOAT:
vious resolution, which was repealed, by extending

the closed season 15 days. ¢

PP

THE SHRIMP AND THE SHRIMP INDUSTRY OF THE

SOUTH ATLANTIC AND GULF OF MEXICO

The shrimp fishery of the United States is centered primarily in
the eight South Atlantic and Gulf States where almost 200 million pounds
are taken annually. The shrimp ranks first in value among all the fish—
eries of the South and usually rates as the sixth most valuable fishery
of the United States, including Alaska. There are three species of
shrimp, all members of one family (Penaeidae) which are of commercial
importance in this area. The common shrimp (Penaeus setiferus) yields
at least 95 percent of the total catch whereas the grooved shrimp
(Penaeus brasiliensis) and the sea bob (KXiphopenaeus kroyeri) pro-
duce the remainder.

—Fishery Leaflet 319

46 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 11, No.

Bee FEDERAL +

Gey ACTIONS

Department of the Army :
PROCURSMENT OF FISHERY PRODUCTS AND EXPORTS TO OCCUPIED AREAS: The great bulk

of food purchases for civilian relief feeding in occupied areas are made by the
Commodity Credit Corporation of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, according to
a recent report from the Office of Food Administrator for Occupied Areas, Depart—
ment of the Army. A few items are procured by the Quartermaster General of the

Army, including fish, fish oils, and other fishery products.

Purchases of fishery products are made by the Quartermaster Purchasing Office,
111 East 16 Street, New York, N. Y. Offers of fishery products and requests for
listing as permanent bidders should be submitted by U. S. suppliers to the above

Quartermaster office.
ae

Interstate Commerce Commission
RAILROAD FREIGHT RATES AND CHARGZS FOR FISHERY PRODUCTS INCREASED: Permanent

August 2 Interstate Commerce Commission report and order, issued on August 11, 1949.
These are in place of earlier temporary increases granted in I.C.C. Docket Ex Parte
168 and are the Commission's final conclusion as the result of proceedings under
that Docket. Increases in rates and charges which apply to the fishery industries
are as follows:

Basic railroad rates and charges may be increased as follows:

Within eastern territory 10%
Within southern territory 10%
Within Zone 1 of western trunk-line territory
Within western territory other than Zone 1 of

western trunk-line territory 88%
Interterritorially, between eastern territory

and southern territory 10%
Interterritorially, other than between eastern

and southern territory 9%

By basic freight rates and charges are meant those now in effect, or published
to become effective but not yet effective, including the increases made effective
under the authority granted in Ex Parte No, 162 and Ex Parte No. 166, and including
rates held under investigation and suspension orders; also rates prescribed by Inter-
state Commerce Commission orders, when and as such rates become effective, subject
to any exceptions specifically made in the orders. However, for the vurpose of de=
termining basic rates from such present freight rates and charges, there shall be
excluded such portion thereof as represents all increases made pursuant to previous
report and orders in this proceeding,

September 1949 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 47

No limitations in the form of maximum increases on fishery commodities were
made by the Commission. All fishery commodities take the increases as described
above. No increases were allowed in rates and charges for protective services
as published in Perishable Protective Tariff No. 14, Agent Quinn's ICC No. 25.
Charges for certain miscellaneous services such as loading or unloading, diversion
or reconsignment were authorized to be increased by the same amounts as described
above.

The new rates and charges will become effective September 1, 1949. Although
a 13 percent increase had been requested by the railroads, the Commission allowed
an average total permanent increase of 9.1 percent which amounts to approximately
$2,500,000 less than what the railroads requested for the transportation of fish—

ery products.
al

Department of State
INTERNATIONAL MEETING ON HERRING AND ALLIED SPECIES: The United States Dele—

gation to the International Meeting on Herring and Allied Species to be convened
at The Hague, Netherlands, August 29, 1949, by the Food and Agriculture Organiza-—
tion of the United Nations (FAO) was announced by the Department of State on Au-—

gust 16. The Delegation is as follows:
Chairman

Mr, A, W. Anderson, Chief, Branch of Commercial Fisheries, Fish and Wildlife
Service, Department of the Interior

Delegates

Mr, Menrice Wallar, Acting Chief, Dairy, Poultry, Fish, Livestock and Meat
Section, Food Branch, Office of International Trade, Department of Commerce

Mr. Charles Carry, Director, Fishery Products Division, National Canners
Association

Advisers

Mr, R, W. Tyson, Chief, Special Commodities Branch, Food and Agriculture Divi-
sion, Economic Cooperation Administration

Mr, R, H, Fiedler, Fisheries Specialist, Food and Agriculture Division, Econo-
mic Cooperation Administration

Mr, Lloyd Steere, Counsellor of Embassy for Economic Affairs, American Embassy,
The Hague

Mr. Francis Linville, Division of International Resources, Department of State

The agenda for the meeting will include such subjects as: production; pro-
cessing; marketing and distribution; and prices, The Herring Commodity Study
compiled by the FAO will also be discussed.

