ch
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MARCH 1953
Vol.15, No.3
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Cc
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United States Department of the Interior
W ashington, D.C.
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE DOUGLAS McKAY, SECRETARY ALBERT M. DAY, DIRECTOR
TT
A review of developments
prepared in the BRANCH OF COMMERCIAL FISHERIES
A. W. Anderson, Editor R. T. Whiteleather, Associate Editor J. Pileggi and J. J. O'Brien, Assistant Editors
Mailed free to members of the fishery and allied industries. Address correspond- ence and requests to the: Director, Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington 25, D. C.
Publication of material from sources outside the Service is not an endorsement. The Service is not responsible for the accuracy of facts, views, or opinions contained in material from outside sources.
Although the contents of this publication have not been copyrighted and may be re- printed freely, reference to the source will be appreciated.
The printing of this publication has been approved by the Director of the Bureau of the Budget, November 5, 1952.
CONTENTS
COVER: THE SERVICE'S EXPLORATORY VESSEL JOHN N. COBB ENGAGED IN SHRIMP FISHING IN GLACIER BAY, ALASKA. (SEE P. 1 OF THIS 1SSUE.)
PAGE SHELLFISH EXPLORATIONS IN CERTAIN SOUTHEASTERN ALASKAN WATERS BY THE JOHN N. COBB,
SPRING 1952, BY EDWARD A. SCHAEFERS ceescrecccccorsecrccrecscesaresoes oeresesesonoserere 1 ALASKA'S SHRIMP INDUSTRY, BY NORMAN Be WIGUTOFF .ceecccoccrereccoerece speescreresccorore 19 FREEZING FISH AT SEA--NEW ENGLAND: PART 6 - CHANGES AND ADDITIONS TO EXPERIMENTAL
EQUIPMENT ON THE TRAWLER DELAWARE, BY C. Gs. P. OLDERSHAW .cccecreccce ceoreecvcrevcecosse 25
-_* * * ©
PAGE PAGE
RESEARCH IN SERVICE LABORATORIES: oseceeee 29] FOREIGN (CONTD.): PROGRESS ON PROJECTS, FEBRUARY 1953 .... 29] BELGIUM:
TECHNICAL NOTE NO. 25=-AMINO-ACID FISHING FLEET, 1951 sseoccevec-ecereee 42 CONTENT OF SALMON ROE .ccecesccccvercee 31 CANADA: TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS: cecescscccececccese 39 FISH FROZEN AT SEA TESTED FOR TASTE . 43 ADDITIONS TO THE FLEET OF U. S. FISHING UNDERWATER TELEVISION TESTED OFF VESSELSiretevaiererieveloloicleicichalcheleveielelelelsieletereterere aS NTIS MeOuWNMEMN\ Gonaoopsccaonoooos, 45) FEDERAL ?URCHASES OF FISHERY PRODUCTS .. 35 MARINE-OlL. PRODUGTIION: 11952) Socket METAL CANS--SHIPMENTS FOR FISHERY PROD- DENMARK: 3 UCTS, 1951-52 eco rerececasesecesesesocs SO REVIEW OF THE FISHERIES, 1951 seoseee 46 MICHIGAN'S GREAT LAKES CATCH OF LARGER HUNGARY: SPECIES DEGIEIINIING me stetereislotetcicieiolelclolelelate sheet FRESH-WATER ELECTRICAL FISHING NEW BOTTOM-FISHING AREA DISCOVERED OFF EXPERIMENT Smiciefeleisielereieleiclelsleleletsielelenctohtenim SO CALIEORNIWAG COAST ierercleleicietelsieleleisvelceleicleicieieloniSO) | CELAND: NORTH PACIFIC EXPLORATORY FISHERY FISHERIES OUTLOOK FOR 1953 .ccosesere 90 PROGRAM: PLAN TO INCREASE FISHERY PRODUCTS JOHN N. COBB TO EXPLORE COMMERCIAL EROS So5055555000 00000G0000000000 BI SHELLFISH RESOURCES |1N SOUTHEASTERN U. S. ARMY VETERINARIAN VISITS FREEZ- AWASKA: (CRUISE NOMS) tleteleicle eieleleisieleten S17 IINGWRUANTIS! ec slo clei ele cloveislsisieieleleleleleisisie mmol PACIFIC OCEANIC FISHERY |NVESTIGAT1IONS: MOTORBOAT=FISHING-FLEET LABOR DISPUTE 51 CHARLES H. GILBERT FINDS MANY SMALL RENEWAL OF MOTORBOAT CURRENCY SCHOOLS OF TUNA WEST OF HAWAII (CRUISE AGREEMENT pitelercteleielete) clelelele) olalorslelefoleloletstere mn OS NO 2027) tae aeinreaisvalerarvtesaceieaso nN eieheraicioleie clerau no INDIA: HUGH M. SMITH (CRUISE NO.19) AND SAMPAN FISHERIES TO RECEIVE AID FROM NORWAY 52 TRADEWIND FISH TUNA IN LINE ISLAND IRAN: AREA tr orepocecerececorerorsevccscecre 38 GOVERNMENT TAKES CONTROL OF IRANI AN- PENNSYLVANIA S COMMERCIAL FISH CATCH IN SOVIET JOINT FISHERY COMPANY .ecceee 02 LAKE ERIE, 1952 .cccccorecccsroecescese 38 JAPANS SHRIMP PRODUCT!ON FOR SOUTH ATLANTIC AND CANNED AND FROZEN TUNA EXPORT QUOTA GULF STATES, 1952 .sccccscerscescrerece 39 TO UNITED STATES INCREASED weereoese 53 SHRIMP VESSEL OPERATORS ADVISED BY TEXAS FISHERIES PRODUCTION OUTLOOK THROUGH BANKS OF POSSIBLE LOAN ACTION eecocscee 40 tec Loy Aenean eI Goo) SS WHOLESALE AND RETAIL PRICES: WHALE=CATCHER BOAT LOCATES GOOD TUNA WHOLESALE PRICES, JANUARY 1953 cseceoee 40 GROUNDS IN CORAL SEA csoeceecececers 04 ROREMIGN Silva cheteleisvetel leteletelsteleveleleletelelelaloiel sievoiers/eremanc 1 WHALE O|L SOLD TO WEST GERMANY .eeoee 995 INTERNAT! ONAL: FISHING VESSELS LAND AT HONG KONG 2.2 99 NORTHWEST ATLANTIC FISHERIES COMMISS1ON: FISHING RESTRICTIONS OFF KOREA CAUSE FRANCE LAST OF SIGNATORIES TO RATIFY GONGERN ives ei ean RI eee {CONVENTION 2 sjolefeicie'sielsiolsieieieleleleielelelelslererien u4> JAPANESE-KOREAN DISPUTE OVER FISHING ECUADOR-PERU-CHILE FISHERIES CONFERENCE AREAS OBRPGKORE AW cue cisielaisieicicielcieisieisreioreno RPUANNEDitoretsielevotelelsielehetelelclelelelelela(olelerelatelsievonrn ne PEARL-SHELL FISHING PLANNED IN THE
ARAFURA SEA .wosceecoeecccerercecsces O/
CONTENTS CONTINUED ON PAGE 83
= B-FEGSEZE== = March 1953 Washington 25, D.C. Vol.15,No.3
SHELLFISH EXPLORATIONS IN CERTAIN SOUTHEASTERN ALASKAN WATERS BY THE JOHN N. COBB, SPRING 1952
By Edward A. Schaefers* TABLE OF CONTENTS
SUMMARY .sserecorcccescercrrsercccrsccssscresesoreres PORT ALTHORP wosevescesserecoroseseressrerovessrece 1 INTRODUCTION .eereeececsrerercserescvcccscccrrororeres TENAKEE INLET, PERIL STRAIT, AND SITKA SOUND AREAS 1 GEAR .cesscerssescvcoce anes KELP BAY AND TEBENKOF BAY AREAS wecsceerececessccce 11 RESULTS OF GEAR TESTS . AFFLECK CANAL AREA wcvocececcccccess oe esoee 11 FISHING RESULTS .e.eeee eee DAVIDSON INLET AND SEA OTTER SOUND .
GLACIER BAY AREA c.eveceroresesccsseresccosescosses POINT BAKER AREA OF SUMNER STRAIT
LISIANSKI INLET AND LISIANSKI STRAIT wrccceevaveree 9 MISCELLANEOUS CATCHES
SUMMARY
The fourth in a series of shellfish explorations in southeastern Alaska was made during the late winter and the early spring of 1952. Fishing operations were carried out between March 8 and April 28. A 20-foot beam trawl and various types of shrimp traps were used throughout this exploration.
Of the areas explored, the best shrimp catches were made in Glacier Bay. Shrimp were taken in good quantities in most of the localities dragged and results indicate this region would support a commercial shrimp fishery. The best catches, up to 330 pounds per one-hour drag, were taken between South Marble Island and the entrance of Muir Inlet. Other localities in Glacier Bay where catches exceeded 225 pounds per one-hour drag included Geikie Inlet, Queen Inlet, between Geikie and Hugh Miller Inlets, and Muir Inlet. The bottom in Glacier Bay was found tobe generally free of obstructions; however, some difficulty was experienced from "mudding down" in certain inlets. Although numerous icebergs were encountered in certain parts of Glacier Bay, they at no time curtailed the fishing activities of the John N. Cobb.
Fair catches of shrimp were also taken in Affleck Canal and Port Althorp. Best catches in these areas were 142 and 172 pounds per one-hour drag, respectively. Other regions explored yielded only small amounts of shrimp. Trap sets resulted in poor catches of shrimp throughout the exploration,
INTRODUCTION
Since the spring of 1950, the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service's exploratory fishing vessel John N. Cobb has been engaged in a series of investigations to ex- plore the shellfish potentialities of certain southeastern Alaskan waters. The fourth exploration in this series was carried out during March and April 1952. The main objective was to investigate the shrimp resources in areas which had not been commercially fished for shrimp.
3EFISHERY METHODS AND EQUIPMENT SPECIALIST. FISHERY METHODS AND EQUIPMENT SPECIALIST, EXPLORATORY FISHING AND GEAR DEVELOPMENT SECTION, BRANCH OF COMMERCIAL FISHERIES, U. S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.
2 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 15, No. 3
GLACIER BAY——
C. SPENCER PORT ALTHORP———
LISIANSKI STRAIT 7
TENAKEE INLET
PERIL STRAIT KELP BAY. SITKA SOUND
ae)
KEKU STRAIT- THBENKOF BAY % 3 IT
SUMNER STRA
iy. (@) = Coal ae (@)
DAVIDSON INLET
Oo Ca SEA OTTER SOUND Yy L
Dix | sie) Entrane®
Cc. KNOX
FIG. 1 - SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA. SHADED AREAS WERE EXPLORED FOR SHELLFISH IN MARCH AND APRIL 1952.
March 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 3
The vessel left Seattle on March 3 and returned on May 3. Fishing operations were conducted from March 8 to April 28. Areas explored for the first time bythe John N. Cobb included Lisianski Inlet, Lisianski Strait, Port Althorp, Glacier Bay, Kelp Bay, Tebenkof Bay, Affleck Canal, Davidson Inlet, Sea Otter Sound, and the Point Baker area of Sumner Strait. In addition, further work and testing of shrimp traps was carried on in certain areas previously explored by the John N. Cobb (Schaefers 1951, Ellson and Livingstone 1952). These areas were Peril Strait, Tenakee Inlet, Sitka Sound, and Keku Strait (fig. 1).
During the trip 96 drags were made with a beam trawl, and 365 individual shrimp traps were set. The locations of drags and trap sets are shown in figures 7, 9, 12, and 15. Detailed information on the size, quantity, and commercial var-
Table 1 - Shrimp Trap Catches By John N. Cobb, Tenakee Inlet, omparison of Fall 1950 with Spring 1952
C g Year Traps Setjin Fathoms |Hours Out Spot i Size+/ Lbs.|Size 6 15-17 39 8 260 amas 1952 7 17-38 2 10 2 47 belt [ote [aE Pe 1952 Gnu 20-36 28 at 64 ry = ing 1952 6 16-32 28 S 15)2 Saltery Ba 1952 all 19-4), 20 56 Ok
1/NUMBER OF WHOLE SHRIMP PER POUND. 2/NUMBER OF SHRIMP CAUGHT INSTEAD OF WEIGHT_IN_ POUNDS.
ieties of shrimp taken in each drag is presented in table 2. Data concerning shrimp trap sets are given in tables 1 and 3.
GEAR
All drags were made with a 20-foot beam trawl. The net was constructed with 36-thread 13-inch stretched-mesh cotton webbing, 150 meshes deep (for detailed specifications of the beam trawl : see Ellson and Livingstone 1952). The beam was a hemlock pole ap- proximately 8 inches in diameter and cut down to 6 inches at each end to allow for attachment of the "D" frames. In areas where hemlock poles werenot available, a 6 x 6-inch milled fir beam was used.
Four types of shrimp traps were fished experimentally: two- and four-tunnel non-collapsible iron traps, four-tunnel collap- sible iron traps, and two-tunnel non-collapsible wooden traps. oe <7 ee
FIG. 2 - FOUR-TUNNEL NON-COLLAPSIBLE-TYPE SHRIMP TRAP.
The four-tunnel non-collap-— sible trap (fig. 2) was also fished during the John N. Cobb's 1950 shellfish explor- ations and was described by Schaefers (1951).
rn COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 15, No. 3
The four-tunnel collapsible 1se19 was cubic in shape with sides 24 inches square (fig. 3). The top frame was 3 x li-inch galvanized iron; the bottom frame 3x l-inch galvanized iron; and the four vertical supports were 5/8-inch-diameter
— <9 eeeureeueeee galvanized iron rods. Holeswere cosas npimaeamcaensenicene tits) drilled through each corner of the top and bottom frame for in- sertion of the rods. Hexagonal nuts at the ends of each rod se- cured them to the top and bottom frame (fig. 4). The trap could
be collapsed by removing the outside nuts and the vertical rods. The lid frame was 3/8- inch-diameter galvanized iron. Three holes were drilled in one side of the top frame and a 14- gauge wire was passed through
Hie 3 THREE TYPES OF SHRIMP TRAPS USED D GT _phese poles and wound et eee wSi= URING THIS F EXPLORATION. A - TWO-TUNNEL NON-COLLAPSIBLE TRAP. side of the lid frame to form
B - FOUR-TUNNEL COLLAPSIBLE TRAP. C - TWO-TUNNEL hinges. The lid was secured on
NON-COLLAPSIBLE WOODEN TRAP. the other side with twine. The tunnel entrances were formed by 3-inch-diameter galvanized iron rings, located in the center of each vertical side. The tunnel indentations were formed by cross- tying the opposing rings with seine twine. This procedure was also used in the other types of traps. The frame and the tunnels were covered with 15-thread 14- inch stretched-mesh cotton netting.
