Fo shes é [ ie" mn nm PISHTERIE > aren = ie ~, saa SEO one SNS a FISH and WILDLIFE SERVICE United States Department of the Interior Washi ngton, D.C. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE OSCAR’ L. CHAPMAN, Secretary ALBERT M. DAY, Director ~ SORWERSS REVIEW ™ 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 Applications for COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW, which is mailed tree to members ot the fishery industries and allied interests,should be addressed to the Director, Fish and Wildlife Service, United States 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 appreciated. The Service assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of material from outside sources. The printing of this publication has been approved by the Director of the Bureau of the Budget, December 15,1949 CONTENTS COVER: UNLOADING HALIBUT FROM A FISHING BOAT AT KETCHIKAN, ALASKA. THE PACIFIC HALIBUT SEASON OPENED ON MAY |. (SEE PAGE 34 OF THIS ISSUE.) PAGE ORGANIZATION AND SCOPE OF ICELAND'S FISH-INSPECTION SERVICE, SY MAGNOS KR. MAGNOSSON . THE FISHERSES FOTENTIAL ALONG THE EAST COAST OF MEXICO, GY MILTON J. LINDNER .. it EXPERIMENTAL PRODUCTION OF BLOWN MENHADEN OIL, BY C. D. BITTENBENDER ....... 17 eevee PAGE PAGE RESEARCH IN SERVICE LABORATORIES ...... ae . 22 | FOREIGN (CcONTD.): TECHNICAL NOTE NO. 3 - FISH MEAL IN ANIMAL CANADA (conto. Ne AND, POULTRY (FEEDING .-ccccccccnciacosecncnee 24 FISHING EFFICIENCY OF DORY SCHOONERS AND TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS: ....ccccececcscsesese 20 OTTER TRAWLERS ca .ccecccccocasevccecese D3 ADDITIONS TO THE FLEET OF U. S. FISHING POSSIBLE MARINE SOURCES OF INSULIN BEING VESSELS .... s/ajsis) sepeteiolenas apie 25 STUDIED Soin cntsienie siefcie ninja vnioele vicisine cieiclsie, | 04 ASTORIA (OREGON) CURTAILS FISHING ACTIVITIES 25 NEWFOUNDLAND'S LOBSTER FISHERY, 1949 ... 55 ECA PROCUREMENT AUTHOR! ZATIONS FOR FISHERY GATHERS DATA ON ATLANTIC SEALS .......-- 56 PROQUGTS | cRictnistn.c sw oc einlenWvisin's (0,0 cln sins iaisiwW Ueleh OO CHILE: FEDERAL PURCHASES OF FISHERY PRODUCTS ...... 27 GERMAN-CHILEAN COOPERATIVE PLANS FOR RISHERY BIOLOGY, NOTES Sian ccm since sciniclsisicleslos i, FISHING INDUSTRY .ccccccerecevevesssese 1 FISHERY FOR TRASH FISH IN NEW ENGLAND ...... 30 SWISS-CHILEAN GROUP CHARTERS GERMAN GULF EXPLORATORY FISHERY PROGRAM ......2..2-.- 30 FISHING CUTTERS s.eccvecccenncscecesece OF NATIONAL FISHERIES TRENDS AND OUTLOOK, CUBA: APRUL=JUNE (19507 o.oo celine ecinees ovine PaO One) SPINY LOBSTER EXPORTS UNDER LICENSE CON- NORTH ATLANT!C FISHERY INVESTIGATIONS ...... 33 TROL cocccnvecesccescrccccessseseccsecs OF NORTHWEST PACIFIC EXPLORATORY FISHERY OUTFITS A VESSEL FOR MARINE RESEARCH ... 58 PROGRAM cccccvecccesesescrecsceseseessecsss 3a ECUADOR: PACIFIC HALIBUT FISHERY REGULATIONS FOR 1950 34 CONDIT!ONAL LOAN GRANTED FOR FISH CANNERY 59 PACIFIC OCEANIC FISHERY INVESTIGATIONS ..... 35 EGYPT SEALSKIN PRICES ADVANCE AT ANNUAL SPRING SPONGE FISHERY, 1949 w.esesescceseveress 60 AUCTION esevccccccccccccscesccccscosssacess 4I MARKETING SITUATION FOR EGYPTIAN SPONGES SOUTH PACIFIC FISHERY INVESTIGATIONS ....... 41 INUGREECE occ nevcvtvecnesvecvevescvecse 6Q PROPOSED REVISION OF FEDERAL SPECIFICATIONS GERMAN FEDERAL REPUBLIC: FOR CANNED SALMON sccsccevccecescresseceses 42 FISH CONSUMPTION scecesevccscsccscsssese O61 UNITED STATES AND ALASKA COMMERCIAL FISH- OEFLATION AFFECTS GERMAN FISHERIES ..... 63 ERIES, 1949 socccvecuncacevccscsesvenvcasecs 42 SMALLER GERMAN IMPORTS OF FISHERY PRO- UNITED STATES FISH O|L EXPORTS LARGEST ON DUCTS FROM ICELAND PLANNED .ecssseevess 69 RECORD wesccccerccscseseccccesssecssscesecs 44 UNITED STATES TRAWLERS |N GERMAN F/SH- WHOLESALE AND RETAIL PRICES . eeccessse 45 ERIES ysevescseresepesecesesercsscsesese 64 WORLD STATUS OF TIN sacesouee pepeccesea SO GERMANY (RUSSIAN ZONE FOREIGN? wisscscccssees tevesecosees SI ORIFTERS TO BE TURNEO OVER TO SASSNITZ ARGENTINE REPUBLIC: FISHERY cecsessecccscccccecsssssesesese 66 SEEKING GERMAN FISHING EXPERTS sesesevesess SI HONG KONG: BRAZILE FISHING INDUSTRY, 1949 wscsccouesesesess 66 INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT FOR THE REGULAT!ON | CELAND: OF WHALING APPROVED BY BRAZILIAN CONGRESS, 5) EFFECTS OF ECA AiO ON ICELAND'S ECONOMY. 66 BR|T|SH NORTH BORNEO: FURTHER DEVALUATION OF THE KRONA eecsess 67 REVIEW OF THE FISHERIES, 1949 secsecesesess SI ICELAND RATIF!ES NORTHWEST ATLANTIC CANADA: FISHERIES CONVENTION wecascccsersccsess 68 GOVERNMENT'S PLANS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEWSPAPERS CONT|NUE TO STRESS EXTENSION) THE COMMERCIAL FISHERIES .wicasescsscesrese Se OF TERRITORIAL WATERS wsscccsesstessees 68 CONTENTS CONTINUED ON PAGE | 05 May 1950 Washington 25, D.C. Vol.12, No.5 ORGANIZATION AND SCOPE OF ICELAND'S FISH-INSPECTION SERVICE on ae By Magnus Kr. Magndsson INTRODUCTION Considerable interest in the standardization of quality for fresh and frozen fishery products has developed recently in this country. A bill (H. R. 7441) has been introduced at this session of Congress on the establishment of standards for frozen fishery products. One or two States have also expressed interest in setting up standards for certain types of fishery products, Several countries already have developed some type of fish-inspec- tion service for fishery products, Canada recently has been developing and expanding its fish inspection service, Iceland and Norway also, for several years, have been developing and expanding quality standards and inspection for fishery products, In view of the interest for fishery= products standards, what Iceland has done along these lines probably will be of interest to the fishing industries in the United States. (Edi tors) OBJECT OF INSPECTION A new Act dealing with fish inspection, processing, curing, and exportation of fish was passed by the Althing on March 23, 1948. Article 1 of the Act reads: "All fish exported from Iceland shall be inspected by officially appointed fish inspectors and shall be under their supervision, “Exe empt shall, however, be small parcels, of 50 kilos or less, sent as gifts. "Fish exrorted in the shivus that caught it shall be exempt from inspection, if it was not landed in this country, ‘The Ministry may, however, issue regulations concerning such exportaticn, after having consulted the Fish Inspector General. "The Ministry may order inspection of fish sold as an article of commerce in the Icelandic market," The object of the Icelandic Fish Inspection Agency is to insure an article of the best possible quality and to avert quality faults that might prejudice the sale of the Icelandic fish in the foreign market. With this object in view, ex- port fish shipments have to be stopped occasionally, or observations on them in- cluded in the inspection certificates that go with the shipments, The Agency works with the aim that such occurrences should be as few as possible. Success in this matter depends, however, on the production of prime-quality products, and that their treatment and storage be as perfect as possible. Giving instructions is the principal work of the inspection service. Thisis mainly done while the fish is being processed, but also partly by inspecting *thief Inspector, Icelandic Fish Inspection Agency, Reykjavik, Iceland. 2 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, No. 5 the completed article and calling attention to the faults and showing how repeti- tion of these may be avoided. Adequate education in handling, storing, holding, processing or shipping fresh, frozen, or processed fish would preclude any faults being found with the fish when it isinspected in its final marketing form. The pro-— ducer of a shipment of fish turned down by the inspectors is bound to suffer a financial loss. As a rule, however, only a very small quantity is condemned by the in— spectors, and since the defect is ofteninsignificant, the shipment can be allowedto proceed on its way with an inspection certifi- cate stating the shipment's qual-— ity deficiency. Normally this would mean some reduction in the final price realized for the ship-— ment. AIR VIEW OF REYKJAVIK, ICELAND. While the inspection certif-— icates should bea just assessment of the quality of the goods, they should also be an inducement to the producer to maintain the highest possible standard which is obtainable only by demanding in- creased inspection and instruction. The producer maintains, and justly so, that the inspection service should insure the production of prime-quality goods. But if there is a failure in this respect, no matter whether the fault lies with the inspection service or the producer, it is incumbent upon the former to see to it that the unsatisfactory cases do not affect those producers who offer a high qual— ity product. Any laxity in this respect would be unfair to the producer who con- scientiously adheres to the inspection standards, thus maintaining a high stan- dard for the Icelandic fish industry. It might even affect the entire Icelandic fish market abroad. 5 Since Iceland's economic position depends upon the production and the sale of fishery products, the Icelandic Fish Inspection Agency is not merely a protec- tion for foreign nations who buy Icelandic products, but an equally necessary insurance for Icelandic fish producers and for the Icelandic nation. ORGANIZATION OF INSPECTION AGENCY In the Fish Inspection Agency there are, at present, eight active chief in- spectors, in additiori.to the Inspection Director General, who is the head and the organizer of the whole Agency. The Southwestern part of Iceland has four chief inspectors stationed at Reykjavik. Besides his*duties as chief inspector, one of them is commissioned to experiment with improved working methods and better processing, and to keep himself and the inspectors informed of similar matters with the neighboring na- tions through the study of literature and periodicals. Western Iceland has one chief inspector stationed at Isafjord. Northern Iceland has one stationed at Akureyri, and eastern Iceland one at Seydisfjord, while there is also a chief inspector stationed at the Westman Islands (Vestmannaeyjar). May 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 3 Upon the completion of each inspection tour, the chief inspectors report upon the quality of fish produced by each individual producer, and if any faults have been found, they are described in these reports, giving their causes and the way in which they affect the quality of the product. The report contains, in addi- tion, advice as to how the faults may best be remedied and their recurrence pre- vented. One copy of these reports is sent to the producer, while the other is retained at the head office of the Fish Inspection Agency. Thus, extensive infor— mation is gathered about the processing and the quality of the fish produced for export. According to the Fish Inspection Act of 1948, the Minister of Fisheries ap— points the Inspection Director General and the chief inspectors, in consultation with the Director General. They are all required to take an oath that they will obey orders governing their work, and conscientiously and diligently attend to their official duties. Article 11 of the Act says: "Should it be established that inaccuracies in a certificate issued by the Inspection Director General or a chief inspector must be deemed due to culpable carelessness or negligence, he shall be responsible for such loss as may ensue, In addition the Ministry May peremporily remove him from his post. He shall, however, be deemed blameless if he can prove that some subordinate of his was at fanlt. In that case the subordinate, to whom it was due, shall be held responsible for the loss, In addition to that responsi- bility they may then peremptorily be deprived of their post or their appointment, "In other respects, infringement of this Act by inspectors and chief inspectors shall be dealt with in accordance with the Penal Code," INSPECTION OF SHIPS AND BOATS Chief inspectors see that the holds of fishing vessels and boats, as well as gratings and shelves in the holds, are so fitted as to facilitate their clean- ing. Holds shall be so fitted as to obviate the danger of the fish being bruised on pieces of the framework or by protuber- ances. In the bottom of the holds shall be close— barred gratings, so fash- ioned that the laths on which they rest are laid longways along the hold, in order that the flow of water down and aft may be unobstructed. Boats that during a fishing trip keep their catches on deck shall ICELANDIC FISHING VESSEL BRAILING HERRING reo lave. eraviues Ch ohet ; part of the deck where the fish arekept. All gratings shall be so constructed as to be easily kept clean. The same applies to the space underneath the gratings. 4 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, No. 5 The forward and aft bulkheads of the hold must be tight and sufficiently in- sulated to prevent heat penetrating from the crew's quarters or from the engine room. If the depth of the hold exceeds one meter (a little more than three feet), it is to be fitted with shelvings when fishis stored with ice, with each layer of fish never exeeding one meter. In the smaller boats, only slightly ex- ceeding one meter in depth, the hold may, however, be filled without the use of shelvings. Holds of fishing boats must be carefully cleaned and scrubbed after each fishingtrip. The inspector may even demand that a dis-— infectant be used, if deemed necessary. BRAILING A GOOD CATCH OF HERRING. It is highly important that all fish caught be properly handled on board all fishing vessels. All fish are to be bled by cutting the cervical veins on both sides as soon as the fish has been brought on board. CELANDIC TRAWLER IN FOREGROUND DECK LOADED WITH GROUNDFISH. SHOWS STEAM TRAWLER CAN BE SEEN IN BACKGROUND. In boats that do not land their catches daily, all fishare to be gutted on board as soonas possible. Boats landing their catches daily need not necessarily gut the fish on board, though during the sunmer season, it is desirable that all fish be gutted and washed as soon as they have been caught. All fish are tobe carefully washed as soon as they have been gutted no matter whether this is done on board or ashore. Great care is to be takenthat no traces of liver, intestines, or blood remain in the abdominal cavity. Fish must never be hooked or pierced with forks or other implements except in the head. Anything that may bruise or other- wise damage the fish shall also be studi- ously avoided. In boats that do not return daily, the fish must be gutted and put on ice in the hold before rigor mortis sets in. When the fish are put on ice, they are to be laid with the belly side down, and flatfish with the cut facing down (the white side up). May 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 5 Chief inspectors shall at each time determine the quantity of ice to be used for the icing of fish in boats, depending upon the season of the year and the equipment of the ship. SUPERVISION AND INSPECTION OF FROZEN FISH At each freezing plant, a frozen-fish inspector is posted. It is incumbent upon him to see that all requirements respecting the handling and the quality of the fish as well as the equipment of the plant are complied with. In these mat— ters, he is responsible to the chief inspectors and the Inspection Director General. The inspector may serve the freezing plant in other capacities at the same time, e.g., by filling the post of a foreman or doing manual work, as long as he is in a position to carry out his inspection duties efficiently. He must always be present whenever fish is being processed in any manner. If unable to attend in person, he shall appoint someone to act on his behalf, and shall be responsible for the work of his alternate or substitute. Inspectors at freezing plants shall forthwith contact chief inspectors or the Inspection Director General whenever a problem arises in the performance of their duties which they feel carmot be solved by them. If a freezing plant employe en- trusted with in- spection duties is found neglect— ing his duties, or if he shows himself | 9 otherwise unfit for § J the task, the In-— spection Director General may appoirt some other person to devote himself to the inspection exclusively. Frozen-fish inspectors are ap— pointed by the lo- cal Chief of Police on the recommenda—- tion of the Inspec— : WEIGHING AND PACKING LINE IN AN ICELANDIC FILLETING PLANT. AT THE LEFT tion Director Gen— CAN BE SEEN SOME OF THE FILLETING LINES. eral. Chief inspectors visit the quick-freezing plants as frequently as possible for the purpose of supervising the work of the inspectors. Supervision consists of first examining the raw material and then going through the whole process of handling it, paying close attention at every stage of its handling, and correct-— ing any mistakes that may have been made. If the plant has been using other packing systems than the one in process at the time of the chief inspector's visit, that fish previously processed is inspec— ted in its completed condition without being thawed out. This is a safe and ex-— peditious method, entailing no expense for the producer, as no damage need be done 6 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, No. 5 to either the fish or the wrappings. In order to be able to inspect the fish efficiently in its frozen condition, it is essential that the chief inspector should recognize the more common types of defects in frozen fish. To enable him to do so, the chief inspector undergoes a special course of training and is there- after continuously kept up to date as required by the constant progress of the in- dustry. Duties of Chief Inspector: The chief inspector's work is indeed supervision, but first and foremost it is the instructing and advising of ordinary inspectors to whom is entrusted the actual work of inspection. The chief inspector can in- spect only a fraction of each plant's production, and for that reason, great en— phasis is put on the inspector's qualifications as even a minor fault may often prove very costly. When the fish is shipped, the chief inspector examines it for the last time, principally looking for storage faults. The producer also has his own stevedore in each ship, whose business it is to see that the packings of the fish are sound and clean, that the right kind of fish and packings are being put on board the ship, and that the stowing is done in the proper manner. No chief inspectors, inspectors, or stevedores are accepted by the Fish In—- spection Agency unless they have been through a course of training where the hand— ling of frozen fish was taught. Such courses of instruction have been held during the past two years. Quality Faults: It would take up too much space and it would be difficult to include the official regulations concerning frozen fish, since these are con— tinuously being amended to keep pace with developments. But a list of common quality. faults which inspectors must guard against or rectify is given here. It is not an exhaustive catalog of such faults or oversights as may occur in the hand ling and storing of frozen fish, but they are the most common and are the ones which are deemed most discernable by inspectors. Defects in the raw material: 13. The fillets so laid down as to male the skin touch “ a cut surface, 1, Putrifaction, 14. The top layer in a flatfish carton not correctly 2, ‘The flesh of the fish bruised or torn, whatever laid, the cause. 15. Empty space in the carton, 3. The fish bloodshot because of imperfect bleeding. 16. Marking labels or check labels lacking, 4. Blood bruises in the fish, ie Frozen whole flatfish incorrectly laid in the block, 5. The fish pierced b~ a hook, without blood having 1¢, ‘The parchment and cellophane sheets creased, torn, , Sathered in the cut, or failing to cover the fish properly, 6. Black filaments in the fish, 19. Packing unclean, 3 7- Worms in the fish, 20, Marking of packages unsatisfactory, 5, The fish excessively lean, 2. Too much fluid has escaped from the fish while it : awaited freezing, Possible working faults: 22, Packages have lost their right shape, e.y., in the ; ; freezing machinery, 1, Mucus on the skin of the fish, 23. Tne fish has become desiccated in the freezing 2. Quit surfaces unclean, process, 3. Careless gutting of fish frozen whole, 24. The fish has frozen slowly, é Inexact grading of flatfish frozen whole, op The ice cover on the block not clean, 5. Scales or similar particles on the surface of cuts, + Outer covers not clean, or they are torn, or do not &. Fillets not cut the right size to fit the cartons. shut properly, 7 Loose particles of fish in the cartons, C. Bones in fillets that should be boneless, Storage defects: Ge xpzts e the cely flap included in the fillet; ere this should not be so, 1, The f i 10, Particles of skin on fillets that should be 2. ‘The tick eee skinless, ng Padaeeatee: 3. Re (in many cases this also means 12, Any irregularities in the packing, e.f., not the 4, Tissues in the fish ruptured through the action of right number of pieces in a l-lb, carton, the wrong the ice crystals, (If the fish is stored too long, nuaber of wrappers in a 5-l1b, carton, the wrong the ice crystals increase in size and more moisture number of flatfish fillets in a 7-lb, carton, etc, escapes from the fish when it is thawed, which means losses both in taste and mutritive value). May 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 7 INSPECTION OF DRIED AND SALTED FISH Inspection of dried and salted fish is of a somewhat different kind. Its handling is entrusted entirely to the producer until the time of packing for ex- portation, when the fish is inspected by official inspectors, working under chief inspectors. These inspectors are appointed by the local chiefs of police on the recommendation of the Fish Inspection Director General. Both dried and salted fish are grouped into several classes by the inspec- tors, according to.their quality and appearance, and in accordance with the va- rious requirements of the different buying countries. It would take too much space to list here all the rules to be observed by the inspectors, and indeed they are no more static than those that apply to the inspection and handling of frozen fish. Chief inspectors instruct the producers to the extent possible and as reg- ularly as circumstances will permit. Should the fish, when inspected for packing, be foundto be of inferior quality, they are put in the lower categories. The fol- lowing are some of the defects that may cause this to be done and of which the inspectors are fully competent to judge: The principal handling defects in salted fish: 1, ‘Bloodshot spots caused by hooking, 2. Bloodshot bruises. 