Herring fisheries are as old as the settlements of northwestern Europe and
have played an important role in its history. In the period between the 12th
and 17th centuries, wool and herring were the "key" industries in this area. The

48 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 11, No. 9

economic history of England was considerably influenced by the herring industry

and Holland's first merchant marine and navy was composed of ships from the fleets
that were in the habit of sailing the North Sea in search of herring. For many
years herring fisheries were essential in the economy of all Scandinavian countries,

During the late 1930s, Japan, the United States, and Canada together account—
ed for more than 50 percent of the world's total landings of herring and allied
species, despite the traditional importance of European fisheries. With the ter-
mination of Japan's activity in the herring industry as a result of World War II,
the United States has become the largest producer of herring and herring—like fishes
in the world and has a substantial interest, therefore, in keeping abreast of all
developments affecting production and marketing.

t
Ly

CANNED CRAB INDUSTRY OF JAPAN

Japanese factory ships began crab-canning operations in Alaskan
waters in 1932, when the 3,823-ton Nagato Maru first went into the eastern
part of the Bering Sea. Operations in these waters were maintained yearly
thereafter through 1940.

During 1932-40, 16,237.,980 crabs were caught, yielding a pack of
291,607 cases. This Alaskan pack was approximately 3.4 percent of the
total Japanese crab meat production.

From 1933-37, trawlers accompanied the factory ships into both the
Okhotsk and Bering Seas, using the mothership's facilities for the manu-
facture of fish meal, mostly from herring.

While the area of operations varied somewhat from year to year,
it centered in a rectangle bounded approximately by Latitudes 55° N.
to 60° N. and Longitudes 160° W. to 170° W. This is the Bering Sea area
extending from the Aleutian Island group known as the Islands of the
Four Mountains to half way up the coast of the Alaska Peninsula. Some
fishing was done as far north at Latitude 62°N. and Longitude 163°W.,
the Bristol Bay area of the Alaskan coast. The best grounds proved to
be the open sea off Amak Island, Port Moller, and Bristol Bay. How—
ever, the fishing grounds in the Alaskan area were unprofitable for
mass floating factory activities because the crab population was not suf-—
ficient to support large-scale operations, as compared with the greater
abundance along the western coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula. For this
reason, only a single factory ship was sent into the Alaskan waters
specifically for crabbing each year, Consequently, these waters were
never greatly exploited.

—Fishery Leaflet 314

[pase e

. September 1949 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 49

LANDINGS AND RECEIPTS

In Millions of Pounds

MAINE - LANDINGS MASSACHUSETTS - LANDINGS
NOT INCLUDING IMPORTS BOSTON , GLOUCESTER , NEW BEDFORD , & CAPE COD

fo}
: JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT, NOV. DEv. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC.
NEW YORK CITY-RECEIPTS OF FRESH & FROZEN FISH CHICAGO - RECEIPTS OF FRESH & FROZEN FISH
a SALT-WATER MARKET WHOLESALE MARKET

HELLF|SH CONVERSION FACTORS IN 1949 BASED ON WEIGHT OF MEATS
24 ONLY, WHILE IN 1948 THEY ARE BASED ON WEIGHT OF MEATS AND SHELLY

22

0)
JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR, MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC.
GULF - SHRIMP LANDINGS SEATTLE - RECEIPTS OF FRESH & FROZEN FISH
HEADS OFF - FOR ALL USES WHOLESALE MARKET , LANDINGS , & IMPORTS

& \i947-48
1948-497 *¥—

JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUNE JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT, NOV. DEC.

In Thousands of Tons
CALIFORNIA - PILCHARD LANDINGS CALIFORNIA- TUNA AND TUNA-LIKE FISH

DOES NOT INCLUDE SUMMER OR OFF-SEASON PRODUCTION

4
7% 1948
af2 \

Is 1948-49

peo
/ \

JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUNE JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT, NOV. DEC.

seeeeeee ESTIMATED

50 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 11, No. 9

COLD STORAGE HOLDINGS and FREEZINGS of FISHERY PRODUCTS

In Millions of Pounds

U.S. & ALASKA - HOLDINGS OF FROZEN FISH U.S. & ALASKA - FREEZINGS

(o} te)
JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC.