The two-tunnel non-collapsible trap (fig. 5) was rectangular in shape, 24 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 16 inches high. The top frame was } x l-inch galvanized iron, and the bottom frame 3/8 x l-inch galvanized iron. Four 3-inch-diameter q
galvanized iron rods, welded at each end to ES the corners of the top and bottom frame, SA formedthe sides of the frame. The lid frame SAR was constructedof the same material and op- Ss 4 eel erated inthe samemanner as thatof the four- tunnel collapsible trap. Thetunnel entrances a were formed by 3-inch-diameter galvanized ats iron rings locatedin the center of each end. i The frame and the tunnels were covered with Wy 15-thread 14-inch stretched-mesh cotton net- AA ting. oH The woodentrap was rectangular in shape, A 24 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 13 inches 4 high. The sides and bottom were covered with Ws A strips of lath, spaced 3/8-inch apart and W | nailed to 1-5/8 x 1-5/8-inchend frames. The Bil | lid was also made of lath nailed to # x 13 ant inch fir boardslocated near each end of the ESS trap. Strips of leatherwere used as hinges <S for the lid. The tunnelentrances were formed <S by 3-inch-diameter galvanized iron rings, SW
located in the center of each end. The tun- nels were covered with 15-thread l#-inch Fic. 4 - PORTION OF FOUR-TUNNEL COLLAPSIBLE
stretched-mesh cotton webbing. SHRIMP TRAP SHOWING METHOD OF SECURING VERT! CAL ROD TO THE TOP AND BOTTOM FRAME.
March 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 5
Frozen herring was used as bait in all trap sets. The herring was cut into pieces, placed in a net bait bag, and suspended from the tunnel crossties. Amotor launch was frequently used simultaneously with the John N. Cobb in setting and hauling shrimp traps. The launch had a capstan operated by means ofa power take-off fromthe launch's ~— engine (fig. 8). In areas inac- cessible to the John N. Cobb, the traps were set and hauled exclu- sively by the launch.
RESULTS OF GEAR TESTS
To obtaina comparisonof the effectiveness of the four types of shrimp traps used, two sets were made in Keku Strait (fig. 7) where spot (Pandalus bie vfeares s) B and coon-stripe (Pandalus hypsino- | tus) shrimp are fished commercial- |@
ly. FIG. 5 - TWO-TUNNEL NON-COLLAPS!IBLE SHRIMP TRAP WITH TOP OPEN AND BAIT IN PLACE.
Eight traps, two of each type, were fished off Pup Island and the same number were fished near the Keku Islands. In each location the traps were set at the same depths and as close to each other as practicable, All traps caught shrimp but no significant difference in amount was noted. The set off Pup Island caught 23 pounds of coon-stripe shrimp and a trace of spot and pink shrimp, while that off the Keku Islands produced 183 pounds of spot and 2pounds of coon-stripe. Results of trap sets during the rest of the trip were gen- erally poor. The four- tunnel collapsible-type iron trap suffered less damage to the frames than the other types because of its heavy construction.
FISHING RESULTS
a ; o re | FIG. 6 - HAULING A SHRIMP TRAP ABOARD THE JOHN N. COBB. The findings reported in this paper apply to the period March 8 to April28, 1952. Since the gear used during this period was a 20-foot beamtrawl, the catches are smaller than probable with a commercial-size trawl, which normally has a 40- or 50-foot beam. By far the best catches of shrimp were made in Glacier Bay.
GLACIER BAY AREA
Glacier Bay is 56 miles long and varies from 2 to 9 miles in width. It has numerous inlets or arms, most of which were fished by the John N. Cobb. Of the 49 drags made in Glacier Bay (fig. 10), 48 were made north of Strawberry Island.
COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 15, No. 3
PT. MACARTNEY
PT. COSMOS
PT. AMELIUS
°
PT. CROWLEY
SHIPLEY BAY PT. HOWARD
aovssvd N wilava 14
CAPE DECISION
0
A SPANISH
ISLANDS CAPE POLE
WARREN |.
Fp a —
2 aes aettens,
of perce HA) ie
SEA OTTER SOUND
LEGEND HELM PT-
IPHIGENIA BEAM TRAWL DRAG——= SHRIMP TRAP—————8
_Jso HECETA |
FIG. 7 - LOCATION OF SHRIMP-TRAP SETS IN KEKU STRAIT, SEA OTTER SOUND, AND SUMNER STRAIT; °BEAM-
TRAWL DRAGS IN AFFLECK CANAL AND BEAM-TRAWL DRAGS AND SHRIMP-TRAP SETS IN TEBENKOF BAY AND DAVIDSON INLET.
March 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 4)
The extensive area and the wide distribution of drags which produced good catches indicate that Glacier Bay would support a commercial shrimp fishery. Catches of shrimp inexcess of 225 pounds per hourL were taken in Geikie Inlet, Queen Inlet, and Muir Inlet; between Geikie Inlet and Hugh Miller Inlet; and between South Marble and Sebree Islands. With the exceptionof rocky bottom in the Drake Island and Willoughby Island areas, the bottomdragged was predomi- nately mud and adaptable for beam trawling. However, difficulty was experienced from "mudding down" in some localities. A strong tidal condition exists from Willoughby Is- land to the entrance, and the bottom is un- favorable for dragging.
Although icebergs were quite numerous in Glacier Bay, they did not curtail fishery operations. Ice covered the head of Geikie Inlet, the narrow southeast arm of Charpen- tier Inlet, and the upper reaches of Muir and Adams Inlets. Navigationof Glacier Bay should be undertaken with extreme caution as it hasnot been completely surveyed above the line from Francis Island to the western entrance point of Muir Inlet. There are no navigational aids within the Bay, and no large-scale chart of the area is available.
Good catches were madein all drags in ra - Geikie Inlet. Drags near the entrance of Fig. 8 - HAULING ARRANGEMENTS ON THE MOTOR the inlet encountered snags, but thosemade LAUNCH . approximately halfway between the entrance and the head encountered no difficulty and averaged 261 pounds of shrimp per hour. The catch consisted of 89 percent pink (Pandalus Seeeenlt)2/ and 11 percent coon-stripe.3/ Drags between Geikie Inlet and Hugh Miller Inlet averaged 267 pounds per hour (66 percent pink and 34 percent side-stripe, Pandalopsis dispar). The bottom dragged was generally favorable. Suitable dragging grounds were not located in Hugh Miller Inlet.
The drags made in Queen Inlet averaged 167 pounds of mixed pink and side-stripe shrimp per hour. A soft mud bottom caused the first drag to mud down after 8 min- utes towing time. In an attempt to prevent this condition in future drags, the chain was removed from the "D" frames and the sweep rope was wrapped with 3-inch- circumference manila line. After this, drags No. 33 to 35 were towed 30 minutes and less mud was encountered in the net. Mud picked up by the trawl was removed by towing the gear behind the vessel before bringing the catch on board.
Considerable difficulty from soft mud was also experienced in Rendu Inlet. Drag No. 36 caught 70 pounds of pink shrimp in 10 minutes before mudding down. When the net was taken aboard, a foul smell was detected and an estimated 5 per-
cent of the shrimp were dead. Only a trace of pink and side-stripe shrimp (nearly
1/CATCH RESULTS HAVE BEEN CONVERTED TO A RATE-PER-HOUR BASIS TO PERMIT READY CATCH COMPARISON AS SOME VARIATION OCCURRED IN THE DURATION OF INDIVIDUAL DRAGS. SEE TABLE 2 FOR DETAILS OF ALL DRAGS.
2/SPECIES WHICH APPEARED IN INSIGNIFICANT QUANTITIES HAVE BEEN |NCLUDED AS PINK SHRIMP IN THE DISCYSSION, AND FISHING LOG. THESE SPECIES WERE PANDALUS MONTAGUITRIDENS, PANDALUS JORDANI, AND HUMPY SHRIMP (PANDALUS GONIURUS).
3/FOR COMPLETE DETAILS CF NUMBER OF WHOLE SHRIMP PER POUND BY SPECIES FOR ALL DRAGS SEE TABLE 2
COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Wonks IB5 Weg 3}
e LONE I.
+43) LN3d¥Vv HD
i
* GEIKIE RK.
STRAWBERRY |. BEARDSLEE He bie _ 1SLANDS awl LEGEND BEAM TRAWL DRAG
SHRIMP TRAP
FIG. 9! =
LOCATION OF BEAM- TRAWL DRAGS AND SHRI MP-
TRAP SETS IN GLACIER BAY.
POLYCONIC PROJECTION
136°/00 REF:U.S.C.8G.5 228306
March 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 9
all of which were dead) were caught by drags No. 40 in Rendu Inlet and No. 43 in Muir Inlet. Other locations in both of these inlets produced catches of live
shrimp of good quality, with two drags (No. 45 and 47) in Muir Inlet averaging 216 pounds of shrimp per hour (41 percent pink and 59 percent side-stripe).
The region from Bear- track Coveto the entrance of Muir Inlet proved to be oneof thebest regions ex- : plored inGlacier Bay. This a areawas predominately gray mud bottom, for the most partfree of obstructions, and suitable for drags of several hours duration. With the exception of six drags, catches were rela- tively freeof miscellane- 514 10 - TowiNG THE SEAM TRAWL BEHIND THE JOHN N. COBB TO ous invertebrates, scrap = wasH MUD FROM THE NET. fish, and debris. Two of the best drags in this area (No. 54 and 60) averaged 313 pounds of shrimp perhour (61 percent pink and 39 percent side-stripe). Six drags made from South Marble Island to Sturgess Island in 80 to 96 fathoms averaged 207 pounds of shrimp per hour (50 percent pink and 50 percent side-stripe).
Shrimp traps set in Hugh Miller Inlet, Adams Inlet, and the Hutchins Bay area produced small quantities of coon-stripe shrimp.
LISIANSKI INLET AND LISIANSKI STRAIT
Catches in Lisianski Inlet (fig. 12) were poor with suitable dragging bottom limited mainly to mid-channel locations from Soloma Point to the vicin- ity of Miner Island. The best catch, made near Pel- ican City produced 70 pounds of mixed pink and side- stripe shrimp per hour. The head of Lisianski In- let was covered with ice.
Negligible quantities of shrimp were taken in Stag Bay and Lisianski | Strait proper. A total of | 118 shrimp traps set in the Lisianski Inlet and
FIG. 11 - A CLEAN CATCH OF SHRIMP FROM GLACIER BAY ON THE peck the Lisianski Strait area OF THE JOHN N. COBB. yielded poor catches.
10
COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW
CHICHAGOF 1
OMITE |
YAKOBI
ISLAND
AB BAYH ae
REF USC.BGS 338202
CHICHAGO
LEGEND
BEAM TRAWL DRAG——
SHRIMP TRAP 1
{st
CONTINUATION OF LISIANSKI
INLET
FIG. 12 - LOCATION OF BEAM-TRAWL DRAGS AND SHRIMP-TRAP SETS IN LIS!ANSKI INLET, LISIANSKI STRAIT, PORT ALTHORP, AND TENAKEE
_INLET.
1367]15
REF USC AG S2B260 10
March 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW ia.
PORT ALTHORP
Suitable dragging bottom in Port Althorp (fig. 12) was located in a small area off Point Lucan to the opposite shore of Chichagof Island and in shallow wa- ter near the head of the inlet. Only two drags produced a fair showing of shrimp (drags No. 15 and 16). Shrimp traps set in the area caught only a fewpink shrimp.
TENAKEE INLET, PERIL STRAIT, AND SITKA SOUND AREAS
Some areas which had been explored by the John N. Cobb in the fall of 1950 (Schaefers 1951) were again fished during this cruise. These were Tenakee Inlet (fig. 12) and portions of Peril Straitand Sitka Sound (fig. 15).
Drags in Tenakee Inlet and Fish
- Bay (Peril Strait) made inapprox- ~
imately thesame locationsas drags |
in 1950, yielded generally smaller & catches than thoseof the previous survey. However, drag No. 74 in Tenakee Inlet produced 110 pounds of coon-stripe shrimp, which was several pounds greater than the best catch made in Tenakee Inlet in 1950. Catches from Deadman Reach (Peril Strait) and Silver Bay (Sitka Sound) were negligible, which correspond with the 1950 results.
‘FIG. 13 - A SMALL |CEBERG IN GLACIER BAY, ALASKA.
Results of trap sets in the same localities of Tenakee Inlet as in 1950 yielded smaller catches than those of the previous cruise (table 1).
KELP BAY AND TEBENKOF BAY AREAS
Suitable dragging bottom was limited in Kelp Bay (fig. 15) and Tebenkof Bay (fig. 7). Drags and trap sets in these regions caught few shrimp.
AFFLECK CANAL AREA
Fishing was carried on in Affleck Canal (fig.7) from near the head of the canal to the entrance. The bottom was predominately green mud, and no gear was damaged in this area. Catches varied from 64 to 142pounds per hour. Three drags at depths of 74 to 96 fathoms averaged 80 pounds of pre- dominately side-stripe shrimp and one drag in 40 to 60 fathoms produced 142 pounds of predominately pink shrimp. Most of the drags contained large quan- tities of bottom debris and FIG. 14 - SHRIMP TRAPS ON THE DECK OF THE JOHN N. COBB. miscellaneous trash fish.
12 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 15, No. 3
PERIL STRAIT
CHICHAGOF
BARAN OF
SULOIA BAY
BARAN OF
REF: USC &GS#8252
KRU ZOF
BARANOF [.
LEGEND
BEAM TRAWL DRAG— —— SHRIMP TRAP——\——®@
be
FIG. 15 - LOCATION OF BEAM-TRAWL DRAGS IN PERIL STRAIT AND KELP BAY, SHRIMP-TRAP SETS IN THE SITKA SOUND AREA.
135° lo
AND BEAM-TRAWL DRAGS AND
SSeS = ene SS ee Ee en a rn ee QO)
Mard&h 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 13
DAVIDSON INLET AND SEA OTTER SOUND
Because of the limited amount of dragging bottom in Davidson Inlet (fig. 7), only two drags were made, both of which produced insignificant quantities of shrimp.
FIG. 16 - HOISTING THE BEAM TRAWL ABOARD FIG. 17 - A GOOD CATCH OF SHRIMP IN THE NET THE JOHN N. COBB. BEING LOWERED TO THE DECK OF THE JOHN N. COBB.
No suitable dragging bottom was located off Heceta Island in Sea Otter Sound, and the remainder of the area was not explored. Shrimp traps set in Davidson Inlet and Sea Otter Sound had negligible results.
POINT BAKER AREA OF SUMNER STRAIT
Of the 19 shrimp traps set in the Foint Baker area (fig. Dp 11 were lost. The traps were set at depths of 24 to 80 fathoms near the edges of relatively steep slopes, and those lost evidently were carried away by the swift current pre- vailing in the area. The eight traps recovered yielded a total of 25 pounds of spot shrimp.
MISCELLANEOUS CATCHES
Marine life commonly found in beam-trawl catches included the arrow-toothed flounder (Atheresthes stomias), eel pouts (Zoarcidae), flathead "sole" (Hippoglos- soides elassodon), sculpins (Cottidae), sea poachers (Agonidae), and rockfish (Scorpaenidae). Small whiting (Theragra chalcogramma) were common in most areas, and tanner crab (Chionoecetes bairdii) were encountered frequently in Glacier Bay. No commercial quantities of food fish were taken.