3. The general hue of the fish more or less unsatisfactory, particularly the belly flaps, owing to insufficient bleeding, 4. Incorrect fashion of removing the head, 5. Incorrect method of splitting the fish, e.g., making too deep a cut, failing to cut right up to the tail, or not deep enough to reach the spine; various faulty cuts, 6. Unsatisfactory scrubbing before salting. ip Faulty method of laying the fish in the salt. e Undersal ting, 9. Tears in belly flaps. 10, The fish creased or broken after being salted, 11, Not well enough rinsed after being taken out of the pickle (if pickle-salted). 12, ‘The hue of the fish impaired through the use of impure salt. All these defects appear plainly in the fish even though they are not fully cured. If they are fully cured, they do not disappear, but most of them appear more plainly. If the fish are fully cured, the following defects may also be further developed and observed: 13. Unsatisfactory scrubbing. 14. Insufficient pressing after scrubbing and before drying, 15. Sunebaking. 16, Cracks caused by careless handling, Defects developed in storage: ule Red spots. 2 Black spots, These defects may develop in both cured and uncured fish, though rarely, except through longeterm storage, 19. The fish is also apt to turn yellowish when stored too long. 2). Dampness in the fish, The surface of the stacks may turn dam when winter comes and the cold weather sets in, F 8 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, No. 5 The principal defects developed in dried fish are due to weather conditions, for as everyone knows they are hung upquite fresh, outinthe open, where they must ISAFJORDHUR, A TOWN IN ICELAND. remain in all types of weather until they have been fully dried. Their appearance main— ly depends upon the kind of weather that prevailed while they were drying. Special care must be taken that there areno parts of the fish to which the air has not free access, for if the fish touch any-— thing, they become spotty and their appearance is thus spoiled. Care should also be taken to open and empty out the spine of fish that are not split. The main defects which develop in storage are dampness and mould, due chiefly or entirely to unsuitable storage accommodations. The Fish Inspection Agency is not concerned with other methods of treatment than those enumerated above. INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING HANDLING AND PACKING OF FISH IN THE QUICK-FREEZING PLANTS The following are the instructions for quick-freezing plants for handling and packing fish and fillets for export purposes: Fillets of All Fish, Except Flatfish: blocks; 8 blocks per container: Fillets, parchment-wrapped in 7-lb. 1, ‘he fillets shall be unskinned (skins on) with small pieces of bones necessarily severed in filleting, but all other bones, belly wall or flaps and substantially all discoloured flesh shall be removed. 2. The fillets shall be cut the right size for each block, so they can be packed without being folded, 3. The fillets shall not be packed so as to have the skin side of a fillet touch the cut surface of a fillet more than necessary. 4. Each block shall have a slip or label or be otherwise clearly marked with brand or identification number of the producing company. 5. The freezing of the fillets must not take more than 3 hours, and the temperature of the fish shell then not be higher than -18° C. (=0,4° ®); ©, Each block shall be glazed by divping it twice into clean water immediately on being removed from the freezer, The temperature of the water shall be as close as possible to 0° C, (32° F,). 7. Tne dlocks must not lose their right shape or be desiccated in the freezing process, May 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 9 8, All packages and containers must be clearly marked and the fish covers must be clean and properly shut, Each container shall be secured with three metal strappings. Fillets packed in 2-lb. cartons: 1, The fillets shall be unskinned and containing only the small pieces of bones necessarily severed in filleting, but all other bone, belly wall or flaps and substantially all discolored flesh shall be removed, 2, The fillets shall be cut the rizht size to fit the cartons, so they can lay straight and not require folding of the ends, 3, The skin must not toach the cut surface. 4, Each carton shall have one check label with a number or letter identi- fying the producing company. Fillets packed in 5-lb. cartons: 1. The fillets shall be skinned and boneless, and all discolored flesh shall be removed, 2. Each carton shall contain six cello-wrappings, three on the bottom of the carton and three on the top. 3. In each carton shall be one check label, and in each wrapping, one marking label, unless the cello=-paper is marked, Fillets packed in 1-lb. cartons: 1, The fillets shall be skinned and boneless, and all discolored flesh shall be removed. 2. Each carton shall contain one cello-wrapping unless it is overwrapped. 3. Each carton shall have one check label. Flatfish: Fillets of plaice and lemon sole packed in 7-lb. cartons; packed 8 per each container: 1. All fillets of flatfish shall be cut from whole fish of not less than le1/4 lbs, in weight. 2. The fillets shall be boneless with skin and belly wall or flaps, but all discolored flesh shall be removed. 3. ‘he fillets shall be classified by weight as follows: 2 oz, fillets = 50-56 per each 7-1b. carton. a " " = 41-45 ] a ye C] " Slide yo VEL Bo ey) acl ay Wie ys id 33 " i) SOS Ml it CO ja n Aoi: Some sar26s28r) elim ayaa te as i Ui) = WB " " Te w W 2 " " = 22= 23 i] " 7b CT " Pa " fn = 90599 8 Natt " C) " = 18219 i] " Gj © 8 6s " w = 17-18 C) Oa " 7 " " = 15-16 SR ss) a7 # Pipe iiso rs 8.12 " n = Large 2a ui and over = Extra large COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, No. 5 4. The fillets shall not be laid so as to have the white skin or cut surface touch the dark skin, 5. All cartons and containers must be clearly marked, 6. Each container shall be secured with three metal strappings. Whole-frozen plaice and lemon sole: 1. The fish shall be satisfactorily gutted, care being taken not to leave any liver, guts, or blood in the belly cavity. 2. After the fish has been washed, it shall be packed immediately and placed into the freezer. 3. The fish shall be classified by weight as follows: 9 oz. to 3/4 1d. marked small : Tat " Syl aby medium 1 We elbss "large 2 lbs, & over "extra large. 4. The fish shall be packed unwrapped, in 7-lb., 14-1b., 2=1b. and 28-1b, blocks; eight, four, three, and two or three per container, respectively. 5. The fish shall be laid in the blocks so that the white skin does not touch the dark side more than necessary. 6. Each block shall have a slip or label or be otherwise clearly marked with the brand or identification number of the producing company. 7. Each container shall be secured with three metal strappings, 8. If the fish is not to be shipped, it is advisable to store it unpacked. This makes it easy to detect storage defects, If there are none, it can be reglazed, FISH FACTS DO YOU KNOW. . .e That herring is the most abundant food fish in the world... --Fishery Leaflet 132 luay 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 11 THE FISHERIES POTENTIAL ALONG THE EAST COAST OF MEXICO’ By Milton J. Lindner” INTRODUCTION The purpose of this report is to point out what I think to be the potential of some of the fisheries adjacent to the east coast of Mexico and, in particular, those fisheries which I believe might be expanded, When and how these fisheries will be expanded is impossible to state as that will depend entirely on economic conditions, To have a fishery, two important requirements must be fulfilled: 1. The fish must be present. 2, There mst be a profitable marlet for the fish. The first is a biological requirement; the second is an economic requirement, In this report, I shal confine myself to the first or biological requirement, GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON EAST COAST FISHERIES POTENTIAL In the sea,as on the land, there are rich areas and poor areas, there are ver- dant valleys and there are deserts, Since the sea is not uniform in its production of fish, it cannot be justifiably stated that because one country has so many more miles of coast line than another, the former country should produce so many more tons of fish than the one with a shorter coast line, Such a comparison and conclu- sion would result in erroneously comparing the productive potential of a desert with that of a verdant valley, This is not to infer that the east coast of Mexico is a marine desert; on the other hand, neither is it a verdent marine valley, I believe that it lies somewhere between these extremes, more probably closer to the lower than the upper extreme, but exactly where will not be known until it is fished extensively. Unfortunately, the science of fishery biology has not yet progressed to the stage where the productivity of a fishery, let alone that of a general area, can be determined precisely. At present, the only means available for determining fisher- ies productivity is by actual intensive commercial fishing and by rough approxima- tion derived from exploratory fishing and from ecological or environmental observa~ ticns, My conclusions with respect to the waters adjacent to the east coast of Mexico are based primarily on ecological observations now available and, to some extent, on exploratory fishing, However, most of this type of work still remains to be done in the Gulf of Mexico, It is probable, however; that this gap in our knowledge will, within the next few years, be filled, * Aquatic Biologist, Office of Foreign Activities, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Chief U. S. A. Fishery Mission to Mexico, American Embassy, Mexico, D. F. 1 Adapted from an address delivered on March 5, 1950, at a meeting of La Academia de Ciencias de Veracruz, Veracruz, Mexico. 12 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol, 12, No. 5 With the foregoing generelities understood, I shall attempt to evaluate the po- tential of some of the fisheries along the east coast of Mexico, Since the avail- able data is very limited, no attempt will be made to place them in the order of importance, The fisheries to be discussed will be divided merely into two main categories: 1, Those now fished to some extent, 2. Those not presently fished to any appreciable extent, FISHERIES NOW IN PRODUCTION Shrimp Fishery: Of those fisheries now in production, the shrimp (camarén) fishery is the most important along the east coast of Mexico, both on the basis of monetary return and quantity produced, Over 5,6 million pounds of shrimp are taken annually from this area, The major production comes from the recently inaugurated fishery (1946) in the Gulf of Campeche, with lesser quantities from the States of Veracruz and Tamaulipas, With the exception of the area between Tampico and Tux pam, the fishery is based principally upon the common or white shrimp (Penaeus setiferus), In the Tampico-Tuxpam area, small, immature grooved shrimp (apparently mostly P, duorarum and F, aztecus) are taken in the lagoons, The white or common shrimp (P, setiferus) along the northern coast of Tamaulipas, to a certain extent, migrate between Mexico and the United States, By means of tag- ging experiments conducted in 1947, it has been determined that shrimp along the north- ern Tamaulipas coest move northward in the spring. It is probable, though not estab- lished, that there may be a southward movement from ‘Texas to Tamaulipas during late fall and winter, Most probably, the Gulf of Campeche population is local, depending upon the marshes of Tabasco and Campeche for nursery grounds, From all indications it seems likely that the white shrimp has reached its max= imum production in the Campeche area, There is a possibility of an increased pro= duction of this species from Tamaulipas, but probably not to any great extent, I feel certain, on the other hand, that there can definitely be an increase in the production of the grooved shrimp (P, duorarum and P, aztecus), The adults of these species of shrimp tend to inhabit deeper waters than do the adults of the white shrimp e; setiferus), The grooved shrimp are darker in color than the white and, until recently, as a consequence of this difference in color, were not readily acceptable in the markets of the United States, where the vast majority of the shrimp is consumed, During the pest year, however, as a result of educational cam-= paigns conducted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the fishing in- dustry, there has been an increasing demand for the grooved shrimp, Within the past yeer, a fishery for them has been developed off Brownsville, Texas; and within the past few months, another has sprung up near Key West, Florida, Along the east coast of Mexico the areas most likely to produce these shrimp in abundance lie between the mouth of the Rio Grande River and Campeche in depths between 30 and 100 fathoms, Blue Crab Fishery: Another invertebrate, the production of which I believe can be expanded in this same erea, is the blue crab (jaiba), belonging to the genus Callinectes, This crab is now taken in small quantities in the area between Tampico and Alvarado for local consumption and for shipment to the capital, The present pro- duction seems to be limited entirely by tne demend, If more markets could be devel-~ oped, there is nodoubt that the productionof blue crab couldbe increased many fold, ay 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 113} Oyster Fishery: Still another invertebrate, the oyster (ostidn), is capable of increased production, The oyster, nevertheless, is peculiar in certain respects, It is one of the few marine animals in Mexico for waich the demand exceeds the supply; also it is one of the few marine animals which can be successfully culti- vated, | NSHORE SHRIMP RESOURCES { MISS.:ALA. GUAYMAS LLE MAZATLAN BG Gs® AZ Te ZEKPEMALA vas ee aioe | INSHORE SHR! MP RESOURCES OFF THE EAST COAST OF MEXICO AND THE GULF COAST OF THE UNITED STATES ARE INDICATED ON THE MAP. THE MAJOR SHRIMP PRODUCTION OF THE MEXICAN EAST COAST COMES FROM THE GULF OF CAMPECHE AT PRESENT. It is probable that the amount of oysters along the east coast of Mexico is less than it was some years ago, This has been brought about by a combination of factors, including excessive fishing, lack of cultivation, and environmental changes, The influence of environmental changes on the supply of oysters cannot be overlooked, In various places in Mexico, apparently also in Texas, it seems that the influence of man through deforestation and poor grazing practices has been detrimental to the oysters, Lagoons, which previously produced quantities of oysters, are now subject to flash-floods which lower the salinity of the water sufficiently to cause heavy oyster mortality. 14 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol, 12, No. 5 In spite of these changes, however, I believe that the production of oysters can be increased by means of cultivation, At present oyster culture is not prac- ticed in Mexico, which is unfortunate, as generally with oysters the best spawning areas are not the best growing areas, In many parts of the world, it has been found advantageous and profitable to collect young oysters in one area and trans= port them to another area in order to grow them for market, There is no reason to suspect that these same practices would not be profitable in Mexico, Through research and experimentation it should be possible to determine the best areas from which to gather the seed oysters and the best areas in which to grow them for market, At the same time studies could be carried out to determine the most prac- tical and economical methods for collecting and growing oysters under prevailing conditions in Mexico, Until oyster culture becomes a practice in Mexico, an increase in the supply of oysters cannot be expected, leanwhile, a potential food for which there is a market is not being used to its best advantage in Mexico, Spanish Mackerel Fishery: Of the marine vertebrates now being fished in Mexico, I believe the Spanish mackerel (sierra) to be one of the species for which production can be expanded considerably, At present, the Spanish mackerel is taken in quantities only in the vicinity of Veracruz. The fishing is done prin- cipally with beach seines, At present, the only market, which is very limited, is in Mexico, Frequently, a slight increase in production will cause a glut on the market and the fishermen must suspend operations, IT |S BELIEVED THAT PRODUCTION OF SPANISH MACKEREL IN MEXICO CAN BE EXPANDED CONSIDERABLY. AT PRESENT, IT 1S TAKEN IN QUANTITIES ONLY IN THE VICINITY OF VERACRUZ. Tnis fish occurs along the entire length of the east coast of Mexico, and with an increased demand, the production undoubtedly could be greatly eugmented, Possibly the solution for increased production, as in so many other instances, lies in better methods of drying and canning than those now being practiced, Other Fisheries: Like the Spanish mackerel, various species of mullet (lisa, lebrancha, bobo) occur in abundance along the entire east coast of Mexico, Again, like the Spanish mackerel, the mullets can be produced in greater quantities than at present, However, because these fish enter the coastal lagoons in quantity, they are fished to a greater extent than are the Spanish mackerel, For this rea- son it is probable that the ultimate proportional increase in production will be less for the mullets than for Spanish mackerel, The production of robalos (robalo blanco, robalo prieto, chucumite, and con= Stantino), I suspect, can be increased somewhat, but probably not to any great extent as aoparently they now are being fished rather heavily, May 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 15) ALTHOUGH THE MEXICAN CATCH OF ROBALO CAN BE INCREASED SOMEWHAT, | T PROBABLY CANNOT BE INCREASED TO ANY GREAT EXTENT SINCE THEY ARE BEING FISHED RATHER HEAVILY AT PRESENT. I think the same applies to the smiappers (huachinangos and pargos), as well as to certain sciaenids, such as, the redfish (corvina), spotted trout (trucha del mar), croaker (croca or gurrubata), and black drum (tambor), These sciaenids are more abundant in the area between Tuxpam, Veracruz, and the Rio Grande River, South of Tuxpam they are not plentiful, The majority are now taken from the Laguna Madre in Tamaulipas, The production in Laguna Madre varies considerably depending upon whether the passes are opened or closed, At times, much of the Laguna Madre is dry, Systematic dredging operations to maintain a flow of water through the passes of Laguna Madre might possibly stabilize the production of these fish at a higher level, Whether dredging would be economically feasible remains to be determined, POTENTIAL FISHERIES NOT IN PRODUCTION Spiny Lobster Fishery: Of those species not now fished to any extent, the spiny lobster (langosta) of Yucatan and Quintana Roo is most likely to be subject to an early expansion, It can be classified as an exportable luxury product the sales price of which is sufficiently high to permit a margin for risk capital, The problem involved is that of catching sufficient lobsters to justify the rather . large expenditures that probably will be required to process and transport them to market, The lobsters are found over a large extent off the East Coast but they are not abundant enough in any one place to warrant a large investment for a pure- ly local operation, A method must be devised for fishing spiny lobsters over a wide area and concentrating the catches at a suitable locality for processing and shipment to market, Pelagic Fisheries: Of the pelagic fish not now produced, so little is known concerning their abundance that statements made at this time are purely conjec- tures, In this group, most probably the herring and herring-like fish have the greatest potential. In the northern Gulf of Mexico rather important fisheries 16 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol, 12, No, 5 have been developed for menhaden, Whether comparable fisheries can be developed on related