NEW ENGLAND - HOLDINGS OF FROZEN FISH NEW YORK CITY - HOLDINGS OF FROZEN FISH

JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC.

CHICAGO - HOLDINGS OF FROZEN FISH GULF - HOLDINGS OF FROZEN FISH

fo}
JAN. FEB. MAR, APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT, NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT, OCT, NOV. DEC.

WASHINGTON, OREGON, AND ALASKA -
HOLDINGS OF FROZEN FISH

CALIFORNIA - HOLDINGS OF FROZEN FISH

JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC.

September 1949 : COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 51

CANNED FISHERY PRODUCTS

In Thousands of Standard Cases

MAINE - SARDINES , ESTIMATED PACK UNITED STATES - SHRIMP

T947-45,_1NCLUDES ©
FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, SEA-
FOOD INSPECTION SERVICE.

5 7949 6
JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC. JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV, DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUNE
CALIFORNIA - TUNA CALIFORNIA - PILCHARDS

JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC. JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV, DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUNE

CALIFORNIA - MACKEREL ALASKA - SALMON

J AS

JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC.

“WASHINGTON - PUGET SOUND SALMON

STANDARD CASES

Variety No.Cans Can Designation Net. Wat.
SARDINES 100 1/4 drawn 3 1/4 oz.

SHRIMP 48 No.1 picnic 7 oz.

TUNA 48 No. 1/2 tuna 7 oz.
PILCHARDS 48 No. 1 oval 15 oz.
MACKEREL 48 No. 300 15 oz.

SALMON 48 l_pound tall 16 oz.

52 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 11, No. 9

PRICES , IMPORTS and BY-PRODUCTS

BOSTON - WEIGHTED AVERAGE PRICE MAINE - IMPORTS OF FRESH SEA HERRING
ON NEW ENGLAND FISH EXCHANGE IN ¢ PER POUND IN MILLIONS OF POUNDS

0. = Z lo
JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC,

In Millions of Pounds
U.S..- IMPORTS OF FRESH & FROZEN FILLETS U.S.- IMPORTS OF FRESH AND FROZEN
OF GROUND FISH, INCLUDING ROSEFISH:- SHRIMP FROM MEXICO

JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC.
IN MILLIONS OF POUNDS

U.S.- IMPORTS OF CANNED TUNA U.S.-IMPORTS OF CANNED SARDINES
AND TUNA-LIKE FISH (Include in oil and not in oil )

fo)
JAN, FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT, OCT. NOV. DEC.

JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT, NOV. DEC.
U.S. & ALASKA - PRODUCTION OF FISH MEAL U.S. & ALASKA - PRODUCTION OF FISH OIL
AG) IN THOUSANDS OF TONS IN MILLIONS OF GALLONS

35

30

—
JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR.

a

- lo}
APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC

September 1949 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 53

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Recent publications of interest to the commercial fishing industry are listed
below.

FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE PUBLICATIONS

THESE PUBLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE FREE FROM THE OIVISIQN OF INFORMATION, FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE
INTERIOR, WASHINGTON 25, D. C. TYPES OF PUBLICATIONS ARE DESIGNATED AS FOLLOWS: .

CFS - CURRENT FISHERY STATISTICS OF THE UNITED STATES AND ALASKA.

FL = FISHERY LEAFLETS.

MDL - MARKET DEVELOPMENT SECTION LISTS OF DEALERS, LOCKER PLANTS, ASSOCIATIONS, ETC.

SL - STATISTICAL SECTION LISTS OF DEALERS IN AND PRODUCERS OF FISHERY PRODUCTS AND BYPRODUCTS.

SEP.- SEPARATES (REPRINTS) FROM COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW.
Number Title -
CFS-404 - Maine Landings, by counties, 1948 Annual Summary
crs-485 - Maine Landings, May 1949
crs-486 - Fish Meal and Oil, June 1949
ers-487 - Fisheries of the United States and Alaska, 1946 Anmal Summary
cFrs-488 - Pacific Coast Fisheries, 1947 Annual Summary
crs-489 - Frozen Fish Report, Preliminary, August 1949
crs-489 - Frozen Fish Report, August 1949, Final
CFS-491 - Maine Landings, June 1949
FL-343 - Floating Trawls
FL~345 - Whale and Fish Oils (Iceland)
FL-34 - Growth of South African Fisheries
FL-34 - German Commercial Electrical Fishing Device
FL-349 - Fishing and Fisheries (Brazil)