LITERATURE CITED
ANONYMOUS COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW, VOL. 14, NO. 4 1943. UNITED STATES COAST PILOT, ALASKA, PART 1, DIXON_ (APRIL 1952),PP.1-20. (ALSO SEPARATE NO. 311) ENTRANCE TO YAKUTAT BAY, NINTH (1943) EDITION. UNITED STATES COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY. SCHAEFERS, EDWARD A. 1951. THE JOHN N. COBB'S SHELLFISH EXPLORATIONS IN ELLSON, J. G. AND LIVINGSTONE, JR., ROBERT CERTAIN SOUTHEASTERN ALASKAN WATERS, SPRING 1952. THE JOHN N. COBB'S SHELLFISH EXPLORATIONS IN CER- AND FALL OF 1950 (A PRELIMINARY REPORT). TAIN SOUTHEASTERN ALASKAN WATERS, SPRING 1951. COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW, VOL. 13, NO. 4
(APRIL 1951),PP.9-19. (ALSO SEPARATE NO.278)
FOOTNOTES FOR TABLE 2
"TRACE" - LESS THAN ONE POUND OF SHRIMP. SYMBOLS FOR TYPES OF BOTTOM 1/COURSES AND POSITIONS GIVEN WERE RECORDED AT THE BEGINNING| BLDS. - BOULDERS GY. M. - GRAY MUD S. - SAND OF EACH DRAG. COURSES WERE OFTEN VARIED BECAUSE OF CHANG BK. M. - BLACK MUD | GN. M. - GREEN MUD SH. - SHELLS ING BOTTOM CONDITIONS. BR. M. - BROWN MUD | G, - GRAVEL ST. - STONES BU. M. - BLUE MUD RKY. - ROCKY
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March 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 19
ALASKA'S SHRIMP INDUSTRY
By Norman B. Wigutoff* INTRODUCTION
One of the oldest operating fishery industries in Alaska is the shrimp fish- ery. Started in the vicinity of Petersburg, Alaska, in 1915, it has continued to be one of the most important "off-season" fisheries in the Territory. The primary and most important fisheries of Alaska--salmon and halibut--are of extremely short duration and occur in the summer months. But the shrimp fishery could be ex- ploitedon a year-round basis ex- cept for a short closed season (established by Federal regula- tions) in certain areasof South- eastern Alaska from February 15 through April 30.
SPECIES OF SHRIMP
Although numerous species of shrimp from Alaska have been identified (Hynes 1930), these | five are of major importance in PETERSBURG the commercial shrimp fishery: JS
es x
WRANGELL .2=
1. Pink, Pandalus borealis.
2. Side-stripe, Pandalopsis dispar.
3. Humpy, Pandalus goniurus
4. Spot or prawn, Pandalus platyceros.
De Coon-stripe, Pandalus FIG. 1 - SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA. PETERSBURG AND WRANGELL hypsinotus. HAVE BEEN THE CENTER OF THE ALASKA SHRIMP FISHERY FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS.
Of these, the first three make up from 85 to 95 percent of the commercial catch divided almost equally among them. The sizes of the pink and humpy vary from about 60 to 150 whole shrimp per pound. Side-stripe range from 20 to 75 whole shrimp per pound. The spot or prawn are the largest, averaging 8 tol0 whole shrimp per pound. Coon-stripe run about 30 to 50 whole shrimp per pound.
CATCH AND FISHING AREAS
The average annual shrimp catch for 1940 through 1945 was around 900,000 pounds, From 1946 through 1951 Alaska shrimp fishermen made an average annual catch of 2,146,000 pounds. The highest annual catch of shrimp in Alaska was 2,835,000 pounds in 1948.
a #COMMOD! TY -INDUSTRY ANALYST, EDUCATIONAL AND MARKET DEVELOPMENT SECTION, BRANCH OF COMMERCIAL
ALIEN U. S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, WASHINGTON, D. C. (FORMERLY STATIONED AT KETCHIKAN, ALASKA).
20 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Works i155) Wes 3)
Unlike the shrimp fishery in the Gulf of Mexico, which is carried on in open waters, shrimp fishing in Alaska is conducted in "inside" waters. Most fishing’
FIG. 2 = TYPICAL ALASKA SHRIMP TRAWLER PREPARING TO SET" THE BEAM TRAWL.
is done in glacial bays with shallow mouths, near the flats off the mouths of large rivers, and near banks along open channels and inlets.
For 30 years the shrimp fishery of southeastern Alaska has centered about Petersburg and Wrangell. The shrimp operators in these towns have, at times, at- tempted to explore other grounds, but have never found sufficient shrimp popula- tions to warrant expansion of the industry to other places. From time to time at- tempts have been made by the industry to extend operations into central Alaska,
UZ — 3: a
ae See te Bo
FIG. 3 - SHRIMP BEAM TRAWL BEING RAISED FIG. 4 = BRAILING SHRIMP FROM THE BEAM TRAWL. FROM WATER.
a BS perce a Saeco ti i
especially in Prince William Sound, where the same species of shrimp are known to occur. So far these attempts have proved unsuccessful. On occasion, an individual fishing boat is outfitted with a beam trawl and a few hundred pounds of shrimp are landed in Cordova. This is infrequent and sporadic and no consistent fishery has yet been establisi:ed there.
March 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW
21
SHRIMP EXPLORATIONS
In 1947, after the explorations reported by Carlson (1945), a small shrimp fishery was started at Tokeen, on the west coast of Prince of Wales Island. That
FIG. 5 - THE SHRIMP |S DUMPED ONTO A SORTING FIG. 6 - GETTING READY TO HOIST BOXES OF TABLE. WHOLE SHRIMP TO LANDING DOCK OF PROCESSING PLANT.
operation is doing very well and shows promise of continuing. As a result of shrimp explorations by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service exploratory vessel John N. Cobb (Schaefers 1951, and Ellson and Livingstone 1952), additional commer- cially-exploitable areas have been found in southeastern Alaska, notably in Gla- cier Bay and inlets adjacent to Icy Strait.
FISHING METHOD
Beam trawling has been and still is the method used to capture the shrimp.
ee q ae : 8 = COOLING RACKS FOR TRAYS OF WHOLE COOKED SHRIMP AND FOR COOKED MEATS.
FIG. 7 = UNLOADING BOXES OF WHOLE SHRIMP AT THE FIG. PROCESSING PLANT.
22 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Wols 155 Noo 3
beam or timber. The trawl is set on the bottom and towed behind the vessel. After an hour or two it is hauled up, the shrimp are brailed out and stored whole on deck in wooden boxes holding from 150 to 200 pounds each. Because of prevail- ing cool air temperatures and the fact that shrimp are landed daily, no ice is used. The shrimp trawlers usually leave port in the very early hours of themorn- ing and return to the processing plants with their catches in the late afternoon or early evening. A complete and detailed description of the fishing vessels, the beam trawl, and the fishing method, is given in a report on experimental and exploratory shrimp fishing conducted in 1944 by the Alaska Fisheries Experimental Commission (Carlson 1945). Ellson and Livingstone (1952) describe a smallertrawl used in exploratory fishing operations. Collapsible shrimp traps were also used in the explorations of the John N. Cobb, and are described in detail by Ellson and Livingstone.
PROCESSING AND MARKETING PROCEDURES
The method of processing the shrimp in the plants has been the same for a number of years. As soon as a boat arrives at the plant, the boxes of shrimp are unloaded from the deck of the fishing vessel, The whole shrimp are immediately precooked, one boxful at a time, in a tank of fresh boiling water heated bydirect
Bt
FIG. 9 - PICKING ROOM WHERE MEATS ARE P|CKED FIG. 10 - REMOVING TRAYS OF PICKED MEATS FROM FROM WHOLE COOKED SHRIMP. BRINE COOKER.
injection of live steam. The precook to simplify picking is as short as possible and is judged sufficient when the shrimp rise to the surface and float. As the whole shrimp rise to the surface, they are skimmed off with a short dip net and put into small wooden trays with galvanized wire-mesh bottoms. Each tray holds
20 to 25 pounds. The trays are placed in cooling racks until the following morn- ing, when they are moved into the picking room as needed. Women, many of them Alaska natives, are mainly employed in the picking operation. The meats arepicked from the shells and again placed in the cooling trays. Pickers are paid by the weight of meat picked. Because the fishermen are paid on the weight of the cooked meats picked from their catch, each boat's catch is kept separate when processed. The trays of picked meats are washed under cold potable fresh water sprayed by a hose or faucet, and permitted to drain on the racks for a few minutes.
After picking and washing, the meats have a bland flavor and need salt. The industry practices two different methods for the further processing of the meats. The most commonly used method is to cook the trays full of meats in a strong salt solution (25°-30° salometer) for a very short period--from one to three minutes.
March 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 23
This is also done in a vat or tank heated by direct injection or closed coils of live steam. The other method is to first dip the trays of picked meats in a sat- . ae urated salt solution for about three minutes. After the dip, the trays of meats are allowed to drain. Then the trays are placed in a steam re- tort and cooked without pressure for 3 to 4 minutes. There is someslight variation from plant to plant, and even from day to day in the same plant, in the cooking time and the strength of brines used. After brin- ing and cooking, the shrimp meats are cooled in the trays on the racks for several hours, or overnight. To remove fragments of shell andantennae or "feelers," the meats are then put through a combination shaking and blowing machine or a rotating drum and blower, of which there are about as many different designs as there are processing plants. From the mechanical cleaning machines, the
FIG. 11 - “BRINE COOKED MEATS PUT THROUGH A REVOLV-
ING SHAKER OR ROTARY DRUM AND BLOWER TO REMOVE meats are taken to the packing room. FRAGMENTS OF SHELL AND ANTENNAE OR FEELERS. Approximately 35 pounds of cooked NOTE CONVEYOR ON THE RIGHT WHICH TAKES CLEANED meats are obtained from 100 pounds
TS TO PACKING ROOM. MEAS) of raw whole shrimp.
For many years, until about 1940, the shrimp meats were packed dry, 5 pounds to a one-gallon can, and shipped in ice by steamship to Seattle brokers, who dis- tributed the perishable product as far east as the Rocky Mountain area. With the advance in the use of freezing in the last several years, the AEE has now changed almost completely to marketing its >
products in the dry frozen state. Freezing ee \ . is accomplished at temperatures between 0° 4 : \
and 10° F. Most Alaska freezers are the : - : — cK shelf type. One operator, however, ships 4 \
all his productionfresh by air to Seattle. = 4 io The largest volumeof shrimp meatsis packed . in No. 10 double-seamed cans, 5 pounds of = = «qu meats per can, for the hotel and restaurant a
trade. In recent years,with the increased §~ use of frozen products in the home, the shrimp industry of Alaskahas turned to one pound and even smaller containers. Very recently the "tuna" can (known in the can- ning trade as a307 x 113), has been adopted for a consumer-size package containing four ounces of shrimp meat sealed under vacuum, Vacuum packing yields a product with a su- perior storage life and minimizes the tough- ening and loss of flavorof the shrimp dur- ing long frozen-storage periods. Enamel- lined cans are used.
~~ si
Some shrimpare marketed in otherforms Fig. 12 - PACKING AND WEIGHING NO. 10 CANS. than as cooked picked meats. These are: EACH CAN CONTAINS FIVE POUNDS OF MEATS.
2h COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 15, No. 3
Spot shrimp - Cooked whole and frozen, packaged in paper boxes, 20 pounds per box.
Large side-stripe shrimp - Frozen raw picked meats, packed 6 pounds. per No. 10 can, hermetically sealed, 6 cans to the case.
All Alaska shrimp are marketed normally within six months after packing. Seattle remains the wholesale marketing oenter for Alaska shrimp from where they are distributed on the Pacific coast and into the Rocky Mountain states. Whole- sale prices in 1951 and 1952 varied from $1.10 to $1.25 per pound for the frozen cooked and peeled meats. The uncooked packs have been selling at wholesale be- tween 85 cents and $1.00 per pound.
LITERATURE CITED
CARLSON, CARL Be 1945. COMMERCIAL POSSIBILITIES OF SHRIMP RESOURCES IN CERTAIN SOUTHEASTERN ALASKAN AREAS. FISHERY MARKET NEWS, VOL. 7, NO. 7A (JULY 1945 SUPPLEMENT).
ELLSON, J. G. AND LIVINGSTONE, ROBERT, JR. 1952. THE JOHN N. COBB'S SHELLFISH EXPLORATIONS IN CERTAIN SOUTHEASTERN ALASKAN WATERS, SPRING T951, COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW, VOL. 14, NO. 4 (APRIL 1952), PP. 1-20.
HYNES, FRANK W. 1930, SHRIMP FISHERY OF SOUTHEAST ALASKA. APPENDIX |, REPORT OF THE UNITED STATES COM- MISSIONER OF FISHERIES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1929, U, S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES, WASHINGTON, De Ce
SCHAEFERS, EDWARD A. 1951. THE JOHN N. COBB'S SHELLFISH EXPLORATIONS IN CERTAIN SOUTHEASTERN ALASKAN WATERS, SPRING AND FALL OF 1950 (A PRELIMINARY REPORT). COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW, VOL. 13, NO. 4 (APRIL 1951), PP. 9-19.
S
TUNA AND SHRIMP SHRINKAGE DURING CANNING
Canning experiments showed that the shrinkage of tuna meat during heat processing depended little on the sterilizing value of the process used. Shrimp, however, shrunk more with increasing the sterilizing value of the process. The increase in shrinkage gradually fell off when the sterilizing effect of the heat process approached the values which should be used com- mercially. (Report of the Technological Laboratory of the Danish Ministry of Fisheries, 1951.)
--World Fisheries Abstracts, vol. 35, no. 6 (Nov.-Dec. 1952), p. 1.
March 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 25
FREEZING FISH AT SEA--NEW ENGLAND Part 6 - Changes and Additions to Experimental
Equipment on the Trawler Delaware
By C. G. P. Oldershaw*
ABSTRACT
THE COLD=STORAGE CAPACITY OF THE EXPERIMENTAL TRAWLER DELAWARE WAS INCREASED, AND SEVERAL CHANGES AND ADDITIONS WERE MADE TO THE EXPERIMENTAL FREEZING EQUIPMENT AND REFRIGERATION MACHINERY.
INTRODUCTION
The freezing-fish-at-sea project currently in progress at the Boston Fishery Technological Laboratory of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Branch of Com- mercial Fisheries has these general ls ab (a) the development of handling, freezing, and storage fa- 2 cilities which can be in- stalled and used success- fully on existing vessels of the New England fleet, and (b) the establishment of the technological _ and economic feasibility of freezingfish "inthe round" atsea for later processing ashore.
The experimental e- quipment installed by this laboratory on the trawler Delaware has been described in Part 3 of this series (Butler, Puncochar, and Knake 1952). As a result of experience gained dur- = = “ ing the 1951 season, sev- LOAD OF HADDOCK ON DECK OF DELAWARE PRIOR TO FREEZING. eral changes and additions were made to increase the efficiency of the operation. These changes and additions, made during the vessel's 1951/52 winter lay-up period (and tested during the 1952 operating season), are described herein.