species along the coast of Mexico must still be determined, Properly eonducted exploratory fishing operations should give the information required to decide this question, Much interest is now being shown in another pelagic fish--the tuna (atun), The opinions concerning the possibility of developing a tuna fishery in the Gulf of Mexico are indeed divergent, However, there is some likelihood that an answer to this problem will be attained by the exploratory fishing operations being con- ducted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, CONCLUSION The primary problem of the fisheries along the east coast of Mexico is an economic one, When markets are available, the production of fishery products will be expanded, Eventually, a considerable expansion in total tonnage can be expected, however, it is not anticipated that this area will yield tonnages of fishery products per unit area comparable to the richest marine areas of the world, Vik dL, AEE. pe RTs a mi . J » REDFISH OR CORVINA (CYNOSCION OTHONOPTERUS ) ARE, LIKE THE ROBALO, BEING FISHED RATHER HEAV- {LY AT PRESENT AND THE CATCH OF THESE FISH PROBABLY CANNOT BE INCREASED TO ANY GREAT EXTENT. May 1950 ; COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 17 EXPERIMENTAL PRODUCTION OF BLOWN MENHADEN OIL By C.D. Bittenbendert* ABSTRACT Tests were conducted on the production of blovm menhaden oil to determine the effects of: 1. Pretreatment of the oil 2. Temperature of blowing 3. Blowing with dry air and with oxygen 4, The use of certain additives A refined and bleached menhaden 0il produces a lighter-colored blown oil of a higher viscosity in a shorter time and temperature than an oil which is not so treated, Low temperatures of blowing produce a lighter-colored blown oil but the time of processing to an equal degree of viscosity is longer. Oxygen is more effective than dry air for blowing. Certain additives accelerate the re- action producing a high viscosity oil in a shorter time, INTRODUCTION In the commercial production of blown oil from menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus) for certain industrial purposes, air is passed through cold-pressed oil until the viscosity of the oil is raised to the desired level. This increase in viscosity is attributed to oxidative polymerization, although little is definitely known of the exact mechanism involved. The commercial blowers of menhaden oil generally want to produce oils light in color and with as high a viscosity as possible. Surveys have indicated that improvement of finished oil is desirable, but have brought out little information concerning present practices of commereial production. In the work reported here- in the following factors have been considered: the effects of pretreatment, tem- perature, blowing with dry air and with oxygen, and the use of certain additives. Brocklesby (1941) mentioned that fish oils were blown with air at 120° Cc. and warned against the use of higher temperatures since darkening of oil results. According to Bailey (1945), oils are blown at 200° to 250° F. (93° to 121° c.) for "several hours."" Joachim (1934) indicated that blown fish oils were paler in color in the year 1934 than those previously produced, but he did not give specific color readings or data concerning processing conditions. The National Paint, Varnish and Lacquer Association published a Drying Oils Index (1939) which currently lists a number of blown fish oils. pecifications are listed which include color and viscosity values on the Gardner scale. These specifications have been used as a guide to possible improvements of blown men- haden oil in this study. Chemist, formerly with the Fishery Technological Laboratory, Branch of Commercial Fisheries, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, College Park, Maryland. 1/Gardner Color Standards for Liquids, The H, A. Gardner Laboratory, Inc,, Bethesda, Maryland. 18 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, No. 5 Oxidative polymerization of oils is undoubtedly involved in the production of blown oils. In this reaction, neroxides are formed which facilitate the coupling of glyceride molecules to form polymers. Increase in temperature speeds the pro— duction of peroxides and the polymerization, but it also decomposes the peroxides. It is believed that when peroxides decompose, that is, before the polymerization takes place, they tend to darken the oil and at the same time the acidity of the oil is increased. It is also known that high acidity of oil slows up polymeriza— tion. Temperature of blowing is therefore a prime factor which affects the final composition of the blown oil. Alkali refining of the oil is advantageous because high acidity tends toslow the rate of polymerization. Such refining also improves the original color of the oil and at the same time removes natural antioxidants and other substences that may inhibit polymerization. Bleaching with activated carbon further improves the original color and possibly removes substances capable of subsequently producing undesirable color in the blown oil. Blowing with oxygen, as compared to blowing with dry air, may possibly be ad— vantageous because there is a higher concentration of oxygen at the bubble surface during the process. Metallic driers have long been known to catalyze the oxida-— tion of oils. EXPERIMENTAL A glass apparatus was designed in which heatingof the oilwas accomplish- ed by surroundinga glass tube reaction vessel with vapors from a boiling sol- vent (Figure 1). The temperature of the reaction vessel was controlled by the boiling point of the particular sol- vent used. This apparatus eliminated the need of an oil bath and a thermo- regulator. Air was bubbled through the Oil bymeans of a small pump. The oxy- sen used was that commonly used for welding and was released directly from the cylinder, The rate of flow was regulated so that the bubbles followed one another closely. Actual volume of gas per minute depended largely upon the viscosity of the oil. The oil used was a commercial sample of light-colored, cold-pressed menhaden oOilwith 2.4 percent of free fatty acids, an iodine number of 120, and color value of 11 on the Gardner scale.1/ Some of the oil was alkali refined to a free fatty acid content of lessthan 0.1 per- cent and a color value of 9, Part of this oil was bleached with activated carbon FIGURE | - APPARATUS USED IN THE EXPERIMENTAL to a color value of 6.5. BLOWING OF MENHADEN OILS. 1/Gardner Color Standards for Liquids, The BR, A, Gardner Laboratory, Inc., Bethesda, Maryland, May 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 19 The metallic driers used were "Uversol Driers" except for the co- balt and manganese soaps, which were I ir prepared in this laboratory from fish dina oil acids. The benzoyl and lauroyl Ho tl als H peroxides used were granular commer- = | i a 2! cial products. Samples of the pre- —= —= pared oils were then blown at 58°, I 61°, 82°, 95°, and 111° Cc. Since a Gardner viscosimeter=/ was available only after the oils were blown, the samples could not be blown to a predetermined viscosity. The blowing was, therefore, stopped A BUBBLE VISCOSIMETER when the oil appeared sufficiently viscous, when undesirable color de- veloped, or when an abnormally long blowing time had elapsed. DISCUSSION The data in Table 1 show that a number of oils were produced with a viscosity of Z6 (Gardner scale) or higher and with Gardner color values ranging from 10.5 to 15. A number of oils of lower viscosities were also produced with color values well within the range of the oils listed in the Drying Oils Index of 1944. The lightest color value listed in the Index for blown fish oils of viscosity Z6 or higher is 10-11. One other oil is listed of viscosity Z6 with a color of 9-10. The specifications do not mention whether any of these oils were produced from menhaden oil. Some of the heavier blown oils are described as being produced from sardine oil. It wquld appear from the data here presented that a blown men—- haden oil can be prepared which will meet the specifications listed in the Drying Qils Index. SUMMARY OF RESULTS 1. An alkalierefined and bleached, light-colored, cold-pressed menhaden oil will produce a lighter blown oil of higher viscosity in a shorter time at a given temperature than an oil which is not so treated. 2. Comparatively low temperatures maintained during the blowing process generally result in oils of lighter color than those produced at the higher tem- peratures. 3. The time of processing to an equal degree of viscosity is longer at the lower temperature. 4. Oxygen is more effective than air as a blowing gas for menhaden oil. 5. The addition of cobalt driers to the oil decreases the blowing time at all temperatures. These driers can be used to produce a light-colored oil at low temperatures in a short time. The driers cause excessive darkening of the oil if comparatively high temperatures are used. 2) The Gardner Bubble Viscometer, H. A, Gardner Laboratory, Inc,, Bethesda, Maryland, 20 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, No. 5 Table 1 - Data on the Production of Blown Oil from a Light-Colored Cold-Pressed Sample of Commercial Oil Lauroyl Peroxide Benzoyl Peroxide Lauroy} Peroxide fama? CoE {here Peroxide Co-6 Benzoyl Peroxide Lauroyl Peroxide parent Peroxide Co-6 Lauroyl Peroxide og Peroxide Pb Lauroyl Peroxide Com Mp Refined and bleached Cold-pressed to Iodine No. 163.7 2% by weight of re- esterified oil of Iodine No, 228 added (final Iodine No, 192) Be by weight of re- t esterified pentaerythritc_ oil added (final Iodine No, 187) - Co-6 - Cobalt. Oleate Refined and bleached Manganese Oleate a ul s Manganese Oleate GRs8 Benzoyl Peroxide Benzoyl Peroxide Refined Refined and bleached 25% by weight of re- esterified oil added (final Iodine No, 192) trtinpnilooe Cobal t-Manganese fish oil acid sOgps \Lauroyl Peroxide Benzoyl Peroxide Comb jL/The menhaden oil was a light-colored, cold-pressed oil with 2,4 percent free fatty acic, an lodine No, of 120, and a color value of 11 on the Gardner scale, 2/Viscosities over Z 6 are indicated arbitrarily as Z 6 with +1, +2, etc., denoting viscosities over the scale. 3/"Uversol Driers" -- Co-6 = Cobalt as 6 percent liquid; Pb-24 = Lead as 24 percent liquid; Mn-6 = Mangarese as 6 percent liquid. 6. The addition of benzoyl and lauroyl peroxides increases the rate of vis— cosity change only slightly. 7. An increase in the iodine value of the menhaden oil by the addition of esters resynthesized from highly unsaturated acids from fish oils increased the rate of viscosity change, but not sufficiently to compensate for the increased coste 8. The addition of 0.1 percent of a mixture of cobalt and manganese soaps (1 to 1 ratio of cobalt to manganese) ofmenhaden oil acids to oil blown at 111° C. produced a high viscosity oil in only 19.5 hours. May 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 21 LITERATURE CITED BROCKLESBY, H. N. 1941. The chemistry and technology of marine animal oils, Fisheries Research Board of Canada (Ottawa, Canada) Bulletin, no. 59, p. 289. BAILEY, A, E, 1945. Industrial oil and fat products. Interscience Publishers, New York, N. Y., pp. 389 and 692, JOACHIM, B, 1934. Applied paint and varnish chemistry for the chemist and layman, American Paint Journal (St, Louis, Missouri), vol. 1, p. 141. ANONYMOUS 1939, Drying oil index, National Paint and Lacquer Association, Inc. (Washington, D. C.), Circular 730 (March), CxO arse ee REFRIGERATED LOCKER STORAGE OF FISH AND SHELLFISH Shellfish present a problem quite different from fin fish in that more preparation is necessary before they can be frozen. Since some shellfish are available for only short periods of the year, it may be especially advantageous to freeze them for later home use. Oysters, scallops, and clams can be successfully frozen. Since considerable practice is required in order to open the shells sat- isfactorily, an inexperienced person will do better to obtain the shucked products, which are readily available in season. The commercial pack of frozen shrimp exceeds those of all other frozen shellfish packs combined. For locker storage, raw shrimp are most successfully frozen after breaking off the heads and appendages but without removing the shell from the tail or edible portion. Cooked crab meat and lobster meat should be packed in jars with 24 percent brine. In most cases it is best to use frozen shellfish within a period of three or four: months; however, a storage life of six months may be attained where storage accommodations are especially good, and the temperature is as low as -10° F, --Fishery Leaflet 128 22 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, No. 5 YIN SERVICE LABORATORIES LLP fe OP TS ee lop nr morn March 950 NUTRITION: Mixed diets and special diet components used by Washington State Department of Fisheries in hatchery feeding were analyzed. Approximately 20 diet components being used at the Leavenworth Hatchery were likewise analyzed. Tide TAT STAR PRESERVATION: A new series of salmon eggs was preserved in open cans as contrasted to previous tests in which the samples were stored in hermetically- sealed tin cans. Since it was observed that oxidation was taking place, sever— al series of tests were started using different anti-oxidants in an effort to reduce such oxidation. Some preliminary tests have indicated that n-butyl p-— hydroxy benzoate gives excellent preservation of the fish eggs. However, this chemical is so expensive that it appears uneconomic to use it alone. Some tests were started during the month to see whether small concentrations of this presery— ative could be used in combination with other less effective chemicals to pro— duce a mixture which would be economically feasible to use. kK * REFRIGERATION: A series of pH measurements were made on strictly fresh oys- ters at the time of preparation for market at oyster shucking houses in Cris— field, Maryland, and Chincoteague, Virginia. Oysters from the Norfolk area (Eastern Bay) as well as from Tangier Sound were available for pH tests at Cris-— field. The average pH values of these samples, taken at the packing table, were as follows: The average pH values for rthecGhineoveagus yetaas were slightly less thanthose 6.00 for the oysters which have been obtained through the season at a nearby shucking house; the Norfolk and Tan-— gier oysters are somewhat higher in pH. _Shucked oysters were brought back from Crisfield for a new beginning on the studies on the darkening which occurs during frozen storage. As reported last month, the previous lot had a pink discoloration upon thawing and the test was May 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 23 terminated. "Pink yeast" was suspected, but it seemed hardly likely that this or- ganism would grow to such proportions under the conditions of storage and thaw- ing followed in these tests. However, examinations definitely showed that the trouble was due to "pink yeast." In the meantime, nearly 100 more packages of oys- ters given various dips and treatments with ascorbic acid, citric acid, and plain water were prepared, frozen, and placed in zero storage. eK After one year in zero storage, the fish that were wrapped in vegetable parch=— ment, dipped in water, wrapped in moisture-vaporproof material and frozen were still well coated with ice and were not desiccated or discolored. The fish prepared by the usual methods were entirely unacceptable. KKH Fillet samples from the freezing-fish-at-sea project were examined after the fifth month in storage. Palatability tests revealed a preference for fillets from fish frozen in the round at sea over fillets from fish gutted and iced at sea. There is an indication, however, that the white, bleached appearance of a fillet from fish gutted and iced at sea, with which the consumer has become accustomed, is preferred to the true pinkish hue of the fresh fish evident in the fillets from fish frozen in the round. The free-drip and press-drip values have not changed materially from those values attained after the fourth month of storage. Soluble protein determinations demonstrate higher values in fillets from frozen-round fish than in fillets from iced-gutted fish, thus indicating that the freezing effect is less in the controlled double freezing of a fish right out of water than inthe single freezing of a fish iced for a considerable period. *#K ANALYSIS: Much more consistent results are being obtained on the vitamin B)9 analyses. During the month, 10 samples of products being used in the hatchery pro- gram were analyzed for vitamin B)>. Further work was done on the biotin and folic acid microbiological assays, but to date no satisfactory procedure has been found. eH BYPRODUCTS: Calculations of vitamin A and oil content from the analyses of the 227 livers obtained in Bering Sea were completed. The data will be compiled and reported in the near future. Ke PROCESSING: Additional examinations were made of the experimental packs of canned sockeye salmon prepared from frozen fish. Similar observations to those summarized in the January and February reports have been noted in all examina- tions. The significant loss in quality of the product canned from salmon frozen and stored only six weeks in a commercial cold storage suggests that the process should be used only under carefully controlled conditions if the processor wants to prepare a marketable pack. Utilizing only fresh prime fish, freezing promptly, glaz- ing well, storing at a subzero temperature for short periods are the precautions indicated which will minimize the loss in quality when the salmon is canned. 24 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, No. 5 The packs prepared after both the 6— and 16-week-frozen-storage periods showed a marked decrease in the free cil, which may be the most important quality loss from the marketing viewpoint. The loss of color, the increased amount of curd and discoloration in the flesh, and the off-flavor present in the fatty tissue were the quality factors in the experimental packs of greater importance from a con- sumer's viewpoint. The increased toughening of the fish did not seem to be of great importance in itself, although it is probably related to the decreased liq— wid and oil yield. These alterations in the canned product were present to the greatest extent in the pack prepared from fish frozen and stored unglazed forthe longest period (16 weeks) in a commercial cold storage. kk TECHNICAL NOTE NO. 3- FISH MEAL IN ANIMAL AND POULTRY FEEDING At the 117th meeting of the American Chemical Society in Philadelphia on April 10-14, 1950, one investigator indicated that vegetable protein can be sub-— stituted for animal protein in the poultry diet. He reported that good results for growing and starting chicks were obtained using all vegetable rations, sup— plemented with certain minerals and Animal-—Protein-Factor concentrates; andthat fish meal or other animal proteins were not necessary. This new ration was less costly than those normally used. Other studies on animal and poultry nutrition indicated that aureomycin, streptomycin, and possibly other antibiotics possess a stimulating effect over and above that shown by vitamin Bj}9. Nothing has been presented, however, that indicates fish meal and fish solubles contain anything less than has been re- ported before. They are still very good sources of animal protein, necessary minerals, and some vitamins. Their use is still recommended in practical rations for poultry and swine. The substitutions which have been recently recommended have been mostly in the ration of growing stock, and are based on economic con=— siderations. The symposium on vitamin B)5 indicated that apparently there still remains some difference of opinion regarding the relationship between B,2 and the Animal Protein Factor. Some investigators claim that vitamin By and the APF are one and the same thing; others pointed out that APF is multiple in value; and still others maintained that though APF is multiple in value, vitamin B,2 is the most important member of the complex. 71 file May 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 25 —. — i Sa pe — e DEVELOPMENTS Additions to the Fleet of U.S. Fishing Vessels During February 1950, 49 vessels of 5 net tons and over received their first documents as fishing craft - 2 less than in February 1949, reports the Bureau of Customs, Treasury Department. California led with 11 vessels, followed by Alaska, Florida, and Virginia with 5 vessels each, ing Their First Documents as Fishing Two mos, ending with Feb, Total | 1949 New England eeeeevesreo eo eer eee oseoee Middle Atlantic .ccccoccccscccecvcere Che sapeake Bay woeoceeerereveevecesoe South Atlantic and Gulf ..ccocccccee acific Coast ...esccoscccccsccsvccce Great Lakes ...cc5ccccscrcccccces F aska, @eoeeeeseeees ecee eeetcereeooeneeoe® Hawaii SeSoeoeesoneoseeFoesrFH000008 Unknown SaeeSeSeHSeOFeGEooserGoero0e Total © 00 20000 0000 r ee O28 028888 e Vessels have been assigned to the various sections on the basis of their home port, Astoria (Oregon) Curtails Fishing Activities drawn from the bottomfish fishery as a result of a decline in the demand forrock- fish fillets, according to a March 15 report from the Service's Fishery Market— ing Specialist stationed at Seattle. During the years 1943-1945, between 200 and 300 carloads of fillets were shipped from Astoria each year, compared with about 30 carloads per year in recent years, according to the Astoria railway agent. SHARK FISHERY AT A STANDSTILL: All of the fleet of 15 vessels previously fishing for shark out of Astoria are reported to have tied up following the mar— ket collapse for soupfin shark livers. Prices for these livers have declined from 33 cents per million units (about $11.50 per pound) to 11 cents per million units (about $3.50 per pound). 