SL-107 reeset) - Firms Canning Miscellaneous Fish and Fish Products, 1948
SL-109 (Revised) - Firms Canning Caviar and Fish Roe, 1948

SL-115 (Revised) - Firms Canning Miscellaneous Shellfish and Turtle Products
SL-116 (Revised) - Firms Canning Food for Animals from Fishery Products, 1948
SL-119 (Revised) - Firms Canning Squid, 1948

SL-120 (Revised) - Firms Canning Anchovies, 1948

SL-155 (Revised) - Firms Manufacturing Marine Pearl-Shell Buttons, 1948

Sep. 235 - Japanese Methods of Oyster Culture

Sep. 236 - Use of Pyrex Test and Culture Tubes as Solution Cells with Pfaltz and
Bauer Photoelectric Fluorophotometer

1948

MISCELLANEOUS PUBLICATIONS

THE FOLLOWING PUBLICATIONS MAY BE OBTAINED, IN MOST INSTANCES, FROM THE AGENCIES |SSUING THEM.

“Ase and Length Composition of the Sardine Catch off the Pacific Coast of
the United States and Canada in 1948-49," by Frances E, Felin, Julius B.
Phillips, and Anita E, Daugherty, article, California Fish and Game,
July 1949, vol. 35, no. 3, pp. 165-183, printed, free. Division of
Fish and Game, Department of Natural Resources, San Francisco, Calif.
This is a third report on age and length composition of the sardine

COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 11, No. 9

(Sardinops caerulea) catch off the Pacific Coast of the United States
and Canada and covers the 1948-49 season (mostly tables), For inter
season fisheries, data on age and length composition, estimated numbers
of fish caught, mean lengths and standard error of the means of each
year-class are presented in Tables 1 through 4, For the regular seae
son, Tables 5 through 7 give age and length composition in Oregon;
Tables 8 through 10 for California ports, together with the Pacific
Northwest summary and a summary for the entire coast. Number of fish,
mean length, and standard error of the mean of each year-class in the
samples for 1948-49 by region of catch are given in Table 11, Calen
dar dates for lunar months in the 1948 interseason and 1948-49 season
are given in Table 12, Age composition of the catch interms of numbers
of fish caught in the Pacific Northwest and in California appear in
Table 13,

Aid to States in Fish Restoration and Management Projects, Senate Report
No, ST (to accompany H, R, 1746), August 11, 1949, 2p., printed. Sen-
ate Committee on Interstate and Foreign Comnerce, Eighty-First Congress,
First Session, A favorable report by the Committee on H. R, 1746, to
provide that the United States shall aid the States in fish restoration
and management projects, and for other purposes,

Biographies of Florida's Important Food Fish and Their Nutritive Value, 31 p.,
illus., printed, free, Florida State Board of Conservation, Tallahassee,
Fla. This publication presents Florida's more important food fish and
a brief narrative of each one, The first part of the booklet discusses
the nutritive value of fish and shellfish,

"Experiments in Catching Pelagic Fish and Invertebrates in the Seas of the
Far East by Electric Light," by P. G. Borisov, article (in Russian)
Rybnoe Khosiaistvo, No. 1, 1949, pp. 18-23. ‘The method of catching
fish by electric light described in this article consisted in illum
inating the surface of the sea with a 1000=watt electric lamp suspend-
ed from the deck of the ship. When sufficient mumber of fish gathered
in the illuminated area, all lights above the surface were turned off,
while the underwater lamp of the same intensity, lowered to the de-
sired depth, was turned on, A pyramid-shaped net, three meters high
and .4 sq. meters at the base, was set below the underwater lamp. As
soon as sufficient number of fish gathered above the opening, the net
was hauled up. ‘The catch in a single haul varied from 30 to 120 kilos
(66 to 264 pounds). Lamps of various colors were used, The depth to
which they were lowered varied from 1 to 80 meters, ‘The bulbs could
not stand greater depth and all burst below 80 meters, The following
fishes were canght in fairly large quantities: Saira (Cololabis saira),
Scomber (Pneumatophorus japonicus), anchovy (Engraulis japonicus),
Koriushke (Osmerus eperlanus dentex), Ogurechnik (Hypomerus olidus),
Kundja (Salvelinus leucomaenis), asnoperka (Leuciscus crandti) calmar
(Ommastrephes sloani pacificus--a cephalopod) and shrimp (Pandalus
atirostris), —
detirostris). -- Dr. P. S. Caltsoff