EQUIPMENT CHANGES AND ADDITIONS
INCREASE IN COLD-STORAGE CAPACITY: The cold-storage space for frozen fish was increased by approximately 1,000 cubic feet with the addition of another insu- lated bulkhead in the iced-fish storage space (see figure 1). Construction details were similar to the forward bulkhead previously described (Butler, et al 1952). Located two pen-sections forward of the existing forward bulkhead, the new bulkhead
MECHANICAL ENGINEER, FISHERY TECHNOLOGICAL LABORATORY, BRANCH OF COMMERCIAL FISHERIES, U. S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, EAST BOSTON, MASS.
26 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 15, No. 3
encloses a space approximately ten feet fore and aft, across the full width of the vessel. Both bulkheads enclosing this space are fitted with refrigerator doors to provide access from either the cold-storage space aft or the single re- maining iced-fish storage pen, forward. A deck hatch, part of the ship's original structure, provides access for unloading the frozen fish.
The original fish hold (7 five-foot pen-sections in length) is now partitioned as follows: one pen-section forwardmost for storing iced gutted fish; two pen- sections insulated and refrigerated for storing round frozen fish; three pen-sec-
REFRIGERATION MACHINERY
BRINE FREEZER & FROZEN-FISH STORAGE
“ANTIFREEZE” COOLER BRINE COOLER
FROZEN-FISH STORAGE
ICED-FISH
fue
OlL RETURN MAIN
BRINE-FREEZER TANK STRAINER TANK
RECIRCULATION: & TRANSFER PUMP
BRINE MAKE-UP & RESERVE: TANK
DIAGRAM OF FREEZING AND STORING FACILITIES OF DELAWARE.
tions insulated and refrigerated for storing round frozen fish and for housingthe brine-freezing apparatus; and one pen-section aftermost housing the refrigeration machinery.
The new forward frozen-fish storage space is refrigerated by 1,500 feet of lt-inch iron-pipe coils mounted on deckhead, bulkheads, and skin. Wooden gratings are laid on the floor to aid in the circulation of air under the piles of frozen fish.
The cooling coils of both frozen-fish storage spaces were arranged to provide flexibility of control in maintaining the desired storage temperatures. The re- frigerant, an aqueous solution of ethanol referred to herein as "antifreeze," is pumped through the shell-and-tube cooler in the refrigeration machinery room (Butler, et al 1952), circulated through the room cooling coils, then returned to the cooler. A rectangular 40-gallon "antifreeze" supply and surge-tank, located
March 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 27
above deck, is connected by a 3/h-inch line to the 2-inch return main. Four banks of coils, one on each side of the two refrigerated spaces, are supplied with the chilled "antifreeze" through a 2-inch supply main by means of four conveniently located distribution valves. Thus, the refrigeration supplied to either storage space may be regulated.
BRINE MAKE-UP TANK AND ACCESSORIES: A brine make-up tank was constructedto serve as a reservoir for maintaining the optimum brine level in the freezer ir- respective of the amount of fish-loaded, and to serve as a make-up tank for pre- paring brine of the desired concentration to overcome normal dilution of the freezing medium. Two possible sources of dilution of the freezing medium are the gradual addition of sea water associated with the fish, and the slight uptake of
salt by the fish during the freezing process.
A rectangular steel tank, 5 feet high by 4 feet long by 23 feet wide, was welded to the forward port side of the brine freezer to serve as the make-up and reserve. The top is enclosed except for a small opening for charging the tank with salt. The tank is fitted with an outlet and two nozzle inlets interconnected through a 1/4-hp. rotary pump to the freezer tank and to an overboard discharge. Valves are so arranged that the make-up solution can be recirculated in the make- up ‘tank via the nozzle inlets to promote dissolving of the salt; the solution can be pumped from make-up tank to freezer (and vice versa), or it can be pumped over- board from either tank.
RELOCATION OF PUMPS: The brine and "antifreeze" circulating pumps, original- ly located adjacent to the freezer tank (see illustration in Part 3 of this series by Butler, et al 1952) have been relocated on the port side of the refrigeration machinery room. This change was made to provide more space and to reduce the re- frigeration load in the cold-storage area, and to afford better access to the pumps for maintenance. At the same time, the original 3-hp. "antifreeze" circu- lating pump was replaced by a 13-hp. pump to give adequate circulation through the enlarged cooling-coil system. To obviate the necessity of insulating the individ- ual brine and "antifreeze" pipes and fittings, a cork-insulated partition, fitted with a small access door, was constructed to separate the area where the pumps and piping are located from the warm refrigeration machinery room.
REFRIGERATION PLANT: Additional controls and measuring instruments were in- stalled and some modifications made to the absorption refrigeration machinery. While it is recognized that simplicity and ruggedness are major requirements for successful operation aboard a fishing vessel, the experimental nature of this in- stallation enhances the need for accurate measurement and control.
To provide greater flexibility of operation, the system by which liquid am- monia was supplied to the shell-and-tube brine and "antifreeze" coolers has been modified. Formerly the supply to both coolers was controlled by a single low- pressure float control which, by means of equalizing lines joining the coolers, maintained the ammonia liquid level in both coolers simultaneously. The equalizing lines were removed and in their place was installed a separate thermostatic liquid feed control for the "antifreeze" cooler. Now either cooler can be operatedwhether or not the other is in use.
To guard against the possibility of freezing the brine in the tubes of the brine cooler when the brine temperature is near its freezing point and no fishare being frozen, an automatic evaporator pressure regulator was installed in the am- monia vapor line leading from the top of the cooler to the absorber, This control is actuated by the temperature of the brine leaving the cooler. When the brine is cooled to a predetermined temperature, the valve closes and stops the cooling proc- ess until the brine temperature rises again.
28 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 15, No. 3
The level of aqua-ammonia in the generator of the absorption refrigeration machine (Butler, et al 1952) is indirectly affected by the rate of flow of cool- ing water through the condenser. To maintain an optimum level under varying re- frigeration loads, an automatic flow regulator was therefore installed in the cooling water system.
Two 2-pen recording thermometers were installed in the refrigeration machin- ery room. One records the air temperature in the forward and the aft frozen-fish storage spaces, while the other records the temperature of the circulating brine before and after it passes through the brine cooler. The latter temperature re- corder, used in conjunction with an orifice-plate flowmeter in the brine-circu- lating system, indicates the refrigeration output of the brine cooler.
While still further improvements in equipment are contemplated, the changes and additions described produced considerable improvement in the performance of the experimental brine-freezing and cold-storage equipment aboard the Delaware.
LITERATURE CITED
BUTLER, Co; PUNCOCHAR, Jo Fe; AND KNAKE, Be Oo 1952, FREEZING FISH AT SEA==NEW ENGLAND, PART 3 - THE EXPERIMENTAL TRAWLER DELAWARE AND SHORE FACILITIES. COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW, VOL. 14, NO. 2 (FEBRUARY 1952), PP. 16=25.
TRADE SCHOOL FOR CANNING IN NORWAY
A trade school for the canning industry was opened at Ledal, near Stavanger, Norway, towards the latter part of August 1952, reported The Fishing News, a British fishery periodical. It is claimed to be the only school of its kind inthe world and was built at an estimated cost of $US420,000.
Courses at the school last 18 months and are designed to train workers for positions as foremen, supervisors, and production planners. A number of offices and institutions relating to the canning industry moved into the school, Since fish canning is an important part of the Norwegian canning industry, there no doubt will be training in fish canning operations.
March 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 29
ZZ
RESEARCH
YIN SERVICE LABORATORIES ~
Progress on Projects, February 1953
REFRIGERATION: Preparation of a Manual on the Refrigeration of Fish: In order to provide certain information to include in the manual, a survey was made of refrigerated retail display cases in approximately 100 supermarkets from Wash- ington, D. C., to Boston, Massachusetts. The following observations were made: (1) availability of frozen fishery products was generally adequate; (2) sales ef- fort towards marketing frozen fish was quite variable; (3) holding temperatures
in frozen-food cabinets were generally higher than they should be to protect the quality of the frozen fish. Work on the manual had been delayed due to the ill- ness and subsequent death of the technologist assigned to the project. Another technologist has been transferred from the Boston Technological laboratory to Col- lege Park to continue the work. (College Park)
we KK
Freezing Fish at Sea, Defrosting, Filleting, and Refreezing the Fillets: Vessel Operation: VESSEL: Specifications for bids were prepared for the annual overhauling of and for certain alterations on the research trawler Delaware. Al- terations on the Delaware will include the installation of a new ventilating sys- tem in the freezing-machinery room and the installation of a new basket-type brine freezer. The new brine freezer has been designed so that loading and unloading operations can be carried out on deck. The new arrangement will also allow fuller use of available frozen storage space. The capacity of the brine freezer has been increased so as to permit continuous freezing of fish during normal fishing opera- tions.
LABORATORY: To obtain further information on salt penetration into fish, two samples of round scrod haddock were immersed in cold (5°F.) sodium-chloride brine (25 percent) for 7 days. Weight losses in the two samples during the immersion period were 5.3 percent and 6.4 percent. The fish were extremely desiccated, the surfaces were soft and rubbery, and the tail sections were flexible. The surface areas and tail sections apparently were not frozen even at 5° F, due to the pene- tration of salt from the cold brine into the meat of the fish. Cross-section cuts of the fish revealed that the center area was frozen, but the outer area-- 3/16-inch from the surface--was unfrozen. This unfrozen area was highly discolored. The samples were inedible due to saltiness and off-flavors. Further tests will be made to determine the maximum time~-scrod haddock can be held in cold brine before excessive salt penetration occurs. Present recommended practices of removing the fish from the brine immediately after they are frozen result in negligible pene- tration of salt. (Boston)
Sour ee SU oS
loin meal for riboflavin, niacin, and vitamin B)2 content. The results are as follows:
30 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW. Vol. 15, No. 3
Method Vitamin Content Sample | Sample of Moisture Oil Moisture-and-Oil-—Free Basis Number | Drying Riboflavin Vitamin B
Percent] Percen ... Micrograms Per! Gram 2%
Anchovy scrap ak 9.90 8.86 2 dryer 3.06 oOl
ol. Sardine Steam- scrap tube 3.46 6.67 5.6 65 dryer Mackerel Steam= 9.71 Wo S2 55) 62 0.40 scrap tube 9.03 6.65 -6 62 0.41 dryer 10.38 6.90 8 Wak 0.49 H 9 e 6
IL 1 2 al Air 2
dryer Development of a Dried Product from Condensed Menhaden Solubles or Stickwa-
(at 160° F. for 10 to 12
ter: After a delay by the menufacturer, the experimental drum dryer was received at the College Park Technological Laboratory. During the mcnth the equipment was installed and certain preliminary experiments were carried out.
ANALYSIS AND COMPOSITION: Composition and Cold-Storage Life of Fresh-water Fish: The proximate composition of six additional individual samples of lake trout was determined. The fish were caught in June 1952 in Lake Superior.
Composition of Edible Portion of Lake Trout (Cristivomer namaycush
Proximate Composition of Edible Portion Moisture
Percent Percent Percent Percent
72.4 11.65 17.4 71.0 12.68 18.3 (dio 6.91 18.6 ot 5.36 18.8 77.6 2.76 19.6 80.3 193 18.
(Seattle)
March 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 31
TECHNICAL NOTE NO. 25--AMINO-ACID CONTENT OF SALMON ROE
ABSTRACT
THE "ESSENTIAL" AMINO-ACID CONTENT OF ROE FROM THE FIVE SPECIES OF SALMON HAVE BEEN DETERMINED. ANALYSES OF EIGHT INDIVIDUAL ROE FROM PINK SALMON OF SIMILAR AND MODERATE MATURITY SHOWED NO STATIS- TICALLY SIGNIFICANT VARIATION IN AMINO-ACID CONTENT. THERE WAS AN INDICATION THAT THE ESSENTIAL AMINO-ACID CONTENT OF KING SALMON ROE SHOWED AN INCREASING TREND WITH MATURITY. THERE WAS NO APPARENT DIF- FERENCE IN THE AMINO-ACID CONTENT OF ROE FROM THE FIVE SPECIES OF SALMON WHICH WERE OF SIMILAR (MODERATE) MATURITY. THE AVERAGE AMI NO- ACID CONTENT OF MATURE ROE FROM THE FIVE SPECIES OF SALMON EXPRESSED AS A PERCENTAGE OF PROTEIN WAS: ARGININE 7.3; HISTIDINE 2.6; ISOLEU- CINE 7.4; LEUCINE 9.9; LYSINE 8.8; METHIONINE 3.0; PHENYLALANINE 4.8; THREONINE 5.7; TRYPTOPHANE O.9; AND VALINE 7.2.
INTRODUCTION
Studies on the utilization of Alaska salmon-cannery waste have indicated that salmon eggs offer considerable promise for the development of valuable industrial products (Jones, Carrigan, and Dassow 1948), besides serving as an excellent source of feed for hatchery fish (Robinson, Palmer, and Burrows 1949). Little is known, however, about the composition of the protein of salmon roe. Since most of the present uses for salmon eggs depend on their high protein content, 23 to 29 per- cent (Jones, Carrigan, and Dassow 1948), a study of the amino-acid content of this material was considered desirable,
The amino-acid content of salmon roe was studied by considering possible var- iation in composition due to species, maturity, and individual variation. Prelim- inary studies, using the microbiological assay technique, have been limited to de- terminations of the "essential" amino acids (arginine, histidine, isoleucine, leu- cine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophane, and valine).
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES
Source and Preparation of Samples: The roe from king (Oncorhynchus tschawyt- scha), chum (QO. keta), red (0. nerka), coho (0. kisutch), and pink (0. SSrbuBCRD) salmon, of varying degrees of sexual maturity, were obtained in a random manner from local sources. The skeins were sorted as to relative maturity, sealed incans, and frozen at -20° F. The frozen samples were stored at O° F. until needed for analysis.
Crude protein samples were prepared as follows: The eggs were thawed then blended with acetone in an electric blender. The samples were covered with addi- tional acetone and permitted to stand overnight. They were then subjected to con- tinuous Soxhlet extraction with acetone for 20 hours. The residue was dried in a vacuum oven (29 inches of mercury vacuum) at 40° C. for one hour, and finely ground. The dry and fat-free samples were stored in airtight containers.
The degree of development or maturity of the salmon eggs was estimated bymeans of the arbitrary scale suggested by Davidson and Shostrom (1936). The scale con- sists of arbitrary values ranging from 1 to 4 in relation to the size and condition of the eggs as they are found either in ovaries or loose in the body cavity of the salmon. Eggs that were found to be small and compact in the ovaries were given a classification of 1. Those that were greatly increased in size and had been shed from the ovaries into the body cavity were given a classification of 4. Those found in intermediate stages of development were graded 2 or 3.