26 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES -REVIEW Vol. 12, No. 5 TUNA-FREEZER SHIPS RESUME ACTIVITIES: The two large West Coast tuna-—freezer ships, the Tinian and Saipan, which were tied up indefinitely last year when the tuna market outlook was not too bright, are scheduled to resume activities in Cen- tral American waters this year. The Tinian sailed from Astoria on February 14, and will be served by six fishing vessels (one from Astoria and the remainder from San Pedro). The Saipan was expected to leave Astoria in March. ECA Procurement Authorizations for Fishery Products April 1950 No procurement and reimbursement authoriza— tions for fishery products (edible and inedible) were announced by the Economic Cooperation Ad— ministration during April 1950. In addition, no cancellations or decreases affecting previous au- thorizations for fishery products were reported. Total ECA procurement authorizations for fishery products from April 1, 1948, through April 30, 1950, amounted to $29,714,000 ($17,719,000 for edible fishery products, $10,455,000 for fish and whale oils, and $1,540,000 for fish meal). In summarizing progress during the first half of the Marshall Plan, which ends June 30, 1952, ECA on April 1 declared that Europe must intensify its export drive to hard currency areas, reduce European costs and prices, and develop non-dollar sources of supply in order to close the dollar gap. Further, ECAstated that the United States can assist not only by continuing Marshall Plan aid at ad- equate levels for the next two years, but also by maintaining high levels of eco- nomic activity and import demand in the United States; by following increasingly liberal import policies and commercial policies generally so that trade barriers do not prevent European countries from increasing dollar earnings in the United States; and by developing an effective program for stimulating the outflow of U. S. capital to other parts of the world. The ECA Administrator asserted that 1+ vhis means that the United States must sell less to and buy more from Europe." The establishment of an International Trade Promotion Division to aid Mar- shall Plan countries to earn more dollars through increasing their exports tothe United States was announced by ECA on April 8. The Division will concern itself with the elimination of trade barriers and with the development of plans to bring together the European seller and the American buyer. Later in April ECA appointed four trade development specialists. Specialists were assigned to Paris, France; Rome, Italy; London, England; and Frankfurt, Ger- many. Under ECA's technical assistance program, the agency on April 8 reported that a United States fisheries expert will make a two-month study of Iceland's fish- eries industry to recommend more efficient methods of salting, freezing, and other- wise processing fish, and better utilization of byproducts. ECA dollar costs for the project are estimated at $5,600. May 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 27 Federal Purchases of Fishery Products DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY, FEBRUARY 1950: The Army Quartermaster Corps during February 1950 purchased 573,730 pounds (valued at $267,139) of fresh and frozen fishery products for the U. S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force for mili- tary feeding. February's purchases were 51 percent lower in quantity and 47 per- cent lower in value as compared with the previous month. Compared with the cor— responding month a year earlier, this February's purchases were also lower in quantity by 60 percent and in value by 44 percent. Purchases of Fresh and Frozen Fishery Products by Department of the Army (February and the First Two Months, 1949 and 19 0) pe DAN te ee Visk LeU? Boh ok pe | eee February January-Februa | 1950 [1545 Ses a 7 Cs 1950 1949 te | tec bite 2 set 66 963 | 67, 139 | 4 S040 | 76 31 805.7 2 Total purchases for the first two months this year were 26 percent less in quantity and 7 percent less in value, compared with the corresponding period in 1949. Fishery Biology Notes MEETING OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY SHAD RESEARCH COMMITTEE: At a meeting of the plans were made for cooperation between the Fish and Wildlife Service and State agencies for shad research. Members of the Service's Section of Anadromous Fish- eries and the Middle and South Atlantic Fishery Investigations attended the meet— ing. On the same day a meeting also was held at which croaker research, particu- larly by State agencies, was discussed. SERVICE DOES NOT ADVISE INTRODUCTION OF JAPANESE OYSTER TO THE ATLANTIC COAST: The Fish and Wildlife Service advises against introducing the Japanese oyster (Ostrea gigas) to the Atlantic Coast, as has been suggested from time to time. There would be a serious danger of its replacing the superior Eastern oys— ter (Ostrea virginica), and it would probably introduce to the Atlantic Coast its own peculiar set of oyster parasites and predators, as was the case on our Pacific Coast when it was introduced there several years ago. This policy of the Service dates back to 1932 (then the Bureau of Fisheries) and is being reiterated at this time because several inquiries have been received regarding the introduction of Japanese oysters on the East Coast. It is the Serv— ice's opinion that such a program would affect the East Coast oyster industry un— favorably. At the present time a few of the Atlantic Coast States prohibit planting of the Japanese oyster in State waters. GULF OYSTER INVESTIGATIONS: Observations on spat growth at Pensacola now cover nearly a year and show some interesting features, according to a report 28 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, No. 5 from the Service's Gulf Oyster Investigations. In one sample of 75 spat collec— ted on artificial cultch during a six-hour period in May 1949, there has been a survival of 50 oysters or 66 percent. These oysters were kept free of fouling organisms in suspended trays. They now have a very desirable shape, rounded and deeply cupped. It is of significance that although of identical age, they range from 12" to 2-5/8" in size and on the average have twice the weight of similar aged but much longer oysters growing on the natural reef. It has been suggested, in the past, from both experimental and field obser= vations that oyster mortalities following exposure to fresh water are caused pri-— marily from the shock of the returning salt water. Observations, both last year and this year, do not confirm this theory. Samples of oysters transplanted from essentially fresh water in Mississippi Sound to Pennsacola, when salinities were approximately 20-25 parts per thousand, have shown negligible or no mortal— ity in the 30-day periods following their transplantation. Many of these oysters were less than a year old and, from their environmental history, this survival can— not be ascribed to the possibility that they had been conditioned to radical changes in salinity levels. Samples of oysters most recently examined in the west end of Mississippi Sound showed that while the meats looked reasonably normal and the adductor muscles were functioning, the mantles had lost most of their ability to contract. It is believed that these oysters are moribund and that death will occur in many regardless of whether or not salinity levels increase. OYSTER DRILL STUDIES: Studies were continued during the first quarter this year at the Pensacola Laboratory on the ecology of the oyster drill, Thais, with particular emphasis on egg deposition, larval development and growth rates, states the Service's Gulf Oyster Investigations. Egg capsules were found on oyster shells on the natural reefs in the middle of last February simultaneously with the ap— pearance of egg capsules in the trays of drills held experimentally in the labora- tory. Temperature levels in early February had been over 21° C. In 1949, egg deposition was not observed in the field until mid-April when water temperatures were approximately 21° C.; Thais eggs deposited on laboratory trays during June and July required 17 days for development of larvae to that point at which they escape from the egg capsule. This year, immediately following deposition of eggs, there was a sharp de= crease in water temperatures to a range between 13.5° C. and 18° C. and at these temperatures, larval development continued normally but required 39 days before escape of larvae from capsules. Studies are in progress to determine length of the free-swimming period. This is important in determining factors governing distribution of the snail. Over 600 snails have been numbered individually and transferred to one of the large cement tanks where it is planned to maintain them for the next year under as nearly normal conditions as possible and in the presence of an excess of food. Measurements on population are being made at 3-month intervals. During the past quarter of this year, drilis have been growing rapidly and have experi- enced less than one percent mortality. Small groups of snails have been sexed and are being maintained in separate tanks as a part of the studies on reproduction in the animal. In some of theani-— May 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 29 mals in which the shells were partially broken open to examine their anatomy, there was a complete repair of the broken shell, up to four square centimeters, within 35 days. There is some hope that a biological control of this drill may be possi- ble because of the natural infection with the trematode parasite Parorchis. In- fection with this parasite is localized in the gonad with resulting sterility of the snail. FOOD REQUIREMENTS OF OYSTER LARVAE: Experiments on quantitative and quali- tative food requirements of the Hastern oyster larvae (0. virginica) were con— tinued by the Service's Milford Shellfishery Laboratory, Milford, Connecticut. In order to create optimum conditions for early oyster larvae cultures, ex- periments indicated that Chlorella (a foodorganism) should be given in definite numbers. These numbers were approximately 50,000 Chlorella cells per cc. of water in which oyster larvae were kept. When food organisms were present in con—- siderably smaller numbers than 50,000 per cc., larvae grew slowly and showed a high mortality rate, due apparently to slow starvation. RAISING OF LARVAE OF THE EUROPEAN OYSTER IN THE LABORATORY: Groups of the European oyster (Ge edulis) were kept in the Milford Laboratory during the entire winter, and groups of these oysters were conditioned for winter spawning. Some of them discharged larvae. The larvae were cultured, and in several cultures set- ting occurred. These larvae were raised on almost pure cultures of Chlorella and not on colorless flagellates, which European workers consider as almost the only food organisms on which larvae of the European oysters feed and grow. The culture of Chlorella fed to larvae of the European oysters was virtually mono-specific. An analysis made of Chlorella culture, when the larvae were setting, found that the Chlorella culture contained practically no colorless flagellates. HARD CLAMS INDUCED TO SPAWN IN THE LABORATORY: Throughout the winter large numbers of hard clams (Venus mercenaria) were conditioned for spawning and, when needed, were induced to spawn in the Milford Laboratory. The eggs were used in experiments devised to learn food requirements of larvae. In these experiments, where duplicate cultures of larvae were used, and which were al- ready repeated twice this winter, five concentrations of Chlorella were used as food. Control cultures were kept in sea water to which no Chlorella was add— ed. Concentrations used were 50,000, 100,000, 250,000, 500,000 and 1,000,000 Chlorella cells per cc. of the water of the culture jars. Best results were obtained when approximately 250,000 Chlorella cells per ec. of water were used. Nevertheless, clams also set in all other cultures ex- cept that containing 1,000,000 cells per cc. where larvae died. These experiments were of a preliminary nature designed mostly to develop experimental technique. They will be continued on a much broader scale, and mi- cro-organisms other than Chlorella will be used as larval food. These micro— organisms will be fed to clam larvae in relatively pure cultures and in various mixtures of two or more cultures. Some preliminary experiments of this nature already have shown that feeding clam larvae with a mixture of Chlorella and sul- fur bacteria results in a more rapid growth, and higher survival rate than if larvae are fed with Chlorella culture alone. y 2 30 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, No. 5 Fishery For Trash Fish in New England Trash fish are being landed in increasing quantities in New England and more meal plants are being constructed in that area. Capacity for reduction of trash fish this year is estimated at over 100 million pounds in that area, according to the Service's North Atlantic Fishery Investigations. Trash fish landings are causing concern among conservationists who fear mis— use of the young edible species. The Fish and Wildlife Service frequently sam- ples catches. The most striking characteristic is the variety of species predomi-— nating in the catch. The principal ones this winter were sculpin, skates, eel pout, goosefish, and daylight flounder, while red hake and whiting predominated last summer and fall. Moderate quantities of yellowtail flounder were included at Provincetown and occasionally at New Bedford. Ye Gulf Exploratory Fishery Program PLANS OUTLINED FOR THE VESSEL "OREGON:" A definite exploratory fishing pro-— gram in the Gulf of Mexico for the Service's vessel Oregon has been established for the period April through June 1950. The program will concentrate on tuna, red snapper, and shark, but also will include work on menhaden and some over—all general exploratory fishing. Tuna: Generally, the objective for tuna exploratory fishing will be to lo-— cate tuna schools by sight, locate thermoclines (areas of abrupt water tempera— ture change) and carry on exploratory fishing in the immediate area; troll for tuna over a large general area, using all types of lures (on the surface and at various depths); set gill nets in promising tuna areas; set long—line gear in Suitable areas; and locate bait concentrations by sight. The vessel is to carry out a bait program which will include a search for bait by using motorboats for inshore work, by operating offshore from the Oregon, and setting up a shore operation to assist in the location of bait. In addition, it is planned to test various species of fish in the vessel's bait tank for vi- ability. : If bait is located and caught, the Oregon's crew expects to test the pole— and-line method for catching tuna. Red Snapper: The red snapper objectives are to improve the method of lo— cating commercial concentrations of snapper by deep trolling and the use of depth recorders in order to decrease the total fishing time now required, and devise new gear or modify conventional snapper gear to increase the rate of catch. Dur- ing all cruises, the vessel is to maintain a watch of the vessel's depth recorder for possible snapper grounds. Grounds located by the recorder will be testedand, if suitable, charted. Shark: Exploratory fishing for sharks will be conducted with set long—line gear using both a bottom and surface type, with a variety of baits. Menhaden: With reference to menhaden the vessel's objective is to report the location and estimated size of all schools of menhaden sighted. May 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW ght General Research: In addition to the programs for the specific fisheries men- tioned, the Oregon will check depth-recorder data, take bottom samples, and make try-trawl catches for indication of bottom conditions for use on future contem- plated shrimp trawling operations. the Service's Gulf exploratory fishing vessel Oregon between April 17-21. It op- erated between Mobile Bay and the mouth of the Mississippi River. The purpose of the cruise was to acquaint the crew with the vessel and its equipment before the regular exploratory cruises, and also to determine whether the vessel could be maneuvered for satisfactory results with light trawling rigs and for conventional snapper fishing. In spite of rough weather encountered on the first, second,and fourth days of the trip, a 40-foot shrimp trawl was used successfully and bait was obtained for snapper fishing, Snapper fishing was difficult because of the relatively high freeboard and the considerable rolling action of the vessel at anchor. A totalof 360 pounds of red snapper was taken fran two spots in 32 and 48 fathoms. In addi- tion, 54 pounds of black grouper, 55 pounds of scamp, and 270 pounds of sharkwere taken incidental to snapper fishing. No indications of the presence of tuna or mackerel-like fish were observed. However, schools of menhaden were sighted, but weather conditions did not permit an estimate of the size of the schools. Trolling with artificial bait from the Oregon and from the launch tender brought no results. After minor changes in deck gear and the addition of certain fishing gear, the Oregon will leave May 4 for an extended exploratory cruise. Z — National Fisheries Trends and Outlook, April-June 1950 A high level of economic activity in April, May, and June this year will be favorable to the marketing of fishery products, but diligent merchandising on the part of the fishing industry will be necessary to offset certain negative factors in the current situation. The second quarter of the year ordinarily sees the production of about one- fifth of the annual total of the United States catch of fish and shellfish. About one-half of the fish destined for sale in fresh and frozenformis produced in this quarter and the catch for these purposes usually reaches its annual peak in June. The peak of production of fish and shellfish for canning and for use in the manu- facture of byproducts comes later in the year. Consumption and Distribution: Supplies of fishery products in the United States during the early months of 1950 were sufficient to maintain the civilian per capita consumption of these commodities at about the same rate as in the same period last year, but apparent disappearance was slightly lower, according to a report issued early in May by the Bureau of Agricultural Economics, Department of Agriculture, and prepared in cooperation with the Fish and Wildlife Service. Less fresh fish was marketed but the net movement of frozen fishery products into distribution channels during the first quarter was approximately the same as 32 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, No. 5 in the same period of 1949. Trade reports indicate that the movement of the major species of canned fish into consumer channels was more rapid than in January-— March last year. Fresh and Frozen Fishery Products: Weather conditions on the eastern sea— board of the United States during the first quarter of 1950 were not as favorable for commercial fishing operations as they were a year earlier, and preliminary reports indicate that landings were lower. More fishery products were frozen and less sold to the fresh market. The quan- tity of fishfrozen commercially for eventual food use in January-March totaled al— most 27 million pounds, 18 percent larger than in the same period of 1949. The reduction in cold-storage holdings between January 1 and April 1, 1950, amounted to 55 million pounds, somewhat less than in the same period of 1949. Stocks are now near the low point of the year but will be built up again as the commercial catch and freezing of fishery products for food use increase seasonally in the next few months. Even though the catch may be high in the second quarter, a probable carry— over lower than that of 1949 in certain frozen fishery products (halibut and fillets of haddock, flounder, cod, and pollock) will tend to maintain prices of some classes of fishery commodities. Canned Fishery Products: Domestic supplies of the major species of canned fish (i.e., salmon, tuna, Maine sardines, and pilchards) thus far in 1950 appear to be about equal to those in the same period last year. Present supplies are expected to be sufficient to meet consumer demand at prevailing prices until the new pack starts moving into distribution channels in volume after the middle of the year. Retail prices of the popular types of canned fishery products in the next few months probably will continue lower than a year earlier. Cured Fishery Products: Cured fishery products supplies available during the first quarter of 1950 have been well above those available during the same period in 1949. This has been due primarily to larger holdings of salted her- ring. Foreign Trade: Imports of frozen fillets of groundfish (cod, haddock, hake, pollock, and cusk) and rosefish (ocean perch) during the first four months of 1950 were more than 4 million pounds larger than those in the same months of 1949. Prospects for 1950 are that imports of fishery products will total more than last year. Exports may show some increase over 1949, but will remain low relative to those in the years 1946 and 1947 when large quantities of canned fishery products were shipped to Europe under relief—feeding programs. May 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW : 33 North Atlantic Fishery Investigations Nova Scotia Banks was the purpose of two recent cruises by the Investigations! research vessel Albatross III. Cruise No. 33 on Georges Bank was made fromMarch 15 to March 30 this year, and Cruise No. 34 on the Western Nova Scotia Banks was made from April 24 to May 5. The information gathered on these cruises will be used in determining the size and distribution of groundfish populations occurring on these banks during the spring months. During fishing operations, made with an 1-1/2 Iceland trawl equipped with rollers and aluminum floats of special design, 133 half-hour tows were made—81 on Georges Bank and 52 on the Nova Scotian Banks. In addition, bathythermograph lowerings were made at each station to provide additional information on temperature versus fish distribution. Several vertical and horizontal plankton hauls were also made to ascertain the relative abundance of plankton and fish eggs and fry found on the banks. Echo sounders were used in the census of groundfish populations. Numerous schools of sea herring were detected on Georges Bank and rosefish were recorded and subsequently caught southwest of Lurcher Lightship in 110-120 fathoms. The distribution of haddock and: other commercial species was noted and their occurrence reported to the fleet through daily broadcasts. This practice of re- porting the daily activities of the Service's work at sea will be continued on the regular ship—-to-ship channel. Commercial species were found to be very scarce on Georges Bank. Small con- centrations of large haddock were found west by south of the Cultivator and inthe southern end of the Five-Fathom Rip. Small haddock, one and two-year olds, were abundant on the Southeast Part and on the Northern Edge. Small haddock were also abundant on Browns Bank. A small concentration of large haddock was found south- southwest of La Have in 65 to 67 fathoms. Two hundred sea scallops were tagged on the Southeast Part of Georges Bank to determine if they migrate—-fishermen say they do. A reward of $1.00 will be paid for each tag returned. Northwest Pacific Exploratory Fishery Program "JOHN N. COBB" ON SHAK®DOWN AND SHRIMP SURVEY CRUISE IN ALASKAN WATERS: The Service's exploratory fishing vessel, John N. Cobb, left March 20 on a combina- tion shakedown and shrimp survey cruise in the inland waters of southeastern Alas— ka. Actual fishing operations were begun on March 24 in Clarence Strait. The vessel returned to Seattle on April 14 to get ready for an albacore exploratory cruise. Exploratory work was carried out in the waters of Behm Canal, Clarence Strait, Tolstoi and Kasaan Bays, and Cholmondeley Sound (all areas which are within operation— al distance of fishing boats working out of Ketchikan). 