"General Aspects of the World's Tuna Fisheries," article, Fisheries Bulletin,
July-August 1949, vol. II, no. 4, pp. 82-105, vrocessed, 25 cents per
issue, Food and Agriculture Organization, Washington, D. C. Some of
the more important features of the world's tuna fisheries (including
bonito) are briefly outlined in text and tabular form in this number of
the Fisheries Bulletin, In view of the importance of these fisheries
and the awakening interest now being shown in their expansion, this in-
troductory outline should be of value to all those interested in ‘tuna,
Included are data on world landings of tuna, tuna-canning industries,
the United States as the major market for canned tuna, tables on land-
ings of tuna, and tables on tuna canning and marketing,

September 1949 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 55

International Convention for the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries, Executive

"Rept. No. 10, July 25, 1949, 6 p. with map, printed. Senate Committee
on Foreign Relations, Eighty-First Congress, First Session, Discusses
the purpose, background, advantages, implementation and costs, and
benefits of the Convention for the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries, In
cludes a summary of the main provisions, and committee action and hear=
ing.

Japanese Whaling, 17 p., printed. Foreign Office, Japanese Government, Jan-
uary 1949. Wide Renee describes the importance of whaling to Japan
as a source of meat, oil, and “oreign exchange funds, and briefly sum
marizes the history of Japanese prewar and postwar whaling. ‘The results
of the 1946-47 and 1947-48 Antarctic whaling expeditions are set forth
in detail, It concludes with an expression of Japan's willingness to
adhere at any time to the International Whaling Convention and of Japan's
hope that continuance of its Antarctic whaling operations will be ap-
proved by all nations concerned,

Miscellaneous Fish and Wildlife Bills (Hearings before the Subcommittee on
the Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation of the Committee on Merchant
Marine and Fisheries, House of Representative, Eighty-First Congress,
First Session, on various bills, May 12, 13, and 24, 1949), 120 p.,
printed, Available only from the House Committee on Merchant Marine
and Fisheries until exhausted, Includes hearings and statements on
H, J. Res, 202 relating to investigation and eradication of predatory
sea lamoreys of the Great Lakes, and to amend the act of August 8,
1946; H. Res. 174 relating to the study of the effect of imports of
fresh and frozen fish on the domestic fishing industry; H. R, 4249
and H, R, 4252 relating to the transfer of the trawlers Alaska and
Oregon from the RFC to the Fish and Wildlife Service, H, R, 2501 re=
lating to a continuing study of the shad of the Atlantic Coast by
the Fish and Wildlife Service; and various other bills relating to
the establishment of rearing ponds and fish hatcheries,

"Notes on the Spawning Grounds and Early Life History of the Pacific Mack
erel," by Phil M, Roedel, article, California Fish and Game, July 1949,
vol, 35, no. 3, pp. 147-153, illus, printed, free, Division of Fish and
Game, Department of Natural Resources, San Francisco, Calif, For a
munber of years prior to 1942, the California Bureau of Marine Fisheries
made a series of surveys along the California and Lower California
coast in order to determine the extent of the spawning grounds of the
Pacific mackerel (Pneumatophorus diego Ayres). In 1936, two papers were
published (Fry 1936 a, b), the first describing the egpes and carly larval
stages and the second delineating the spawning grounds as they were then
Imown, From 1936 through 1941, a considerable amount of additional data
were obtained both as to spawning grounds and early life history. This
article presents this material, together with a summary of Fry's finde
ings, as an aid to other workers,

Processing -- Miscellaneous Service Division

Wlustrator -- Gustaf T. Sundstrom Compositors -- Jean Zalevsky, Carolyn Wood

62311

KML

3 9088 01018 1055

THE MEXICAN, FISHERIES SIND Simasd

Fishery Leaflet 339 is a 2l-—page leaflet containing information on Mexico's
fishing ports and includes the ports of Guaymas and Ciudad del Carmen; location
of fisheries and includes
INDUSTRY tuna, shrimp, and shark
fisheries; employment and
fishing vessels; ‘the
fishing methods employed
inthe various fisheries;
production of fishery
products and byproducts
and methods of proces—
sing; international and
internal trade pattern;
consumption; and an out-—
look report.

a SRR SALE I

Copies of Fishery
Leaflet 339 "The Mexican
Fisheries Industry," may
be obtained upon request,
without charge, from the
U. S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Washington 25,
Do Co

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