32 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 15, No. 3
Assay Method: The microbiological procedure and media of Henderson and Snell (1948) were used. This method employs various lactic acid-producing bacteria with a single uniform medium. Acid production was measured by electrometric titration. Streptococcus faecalis R (American Type Culture Collection #8043) was the assay organism used for arginine, leucine, methionine, threonine, and valine; Leuconostoc mesenteroides (A.T.C.C. #8042) was used for histidine, isoleucine, lysine, and phenylalanine; and Lactobacillus plantarum (A.T.C.C. #8014) was used for trypto- phane. Protein-acid hydrolysates were prepared by autoclaving 0.5 gm. of the dried protein in sealed pyrex tubes with 20 ml. of 3 N hydrochloric acid for 5 hours at 15 pounds pressure. Alkaline hydrolysates for tryptophane assays were prepared by autoclaving 0.5 gm. of the dried protein with 10 ml. of 5 N sodium hydroxide for 10 hours at 15 pounds pressure in covered, stainless steel beakers. Complete racemization of the tryptophane was assumed. The alkaline hydrolysates were acidified with excess acetic acid and extracted twice with equal volumes of ethyl ether (Neilands, Sirny, Sohljell, Strong, and Elvehjem 1949). Nitrogen de- terminations were carried out on triplicate aliquots of the protein-acid hydro- lysates by the micro Kjeldahl method of Ma and Zuazaga (1942).
RESULTS
The first phase was a determination of the variability of the amino-acid con- tent of egg samples from salmon of identical species and of similar physical char- acteristics. Eight individual skeins of eggs of moderate maturity (Classification 3) were selected from eight pink salmon and assayed separately. In each case the whole skein was utilized, including the skein membrane and adhering slime layer.
The amino-acid distribution in the eight samples of salmon eggs of similar sexual maturity examined was very similar (table 1), giving no indication of a Table 1- Amino-Acid Content of Salmon Egg Protein from Pink Salmon of Similar Sexual Maturity]
Valine
es e ° e e e e OD POWNINON
oe e oe ee e e
°° agnang01n0w e ° DEP ORPRPPEW SE, aed e
5 e GaAaaann Sanwmanown~a 5 5
° Mmauounwnvonawoa@ NN O& @ © OnNN
YNWnnnnww e
° oe
PerPPPNYOR s
PIP PRP RPRPRPRPEH
6.38 Jel 7.2 705 6.9 7.0 7266
= I+ fo) e on
2/PROTEIN EQUALS NITROGEN TIMES 6.25.
3/AVERAGE VALUES ARE GIVEN AS THE MEAN PLUS OR MINUS THE STANDARD DEVIATION,
statistically significant variation, (Recovery experiments, in which amino-acid standards were added to protein hydrolysates, averaged from 96 to 107 percent of the theoretical amount.)
The second phase was a determination of the essential amino-acid content of egg samples from salmon of identical species but of varying sexual maturity. Pro- tein samples were prepared from the eggs of king salmon corresponding to the dif- ferent arbitrary levels of sexual maturity described previously. For each protein sample, 25-gm. portions were cut vertically from the midsections of 6 individual skeins, combined, and homogenized with acetone. The proportional parts of the roe (egg casings, sac contents, and skein membrane when present ) were not considered, since the relative amounts vary with maturity. An effective separation of these components is impossible in some cases and any error thus introduced is probably of small magnitude. A protein hydrolysate was prepared from a representative sam- ple of each homogenate and assayed for the essential amino acids.
March 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 33
In general, there was an indication that for king salmon roe, the essential amino-acid content showed an increasing trend with maturity (table 2). In some
Table 2 - Amino-Acid Content of Salmon Egg Protein from King Salmon of Varying Degrees of Maturity __| neg Size of Eggs-- Amino-Acid Content (In Grams Per 100 Grams of Protein ‘2 Gee
Classifi-| Diameter in /Argi-|Histi-] Isoleu-] Leu-|Ly- [Methio- steno) atae | Trypto-| Va- cationL/ Millimeters jnine dine cine cine} sine rad ne ae ae Bo ab)
+ ¢ cf 3 + +
PRAWHH
1/AN ARBITRARY SCALE INDICATING DEGREE OF SEXUAL MATURITY. CLASS 1 EGGS ARE VERY IMMATURE; CLASS 4 EGGS, VERY MATURE; AND CLASS 2 AND 3 INTERMEDIATE MATURITY (BETWEEN 1 AND 4
2/PROTEIN EQUALS NITROGEN TIMES 6.25.
B/DATA OF DEAS AND TARR (1949).
cases, the values for immature eggs (Classification 1) were 30 percent lower than the mean for all values of this species.
A comparison of the values obtained for these materials with values reported by Deas and Tarr (1949) for "white spring salmon roe" shows that, with the excep- tion of lysine, the distribution was somewhat similar. The value of 1.8 gm. of lysine per 100 gm. of protein reported for "white spring salmon roe" is unusually low for an animal protein.
For a comparison of the essential amino-acid content of salmon egg samples from the different species, protein samples from moderately mature eggs (Classifi- cation 3) from the five species of salmon were analyzed.. The results (table 3)
Table 3 - Amino-Acid Content of Salmon Egg Protein from Five Species of Salmon of Similar Sexual _] Maturity
I1/ALL EGGS WERE MODERATELY MATURE Ti OF CMSSAICRTON 3. EGG DIAMETERS WERE: KING, 5 MM. ; ann 7 MM.; SOCKEYE, 5 MM.; COHO, 6.5 MM.; AND PINK, 5.5 MM. (ALL VALUES TO 40.5 mm.)
2/PROTEIN EQUALS NITROGEN TIMES 6.25.
3/EACH SAMPLE WAS PREPARED FROM ROE REPRESENTING SIX OR MORE FISH.
4/DATA OF BLOCK AND BOLLING (1945).
indicate no apparent difference in the essential amino-acid content of the eggs obtained from the five species of salmon of moderate and similar maturity.
A detailed evaluation of the data reported in this paper will not be attempted. Corresponding amino-acid values for animal liver, a feed commonly used for hatchery fish, are presented for comparison (table 3). Any conclusions as to the quality of salmon-egg protein (based on amino-acid content) as compared with animal liver, for example, are not warranted, since the amino-acid requirements of hatchery fish have not been established. Further studies on the variability of the amino-acid content of salmon egg protein from the different species of salmon of varying sex- ual maturity are being carried out, and will be reported in more detail at a later date.
3h COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Weils 15, Neo 3
LITERATURE CITED
BLOCK, Re Je AND BOLLING, De 1945. THE AMINO ACID COMPOSITION OF PROTEINS AND FOODS. SPRINGFIELD, [LL., CHARLES C. THOMAS, PUBLISHER.
DAVIDSON, F. A. AND SHOSTROM, O. E. 1936. PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL CHANGES IN THE PINK SALMON DURING THE SPAWNING MIGRATION. INV. REP. NO. 33, VOL. 2, DEPT. OF COMMERCE, BUREAU OF FISHERIES.
DEAS, C. P. AND TARR, He Le Aw 1949, AMINO ACID COMPOSITION OF FISHERY PRODUCTS, JOURNAL OF THE FISHERIES RESEARCH BOARD OF CANADA, VOL. 7, PP. 513=21.
HENDERSON, Le M. AND SNELL, E. Eo 1948. A UNIFORM MEDIUM FOR DETERMINATION OF AMINO ACIDS WITH VARIOUS MICROORGANISMS. THE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY, VOL. 172, PP. 15-29.
JONES, Ge 1.3 CARRIGAN, Eo Je; AND DASSOW, Je Ao 1948, UTILIZATION OF SALMON EGGS FOR PRODUCTION OF CHOLESTEROL, PROTEIN, AND INDUSTRIAL FAT. DEPT.» OF COMMERCE, |.ReReDe REPORT NO. 2, PP. 9-32
MA, Ts. Se AND ZUAZAGA, Go 1942. MICRO KJELDAHL DETERMINATION OF NITROGEN, [NDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY, ANALYTICAL EDITION, VOL, 14, PP. 280-82.
NEILANDS, J. Bo; SIRNY, Re Jo; SOHLJELL, -F. Mo; STRONG, Fe Mo; AND ELVEHJEM, Co Ae 1949, THE NUTRITIVE VALUE OF CANNED FOODS, THE JOURNAL OF NUTRITION, VOL. 39, PP. 187= 202.
ROBINSON, L. Ae; PALMER, D. De; AND BURROWS, R. Eo 1949, TESTS OF HATCHERY FOODS FOR BLUEBACK SALMON, DEPT. OF INTERIOR, SPECIAL SCIENTIFIC REPORT, FISHERIES, NO. 60.
--By Harry L. Seagran, Biochemist, Fishery Products Laboratory, Fisheries Experimental Commission, Ketchikan, Alaska
Nay
MAYONNAISE WITH FISH-PROTEIN STABILIZER WITHSTANDS HEAT PROCESSING
By substituting egg yolk with a fish-protein stabilizer (manufactured by a firm in Hamburg, Germany), it is possible to make mayonnaise which withstands heat processes normally used for canned foods. The experiments were made with shrimp packed in mayonnaise. (Report of the Technological Laboratory of the Danish Ministry of Fisheries, 1951.)
--World Fisheries Abstracts, vol. 3, no. 6 (Nov.-Dec. 1952), p. 1.
March 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 35
=
a1 RENDS Sa —— AND ; ——_——= _ lis c aat= DEVELOPMENTS 2 Additions to the Fleet of U. S. Fishing Vessels
DECEMBER 1952 AND ANNUAL TOTALS 1949-52: Atotal of 29 vessels of 5 net tons and over received their first documents as fishing craft during December 1952--4 less than in December 1951. Louisiana led with 8 vessels, followed by Florida west coast with 6 vessels, and Florida east coast with 4 vessels.
During the 12 months of 1952, a total of 675. vessels were documented for the first time as fishing vessels, compared with 780 vessels in 1951. Of the total vessels documented during 1952, 438 were built in 1952, 64 in 1951, and the re- mainder (173) in years prior to 1951.
Vessels Obtaining Their First Documents as Fishing Craft, December 1952 and Annual Totals 1949-52 Section 1952 ian La S|
Neny Joedlemicl 6 Gg5gnG000Kb000000000
eoeee
eeoeereeereveeene2e ee oH2e220000080
Pacslitle COE. Goguq0GGG0000000000 Great Lakes @eo@eeeoeceaeooeoeoeoeooe soos eed Alaska Coeceoercececerrcregeeee2gv2e02c
ecco - - - -_ => iL BEE Em Ae EO Ear Paes J/ DATA FOR SOUTH ATLANTIC AND GULF COMBINED PRIOR TO 1950.
NOTE: VESSELS HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TO THE VARIOUS SECTIONS ON THE BASIS OF THEIR HOME PORT.
np a
fresh and frozen fishery products for the military feeding of the Army, Na- vy, Marine Corps, and Air Force (see table). This was an increase of 40.4 percent in quantity and 33.1 percent in value as compared with purchases in December 1952, but a decrease of 32.3 percent in quantity and 22.6 percent in value from January 1952 purchasés.
Purchases of Fresh and Frozen Fishery
Products by Department of the Army January 1953 and 1952
ary
36 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 15, No. 3
An average price of 53.9 cents per pound was paid for fishery products pur- chased in January 1953, and 46.8 cents in January 1952. This is an increase of 15.2 percent, a good indication that there were purchases of higher-priced fish- ery products this year.
Metal Cans--Shipments for Fishery Products, 1951-52
Shipments of metal cans for fishery products during the12 months of 1952 totaled 107,856 short tons of steel as compared with 105,704 short tons of steel during the year 1951, accord-
ing toa February 18 report issued by the Bureau of the Census.
NOTE: STATISTICS COVER ALL COMMERCIAL AND CAPTIVE PLANTS KNOWN TO BE PRODUCING METAL CANS. REPORTED IN BASE BOXES OF STEEL CONSUMED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CANS, THE DATA FOR F|SHERY PRODUCTS ARE CONVERTED TO TONS OF STEEL BY USING THE FACTOR: 23.0 BASE BOXES OF STEEL EQUAL ONE SHORT TON OF STEEL.
Michigan’s Great Lakes Catch of Larger Species Declining
Michigan's catch of the larger fresh-water fish species (lake trout andwhite- fish) in the Great Lakes has been declining in recent years, while the catch of smaller species (smelt, herring, and chubs) has been increasing. The principal reason for this trend is the sea lamprey which has nearly wiped out lake trout pop— ulations in all the Great Lakes except Lake Superior. Recent reports indicate the sea lamprey is on the increase in Lake Superior also, states the Michigan Depart- ment of Conservation in a recent news bulletin.
The total volume of the catch in the Great Lakes has changed only slightlyin recent years, but the value has dropped as the larger and more valuable species are being replaced by the smaller and less valuable species. This means reduced
income to the fishermen.
Ate SS A
New Bottom-Fishing Area Discovered Off California Coast
A new bottom-fishing area has been discovered recently off the California Coast by a research team of commercial fishermen and the California Department of Fish and Game. The new grounds (about 600 square miles 140 to 350 fathoms deep) lie 25 to 30 miles off the coast from Morro Bay and Avila. The potential of this bottom fishery is estimated at $3 million annually, reports the California Depart-— ment of Fish and Game in a February 11 news release.
Two vessels, the Alamo and Empire II, were used in the three-day survey which produced the find. A State biologist reported "mature and heavy Dover soles were found in quantity and plenty of rockfish were taken, indicating that summer trawling might be as rewarding as that off Eureka."
March 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW SM}
The research cruise was completed early in February. The two boats used spe- cial deep—trawling gear and tested Santa Lucia Bank and its shoreside trough. Ob-— jectives were to check potential fishery resources and determine if commercial trawling grounds existed in these deep waters.
The commercial captains, both Eureka fishermen, volunteered their vessels for the research cruise, and the Department's Marine Fisheries Branch assigned a biologist and supplied nets for the experimental deep-water drags.
North Pacific Exploratory Fishery Program "JOHN N. COBB" TO EXPLORE COMMERCIAL SHELLFISH RESOURCES IN SOUTHEASTERN A-
Southeastern Alaska again will be explored by the Service's exploratory fishing vessel John N. Cobb on a cruise that began at Seattle, Wash., on March 2. Par- ticular emphasis will be placed on finding areas containing shrimp in commercial quantities. This will be the fifth in a series of similar exploratory cruises.
The vessel will commence explorations in Yakutat Bay, fishing both inside and ocean waters in the region, and then will fish certain bays in the Cross Soundarea, and off the west coast of Chichagof Island, particularly in the Khaz Bay area. Beam trawls and shrimp traps will be used. Bottom characteristics will be deter- mined by use of a recording depth-finder, and watertemperatures and bottom samples will be obtained at each fishing station.
yy
Pacific Oceanic Fishery Investigations
No. “DR A surprisingly large number of small schools of skipjack and yellowfin tuna were found in the area west of Hawaii and Lanai Islands as far as 150 miles offshore by the Service's Pacific Oceanic Fishery Investigations research vessel Charles H. Gilbert on a cruise completed on February 14. This was the third tuna- survey by this vessel for signs of skipjack schools in waters north and south of the Hawaiian Islands to a distance of 150 miles.
Preliminary tests on the use of chemical fish attractants in place of live bait were also carried out. It is planned to further explore the use of the tuna attractant developed at Coconut Island by Dr. Albert Tester of the University of Hawaii. If the fish extract can be successfully applied at sea to take the place of live bait in "chumming" for skipjack, it will have wide applicationhere and off the west coast of the United States as well. Several tuna were captured alive and put in the ponds at the University of Hawaii Marine Laboratory at Coconut Island for further testing with the chemical attractant.