34 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, No. 5 Three types of gear were employed in fishing operations on this cruise. A small trawl was used for searching out and locating shrimp. Areas which showed favorable catches were retrawled with a 30-foot otter trawl. Traps were used in areas where trawls could not be used. Limited amounts of shrimp were found scat— tered throughout the areas investigated. Bathythermograph readings, water samples (for salinity determination), tem— peratures, bottom samples, and other oceanographic data were collected in all areas investigated. A log was maintained of all marine life encountered on the tripand three new ranges were noted for three species. Pacific Halibut Fishery Regulations for 1950 The 1950 Pacific Halibut Fishery Regulations are substantially the same as those for 1949 except for the addition of two paragraphs which are designed to direct attention to. the illegality of fishing without a valid license and possess— ing halibut without a valid permit when such is required. The 1950 regulations became effective on April 20, 1950, after they were signed by the President of the United States and by the Governor General of Canada. The halibut season opened on May 1 and the quota again is 54 million pounds. The catch limits are as follows: Area 2 (between Willapa Harbor and Cape Spencer, Alaska)—-25,500,000 pounds; Area 3 (between Cape Spencer and a line running true west from Cape Sarichef on Unimak Island)--28,000,000 pounds; Area 4 (the Bering Sea north of the Cape Sarichef line)——-500,000 pounds. As in the past, no catch limits have been placed upon Area 1A (south of Cape Blanco, Oregon) and Area 1B (between Cape Blanco and Willapa Harbor, Washington). Areas 2, 3,and 4 will be closed to halibut fishing on dates announced by the Commission during the season. These dates are those by which the Commission esti- mates that the respective catch limits will be caught. Area 1A closes with Area 2 or Area 3, whichever is later. Area 1B closes with Area 2. Area 4 closes with ee 3 unless it was closed earlier by reason of the attainment of its own catch imit. In the event that the catch limits are not already attained and the areas closed before December 1, the season in all areas automatically closes on that date. Last year Areas 1B and 2 were closed on June 3, and Areas 1A, 3, and 4 on July 12. This latter closing date terminated all halibut fishing on the Pacific Coast of Canada and the United States, including Alaska, except for incidental halibut catches. The 1949 halibut season was 73 days long, compared with 72 days in 1948 and 109 days in 1947. It is estimated that the season this year will probably be not much longer than last year. Market conditions for halibut this year are actually very strong with old stocks cleaned out and only enough left in the freezers to take care of local immediate needs. Prices to the fishermen are expected to be well up tolast year's. However, prices fishermen will receive for the livers probably will be lower than last year since the outlook in liver oils is not very encouraging. May 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 35 In addition to some minor changes, the following major changes appeared in the 1950 Pacific Halibut Fishery Regulations: Under Section 4 (Issuance of Licenses and Conditions Limiting Their Validity) , paragraph (k) is added: No person on any vessel which is required to have a halibut license under paragraph (a) of this section shall fish for halibut or have halibut in his pos=- session, unless said vessel has a valid license issued and in force in conformity with the provisions of this section, Under Section 6 (Issuance of Permits and Conditions Limiting Their Validity), paragraph (h) is added: No person shall retain, land or sell any halibut | less such person is a member of the crew of and is woon caught incidentally to fishing for other species of a vessel with a helibut license and witk a valid permit fish in any area closed to halibut fishing under Seo issued and in force in conformity with the provisions tion 2 of these regulations, or shall have halitut of of Sections 5 and 6 of these regulations. ; any origin in his possession during such fishing, un- In paragraph (a) of Section 7, the time allowed for vessels to make statisti- eal return after unloading is increased from 48 to 96 hours on account of the closure of some government offices during week ends. Under Section 9 (Closed Small Halibut Grounds), paragraph (a) is reworded in more specific terms as follows: The following areas have been found to be populated possession while fishing f i i v g for other species therein, or by small, immature halibut and are closed to halibut shall have halibut of any origin in his possession: thare- fishing, and no person shall fish for halibut in in excepting in the course of a continuos transit either of such areas, or shall have halibut in his across such area, NS Pacific Oceanic Fishery Investigations "HUGH M. SMITH" COMPLETES SECOND CRUISE: Itinerary of Cruise: The Hugh M. Smith departed from Pearl Harbor on January 16 and proceeded to French Frigate Shoals where a week was spent looking for bait. From French Frigate Shoals the vessel pro— ceeded southward occupying hydrographic stations along a section running from the Shoals to 5° S. latitude, 172° W. longitude. This section was completed on February 7 and the ship proceeded to Hull Island and Canton Island, the contiguous waters of which were prospected for tuna. The vessel departed Canton Island February 13 and arrived at the initial point of the return hydrographic section (5° S. 158° W.) on February 18. This section, running from the point indicated to Oahu, was completed on February 28 and the ship returned to port on the morning of March 2. Observations and Collection of Data: The primary mission of this cruise was rent system. This was successfully completed. From the oceanographical data gathered on this cruise will be computed the positions and speeds of the major ocean currents, and the areas of and amount of upwelling. Completion of the computations will require several months. A similar series of observations is to be taken dur-— ing next June and July to compare summer and winter conditions. 36 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, Noe 5 At each station of the first section a tow was taken with a plankton net or a young-fish trawl, the tow being made obliouely from a depth of 100 fathoms to the surface. At stations of the second section, half hour surface tows were taken with plankton nets. These tows were made for two purposes: (1) To search for tuna eggs and larvae; and (2) to obtain estimates of the abundance of fish food (zooplankton) to correlate with the results of the physical and chemical oceanography. Night-light fishing was > conducted when hove-to on sta= :% tions. By this means were J captured specimens of fishes and cephalopods (squids) valu- ot al able to our reference collec-— tion for identifying tuna stom— ach contents, as well as ju- veniles of a number of pelagic fishes, Cephalopods were found to be particularly abundant at night at a station near 158° W. 2° N., where the deep scattering layer appeared especially pro— nounced during the day at 250 PACIFIC OCEANIC FISHERY INVESTIGATIONS. fathoms and moved up to the sur— face during the early evening. Several specimens of squidwere collected, including one of about 30 pounds. It may well be that these squids are an important component of the deep scattering layer. THE HUGH M. SMITH, ONE OF THE THREE VESSELS OF THE When running during. daylight hours a continuous watch was kept for schools of tuna and flocks of sea birds which are often "working" over tuna schools. The time and position of observation of such phenomena were logged. Such data gathered over several cruises should yield a direct estimate of abundance of tunas at dif-— ferent latitudes and seasons. It is of immediate interest that several schools of skipjack (aku) were observed very far from any land; for example, a school a half-mile long was observed (and specimens captured from it by trolling lures) near 10° N. 172° W.,several hundreds of miles from the nearest land. Two or three surface lures were trolled continuously during daylight hours and catches on these were logged. Some twenty-five specimens of tunas were captured by trolling and by live- bait fishing near Canton Island. Detailed morphometric measurements were taken from such specimens for study of the racial affinities of the stocks they repre- sent. The gonads of females were removed for study of degree of sexual maturity. Stomachs were removed for food-habit study, and vertebral sections were preserved for study of means of determining age and growth. The vessel spent the period from January 19 to January 25 at French Frigate Shoals in an attempt to obtain a supply of "Tao! (Hepsetia insularum) to employ as live bait for tuna fishing near Canton Island. The weather just prior to this period was characterized by strong southerly and easterly winds and heavy seas from southerly directions, and such weather continued until January 23 when the wind dropped off to light breezes. Although all the sandy islands of French Fri- gate Shoals were scouted several times for bait, none was seen except a small May 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 37 school of about 20 or 30 buckets at Tern Island on January 19 and an even smaller aggregation of 5 buckets at East Island on January 25. The latter were captured and placed in the ship's bait tanks. The almost total absence of bait at French Frigate Shoals during this period of southerly winds contrasts strongly with the rather abundant bait found by the Oregon in January 1948 following a period of strong NE. trades. The variations in Surf or current conditions associated with variations in wind direction may be re- sponsible for the marked differences in availability of the bait fish. This pos— sibility needs to be thoroughly investigated if the full potentiality of French Frigate Shoals as a reliable baiting ground is to be developed. The 5 buckets of "Iao" were carried from French Frigate Shoals to FO eS soba tude with no mortality, confirming previous observations of the ability of this species to be easily transported to the equatorial region. February 8 was spent in a very preliminary reconnaissance of Hull Island. It was not possible, due to unfavorable seas, to negotiate with the power boat the passage into the large, deep lagoon. From the large number of sea birds Nworking" over parts of the lagoon it would appear likely that bait species may be available in quantity; however, this should be further investigated in the future. In circling around Hull Island close inshore, 5 yellowfin tuna were captured on trolling lures. During this circumnavigation and subsequent scouting in the adjacent waters of the island, eight large flocks of birds "working" over fish schools were observed. All were moving rapidly and rather erratically but two of them were approached and chummed with no result other than some members of the schools coming near the boat and taking some of the live bait. Both of these schools were large skipjack (aku) and two other schools were identified as of the same species. The lagoon at Canton Island was scouted for bait on February 9 and 10 and small mullet were observed in many places, as well as a few round herring (piha) and atherinids (similar to small "iao"). On the afternoon of February 10, 85 scoops of 5= to 8—inch mullet were captured with a surround net placed in the bait tank, and employed on February 11 in tuna fishing in offshore waters. During fishing near Canton Island on the morning of February 11, one mixed school of skipjack and one— and two—pole yellowfin was chummed up with mullet, and a few hundred pounds of fish were caught, but the school sounded and could not be chummed up again. Another school, of two-pole yellowfin, was chummed up but dispersed when a fishing pole was pulled overboard by a large fish. On February 11, a total of 9 tuna schools were located near Canton Island by means of large flocks of terns and boobies "working" over them. Upon close investi- gation many of these were found to be schools of very small (1 or 2-pound) skip— jack, and only the two schools spoken of above were induced to approach the ves— sel and bite. In general it appeared that there are numerous schools of tunas near Canton Island, and that there exist in the lagoon quantities of mullet which may be employed as bait for them, although mullet are not expected to survive for more than a few days in bait tanks. Commercial potentialities, however, cannot be evaluated without much more data. "HUGH M. SMITH" RETURNS FROM A THREE-WEEK CRUISE (Cruise No. 3): An ex- perimental form of flagline gear was tested and a new type of of Japanese line- 38 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, No. 5 hauling machine was used by the Hugh M. Smith of the Service's Pacific Oceanic Fishery Investigations fleet. The vessel returned on April 22 from a three-week cruise in Hawaiian waters. The gear fished was similar to that used in the Hawaiian flagline fishery for tuna, except that the hooks were buoyed to float at specified levels so that the effect of subsurface temperatures up on the vertical distribution of tunas can be investigated. The importance of this lies in the fact that such information is essential in predicting where the best fishing will be and must be available if the conditions governing the occurrence and abundance of tuna are to be known. The Japanese line hauler was tested as a means of improving the efficiency of handling such gear. It was found to operate quite satisfactorily. It au- tomatically coils a large part of the line which is ordinarily coiled by hand, thus enabling the vessel to fish more lines. In addition, routine temperature observations were made from the surface to a depth of 900 feet so that the conditions existing at the level at which the fish were caught are known. CRUISE NO. 2 OF THE "HENRY O'MALLEY" INTERRUPTED: The exploratory fishing vessel Henry Q'Malley twice departed on its Cruise 2 from Pearl Harbor, first on January 11, and again on January 24 for an intended two months! cruise to in- clude French Frigate Shoals, Johnston Island, the Line Islands, and return to Honolulu. On both occasions, the vessel was forced to return to Pearl Harbor because of excessive wear on the timing gears of the main engine. On the second departure, the vessel spent 11 days at French Frigate Shoals attempting to take bait under adverse weather conditions and departed for Johnston Island. Shortly thereafter, the Henry O'Malley was forced to return to Honolulu, and the cruise was terminated on February 10, 1950. Weather Encountered Off French Frigate Shoals: French Frigate Shoals con— sists of several low islands surrounded by shoals with numerous coral heads. The shoal areas around East Island and Tern Island are readily approachable dur-— ing periods of moderate east to north winds but strong winds from other quarters render approaching to depths of less than 5 fathoms difficult, if not dangerous. The Hugh M. Smith was at French Frigate Shoals for a period of 7 days start— ing January 20. On 4 days it was possible to scout for bait but practically none was found. The Henry O'Malley was at the shoals for a period of 11 days starting Janu- ary 27, but the weather on only two days was suitable for scouting for bait. The periods of unfavorable weather were characterized by gusts of wind of varying direction and intensities up to 45 knots. Even during periods of relatively calm weather, heavy swells and choppy seas, resulting from the previous blows, pre-— vented the launching of the bait-catching equipment. During portions of the time, it was necessary to put to sea for the safety of the vessel since the an— shor would not hold. The deep draft of the vessel was a distinct disadvantage in contrast to the shallow draft of the local sampans which could have approached from any side of the islands in the lee or navigated channels for shelter behind reefs for anchorage. Baiting operations were further hampered since a sudden shift or increase in the wind could isolate the bait fishermen and endanger the gear. May 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 39 Fishermen who hand line for bottom fish near French Frigate Shoals state that during the past two years, the weather would frecuently have been unfavorable for bait fishing during the period of November through February. The general pattern of the wind during these months was easterly or northeasterly with severe storms during December and January from north and northwesterly with winds estimated up to 60 miles per hour. The peak of these storms usually lasted for one to twodays. Baiting Operations at French Frigate Shoals: On January 27, Tern Island was scouted for bait and several scattered schools of iao (Hepsetia insularum) andone school of aholehole (Dules marginatus) were seen, all of which might have amounted to 30 buckets of bait. This scattered bait moved to deeper water when approached and none was caught. Shark Island was scouted in the afternoon but no bait was found. Channel markers were placed to permit the approach of the Henry O'Malley but unfavorable weather required the abandonment of baiting operations until Feb- ruary 5. - On February 5, the weather moderated to light northeast winds but a choppy sea resulted from the meeting of northwest and southwest swells. East Island was scouted but no bait was found. Several small scattered schools consisting of needlefish, aholehole, and one school of iao were found in the shoal waters around Tern Island and sets were made. Four buckets of aholehole were captured in 5 sets using two nets with 3/16-inch mesh, 12 fathoms and 20 fathoms inlength, and 1 fathom in depth. Ten buckets of iao were captured in one set using the 20-fathom net. The bait was transported a distance of approximately 23 miles in comparatively quiet water and was in good condition when transferred to a tank of the vessel with no observed mortality. Within an hour, the iao were tightly schooled and eating bread. The aholehole remained scattered and stayed near the bottom of the tank. All the bait fish survived and were in good con— dition upon arrival in Pearl Harbor. The bait was released in the water near the Fish and Wildlife pier and for five days thereafter, iao were seen near the pier. All the hauls for bait were made at high tide and within 50 feet of the beach in clear water that varied from 1 foot to 1 fathom in depth. No bait was observed in deeper water. The bottom near the shore was littered with debris consisting of wire, snags, and large coral rocks, but the hauls were successfully made without tearing the net by carefully patrolling the lead line. Heavy winds of varying directions and intensities up to 45 knots occurred on February 6, and it was decided to abandon baiting operations and proceed to the Line Islands via Johnston Island. Other Activities: Each night when the vessel could anchor at French Frig- ate Shoals, bait lights consisting of four 100-watt yellow bulbs suspended above the water, and a submarine light of 1,000 watts submerged one fathom below the surface were used in attempts to attract bait. No fish suitable for bait were attracted. Surface trolling was conducted from sunrise until sunset for each day of travel. Two mahimahi (Coryphaena hippurus) and two cava cava (Euthynnus yaito)—-closely related to the black skipjack of the Pacific coast, and little tuna of the Atlantic—were caught en route to French Frigate Shoals. On the return trip, one wahoo (Acanthocybium solandri) was caught on surface trolling lines. No attempts were made to test deep trolling gear. While en route to French Frigate Shoals, a large number of circling birds along with several schools of porpoises were observed near Kaula Rock. Aschool 40 ; COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, No. 5 of fish accompanied by circling and diving birds was seen about a mile nortn of Tern Island, but it was too far away to be properly identified, and too hazardous to approach because of a projecting reef. On the return trip from French Frigate Shoals, scattered schools of fish were noted at too great a distance to determine the type or size of the schools. Chemical sounding tubes of a type used on ocean-going ships were tested for accuracy in indicating the true depth of suspension. It was found that at depths of 10 fathoms, they were within 1} feet of the correct reading. This appears to solve the problem of obtaining some equipment which will indicate the depth at which trolling lures and flagline hooks are set when fishing. Honolulu April 5 on a shakedown cruise in local Hawaiian waters. . The main objective of the cruise was to make several sets with the purse seine to determine whether the net, deck equipment, and various fittings on the vessel were in proper working order and suitable for prolonged operations. Other objectives were to test the day and night nets for catching bait, the suitability of the bait tank for holding bait alive, and the operation of thetroll-— ing gear and the bathythermograph. The cruise was also somewhat in the nature of ‘a training period to familiarize the crew with the operation of special equipment and to break in several Hawaiian fishermen. Upon completion of the shakedown cruise about April 12 the vessel returned to Pearl Harbor for correction of minor defects which turned up during this cruise. "JOHN R. MANNING" DEPARTS ON SECOND CRUISE: The research vessel John R. ning 2 departed on April 17 for a two-months cruise to Washington, Fanning, =a Palmyra Islands, and other islands in the vicinity, to conduct experimental purse-seining operations. This is the vessel's first regular research trip. The cruise is being conducted for the primary purpose of testing the effec— tiveness of a standard West Coast tuna purse seine, in order to determine what modifications, if any, may be necessary for the efficient employment of this type of gear on the tuna schools of the mid—Pacific. Concurrently with this experimental purse seine, fishing information will be gathered on the hydrography of the Line Islands region and on the biology of tunas encountered in the course of the work. The vessel is expected to return to Honolulu about June 12. HAWAITAN LONG-—LINE TUNA FISHERY: The Hawaiian long-line tuna fishery did quite well during March. Vessels interviewed reported two to eight fish per hundred hooks (average 3.4). The bulk of the catch consisted of big-eyed tuna and Seer marlin; the latter predominated. Yellowfin tuna were scarce in the catches, May 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW AL Sealskin Prices Advance at Annual Spring Auction Prices of Government-owned fur-seal skins from the Pribilof Islands, sold at a& spring auction in St. Louis in April, advanced an average of 12.6 percent over last fall's prices, the Fish and Wildlife Service announced. A total of 29,800 Alaska sealskins brought $1,913,038. The auction, held by the Fouke Fur Company on April 17, also included South African Government and privately-ownéd skins from the Cape of Good Hope. Fur buyers paid an average of $64.20 for United States Government Alaska seal- skins. Average price at the auction last fall was $55.93; at last year's spring auction it was $59.55. Dyed "matara" (brown) skins sold for an average of $70.38, an increase inprice of 28.6 percent since the last auction of Government Alaska fur-seal skins in Oc- tober 1949. Average price of "safari" (lighter-brown) skins was $50.65, an in- crease of 5.9 percent. Black skins averaged $60.41, a decline of 13.9 percent. In addition to the United States-owned skins, 2,528 Cape of Good Hope fur-seal skins were sold for the Government of the Union of South Africa, and 5,059 Cape and miscellaneous skins for private shippers. The South African Government-owned skins averaged $21.89, a decline of 3.7 percent. Sr) South Pacific Fishery Investigations PACIFIC SARDINE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES: Early in April, two Scripps Insti- tution of Oceanography research vessels (Crest and Horizon) and one Fish and Wild- life Service research vessel (Black Douglas) were reported on their third cruise this year by the Service's South Pacific. Fishery Investigations. They are working on the cooperative sardine research program being conducted by the above-mentioned agencies along with the California Academy of Science and California Division of Fish and Game. Material collected on the March cruise is being sorted. Examination of February collections showed that in that month sardine spawn— ing was largely confined to the area off Pt. San Eugenio and Sebastian Viscaino Bay, Lower California. No eggs or larvae were taken to the north of that region. Last year's observations indicate that spawning will move northward with the pro- gression of favorable temperatures. During February, anchovy spawning was found to be more widespread than sar-— dine spawning; anchovy larvae were taken off southern California and off Lower California. +s COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, No. 5 Proposed Revision of Federal Specifications for Canned Salmon A revision of the Federal specification (PP-S-3la) for canned salmon was proposed by the Federal Specifications Board the last week in April. This speci- fication is used for purchases made by Federal Government agencies. The proposed specification still carried the provision that "no oil shall be added" to canned salmon and omits the fish steelhead from the species of fish canned in Section 1.1. Other minor changes have also been proposed. United States and Alaska Commercial Fisheries, |I949 (REVISES CERTAIN SECTIONS OF THE PRELIMINARY REVIEWL/) Production: During 1949, the United States and Alaska catch of fishery prod= ucts amounted to about 4.9 billion pounds, with an estimated value of approximately $325 million to the fishermen. The catch was about 300 million pounds greater than in the previous year. However, due to a general decline in the price of fishery products, the value of the catch was about 12 percent less than in 1948. Production by Species: The 1949 catch of rosefish (landed principally at Gloucester, Massachusetts; and Portland and Rockland, Maine) amounted to 237 million pounds—-one million pounds less than the record 1948 catch. The Pacific Coast catch of tuna last year amounted to 332 million pounds—— 6 million pounds above the former record landings in the previous year. Menhaden production, (utilized entirely for reduction on the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts) totaled about 1,050 million pounds, making the 1949 production the largest in the history of the fishery. In 1948, 1,008 million pounds were pro— duced, and in 1947, 973,000,000 pounds. Due to an unexpected large run of pink salmon in southeastern Alaska, the estimated catch of salmon in Alaska and the Pacific Coast States during 1949 was about 15 percent above the 1948 production of approximately 400 million pounds. The 1949 domestic pack of canned salmon amounted to about 5,460,000 cases, compared with 4,825,000 cases in 1948. Pilchards were found in considerably greater abundance off the California Coast in 1949 than in the previous two years, and the catch amounted to 640 million pounds, compared with 373 million pounds in 1948, and a low of 272 million pounds in 1947. New England Production: Landings of fishery products in Maine and Massachu- setts in 1949 amounted to 857 million pounds (valued at $50 million to the fish- ermen), compared with 878.2 million pounds (valued at $59 million) the previous 1/A preliminary review of the commercial fisheries of the United States and Alaske for 1949 appeared in Commercial Fisheries Review, February 1950, pp. 37-43. Since the publication of that review, additional data, recently made available, have changed some of the figures, In the article here presented, only those sections of the review in which changes occurred are given, Therefore, this article should be read in con- junction with the one that appeared in the February 1950 issue. May 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 43 year. Scrap fish landings in these two States a aKa SIS I c 7 + + anaings ishery ucts in Maine amounted to 57 million pounds (valued at about Be fel Beiel all Lanhneetts Porte! 1949 Compared with 1939 $600,000 to the fishermen). An additional 14 million pounds of scrap fish were landed at Stonington, Connecticut; and Point Judith, Rhode Island. Remarkable developments are re- vealed by comparing 1949 New England fishery products landings with those of a decade ago (see table). Canned Fishery Products: Preliminary data indicate that the 1949 pack of canned fish was somewhat larger than in the previous year. It is probable that the pack amounted to about 850 million pounds, compared with 782 million pounds in the previous year. Production of canned salmon (5,460,000 cases) was about 635,000 cases great— er than in 1948. California's pilchard pack of about 4,000,000 cases was 1,350,000 cases above the previous year's production. The 1949 pack of tuna (7,200,000 cases) was the largest in history. Fish Meal and Oil: Fish meal production in 1949 was estimated at about 225,000 tons——an increase of about 25,000 tons compared with the previous year. Fish and fish—liver oil production was estimated about 18 million gallons— somewhat above the 1948 production of 17.1 million gallons. Principal Fishing Ports: San Pedro, California, continued as the nation's leading fishing port with landings of about 540 million pounds, valued at $26.5 million to the fishermen. Monterey, California, was in second place, with 285 million pounds; followed by Gloucester, Massachusetts, with 251 million pounds. While San Diego, California, (with landings of 210 million pounds) occupied fourth place with respect to the quantity landed, it was first in importance as far as value was concerned ($31 million). Fishermen and Fishing Craft: Current information is not available on the number of fishermen and fishing craft employed in taking fishery products; how-— ever, in 1949 an estimated 9,000 vessels of five net tons and over were operated; and about 165,000 persons were employed as fishermen. Construction of fishing vessels continued at a high levels; however, only 1,002 vessels were documented as fishing craft during 1949, compared with 1,184 vessels in 1948. Foreign Trade: Exports of edible fishery products during 1949 amounted to 149.7 million pounds, compared with 99.8 million pounds during 1948. The in-— crease in exports resulted from large shipments of canned salmon and pilchards to the United Kingdom, and pilchards to the Philippine Islands. Imports of edible fishery products into the United States during 1949 totaled 465.0 million pounds, compared with 472.3 million pounds during 1948. Imports of cod, haddock, hake, pollock, cusk, and rosefish fillets during 1949 amounted to 47.2 million pounds, compared with 53.7 million pounds the previous year. Ld COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, No. 5 United States Fish Oil Exports Largest on Record United States inedible fish oil exports in 1949 were the largest on record, according to the April 10 Foreign Crops and Markets of the U. S. Department of Ag- riculture. Normally a net importer by a sizeable margin, the U. S. exports of 19,300 short tons of fish oil were almost double the quantity imported. European countries took well over two-thirds and North American countries more than one-fifth of the total shipments. United States Inedible Fish Oil Exports,1/ 1949 with Comparisons Country of Average 19492] a9482/ Sevleeicciisle cm dnushOrbNtLOns is scmitiens North America: British West Indies cece ccccccccccvescscsccccs Canada (Incl, Newfoundland & Labrador) ........ Cuba ceccccccccccccsscccccccc ce seccesccesescccs MEXLCO cccccccececccccceccceccccccesceccsccsece Oe reese eae ceoccninaicscae cslciselcieisisieisvoleiciarstel= 9 5 34 2) 9 (453428) 5367/9 GOA NSO ean | a fl ae Pe a] Belgium-Luxembourg CO eee er ee Seesetesertesees teers FIANCE secececccececoccccccccocccsccessscccceces GETEANY le ciacin'ele aciels cleciclale cicie bclsleisieje \sisicleic\aiclecioie Ttaly .cccccccccccccccrccccccccesccecccscoveces Netherlands .....c.c-ccccececcccrccosscsccceres Norway Serer ees eee seer esos eceseSesesesOseses eee Switzerland .. ccccccccccecvecccenscescccsesccce United Kingdom Seer eeesecesesesesesesesessesors Other See eSe SSF osSoSsosSSSTSSTSSSSSESSSESEOoe = 1 ll 13,209 [22 13,460 | 91 | 300 | Totalwcccicciececvclsiswisiscivivielscicissicsclecieciccels Asia: Korea CR eee Meee Se See Se SESE SereOFOsSsSeseSseees Philippines, Republic Ofsra's claislelcieisicicieiciercisielelaleiete Other 2. ccc cc cscs ccccccccccerecccccccocecccce MotalGalctstetlsiclelctats sesroletvislelalctalctelcteteioatctotetale’sicts 1/Sperm and whale oils and edible or medicinal fish oils not included. 2/Preliminary, May 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 45 Wholesale and Retail Prices WHOLESALE PRICES: Prices of edible fishery products at the wholesale level in March this year were almost 1 percent above February, but 11 percent lower than March 1949. The March 1950 wholesale index for all fish and shellfish was 97.7 percent of the 1947 average, compared to 96.8 for February and 109.7 per-— cent for March 1949 (see tables 1 through 7). Compared with February this year, March wholesale prices for fresh and fro- zen drawn, dressed, or whole fin fish increased mainly due to higher prices for fresh-water fish during the Jewish holidays, which occurred during the month. Prices of processed frozen and canned fishery products were only slightly higher, while those for processed fresh fish were slightly lower. The increases in fro- zen processed fish prices were due mainly to higher prices for flounder fillets; and in canned fish, to slightly higher prices for Maine sardines. Among the fresh processed fish, prices of haddock fillets increased while fresh shrimp and shuck— ed oysters declined. EXPLANATION OF REVISION OF WHOLESALE PRICE INDEX FOR FISH: The U. S. Depart— ment of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics has completed a revision of the Meats, Poultry and Fish superours of its Wholesale Price Index with the revision of the Dressed Poultry and Fishl/ components. The results of the revision were first reflected in the final. index for December 1949.4 A detailed explanation of the construction of the new index of wholesale prices of edible fishery products, together with tables of prices and indexes for individual items from January 1948 through March 1950, is given here in order to clarify any questions which may arise in the monthly publication of these data in this publication. Indexes of Wholesale Fish Prices (1926 = 100): The Bureau of Labor Statis— tics' revision of the fish price series included in the Meats, Poultry and Fish subgroup of its Wholesale Price Index has resulted in a number of changes that are equivalent to the introduction of a wholly new list of items. Three series which have become obsolete have been dropped from the Fish index and 17 new series have been added in order to represent current market conditions. Many significant marketing developments over the past decade have been considered dur- ing the course of this revision--changes in production, in methods of handling, and in consumption habits, which are indicated in part by the growth in produc-— tion of frozen fish and by the development of inland markets for salt-water spe- cies. The principal changes from the former index are as follows: 1. Price series for canned red salmon, cured pickled cod, and salt macksrel have been dropped. 2. Price series for drawn, dressed, or whole fin fish; fresh processed fish and shellfish; and frozen processed fish and shellfish have been included for the first time, 3. The number of series for canned fish has been expanded to include additional species, making the price series more representative of all canned fishe roducts. 1/ The revision of the Fish component has been made with the assistance and advice of specialists in the Fish and Wildlife Service. 2/ The wholesale average prices end index of fish and shellfish for February 1950, to- gether with comparative data (published in Commercial Fisheries Review, April 1950, pp. 52-4) was the first complete release of monthly data based on the new revised index, - 16 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, No. 5 Table 1 - Fish and Shellfish Included in Revised Mholesale Price Indexes for Meats, Poultry, and Fish and Relative Isportances in Subgrour and Iten Gro Novexber 1549 Percent Sartea 2 aie or whole fin fish: e Haddock, drawn, large offshore, fresh, per 100-1b. lots, per lb. average p Boston Fish EXChange ccceccccesccvccerecccssccsccssccssscsescsersserssessesssossessesessrssecenses eeeeee Falibut, Yestern, araasadl medium and large, 20-80 lbs., fresh or frozen, per 1b., f.0.b, New York CLEY cece cccncccccccccseseneasseseeneseereessenees Gieléeeceuissitisbie pe cewselslsdiauis'els e King salmon, dressed, large and aediun, fresh or frozen, per lb., f.0.b, New York City Whitefish, drawn (avesedlt mostly Lake Supericr, 50-60 1b. box lots, per 1b., f.0,b, Chicago a » round, mostly Lake Erie pound net, 50-60 1b. box lots, per lb., £10, b. New York City lale trout, native, drawn (dressed) at. 50-60 lt, box lets, r 1lb., f.c.d. Chicego Yellow pike, round, Michigan State tials Michigan and Lake Faro), ce lv, box lots, per 1b., f.0.b. New York City ~ ~ iS S [Bs rrr OW Haddock fillets, Ae Shrizp, headless, large (oe Oysters, shucked, standards, gallon cans cans Frozen processed fish: .e.ccccvecerccccccccveccescsasesccessescsssce .. se ee eee tcerer erences Flounder fillets, yellowtail, sxinless, 10-1». noraae primary shigoers f.o,b. Boston Haddock fillets, small, cello-pacx, 10-lb. package, primary ship.er, per 1b., "2h oube Boston . Rosefish fillets, cello-pack, 10-10, cartons, primary shipper, per 1b., f.o. b Gloucester, ~ 19m nm eKO}COO ND Salaon, aia No, 1 tall can (16 oz.), 48 to case, broker to wholesaler, pricadl per dozen, published per case, f.o,b. Seattle ......... oeeeees see Tuna, light meat, solid pack, No, 4 tum can Gie or SE 48 yy cae neoiars any enatasntent per! case, f,0.b. Los Angeles .....cscccccsces ee cccerccececccecce Sardines, California, tomato pack, No, l oval can (bis oe ae “748° aie case, “broker to. spleneise. per case, f.0.b. Los Angeles ......0.. . Sardines, Maine, oil pack, ro No. By awa can “Gi oz. i, 100° to cxse, Broiaris wae aa number, 4, Wider geographical representation has been obtained for all seg- ments of fisheries products, 5. New price series not heretofore systematically collected have been established to provide additional information on price movements of fisheries products. 