In addition, a wide variety of biological specimens were obtained including the uncommon snake mackerel made famous in the accounts of Kon Tiki expedition. Several bands of humpback whales were observed off Molokai and the Kona coast of Hawaii.
These survey cruises will continue intermittently duringthe winter and increase later in the spring when the skipjack normally appear in abundance around the Is-
38 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Voi. 5), Nowa
lands. These surveys carried out as part of a joint program with the Territory
Fish and Game Division are designed to study the possibility for an expansion of the tuna fisheries around the Hawaiian Islands. The scientists of both depart-
ments are determined to discover where the skipjack go in the winter and whether or not the fishery can be extended over a larger portion of the year than at the present time.
KHHKR HE
"HUGH M. SMITH" (Cruise No. 19) AND SAMPAN "TRADEWIND" FISH TUNA IN LINE IS~ LANDS AREA: A one-month commercial tuna-fishing trip to the Line Islands area was completed February 12 by the Hawaiian sampan Tradewind and the Service's Pacific Oceanic Fishery Investigations research vessel Hugh M. Smith. Both ves- sels caught 22 tons of yellowfin tuna and 2 tons of market fish.
The Tradewind fished for tuna with live bait. Its Captain reports that bait (mostly mullet, Mugil longimanus ) of suitable size for yellowfin fishing was scarce at Falmyra Island, but easily obtained at Christmas and Fanning islands. Surface schools of yellowfin tuna were small and scattered; no large concentra- tions were encountered, although more schools were observed in the Palmyra area than at the other islands. About half of the 14 tons of yellowfin tuna was caught off Palmyra Island and half off Fanning Island. The two tons of market fish, mostly papio (Caranx sp.), were taken at Christmas Island.
The Hugh M. Smith on this cruise carried out a program of experimental long- line fishing, surveyed the oceanic conditions surrounding the islands, and in- cidentally supplied fuel and icé to the Tradewind. While the live-bait fishing of the sampan was not outstanding, the experimental long-line fishing by the Hugh M. Smith showed yellowfin tuna catches as high as 14 and 19 fish per hun- dred hooks. This indicated a high abundance of subsurface yellowfin tuna in the waters close to the islands. The total catch of 8 tons of yellowfin tuna (in- cluding shark-eaten fish) by the Hugh M. Smith were delivered to Kauai for can- ning. The main purpose of the research vessel's cruise was to learn something about the distribution of tuna about the islands instead of trying to catch the
maximum amount of fish. bar ————)
Pennsylvania’s Commercial Fish Catch in Lake Erie, 1952
The total catch of fish in Lake Erie by Pennsylvania commercial fish compa- nies in 1952 totaled 2,211,835 pounds (see table), with an ex-vessel value of
Pennsylvania's Commercial Fish Catch in Lake Erie, 1952
Species $
* Blue pike @eeoeeeooceaeeoeaeveevoeeeoeeoeaoeosoeeoeoeoooee ooo eo ee 00 203,153 Yellow perch ee ee Oe Whitefish @eeeeoeveveeveee27ee20ee20920202020802 80808828282 8028280888 80898088888 Cisco or lake herring ..ccccccccccccccccccsecescsece Veldlow sprlcen (pilcel perchy rewvevereicioiekeiovele cloves icteleleiciereteiete
Catfish eeeoeveoeveeeveeeecseoeeeoeoeaeeeeoeeeeoeeseoeoee eee 0 Carp @eeoevcoeaoevoveov eee eo eeeonvnee2eneae 60202 80G2S2eeee2ee2e20200828088800 SEUPZEON cocecccccccccccccscccccescccccccceccccce awe Burbot e@eoeevereeoeoeoeeooeoevoeveoeneeeoe Goeeaeee?eeoeeo2eeeoeeGooe2e0
Mullets @eoeeoeoeOe2Ge2eHOGG2H2SFHE2G2FFF2FA2FF02F2P7 OFFS 2O 00
Sheepshead or gray baSS ceccecceccscccccetovescccce White bass eeeceoeovoeveeeooeovoeeseeeeoe2e2e2020202020282802808080880 8082808080
Smelt @CR9CHOCHHCCLCOFTHCOHOLCEHOHGHOLCHSLSHSHHSHHOHOHTOCHEHSLHOLETHTEEHEE
March 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 39
$652,285, according to a recent bulletin from the Pennsylvania Fish Commission. Gill nets accounted for 90 percent of the volume (1,995,657 pounds) and 94 per- cent of the total value ($612,726). Trap nets caught 6 percent of the total catch (140,800 pounds) and 4 percent of the value ($23,190), while pound nets accounted for the remaining 3 percent of the catch (75,378 “seiniale) and 2 percent of the val-
ue ($16,369).
Shrimp Production for South Atlantic and Gulf States, 1952
Estimated shrimp production in the South Atlantic and Gulf States during1952 amounted to about 199,400,000 pounds (table 1). September and October were the
Table 1 - Shrimp (Heads on fecNGH f ser Suet me antic and Gulf States
nmr. |e North carolina2/
; Se Tbs. January . 3)5 258, 559 118,440 hy 671; 5300] 5, 267, 843 February ececce 3,028,640 158,340 7,809,648] 5,452,610 MET Goddd060 3,439,554 213,780 3,276,840 2,558,014 Moatit Gooodboo 1,599,718 245,070 3,537,786| 2,975,109 Mayjaiclalcioiclelelsicle 2,579,097 112,350 7,943 807 | 3,959,412 JUNE coeccccee 2,750,586 505,260 8,160,075] 3,514,438 July eececeece 2,478,700 1,213 , 632 7,778,001 4,237,840 Rasustwenecccn f 2,850,512 | 1,396,382] 8,836,317] 5,622,041 September .ece 1,016,064 Zaidi dae 5 9125,519 | 10,318,623] 9,144,546 October eccoce 905 5520 1,796,474 1,794,440) 8,230,454 November .eove 291, aa 3,656,312 7,300,000] 4, beet 570 December .oec. 5/139 2/2 L/ 299
ee ee es fa a 1/PRELIMINARY. 2/DATA NOT AVAILABLE BY MONTHS. 3/BASED ON SALES OF PREPAID TAX STAMPS INSTEAD OF ACTUAL LANDINGS. 4/BASED ON AN ESTIMATE DERIVED FROM FISHERY MARKET NEWS SERVICE RECORDS OF DAILY LANDINGS.
TED.
Se ete ee cont eo BY RESPECTIVE STATE AGENCIES. ORIGINAL DATA IN BARRELS; CONVERTED TO HEADS-ON SHRIMP ON
BAS|S OF 210 POUNDS PER BARREL (EQUIVALENT TO 125 POUNDS HEADS-OFF SHRIMP). TO CONVERT HEADS-ON DATA TO HEADLESS SHRIMP, MULTIPLY BY .595.
months of heaviest production, while March and April were the lowest months. Lou- isiana was the leading producer of shrimp, followed by Texas and Florida.
able 2 — Shrim Heads on) Production for South Atlentic & Gulf States
Sc Lbs. Lbs.
Rortnt Cavoldinal s sajeclsisesee «ces cereen | Mee) 5 so20 8000") .-6.90251,00 Sawin, CAMMY Uj sbbd Shbusoooesooboocd || 2/3 seme suse 1,729,793 Cares STW SAP R et MER ME Gu sta 2,367,456 | 3,596,880 | 11,156,700 SIIgimIG®) BEAGOUSBAGAUHOOHOBnooohoobaed| | SOLE Waele | etsieiten) || Aa colaav0.0) SL Taiiee a SEAL IE OU NaS MINN So UR ae 5,641,924 | 5,006,500 Mississippi By) 9,460, 300 Louisiana 77 835,100 Texas e@ceeoeaeaoe eee oceoeeoeeaeoonoeoeeeneoeoeneeoeoeo 60,6 6 612 OCO Total 000000000 00000700 20000000
1/ PRELIMINARY. BASED ON AN ESTIMATE FROM FISHERY MARKET NEWS SERVICE RECORDS OF DAILY LANDINGS.
Bes Melee: ea cra telc pn eee: 93,172,000
AS REPORTED BY RESPECTIVE STATE AGENCIES. ORIGINAL DATA IN BARRELS; CONVERTED TO HEADS- ON SHRIMP ON BASIS OF 210 POUNDS PER BARREL (EQUI VALENT TO 125 POUNDS HEADS-OFF SHRIMP). TO CONVERT HEADS-ON DATA TO HEADLESS SHRIMP, MULTIPLY BY .595.
1,0 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 15, No. 3
When compared with the record~production year of 1951, shrimp production in 1952 dropped almost 3 percent, attributed mainly to a decline in Louisiana land- ings (table 2). But shrimp production in 1952 was almost 6 percent greater than
in 1950. Shrimp Vessel Operators Advised by Texas Banks of Possible Loan Action
Certain banks in Texas, holding mortgages or notes against shrimp vessels, have advised vessel owners that their loans or notes will be declared in default if the vessels are seized by Mexican authorities within 10 miles of the Mexican coast, except in case of emergency. This information was received by the Serv- ice's New Orleans Market News Service office. The following is an excerpt from the notification forwarded to owners of shrimp vessels who have loans from these Texas banks:
"You are hereby advised that you or your crew members are forbidden to take this boat, which is mortgaged to our bank, closer than ten (10) miles to any part of the Mexican coast at any time (except in case of emergency for repairs or due to bad weather). Should you or any of your crew members violate this stipulation and take the boat in closer to the Mexican shore than this ten-(10) mile limit, our bank shall then declare our note in default and shall demand from you payment
in full of your note to us."
Wholesale and Retail Prices
WHOLESALE PRICES, JANUARY 1953: A seasonal decline in production was re- sponsible for increases in the wholesale prices for edible fishery products from December 1952 to January 1953. But compared to the previous year, prices were somewhat lower. The edible fish and shellfish (fresh, frozen, and canned) wholesale index for January 1953 was 110.5 percent of the 1947-49 average (see table)--5.6 percent higher than in December 1952, but 3.5 percent below January 1952, the Bureau of Labor Statis-— tics of the Department of La- bor reports.
For the drawn, dressed, or whole finfish subgroup i- tems, average wholesale prices in January increased 8.2 percent over the previous month, but were 13.9 percent under a year earlier. Western halibut at New York City was the only item under this subgroup which dropped in price from December to January. Whitefish at Chicago jumped 71.7 percent as supplies became short, and the ex-vessel price for large offshore haddock at Boston rose 16.2 percent.
UNLOADING FISH AT THE FULTON MARKET, CHICAGO, ILL.
Fresh processed fish and shellfish prices were 7.5 percent higher than in December and 11.9 percent higher than in January 1952. Fresh haddock fillet prices
March 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW AL
were up 42.5 percent over December, but were 15.4 percent below January 1952. Fresh shrimp prices increased 10.7 percent from December to January and were 50.5 percent higher than a year ago. Shorter supplies and an exceptionally good de- mand have kept shrimp prices at a very high level for the past number of months. Shucked oysters declined slightly in line with the usual seasonal trend.
Table 1 -— Wholesale Average Prices and Revised Indexes for Edible Fish and Shellfish, hy January 1953 and Comparisons
Group, Subgroup, Point of ial Ave kaseesy naexes and Item Specification Pricing {Unit t (1947-49 = 100)
Jan. Dec. | Jan. 159) 1558 |g
LL FISH AND SHELLFISH (Fresh, Frozen, and Canned) ......e-seessesecess slelelelsielsieletea OSS Rresh¥and§brozenynulsheryprroducva mice eiiamen nears ease IO EaI|
Drawn, | Dressed vor Wholewhinhilshis! ci\c\scieeisiclelvic vies aad oadddadad Rieleents seer eccce Haddock, Taree. “offshore, drawn, fresh ........| Boston Halibut, Western, 20/80 ibs. dressed,
HESHMONMO ZEN Malelelelslelsiaieielalclelelsielecetsicieicieisiclelcieiele Salmon, king, lge. & med., dressed,
177.0/174.7]
N.Y.C. 137.0|102.2
Hreshtor frO7Zeriwalea/aletetarcte clelelolelicieletese testers’ steteistere W 109.7 |120.9| Whitefish, mostly Lake Superior, drawn
(dressed) fresh civejeeiseeisiileeiee slelelelelsieleleisisicicie| Mean Chaca gO 109.1]156.2 Whitefish, mostly Lake Erie pound or gill
met, round, fresh cecccccccccccccccccececcccce| NeYCe 94.0] 88.0)
Lake trout, domestic, mostly No. 1, drawn (dressed) i treshprter tote einisielsicletictetsteisietrcleleiestere’e Yellow pike, mostly Michigan (Lakes Michigan & Huron), et ER Go danbnoannadndanoaadadl Wales Processed, Fresh (Fish and Shellfish): ......+ss..-e- Fillets, haddock, sml., skins on, 20-lb. tins... Shrimp, lge. (26-30 count), headless, fresh ONBENOZE|N cteicleleiolelelaiolsisie\eiclololelsieleletsicie(elelstslelolerelelete Oysters), shucked|y standards) \ereicieis,cje1s c)sielejelr vlcieicle
Chicago 120.9 |129.1
N.Y.C. Norfolk area
Processed, Frozen (Fish and Shellfish): ............- Fillets: Flounder (yellowtail), skinless, Hess jdd4s Goonooondcoq00s odaonuood Haddock, sml., skins on, 10-lh. cello=pack elelalcisiateisisicisleienctaleleletelstaleele d WW Ocean perch, skins on, 10-16. eeiiles PACH Teo|«\alelelelalalelejoialelsfelesetetelsielsleictela/e)-'efel|i LOUCES|LEr Shrimp, lge. (26-30 count -lb. Bk eliveteleleieretsie| Chicago Canned Fishery Froducts: ..ccccecceceececseersooes Salmon, pink, No. 1 tall (16 oz.), 48 cans POT CASE ceccecccccccce slejeleisleieieieleleie cleje elle v.ejeie 4 Seattle
Los Angeles
Tuna, light meat, Bola pack, No. $ tuna oz) Be iSlicansiiperlicase asin lelseclersieleielelsic crete Sardines (pilchards), Calif., tomato pack, No. 1 oval (15 oz.), 48 cans per case .......6. Sardines, Maine, keyless oil, No. % drawn (Siiozis) MalOOhcansiipe ricasellisiscicleletslolelelelclelelelelelers T/REPRESENT AVERAGE PRICES FOR ONE DAY (MONDAY OR TUESDAY, IF AVAILABLE) DURING WEEK BEGINNING JANUARY 12. 2/REVISED.
Higher frozen shrimp prices (8.3 percent over December) were entirely respon- sible for the 2.4 percent increase in the processed frozen fish and shellfish prices from December to January and for the fact that the average prices for this subgroup were 2.8 percent higher than a year earlier. Frozen haddock fillets dropped 6.6 percent in January, while fillets of flounder and ocean perch remain- ed unchanged. Heavy stocks of frozen groundfish fillets adversely affected the market for frozen haddock fillets. On the other hand, unusually low inventories have kept frozen shrimp prices at very high levels during recent months. Janu- ary prices for all frozen fillets were substantially lower than a year ago.