6, All important segments of the American fisheries industry are currente- ly represented in the index, 7. Weighting factors used for combining individual price series for fish into indexes for all fish are based on 1947 values of production for all fisheries products, including imports but excluding exports, where- as, formerly weights represented the average of 199 and 1931 quanti- ties produced for sale plus imports for consumption of the particular fisheries products included in the Wholesale Price Index, Values of production of species and products not included in the list of pro- ducts priced for the index have been assigned, for weighting purposes, to the priced items, Many of the price series included in the new index of wholesale fish prices are obtained from the Fishery Products Reports of the Fish and Wildlife Service. Many are collected by the Service especially for use in this index. The index is calculated from a monthly average of one-day-a-week prices. Careful consideration has been given to obtaining proper geographical cover— age through the selection of fish species and products for pricing which are pro- duced in the major-producing areas of the country—-New England, South Atlantic, Gulf, Great Lakes, and Pacific Coast areas. May 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW | Table 2 - Fish Included in Former Wholesale Price Indexes for Meats, Poultry, and Fish and Relative Importance in Subgroup and Item Group November 1949 Relative Importance Code In Sub-] In Item No.l/ Group, Subgroup, and Item Specification prow Group Foods Percent | Percent Meats, Poultry, and Fish COCOFEeSALOFHFOHHOHEHHSLOSOH COLE SOC 29200 Fish: Cor Se OTH SHH LOTTHL OD SETHE DEFESSH SHED SOOT OPTS OOBOTOSSOOOD 62-1 Chaat salmon, pink, No, 1 tall, f.o.b. Seattle ..ecerecece 163-1 Mai\h red, Pur Abe sate WJ 2 Siciate revatoKet: L Cod, cured, pickled, bulk, f.0. i Gloucester, Mass, ....c.0. 166-1 Ree amatelealled lpsciicdilcOOsIbE Mobi wale toby New Yorkie me iL/Bureau of Labor Statistics code number, The new index of wholesale fish prices has been introduced into the compre— hensive wholesale price index at the November 1949 level of the former fish se- ries. No combined wholesale price index for fish has been available in the past and no combined fish index on the base year 1926 = 100 will be available as part of the Wholesale Price Index. Special Indexes of Wholesale Fish Prices (1947 = 100): Regular monthly publication of a special index for fish based on the average for 1947 as 100 was begun with the release of the February 1950 index. Subindexes for dravm, dressed or whole fin fish; fresh processed fish and shellfish; frozen processed fish and shellfish; and canned filshery products; and separate indexes for each of the 18 individual items used in the index also are published. Group and I tem=— Drawn, dressed, or whole fin fish: Haddock, drawn, lge. offshore ... Halibut, Western, dressed sscssseee King salmon, dressed 55 ner eek drawn (dressed) .oeseseee MICOLTd waleieieln(aleleielalsleicisielelelele| sie ser trout, native, drawn (dressed).| 123.2 Yellow pi . wecvee Oysters, shucked, standa Frozen processed fish: Salmon, pink ...c.cccccesececcccccese Tuna, light meat .cocccocsssece eccece Sardines, California, tomato ......6 (op Wel eloe No) OP Ne Sas These special indexes were prepared in response to increasing demands from the fisheries industry, Government agencies, and other groups and persons having need for primary market prices and price indexes for all fish and shellfish and 48 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vols 22 NO am for particular types of fisheries products. They provide, for the first time, a comprehensive coverage of price movements of all the major groups of edible fish- eries products. TS tea 2 ewan Feet atan BSI Recent publications of interest to the commercial fishing industry are listed below. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE PUBLICATIONS THESE. PUBLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE FREE FROM THE DIVISI1ON OF INFORMATION, FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, OEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, WASHINGTON Zo PASS MNAHES 27 PUBLICATIONS ARE DES!|GNATED AS FOLLOWS: 2CFS: CURRENT FISHERY STATISTICS OF THE UNITED STATES AND ALASKA. FL. =’ FISHERY LEAFLETS. MDL - MARKET DEVELOPMENT SECTION LISTS OF DEALERS, LOCKER PLANTS, ASSOCIATIONS, ETC. SEP.- SEPARATES (REPRINTS) FROM COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW. STAT. BUL.- STATISTICAL BULLETINS. Number Title Stat. Bul. 1239 - Canned Fish and Byproducts, 1936, Anmal Summry jeviete Dp. Stat. Bul, 1344 - Cenned Fish and Byproducts, 1938, Annual Summary (Revised), 12 p. CFS-438 (Revised)- Alaska Fisheries, 1947, Anmeal Summary, 6 p. CFS-530 - Maine Landings, Jamary 1950, 4 p. CFS-532 - Fish Meal and Oil, February 1$50, 2p. CFS-535 - Massachusetts Landings, November 1949, 14 p. crs-53 - Massachusetts Landings, December 1949, 14 p. CFS-53 - Frozen Fish Report, April 1950, 10 p. Fishery Motion Pictures (Revised), 5 De FL-292 (Revised) - List of Fishery Cooperative Associations in the U. S, and Alaska, 3 p. FL-3364 - Quarterly Outlook for Marketing Fishery Products, April-June 1950, 45 De FL-363 (Revised) - Egyptian Fisheries, 13 p. FL-368 - The Shrimp Fishery of the Southern United States, 17 p. FL-369 - Exploratory Fishing Expedition to the Northern Bering Sea in June and July, 1949, 57 p. FL-370 - Utilization of Fishery Byproducts in Washington and Oregon, 24 p. MDL-61 - Suggestions for Institutional Purchasers of Fishery Products, 4 p. Commercial Fisheries Review--Index For 1946, 2 p. Sep. 249 - The Japanese Long-Line Fishery for Tunas xX * * KX * Biological Investigations of the Fishery Re- hydroelectric power in the Central Valley and ad- sources of Trinity River, Calif., by James W. jacent areas in California, focused attention on Moffett and Stanford H. Smith, Special Sci- the upper Trinity River drainage. It was apparent entific Report--Fisheries No. 12, 71 p., that diversion of Trinity River water would seri- illus., processed, February 1950. Limited ously affect the fishery resources that are de=- distribution. Demands for additional water pendent upon the upper river, particularly king supplies for irrigation and production of Salmon and steelhead trout. In order to deter= May 1950 mine the magnitude and biological charac- teristics of these resources and to design management plans and procedures for their protection, the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a comprehensive survey and study of the entire problem. Major features of the study involved determina- tion of: (1) The size and composition of fish population. (2) The characteristics of the seaward migration of young salmon and steelhead trout. (3) The extent and utilization of spawning gravels. (4) The physical characteristics of the drainage. (5) Existing biological conditions. (6) Possible means of controlling the fishery and its environmental factors. This report discusses this study in detail. Disposal at Sea on Animal Populations, by Edgar L. Arnold, Jr. and William F. Royce, Special Scientific Report: Fisheries No. 11, 12 p., illus., processed, January 1950. Observations of the Effect of Acid-Iron Waste Drift Bottle Releases Off New Jersey--A Prelim- inary Report on Experiments Begun in 1948, by John R. Webster and Raymond J. Buller, Special Scientific Report: Fisheries No. 10, 21 pe, illus., processed, January 1950, A Survey of the Sports Fishery of the Middle Atlantic Bight in 1948, by Raymond J. Buller and Harlan S. Spear, Special Scientific Report: Fisheries No. 7, 20 p., illus., processed, January 1950. (Distribution of these three reports is limited.) These are three of four reports on a series of investigations conducted by the Woods Hole Ocean- ographic Institution in cooperation with the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and sponsored by the National Researeh Council. These studies have been concerned primarily with the effects of waste dis- posal at sea in the Hudson Canyon region, 11 miles south (170° True) of Ambrose Lightship. Fisheries No. 11 is concerned with observations on the populations of bottom animals before and after the commencement of disposal operations in the area where acid-iron waste is being disposed at sea. While no definite conclusions are given, the authors state that it is clear that even di- rectly beneath the area where the dumping of acid solution has been going on for seven months, there has been no eradication of bottom organisms. It is apparent that, in the area, fish in considerable variety and numbers were to be found. Fisheries No. 10 is concerned with investi- gations on the possible drift of the waste-products. COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Dy) Drift bottles released by the vessels Balanus, Caryn, and Albatross III (the latter a Fish and Wildlife Service research vessel) were used as indicators. These bottles approxi- mate the action of flotsam responsible to pre- vailing ocean currents. A detailed study of these releases and recoveries indicated that: (1) Buoyant substances dumped into the waste disposal area off the New Jersey and New York coasts drift away. (2) The resultant drift prevailing from July through November of 1948 was south to southwest at probably a speed of 2 to 9 miles per day. (3) The direction and speed of trans- port was primarily dependent upon the pre- vailing currents rather than on winds. (4) There was a critical north-south line between 10 and 17 miles off the New Jersey coast--bottles released west of this line reached New Jersey within a few days; bottles released east of this line reached New Jersey only after two weeks, if at all. Fisheries No. 7 describes the value of the sports fisheries off the New York and New Jersey coast as a basis for comparing it with the industries with which it conflicts; pre- sents- data on fishing localities and seasons which can be used to decide means of reducing the area of conflict between the fisheries and the pollutants; and brings together fac- tual data on the abundance of fish in the catch which will supplant the conflicting claims of fishermen. Discusses the charter- boat and party-boat fisheries, describing the boats, numbers,and locations of the boats, fishing methods, species taken, the fishing grounds, and the 1948 seasons and catch. In summarizing the data, the authors state that limited comparisons show: (1) The catch-per-year-trip of tuna during 1948 was not greatly dif- ferent from the catch-per-trip in 1938 and 1941. (2) The 1948 catch-per-trip of scup and sea bass was found to be greater than the catch-per-trip re- corded in 1938. The fourth report, A Preliminary Report on ‘the Acid-Iron Waste Disposal, by Bostwick H. Ketchum and William L. Ford, was issued as a special processed report of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. The 1950 Opening of the Bonnet Carre Spillway - its Effect on Oysters, Special Scientific Report: Fisheries No. 14, 10 p., processed, March 1950. Limited Distribution. This report is divided into two parts. The first part deals with a summary report of the 100 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Mississippi Sound surveys conducted to determine the effects of the Bonnet Carre Spillway opening during February-March 1950. The second part dis- cusses the observations in oyster-producing areas in Louisiana affected by the opening of the Vol. I25"NoceS Bonnet Carre Spillway during February 1950. The latter reports also on conditions at the Spill- way, in Lake Pontchartrain, and in Western Mis- sissippi Sound. THE FOLLOWING SERVICE PUBLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE ONLY FROM T OFFICE MENTIONED IN THE REVIEW. California Fisheries, 1949, 31 p., processed, April 1950. (Available free from the Market News Service, U. S. Fish and Wild- life Service, Post Office Building, San Pedro, Calif.) In addition to a review of California fisheries trends for 1949, this publication contains statistical data by months on California's 1949 landings and products of sardines; receipts and pack of mackerel and jack mackerel; receipts and pack of tuna; freezings and cold storage holdings of fishery products; and livers sold at auction in San Francisco. Also in- cluded are landings of fishery products by species and by months at Eureka, San Pedro— Santa Monica, Newport Beach, and San Diego; and imports of fishery products into Ari- zona and California. andings and Prices of Fishery Products, Boston Fish Pier, “19L9, 20 p., processed, ices 1950. (Available free from the Market News Service, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 10 Commonwea?th Pier, Boston, Mass.) This publication contains a review of the fish marketing trends and conditions in Boston for 1949. It also has detailed data on landings and weighted average prices of the fish and shellfish landed at the Boston Fish Pier during 1949. Statistics are given by months and by species, together with com- parative data for previous years. Receipts of Fresh & Frozen Fishery Products at Chicago-— 1949, 57 pe, P Pe, See April 1950. Available free from the Market News Service, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 200 North HE SPECIFIC Jefferson St., Chicago 6, Ill.) In addi- tion to a review of the receipts of fish- ery products at Chicago and trends for 1949, this publication contains data on arrivals of fishery products at Chicago by species by states and provinces; states and provinces by species; species by months; states and provinces by months; totals by species; totals by states and provinces; and a monthly range of wholesale prices of some of the leading varieties handled on the Chicago Market. Also included is a table giving the names, classifications, and approximate weights of certain fishery products as used in the Chicago Wholesale Market. The data is also tabulated by method of transportation (truck, express and freight). Summary of Alaskan Salmon Escapements, 1949, 3 Pe, “processed, “1950, free. Copies avail— able from the Branch of Alaska Fisheries, Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington 25, D. Ce. This is the first of a series of salmon escapement reports which are planned for distribution annually hereafter to per- sons interested in the Alaskan fisheries. It contains a summarization of Alaskan sal- mon escapements for 1949 based on an analy- sis of reports by 10 agents performing fish- ery management functions and from informa- tion contributed by other Service personnel and cooperators, including representatives of fishermen and operators. One- and two- word adjective descriptions have been applied to the evaluation of District escapements. Tin tit) ame eam may THE FOLLOWING SERVICE PUBLICATIONS ARE FOR SALE AND ARE AVAILABLE ONLY FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS, WASHINGTON 25.,,.D«.\Cr Biology of the Atlantic Mackerel (Scomber scombrus) of North America, P Part + Il-—Mi igra— tions and Habits, its, by Oscar Oscar Elton Sette, Fishery Bulletin 49, pp. 251-358, illus., printed, 1950. (For sale by the Superin- tendent of Documents, Washington 25, D. C., at 25 cents each). This report is one of several resulting from the mackerel investi- gations conducted by the United States Bu- reau of Fisheries (now the Fish and Wildlife Service) from 1925 to 1935. The work involved not only studies of the fluctuations, but also of the many phases of life history and habits of the mackerel. In this report have been collected the facts that pertain to habits and migrations, particularly those that are pertinent to the understanding of changes in abundance. The major conclusions of this —— -" May 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 101 THE FOLLOWING SERVICE PUBLICATIONS ARE FOR SALE AND ARE AVAILABLE ONLY FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS, WASHINGTON Bd Do Co report rest on the size composition of the mackerel population as determined from measurements of individual fish in thou- sands of samples drawn from the commercial catch at the principal ports of landing. During the 10-year period (1926 to 1935), the program was carried out consistently so that data are comparable, and the pres-— ent report is confined to this period, except for the inclusion of certain data from tagging initiated in 1925. The mackerel, Scomber scombrus Linnaeus, in the western Atlantic ranges from Labrador to North Carolina and is caught in com— mercial quantities from the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence to Virginia. Dur- ing the fishing season, it is most abun— dant in the waters’ over the inner third or half of the continental shelf. The smaller and younger sizes are usually closer to the shore line than the adults. The mackerel appears in April near the southerly end of its range and by July extends from southern New England to the Gaspe coast. In Septem— ber it begins to disappear from the northerly regions and by December has left all the usual mackerel fishing grounds. The mackerel has a pronounced schooling habit dependent on vision and hence is subject to variations with the diurnal cycle of light intensity, with luminescence a factor at night, es- pecially in spring and fall. Schooling tends to be according to sizes probably owing to a correlation between size and swimming ability which in turn probably depends on the ratio of volume to surface which in- creases with size of body. During spring, summer, and fall, mackerel are confined to the warm layer of water above the thermocline which lies about 15-20 meters deep inshore to 40-50 meters deep offshore, and variations in availabilty of schools to fishermen is dependent partly on the variable depth of the thermocline, Plankton is the principal food and is so much more abundant during spring and summer that the fat content of mackerel increases rapidly from April to August. The existence of two contingents and the course of their migrations as de- duced from size composition were corrobo- rated in many details by a series of tagging experiments. The first number of this” series of reports (Sette 1939) was on the early life history with special reference to mortality; others will be on age and rate of growth and on fluctuations in abundance. Fishery Statistics of the United States, 1946, by A. W. Anderson and E. A. Power, Statis— tical Digest No. 19, 265 p:, illus., printed, (For sale by the Superintendent of Documents , Washington, D. C., at $1.00 per copy). This is a review of the fishery statistics of the United States and Alaska for the year 1946. It includes data on the quantity and value of the catch of fishery products, employ- ment in the fisheries, quantity of gear operated, the number of fishing craft em- ployed in the capture of fishery products, and certain information on the quantity and value of the production of manufactured fishery products and bypreducts and foreign trade. Detailed data are included by area and by states. Surveys covering the catch of fish and shellfish for the year 1946 were made in all areas except New Hampshire, New Jersey, Delaware, the South Atlantic and Gulf States, and the Mississippi River, and (except for the latter) detailed data by States are included in the report. The publication contains a general review, sec-— tional summaries and statistics by states, supplementary surveys, Hawaiian fisheries data (for the first time), and a review of certain major fisheries (cod, haddock, halibut, mackerel, menhaden, pilchard, rosefish, salmon, and tuna fisheries). An explanation of the statistical survey pro- cedure as well as a glossary of names of fishery products, and illustrations of some 130 species of fish and 24 species of shellfish and other fishery products are also included. Laws and Regulations for Protection of the Commercial Fisheries of Alaska, 1950, Regulatory Announcement 28, 62 p-, printed. (For sale by the Superintendent of Docu- ments, Washington 25, D. C. at 20 cents.) This publication is divided into two sec- tions. One section contains all the regu- lations for ‘the protection of the commer- cial fisheries of Alaska amended to date and which became effective April 8, 1950. The second section contains laws for the protection of the commercial fisheries of Alaska and related information, including the authority for regulation, rules re- garding oyster culture, Bristol Bay resi- dence requirements, regulation of salmon escapement, fishing gear restrictions, ex- ceptions to weekly closed seasons, etc. These regulations supersede the regulations published in Regulatory Announcement 25, as amended,and effective March 28, 1949. Shark Fishing Potentialities of the Philippine Seas, by Herbert E. Warfel and John A. Clague, Research Report 15, 19 p., printed, 1950. (For sale at 15 cents by the Super— intendent of Documents, Washington 25, D.C.). Explorations and investigations to determine the potential value of sharks from the Phil- ippine Seas were carried out by the Philip- pine Fishery Program in 1948. Exploratory fishing was done with long line and gill net in selected localities from Luzon Island to the Sulu ArGhipelago. The bulk of the catch by long line consisted of the tiger shark (Galeocerdo arcticus Fowler). This species was taken under a witle variety of conditions both as to habitat and fishing effort and seems to be widely distributed in the Phil- ippines. No tiger sharks were taken in the few trials made by gill net. The liver of 162 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW G. arcticus proved to be low in vitamin A content but the shark has a moderate poten- tial value if used for food provided the hide, oil, and other byproducts can be mar- keted. Specimens of three other species that were analyzed for vitamin 4 showed some promise but none of the three was encountered in sufficient quantity to warrant the estab- lishment of a large-scale fishery. It is Vol. 12, Now 5 recommended by the authors, however, that a shark fishery be established on a home or commnity basis in order to utilize more fully the available marine resources. This publi- cation describes the regions explored, the gear, operational factors, production re- sults, vitamin A and oil content of livers, and shark byproduct possibilities. MISCELLANEOUS PUBLICATIONS THESE PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT AVAILABLE USUALEY MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE AGENCIES "America's Oldest Industry Faces Crisis (The New England Fishing Industry) ," by Donald J. White, article, Monthly Review, March 1950, vole 32, no. 3, pp. 1-12, illus., printed. Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, Boston, Mass. The outlook for New England's leading fish- ing ports is discussed in this article. It describes the fishing grounds, species pro- duced, and the methods used in catching the fish. The ports of Boston, Gloucester, New Bedford, and Portland are treated individ- ually. In describing the problems of the New England fishing industry, the author discusses the decline in fish population, marketing difficulties, foreign competition, and internal conflict. A constructive pro- gram for the industry is presented and in- cludes cooperation among all groups in the industry, certain suggestions for solving the f¥Sh-scarcity problem, ways of expanding the consumer market, how to meet foreign com- petition, and recommendations for State and Federal aid. Annual Report of the Secretary of the Interior (Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1949), 407 p., printed, indexed, 75 cents. U. S. Depart— ment of the Interior, Washington, D. C. (For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C.) Contains the annual re- ports of the various agencies of the Depart-— ment of the Interior, including the Fish and Wildlife Service. This latter report dis- discusses maintaining the inland fisheries, salmon conservation in the United States, marine fishery research, utilization of fishery resources, administration of Alaska fisheries, cooperation with American Re- publics, rehabilitation of philippine fish- eries, whaling, and river basin development, in addition to various wildlife projects. "The British Columbia Herring Fishery," article, Trade News, March 1950, vol. 2, no 9, pp. 9-11, illus, processed. Department of Fisheries, Ottawa, Canada. Discusses the British Columbia herring fishery, giving data for the 1949-50 season together with comparative information and some of the history of this fishery. FROM THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, BUT ISSUING THEM. Button and Other Mother-of-Pearl Shell Manu- factures: Portugal, World Trade in Com- vol. VII, part 18, sup. no. 5, December 1949, 9 p., processed, 5 cents. U. S. De— partment of Commerce, Washington, D. C. A report on Portugal's button industry whose output depends on the importations of mother-of-pearl shell. In 1948, more than 90 percent of the mother-of-pearl shell imports were from the United States. Dis— cusses production of buttons of mother-of= pearl shell, consumption of buttons, im- ports of buttons and other mother-of- pearl articles, exports of buttons, import duties and regulations, channels of dis— tribution, and prices. Contains a number of tables giving detailed data on some of the above. The Commercial Shrimp Industry of Florida, by Clarence P. Idyll, Educational Series No. 6, 32 p., illus., printed. Marine Laboratory, University of Miami, Florida Board of Con- servation, Coral Gables 34, Florida. Sum- marizes the available data on the shrimp industry of Florida. This publication dis— cusses and describes the different kinds of commercial shrimp, the growth and breeding of shrimp, where and how they are caught, the value of the industry, suggestions for exploratory shrimp fishing, regulation of the shrimp fishery, and what the State of Florida is doing for the shrimp industry. A bibliography is included. Comprehensive rt Schedule, 173 p., printed, 06 in U. S., $7.50 foreign (Price in- cludes "Current Export Bulletins" issued for insertion in basic book). Office of International Trade, U. S. Department of Commerce, Washington 25, D. C., March 30, 1950. (For sale by Superintendent of Docu- ments, Washington, 25 D. C., or by any field office of the U. S. Department of Commerce.) This new edition of the export publication contains: (1) All current export regulations, including the recently-revised destination May 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 103 THESE PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FROM THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, BUT USUALLY MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE AGENCIES controls on commodities. (2) An up-to-date "Positive List," showing all commodities for which a vali- dated export license is required for any destination. (3) Specimen export control forms and other explanatory material designed to aid exporters in applying the regu- lations to individual cases. Published in loose-leaf format to allow for the in- sertion of the "Current Export Bulletins," which will be issued to supplement and revise this book. The Credit Outlook for Latin America in 1950, by Douglas Henderson, 16 p., processed, free. U.S. Department of Commerce, Wash- ington 25, D. C., or its field offices. Discusses the factors important to the credit outlook of Latin America, and analyzes conditions in each of the follow— ing countries: Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Peru, Venezuela, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Paraguay, and Uruguay. May be of interest to exporters of fishery products to Latin America. United States companies and individuals who plan to extend credit to Latin American importers should find generally favorable conditions in most countries of the area, according to the author. The Experiments on the Cornish Pilchard Fishery in 1947-8, by William C. Hodgson, and Ian D. Richardson, Fishery Investi- gations, Series II, vol. XVII, no. 2, 2lp., illus., approx. 30 cents. Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, London, England, 1949. (For sale by His Majesty's Station— ery Office, London, England.) This report describes a three-week investigation in the Cornish pilchard fishery, mainly with the fishery centered around Mevagissey. The aim:of this experiment was primarily to establish whether or not the landings of pilchards could be increased so that the canning factories could receive ade- quate supplies of fish to enable them to supply the local canned fish market, since the imports of canned pilchards from Cali- fornia have been curtailed. The Cornish pilchard fishery is mainly exploited by small vessels using drift nets. It appear— ed that the introduction of the Scottish ring net into the Cornish fishery might bring about an increase in the yield of the fishery. The Ministry's vessels M. V. Onaway and the M. V. Hope and a privately-— owned Scottish ring-netter hired for the experiment, were sent to Mevagissey in November 1947 to carry out the investiga- tion. This puolication describes the ring- net method; the location of pilchards by echo-sounder; the technique of catching pilchards with the ring net; comparisons between the ring-net and drift—net method. ISSUING THEM. Suggestions for introduction of the ring net to Cornwall are offered by the authors. In addition, the report gives some bio- logical observations on the distribution of pilchards, age and length, maturity, etc. In their summary, the authors stated that by day the pilchards were difficult to catch in a ring-net, but at night the concentrations were suitable for this type of gear, The ring net caught a larger pro- portion of the smaller pilchards than the drift net, which is selective in its opera- tion. A sketch and complete specifications of a ring net considered suitable for this fishery are included, "Fish Farming in Israel," article, Fisheries Bulletin, March-April 1950, vol. III, no. 2, pp. 32-3, processed, 30 cents per issue. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Washington, D. C. De— scribes fish farming in Israel, giving carp production 1939 through 1946 and for 1948, area of carp ponds, and experiments being carried on to increase the carp yield and to reduce the expenses of production. The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (Negotiations Beginning September 1950 Under the Trade Agreement Act of 1934 as Amended and Extended), Publication 3819, Commercial Policy Series 126, 92 p., pro- cessed. Department of State, Washington, D. C., April 1950. (For sale by Superin- tendent of Documents, Washington 25, D. Ce at 25 cents each.) This publication con- tains the United States intention to under- take trade-agreement negotiations; notice by the Interdepartmental Committee on Trade Agreements; Tariff Commission notice of tariff and commodity information pertinent to pending trade-agreement negotiations; list of articles imported into the United States which it is proposed should be con—- sidered in trade-agreement negotiations (includes fishery and allied products); and other notices issued by the Committee for Reciprocity Information. Indo-Pacific Fisheries Council Proceedings ist Meeting, 24th-3lst March, 1939, Singapore), 143 p., illus., printed. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Washington, D.C. Divided into four sections—Section 1 deals with a report of the proceedings; Section 2, work- ing papers; Section 3, contributed papers; Section 4, symposium. Included in Section 2 are the following: Programme of Statis-— tical Work; Report of the Fisheries Tech— nology Committee; A Programme of Socio— Economic Research for the Fisheries of South-East Asia; Fish Marketing in Batavia; and recommendations of Technical Committee I and II. Section 3 includes the following contributed papers: Indian Fisheries; Korean Fisheries—Their Present and Future; The Problems of Fish Storage and Refrigera- 104 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, No. 5 THESE PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FROM THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, BUT tion in South East Asia; General Review of Fish and Fish Culture in the Continental Waters of Indo-China and Projected Programme of Work; and An Outline of a Preliminary Survey of the Socio-Economics of the Fish- ing Industry of Hong Kong. Section 4 con- sists of the following symposium papers: A Survey of the Pelagic Fisheries of the World; Methods of Biological Research on Pelagic Fish Resources; and Development of Pelagic Fisheries. eport of the 5th Session of the Conference (Washington, D. C., U.S.A., 21 November- 6 December 1949), 105 p., printed. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Na- tions, Washington, D. C., March 1950. Dis-— cusses the 1949 Conference of FAO. It in- cludes procedure and cognate matters; world review and outlook; technical activities of FAO (including fisheries); technical assis-— tance to underdeveloped areas; constitutional, administrative, and financial questions; officers of the Fifth Session of the Con- ference, together with delegates; and other matters of the Conference. "Philippine Solar Salt Industry," by Wm. S. Hamm and Arthur Avery, article and separate, The Philippine Journal of Science, March 1949, vol. 78, no. 1. Institute of Science, Manila, Philippines, 1949. This article describes the present methods used to pro- duce salt in the Philippines by the solar process and how the locally—produced salt has a deleterious effect on the fish pre- served with it. Then it describes the California process, and the authors recommend that serious consideration should be given to the application of the California method of salt production in the construction of new salts works in the Philippines. Preliminary Annual Report of the Maritime Fish- eries, 1949 (Quebec » No. 91, 29 p., pro— cessed. Fisheries Branch, Bureau of Sta- tistics, Department of Trade and Commerce, Quebec, Quebec. This publication gives data on landings and value of fishery products by species; by districts; catch and utilization of the chief commercial varieties; by species and districts; by species and counties; by species and subdistricts; average fisher- men's prices for the chief commercial vari- eties; and related statistics. Comparative figures for 1947 and 1948 and a textual sum mary are also included. Seventh Report to Congress of the Economic Co— operation Administration (For the Quarter Ended December 31, 1949), 168 p., printed, 40 cents. Economic Cooperation Adminis— tration, Washington, D. C., May 1950. (For sale only by Superintendent of Documents, Washington 25, D. C.) Reports on the activi- ties under the Economic Cooperation Act of 1948 as well as the programs of economic aid to China and to the Republic of Korea for the quarter ended December 31, 1949. Edible fishery products are specifically listed as a group in some of the tables. Small-—Boat Harbors and Shelters, Pacific Coast, Coast of California, Information Pamphlet, 1949, 282 p., illus., printed. Office of the Division Engineer, South Pacific Division, Corps of Engineers, U. S. Army, Oakland Army Base, Oakland, Calif. (For sale by the Corps of Engineers, United States Army, at 31.00 per copy). This book, which contains a com- pilation of data concerning small-craft har—- bors, anchorages, and points of refuge along the coast of California and in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Long Beach and San Diego Bays, was prepared for the information and use of small—boat operators. Small-craft owners and operators often request information concerning harbors suitable for small—craft navigation on the Pacific coast in the State of Calif- ornia. The information sought has generally concerned the location and depths of harbors, protection afforded, sea and weather condi-— tions, services and facilities available, anchorage and restricted area regulations, shore transportation facilities, etc. The purpose of this book is to present as much pertinent small—craft harbor information as practicable, for convenient reference. The area covered is the Pacific coast from the Oregon—California State line to the Mexican boundary, including the shore lines of San Francisco and San Diego Bays, Los Angeles and Long Beach Harbors, the Santa Barbara Islands, and the Offshore Islands. Maps and detailed descriptions of small-craft harbors, ports of refuge, and anchorage areas, as well as data on sea and weather conditions, and Federal improvements, if any, etc., are in- cluded in this publication. An effort has been made to give the latest data on high— ways, railroads, and interurban and bus lines serving the various harbors. Pamphlets simi- lar in scope are being prepared to cover har— bors along the North Pacific-Coast by the Division Engineer, North Pacific Division, Corps of Engineers, U. S. Army, Portland, Oregon. United States Imports of Merchandise for Con- sumption (Commodity by Country of Origin), Calendar Year 1949, Report No. FT 110, 177 p., processed, 60 cents. Bureau of the Census, U. S. Department of Commerce, Washington, D. C., April 1950. (For sale by U. S. De- partment of Commerce at Washington, its field offices, or the Superintendent of Documents, Washington 25, D. C.) This publication con- tains a compilation of all United States im— ports of all commodities (including fishery products) for consumption, including country from which shipped, quantity, and value. World Fisheries Abstracts (A bimonthly review of technical literature on fisheries and related industries), January-February 1950, vol. 1, no. 1, 44 p., printed; Accompanied by Hand— May 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 105 book for World Fisheries Abstracts, 158 p. containing information of importance to fish- Published bimonthly in English, French, and eries throughout the world. Printed in a Spanish. Annual subscription is $4.00; single form suitable for cutting and card-filing the individual abstracts. The cards can be filed according to one of the three filing systems for which they are coded--universal copy 75 cents; handbook supplied with sub- scription but single copies available at 75 cents; specify language edition desired. Food and Agriculture Organization of the decimal classification system, U. De Fish and United Nations, Washington, D. C., 1950. Wildlife Service systen, and subject heading This publication contains abstracts of tech- system. * Detailed descriptions of these nical articles from periodicals and serial classification systems and directions for publications, published laboratory reports, filing of the abstracts are given in the Hand- Government bulletins, and other publications book. —oeee a= CONTENTS, CONTINUED PAGE PAGE FOREIGN (CONTD.): FOREIGN (CONTD.): ICELAND (CONTD.): SOMALILAND PROTECTORATE (CONTD.): UNITED STATES FISHERIES EXPERT TO ADVISE FISH CANNERY ESTABLISHED ....0..-eeueeseee 80 ICELAND'S FISHERIES INDUSTRY ............ 68 SPAIN: fs INDOCHINA (FRENCH): SPANISH SYSTEM OF DRAGNET FISHING BY PAIRS 81 REVIEW OF THE FISHERIES, 1949 ......s.0-+- 69 SPANISH MOROCCO: ITALY: BUSHINGS INDUSTIRY: O49 uerienel tae aiarcresiaire se S4) ITALIAN VESSELS LEAVE FOR NEWFOUNDLAND UNITED KINGDOM: BANKSI shot rer veralatetarets tausteicieis/eratieaturetete c aiators oe 270. NEW TRAWL FLOAT DEVELOPED ...........0.+ » 85 JAPAN: RESEARCH VESSEL INVESTIGATES BEST WATER PRICE AND DISTRIBUTION CONTROLS ON FISH TEMPERATURES FOR FISHING COD ..........+« 85 LPEMED My seit aeiocioie ists ceeiteeaie clea cs wewre (20 INTERNATIONAL: STATUS OF FISH PROCESSING PLANTS .......+. 70 FAO COUNCIL MEETS IN ROME .........0.020++ 86 REPORTED VISIT TO JAPAN OF UNITED STATES POLAND WITHDRAWS FROM THE FAO ........+.++ 86 FINSHERMES GROUP! it: sre,c\sla ca ercfevsiets ere cece soe 17 WORLD PRODUCTION OF MARINE OILS, 1949 .... 87 KENYA PROTECTORATE: FEDERAL GAGTINONScenecerdele sieistolenieltces cmienie aenine 69 DEMAND FOR FISH EXCEEDS SUPPLY .........«. JI FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION: MALAYA (INCLUDING SINGAPORE): PROPOSES TO EXTEND SEAFOOD INSPECTION SER- REVIEW OF THE FISHERIES, 1949 .......-.+0- 72 VICE TO INCLUDE FRESH AND FROZEN SHRIMP 89 COLONY OF MAURITIUS: INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION: VESSEL WITH QUICK-FREEZING FACILITIES TO RAILWAY EXPRESS! CANCELLATION OF SCHEDULES RISHMINIMINDIVANK OCEAN An eleic venciccciccisect a72 INCORPORATING INCREASE IN ICE CHARGES NORWAY: POSTPONED (i:c% |s cjcieisicete tio cccjeieiee nae eee 90 REVIEW OF THE FISHERIES, 1949 ..........4. 74 DEPARTMENT OF STATE: INTEREST IN EXPORTING FROZEN ROSEFISH FOURTH SESSION ON GENERAL AGREEMENT ON FNLUETS aiOs Urn Sisuu INCREASING). t's a chelaevyee 61 077, TARIFFS AND TRADE ENDS AT GENEVA ........ 90 CANNED HERRING-SARDINES DEVELOPED TO COM- INDO=PACIFIC FISHERIES COUNCIL MEETS AND PETE WITH BRISLING-SARDINES ...eseeeeeeee 77 UNITED STATES DELEGATES DESIGNATED ...... 91 GOVERNMENT TO BUILD FISH PROCESSING PLANTS 77 E|GHTY-FIRST CONGRESS (SECOND SESSION): EXPERIMENTS WITH STORAGE SILOS FOR FISH .. 78 APRINERING SO) ieas elsrcscitayste arevetalaeiate ecules tees Oe VACUUM PUMP FOR DISCHARGING HERRING ..72.2+ 78 | GRAPHS! cescccccce cevevececevcceccrecesererese 94 FISHING INDUSTRIES TO RECEIVE ELECTRONICS LANDINGS AND RECEIPTS ..,seececcsevevecesese 94 INFORMATION FROM UNITED STATES ......0.. 79 COLD STORAGE HOLDINGS AND FREEZINGS OF COD FISHERY RESEARCH ...esesesesercrereves 79 FAISHERY, PRODUCTS aide relearn ieee elem en: NORWEGIAN-GREEK TRADE AGREEMENT ....0.0+0+ 79 CANNED FISHERY PRODUCTS ..ccecerovecsecsees 96 PORTUGAL: PRICES, IMPORTS AND BYPRODUCTS ...ceesseeee 97 NEW VESSEL ADDED TO FISHING FLEET ...,..+- 80 | RECENT FISHERY PUBLICATIONS ..csescceeererers 98 SOMALILAND PROTECTORATE: FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE PUBLICATIONS .... 98 STATUS OF THE FISHERIES wesceveveseceveces 80 MISCELLANEOUS PUBLICATIONS ...cecseceseceee!00 Processing -- Miscellaneous Service Division Mlustrator -- Gustaf T. Sundstrom Compositors -- Jean Zalevsky , Betty Cady CIM 9088 01018 Fishery Leaflet 348, German Commercial Electrical Fishing Device, contains the details available to date on the German electrical fish- ing device. The inventor, a German physicist, reasoned that fish could be caught by placing two electrodes into the water and putting a vary- ing positive voltage on one electrode. The positive voltage on this. electrode (the ancde) would cause the fish to point towards it. The varying electric field along the spine of the fish would cause the tail muscles to contract and relax, moving the tail and propelling the fish into a net near the anode. GERMAN COMMERCIAL ELECTRICAL FISHING DEVICE The Bremerhaven e— qualization-fund tax ' (deriyed from taxes im- : posed on the German fish- ing industry) has assign- ed $14,280 to be used to finance research on elec- tro-fishing. This 16-page leaf- let contains a report on the German commer— cial electrical fishing device as well as trans— lations of the following articles concerning elec- trical fishing methods COURSE OF CURRENT |N ELECTROCUTION OF WHALE. which were published in a German periodical: Electric Fishing at Sea?; Use of Electro-Physiological Effects in Ocean Fishing; Experiences with Electric Fishing in Inland Waters; Electrocu- tion of Whales; and On Electrocution of Whales. Free copies of this publication are available upon request from the Division of Information, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washing— ton 25, D. Ce "pa *eseyg Aaya a sel °35 eTddsusoy] °N FIT 6qqTD °H 37°89°u 0S6‘Z - 0S/9 - BMNW mrog STOT “ON 3}ULIeg f SSANISNE AVvIDI440 ae "D "CO ‘SZ NOLONIHSYM SSIAY3SS 33INGT1IM GNYV HSI4 0088 “aDvisod 40 LNSWAVd YOINSLN] SHL JO LNSWLYVdS0 GIOAY O41 3SN BLYAIUd HOs ALIYNAd S3LVLS GSLINN