Canned fishery products average prices rose 3.2 percent from December to Jan- uary. The largest increase was for Maine sardines--13.5 percent. Pink salmon, the only other canned item to increase, rose 5.3 percent. Canned tuna sold at De- cember prices, while California sardines sold 1.1 percent lower. January 1953 canned fish prices were 1.3 percent lower than in the same month in 1952 due main- ly to substantially lower quotations for Maine sardines and slightly lower prices for canned pink salmon.
4,2 5 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 15, No. 3
= —<$<——————
Se
= FOREI
International
NORTHWEST ATLANTIC FISHERIES COMMISSION FRANCE LAST OF SIGNATORIES TO RATIFY CONVENTION: The Government of France
on January 27, 1953, deposited its instrument of ratification of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Convention. France is the tenth and last signatory to the Convention to deposit its instrument of ratification and thus become an active participant in the work of the Commission, The other nine countries are: Canada, Denmark, Norway, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Iceland, United Kingdom, and the United States.
ECUADOR-PERU-CHILE FISHERIES CONFERENCE PLANNED
The Ecuadoran Government extended invitations to the Governments of Chile and Peru to participate in a fisheries conference in Quito some time inApril, accord- ing to press reports. These three Governments are the members of the Permanent Commission for the Conservation and Development of Fishing Resources of the South Pacific, which was established pursuant to a resolution approved in the fisheries conference held at Santiago, Chile, in August 1952.
The agenda of the meeting in Quito will be prepared by the Ecuadoran Govern-
ment, the U. S. Embassy at Quito reports in a February 6 dispatch. NOTE: ALSO SEE P. 72 OF THIS ISSUE AND COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW, VOL. 14, NO. 10 (OCTOBER
1952), PP. 54-5.
Be] gium
FISHING FLEET, 1951: The Belgian fishing fleet as of December 31, 1951, total- ed 427 craft with a gross tonnage of 25,985 tons, a decrease of 17 vessels but an increase of 263 gross tons when com- pared with 1950 (see table). During 1951, 14 craft (including 11 new ones) were added to the fleet, while 31 were removed, according to a report of the Belgian Administration de la Marine (Service dela Peche Maritime) published in the December 1952 World Fishing, a British trade magazine.
There has been a gradual decline in the total number of Belgian fish- ing vessels since 1938. The largest decrease has been inthe smaller Class I vessels, an irndicationthat coastal
BELGIAN TRAWLER READY TO LEAVE FOR THE FISHING Z Raa arn Ee ; GROUNDS. (inshore) fishingis becoming increas-
March 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 43
ingly less profitable. The number of vessels in this class has decreased 303 per- cent since 1938, and only one vessel of this class was added to the fleet in 1951.
Belgian Fishing Fleet as of December 31, 1951
No. Total Type of Vessel of Gross Average Vessels Tonnage Age
—- Motor Crevettiers, less than EO) 10994 go0000000000 50006000000 Class II -—- Coastal Motor Trawlers, 80-119 INDG coodooooagdo0000000000000 eo Class III -— Middle-Water Motor Trawlers, NAO—P8}9) Inia OGb6600000060000000 Class IV - Motor Trawlers, 240-349 hp. ecco Class V -— Motor Trawlers, 350-500 hpe ecco Class VI - Motor Trawlers, Over 500 hp. oe. -— Steam Trawlers, Over 480 hp. o«.
17 yrs. 17 mos.
14 yrs. 3 mos.
16 yrs. 13 yrs. 8 mos. 9 yrs. §8 mos. 25 yrse 6
5 mos.
1950 cecccccccecccesccccecccccce 1949 eeoeeceeroece Ge cee 20800200008 1946 @eceoereseceossrverve2ee2 202000008 1938 cecccecccscrcercs=
Of the 427 fishing vessels available at the end of 1951, 389 were manned with 1,862 men. Of this total, 1,457 were seamen (fishermen) and 405 were engineers or other specialists. This is an increase of 20 seamen and 2 specialists over 1950. The number of boy entrants (apprentices) is far lower than what the fleet could absorb, and might possibly lead to a lack of replacement for older fishermen, Ac-— corbin to a 1931 law, each fishing vessel with a crew of 3 to 8 adults must have 1 boy in service, while each vessel with a crew of more than § adults must carry 2 boys. Thus, on December 31, 1951, the fleet should have had a total of 387 boys whereas it only had 138, a 64 percent deficit.
The port of Ostende had the laryvest fishing fleet in 1951—a total of 205 vessels, including all 9 class VI trawlers and 9 of the 10 class V trawlers, Zee-— brugge was next in importance with 156 vessels, followed byNieuport with 58 vessels, and Blankenberge with 8 vessels.
a
Canada
FISH FROZEN AT SHA TeSTED FOR TASTE: Freezing-fish-at-sea experiments, mainly to determine the comparative taste appeal of certain British Columbia species under various conditions of storage, have been carried out by the Pacific Experimental Station of the Canadian Department of Fisheries at Vancouver, B. C. A tasting panel of 200 Vancouver citizens helped to evaluate the results of the investigations. They compared fish which had been (1) packed only in crushed ice for different periods
up to 12 days after catch, (2) frozen within a few hours after being caught andthen stored frozen for varying periods, and (3) held in ice up to eight days before freez— ing and storage. Various other holding and freezing conditions were also compared, reports the December 1952 Trade News, issued by the Department of Fisheries.
Ah COMMERCIAL FISHERIZS REVIEW Vol. 15, No. 3
Advances in commercial freezing and cold-storage techniques now makeit quite practical to maintain high quality in frozen fish, providing that the quality of the fish is excellent when
ing the past year tests were Taste Fish = aac S15 a
continued on fish landed from = W @ e the Tauranga, a commercial a ESS 4 ae
trawler operating out of Van— couver, equipped with mechani- cal refrigeration facilities made available by the Canadi- an Fisheries Research Board.
Halibut, frozen at sea and stored frozen....ee
Halibut, frozen and stored on shore from fish iced at Sea..ecooe
No preference. ....ccccce
Observations made in the 5 T00.9
latest series of tests dealt with halibut and other flat fish, specifically brill and rock sole. The Tauranga's catches were of very high quality, due in part to the refrigerating equipment aboard but also to the short runs to the fishing grounds; the Tauranga landed its fish on the average of 3 to 5 days after catch. Much of that marketed as fresh was delivered to the consumer market 7 to 10 days after catch. Unfrozen fish on the Tauranga was packed in re— frigerated ice and stored at temperatures in the refrigerated hold slightly above the freezing point of fresh fish, which is about 30° F.
Halibut Tests: In three recent tests halibut was sometimes frozen on board and sometimes only packed in refrigerated ice aboard for later freezing ashore, Both kinds were held frozen for varying periods at the Station. About 42 percent of the members of the tasting panel expressed a preference for the halibut landed in ice and later frozen and stored; about 31 percent preferred the halibut frozen at sea and kept frozen ashore; and about 27 percent had no preference (see table). The percentages of preference and no preference were remarkably consistent in the three similar tests.
In earlier tests it was shown that when iced halibut was held on ice at 32° F. for storage periods of up to 18 days, preference for frozen halibut increased sharp— ly. This indicated that most of the tasters preferred halibut frozen at sea. The halibut frozen at sea appears to be firmer in texture and to have less moisturethan the fish which has been on ice.
Flat-Fish Tests: For flat fish, such as brill and rock sole, 45 percent of the tasters preferred the frozen—at-sea; 35 percent preferred those fish iced at sea and frozen later; the remainder had no preference. The tasters showeda prefer— ence for flat fish dressed before storage on board to flat fish dressed after land— ing, though differences were not great. For example, in one test 37.2 percent pre— ferred dressed-at-sea; 28.1 percent dressed-after—-landing; 34.7 percent detected no difference. The usual commercial procedure is to rinse the ungutted flat fish with sea water, then pack whole on ice and store in the hold until landing.
Tuna Tests: Common practice aboard the tuna vessels is to chill the fish and freeze it without dressing, etc. On an albacore tuna fishing trip, fishermen a- board the Tauranga removed the gills and viscera immediately after catching; the fish were then chilled, packed in refrigerated ice, and frozen by contact with the aluminum walls of the refrigerating jacket. Upon landing, the tuna was stored in the frozen state until processed.
Tuna is most familiar to consumers as a canned product. For this reason it was desirable to offer the panel tasters a product already processed. By way of
March 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 45
comparison a can of good quality, unlabelled, commercially—canned albacore tuna was sent to the tasters with a can of tuna from the Tauranga catch. The "commer— cial" tuna was caught in the same general area as the Tauranga tuna; both boats are refrigerated, the times of catch were within the same fortnight, and both packs were canned locally. The only difference in treatment was that the Tauranga tuna were dressed before chilling and freezing whereas the "commercial" tuna were dress— ed after landing at Vancouver.
The results to date (from 158 persons participating in the panel of 245 per— sons) are: 54 percent preferred the Tauranga pack, 33 percent preferred the "com— mercial" pack, and 13 percent indicated no preference,
Further tests on camned albacore tuna are to be made after varying periods of storage of the raw or unprocessed fish.
Ke KH
UNDERWATER TELEVISION TESTED OFF BRITISH COLUMBIA: The first Canadian under— water television tests in salt water were carried out off British Columbia in the vicinity of Nanaimo on November 4 and 5, 1952, from the Canadian research vessel Investigator I. The tests were made to familiarize the staff of the Pacific Bio-
: logical Station of the
f\ Fisheries Research Board \$ of Canada with the possi- (ey bilities of the equipment in fisheries research. Previous tests had been made in fresh waters of the Ottawa River and Lake Ontario in 1951, and in Lake Minnewanka in 1952, according to the November 1952 Trade News of the Ca- nadian Department of Fish- eries.e
The Canadian equip-— __ +~=ment was devised by W. F. Torrington and his assist- ants, W. E. M. Dale and T. R. Smith, of the Nation al Research Council of Ca- nada.
The television camera
SKETCH OF CAMERA BEING LOWERED INTO THE WATER. is enclosed in a steel
watertight cylinder and
weighs about 300pounds out of water. The cylinder is 3 feet long and 18 inches in diameter. In addition to the camera, it contains3 electric motors anda 50-pound lead weight which serves partly to offset the buoyancy and partly, by shiftingits position forward or backward, to incline the nose of the cylinder up or down. Two propellers fitted to the stern are driven by electric motors and are capable of moving the cylinder forward or backward, or of swinging it from side to side. A battery of four spotlights is mounted on the front of the casing and provides ad- equate illumination. Weights suspended by a length of chain beneath the unit cause it to sink until the weights touch bottom, whereupon the unit regains its buoyancy and remains at a distance from the bottom, governed by the length of chain.
16 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 15, No. 3
The images picked up by the sensitive tube in the camera are transmitted to the television screens on the boat through a coaxial cable. In addition there is a one-inch cable, lined with wooden floats to help buoy it up and reduce drag on the cylinder to a minimum, This cable contains all the conductors providing power for the camera, lights, and propulsion motors, The present cable is about 600 feet long and weighs about 400 pounds.
All operations of the camera are governed by remote control. Movements of the camera are directed from a small unit. The master control unit regulates the quali- ty of the image on the screen and the other electronic functions, yet also enables the operator to focus the camera and change the lens openings. The lens can even be changed from the normal 2 inches to 5 inches for close-ups.
There are two viewing units. One provides for continuous underwater obser— vation, while an auxiliary unit is fitted with a special movie camera. This can make a permanent record of objects of interest, without interfering with ordinary observations.
Yee Ya KH He Te
MARINE—-OIL PRODUCTION, 1952: Canadian marine—oil production in 1952 is esti- mated at 19,070 short tons—-little more than one-helf the 36,240 tons produced in 1951 (see table), reports the February 23 Foreign Crops and Markets, issued by the U.S. Department of Agricul- ture. Competition from low- Canadian Marine-Oil Production, 1952 er-priced vegetable oils and synthetic vitamins, and the reentry of Japanese fish oils (oq oil (all types)......-.-.00.
into the market, caused Ca- erring body and offal oil .....
nadian processing firms to Salimonvoftall oul
reduce fish prices. As a re-
sult, many fishermen tied—up ; a agua
and 1952 Canadian landings ale).
of sea fish were 10 percent Werem Gas rom
lower than the previous year. : : Tie-ups particularly hampered British Colombia herring and salmon fisheries.
Although cod landings were large off the Maritime Provinces, they were not sufficient to offset the greatly reduced Newfoundland catch. Only one whaling firm operated in Newfoundland last year, whereas in 1951 there were 3. Seal-oil produc- tion likewise decreased due to a limited market and low returns to producers.
Ke
Denmark
REVIEW OF THE FISHERIES, 1951: Landings and Value: The total catch of fish and shellfish in Denmark in 1951 amounted to approximately 278,300 metric tons, valued at about 177,100,000 kroner (US$25,600,000) to the fishermen (see table), according to Fiskeri-Beretning for the Year 1951, a Danish Government publication. This includes 15,000 metric tons, valued at 7,000,000 kroner (US$1,000,000), landed by Swedish vessels in Danish ports, and it was mostly herring.
The total catch of edible fish and shellfish increased about 1,600 metric tons over 1950, while the catch of fish for reduction increased about 46,000 metric tons
March 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 47
and the mussel catch declined about 8,500 metric tons. About 11,700,000 kroner (US$1,700,000) of the increased value can be attributed to edible fish and shell- fish, mainly due to a slight rise in the price of plaice, dab, cod, and mackerel. The remaining 8,200,000 kroner (US$1,200,000) increase mainly derived from the in- creased catch of waste fish for reduction.
: Danish Fishery Products Landings, 1951 and 1950 ——————————— Species Quantit 1,000
Metric Metric
Tons US$ Tons kroner US$ 3,103 948,400 1, 70k 1,022 299 ,100 1,025 yen GoooooGGG000 387 91,800 320 MEGS Gansasenocel | Sika ih 7,619,100} 31,860 [Lemon SOlE ceccoce 1,007 232,100 589 Witch flounder ... 473 57,400 ° 337 Flounder ......+..| 5,166 565,000 5,681 Dab (yellowtail)..| 4,302 501,000 3,410 HAGIOCK csccecsso | 1,483 257,400 2,390 od nee tehosecell: 48,282 3,437,000] 45,308 lnetvEN2 IG OGOG00000 503 34, ,700 4L0 Mumpfish: cscs ees es 142 18,500 165 Garpikeneeen cose | 25470 161,400 2,295 Common mackerel .. OSHS) 814,900 10,281 Herring sescocesee | 24,486 1,828,800 26, 341 prat eecoeec cence 2,875 211,700 3,855 AUG G>G6q0000000 1,136 1,154,000 Lobster and shrimp Abe 867, 300 MusSels ecccccccce 17,267 101 , 200
iscellaneous for ROGGE GSgddoqa000 3,735,800 iscellaneous for
reduction ..ccc. 2,662,700 1 1,403, 300) T__Total ...-.0. | 278,294 [177,144 [25,598,900 | 238,961 [| 157,198 | 22,716,400}
Fishing Fleet and Fishermen: The total fishing fleet at the end of 1951 con- sisted (not including 4Ocraft forthe transport of fish) of about 16,065 vessels, of which 7,697 were motor vessels. Of these, 18 were over 50 gross tons, 1,293 -tetween 15 and 50 gross tons, 2,335 between 5 and 15 gross tons, and the remainder below 5 gross tons.
The total value of the fishing vessels was estimated at 143,600,000 kroner (US$20,800,000). The value of fishing gear was about 44,600,000 kroner (US$6,/,00, 000). The value of sheds, for the storing of the fishing gear etc., was estimated at about 3,000,000 kroner (US$433,000) in 1951.
The total number of fishermen regularly or occasionally employed was 19,623 in 1951 as compared with 19,882 in 1950. The number of regular fishermen decreased from 14,260 to 14,078.
Stormy periods during the year caused a number of shipwrecks and loss of human lives. In all, 25 fishermen perished in the course of the year while engaged in fishing, and 20 vessels foundered (4 by explosion of mines).
4g COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 15, No. 3
Catch of Principal Species: The plaice fisheries yielded about the same as in 1950, but the catch showed a considerable increase in the Skagerak, the Kattegat and the Belt Sea, and a corresponding drop in the North Sea.
The total yield in 1951 from the herring fisheries was about 2,000 metric tons less than in 1950. The yield from the herring fisheries in the North Sea was al— most double that of 1950, while the Baltic and the Belt Sea showed only a small increase. On the other hand the catch in the Skagerak declined about 4,000 metric tons as compared with 1950; likewise the catch in the Kattegat declined but con- siderably less than that of the Skagerak.
Cod, the most important edible fish in volume, increased 3,000 metric tons. Fishingwas carried on mainlyin the Belt Sea and the Baltic, which together yielded almost 50 percent of the total catch of cod.
The 1951 mackerel catch was almost equal to that of 1950. About 8&5 percent of the mackerel was caught in the Kattegat and Skagerak—60 and 40 percent, respec— tively.
The drop in the catch of mussels is due to the almost complete suspension of this fishery in the Kattegat and the Belt Sea.
Fishing Areas: The catch from the fiords of Western Jutland, the Lime Fiord, and the more remote waters declined slightly in 1951, while catches in all the other waters increased.
DANISH BEACH LANDING CRAFT. FAO EXPERTS HAVE STUDIED THESE BOATS TO SEE WHETHER THEY COULD BE INTRODUCED IN OTHER COUNTRIES.
About 50 vessels were fishing in the Barents Sea in 1951 as compared with about 100 in 1950. The total yield, which was landed in British ports, amounted to about 500 metric tons valued at about 800,000 kroner (US$#116,000) as compared with about 800 metric tons and 900,000 kroner (US#$130,000) in 1950. This fishing, therefore, seems to have been fairly profitable to the fishermen in 1951. Plaice totaled 400 metric tons, valued at about 700,000 kroner (US$100,000).
The bulk of the Danish catch in 1951 was caught in Danish waters, but Danish fishermen also exploited remote seas—-first and foremost, the waters off Greenland, Five companies operated there, and work has been continued on the basis of the ex- perience gained in recent years. Improved landing facilities have been provided, and technical improvements introduced at the stations ashore. Fishing was mainly
March 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 49
by lines and pound nets. The total yield (converted into whole fish) amounted to about 5,400 metric tons of which about 5,000 metric tons were salted cod.
As in previous years, a large number of cutters with trawl and Danish seine have been operating in waters off Iceland. They disposed of their catch (mainly plaice) in British ports. Further, a few Danish expeditions also took part in the herring fisheries off NorthernIceland. The total catch from this area was about 1,400 metric tons valued at about 1,500,000 kroner (US#218,000), mainly plaice, herring, cod, and haddock.
Fresh-Water Fisheries: Only scant information is available about the fresh— water fish caught in lakes and rivers. The total yield is estimated at about1,000 metric tons, valued at about 1,000,000 kroner (US#145,000). Fairly complete infor— mation has been obtained about the considerable rearing of brook trout, which takes place in the pond cultures at Danish fish farms, Total production for export was about 2,500 metric tons in 1951, valued at about 12,100,000 kroner (US#1,750,000) as compared with 2,100 metric tons and 10,300,000 kroner (US$1,500,000) in 1950. Only a small part of the production was disposed of on the domestic market.
_ Shellfish: Oyster dredging, state operated and carried on in the Lime Fiord, only yielded a total of 2,600,000 oysters in the 1951/52 season as compared with 3,100,000 in 1950/51.
Imports: Danish imports of fishery products in 1951 were valued at about 26,900,000 kroner (US$3,900,000). The value of fresh fish imported (mainly from Swedish landings) totaled about 11,400,000 kroner (US$1,650,000). Imports of cured products amounted to 15,500,000 kroner (US%$1,600,000), of which salted cod and her- ring accounted for about 14,100,000 kroner (US$2,000,000) and canned fish about 1,200,000 kroner (US‘$173,000). Imports of fish meal and herring oil accounted for about 14,900,000 kroner (US$12,200,000), medicinal fish oil about 6,900,000 kroner (US$1,000,000), and other kinds of fish oi] and whale oil 41,100,000 kroner (US$5,900,000).
Exports: Total exports in 1951 amounted to about 120,700 metric tons, valued at about 187,500,000 kroner (US$27,100,000) as compared with about 122,700 metric tons and 169,500,000 kroner (US#$24,500,000) in 1950. Of this, about 91,000 metric tons were fresh fish valued at about 147,000,000 kroner (US$21,200,000) as compared with about 88,000 metric tons and 128,000,000 kroner (US$18,500,000) in 1950. Fur-— ther, 15,400 metric tons of various shellfish and cuttlefish were exported fresh, valued at about 3,900,000 kroner (US$564,000) as compared with about 22,200 metric tons and 4,900,000 kroner (US$708,000) in 1950. The export of cured fish products (including shellfish) amounted to about 14,200 metric tons in 1951 valued at about 36,400,000 kroner (US$5,300,000) as compared with about 12,500 metric tons and 36,200,000 kroner (US$5,200,000) in 1950. Of these exports, canned goods reached a total of about 3,300 metric tons, valued at 17,000,000 kroner (US$2,500,000), and salted products of herring and cod reached about 10,700 metric tons valued at about 18,300,000 kroner (US$2,600,000).
Fishery Loans: In the fiscal year 1951/52 the Fisheries Bank granted long— term loans totalling 3,016,800 kroner (US$440,000) as compared with 5,788,550 kron— er (US$836,000) in 1950/51.
Fishery Legislation: The basic fishery laws were revised in 1951 both for fresh-water and salt-water fisheries. Together with the extensive legislation on the domestic and export fish trade passed in 1950, these new laws have created a modernized basis for public control of production and distribution of fishery pro-
ducts and byproducts.
50 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 15, No. 3
Hungary
catch fish by electricity have been carried out in Hungary the past few years. The results are considered successful, reports The Fishing News of January 17, a British trade magazine. Sponsored by the National Fish Breeding Institute, the aim was to discover the most suitable type of apparatus and to find out if the current had any harmful effect on the fish and on fish breeding. Electrical fish- ing proved particularly successful in waters where plants, reeds, snags, and roots prevent the use of traditional fishing gear. Field experiments were carried out for 11 months mainly in the autumn and winter of 1950-51.
The apparatus finally adopted consisted of an electric generator capable of producing up to 300 volts and powered by an 8 hp. motor. It was found preferable to use the apparatus from a small craft, to which a copper strip had been fitted to the keel to act as a negative electrode.
The postive electrode is fitted to the end of a wooden pole and attached to the generator by a length of cable. It consists of a basket-like construction covered with a fine metal mesh. The fisherman stands in the stern of the craft, which is kept in constant motion by an oarsman. When the craft is in a fishing area, the positive electrode is lowered into the water and the current switched on. An electric field is created around the positive electrode and any fish within a radius of one to two meters (3 to 63 feet) is attracted to the positive electrode. It is stunned by the current and can be lifted out of the water in a net.
Although the radius of the current is small, the fact that the electrode can be dipped into the water about 100 times an hour means that a large area of water can be covered. It was found that the best results were obtained in cooler weather when the fish were more sluggish, and fishing can even be carried out when there is thin ice on the water. Fish which are too small or are otherwise unsuitable can be left to recover and swim away. Also, small fish are less attracted by the current than bigger ones.
Direct current is used, as alternating current paralyzes the fishand makes them sink to the bottom almost immediately. The strengthof the current used varies considerably, but even when full power is used it is not practicable to fish in water more than six feet deep. The electrode is dipped in the water for upto eight seconds at a time.
The experiments showed that electric fishing while not suitable for big rivers and large expanses of water, gives excellent results when used in favorable areas. One boat fishing for six weeks on the Nagyberen River, where traditional methods are impracticable, caught 53 metric tons of fish.
It is intended to encourage fishing by electricity in appropriate waters. The method is also to be used to rid rivers and ponds of cannibal fish and to catch fish for breeding in ponds.
Iceland
FISHERI#S OUTLOOK FOR 1953: The beginning of the main winter fisheries took place in the face of contracting markets for both frozen and salted fishand stocks of processed fish which are already taxing Iceland's limited storage facilities. The outlook is so poor that the freezing plants have sofar been unwilling to agree
March 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 51
to a renewal of last year's price of I.kr. 1.00 per kilo (about 2.8 U. S. cents per pound) for cod (gutted with head on), to be paid to the motorboat operators. Price discussions are now going on, after the actual start of fishing operations has taken place, states a January 28 U. S. consular dispatch from Reykjavik. The most favorable market outlook at present is for stockfish (dried cod). This has been a significant export commodity only during the past two years, but will proba- bly be of increasing importance in the future as Iceland develops its own markets for this commodity. Iceland's largest buyer of stockfishis at present the Federal Republic of Germany, which re-exports the fish to African customers. Iceland lacks experience in fish drying for export, and the weather at the beginning of the sea- son is somewhat risky, but the prospects are that drying will be done on a much larger scale this year.
PLAN TO INCREASE FISHERY PRODUCTS EXPORTS: A representative of the Icelandic Foreign Office's Commercial Section is now in Warsaw negotiating a renewal of the = Icelandic-Polish trade agreement, which ex- pired at the end of 1952. The increasing importance of compen- sation trade in Ice- land's search for mar- kets for fisheries products has led to attempts to arrange triangular deals by which Iceland will buy : Z more ofa product than \CELANDIC STEAM TRAWLER. she can consume, and re-export the surplus. It can be expected that Iceland will attempt to re-export Spanish oranges to the Faroe Islands and certain "curtain" countries, particularly Hungary. The Iceland- ic Chamber of Commerce has taken the lead in promoting this type of trade which, it is hoped, will improve Iceland's export possibilities by making it possible for her to offer her customers an attractive "package" of commodities, and at the same time enabling Iceland's suppliers to take more Icelandic fish.
U. S. ARMY VETERINARIAN VISITS FREEZING PLANTS: The Chief Veterinarian for the U. S. Army's European Command visited Iceland in January to inspect fish freez- ing plants as a possible source of supplies of fish to the U. S. Army. The Army's needs, procurement, and sanitary inspection procedures were discussed at a meeting attended by representatives of the organizations exporting frozen fish, the Ministry of Commerce, and the Legation. A number of freezing plants in the Reykjavik, Akranes, Keflavik area were inspected and the Veterinarian reported that he was very much impressed with the plants he saw. He is recommending that the plants be put onthe Army's approved list. U. S. Army requirements are for 250,000 pounds of fishmonth- ly; and while this is a comparatively modest amount, the Icelandic producers are anxious to supply the U. S. Army because of increasingly poor prospects for market- ing the fish caught during the season just beginning. (Editor's Note: Although
not specifically stated, requirements are for U. S. troops in Iceland only. Pur- chase of fish abroad to meet requirements of troops in United States not contem- plated, according to the U. S. Army Quartermaster Corps. )
MOTORBOAT—FISHING-FLEET LABOR DISPUTE: A strike at the beginning of the main
fishing fleet in Reykjavik and Hafnarfjordur. It began on January 1 and:a settle-
52 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 15, No. 3
ment was reached on January 21. The principal demand of the strikers was for an increased wage guarantee, The settlement substantially met this demand and intro— duced a guarantee for the latter half of the year, which the previous agreement did not contain.
RENEWAL OF MOTORBOAT CURRENCY AGREEMENT: Negotiations are now taking place fleet. The motorboat owners are attempting to obtain a larger share of the for-— eign exchange proceeds of their exports. As a collateral demand they are asking that they be allowed to name one member of the Government's Economic Board, as they contend that no one on the present Board knows the fishing industry well enough. The owners are also pressing for a reduction in the interest rate of the banks on operational loans to fishing-boat operators, from the present 7 percent to 5 per— cent. The prospects are for a renewal of the currency scheme on the same basis as before, with a possible concession on the question of interest rate.
India FISHERIES TO RECEIVE AID FROM NORWAY: India's fisheries will be provided
with fishery technical experts and equipment from Norway as part of a tri-partite agreement signed recently by representatives of India, Norway, and the United Na- tions. The agreement includes an over-all plan for improving the economic and social conditions in a limited area of Travancore-Cochin, on the west coast of
India, states the Norwegian Information Service on February 5.
Norway will contribute 2.7 million rupees (US$560,000) in the 1953/54 fiscal year toward technical aid to a community of some 12,000 fisnermen living on the shores of the Ashtamudi Lagoon in the estuary of the Callada River. In the same period, the Government of India will spend 10.6 million rupees (US$2.2 million) on devel- oping fisheries in this same area.
Among the projects that will have top priority are: (1) the installation of Norwegian engines in Indian fishing craft; (2) promoting rational methods of han- dling fish; (3) construction of an ice-making plant for the fisheries; (4) purifi- cation of drinking water; and (5) establishment of a health center.
The Norwegian assistance will be financed by a fund voted by the Parliament, later to be supplemented by the proceeds from a nationwide collection drive now being organized.
Iran
GOVERNMENT TAKES CONTROL OF IRANIAN-SOVIET JOINT FISHERY COMPANY: The Iranian Government took over control on February 1, 1953, of the former Iranian-Soviet joint fishery company in Iran. The company will now operate under the name of the Na- tional Fisheries Company, according to recent newspaper press releases from that country. The 25-year contract (signed in 1927) expired on January 31, 1953, 25 years after the agreement went into effect.
The Russian officials of the jointly-owned firm closed their accounts shortly after the first of February, according to the press reports quoted by U. S. Embassy
March 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 53
dispatches from Tehran. The financial and administrative affairs of the firmwill now be nlanaged by Iranian officials and the Soviet Government will no longer have any interest in its financial affairs. Iran officials have replaced formerSoviet officials in the accounts department. Iranian Government representatives visited various installations of the fisheries and issued new instructions for each sec- tion. Among the technicai staff, 29 Soviet nationals continued with their work to prevent a breakdown of operations pending their replacement.
The 1927 agreement provided that when the contract expired the operations of the company would cease and the assets would be divided equally between the two countries. One Jranian Government official expressed confidence that the proce- dure of liquidating the assets would run smoothly, and when finally settled some Russian experts may remain in Iran to help operate the new company.
It is understood that the Iranians plan to pay in fish for the Russians' half of the physical properties and give them the right to buy all of the new company's output. elivextoal!
NOTE: SEE COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REViEW, NOVEMBER 1952, P. 37.
Japan
CANNED AND FROZEN TUNA EXPORT QUOTA TO UNITED STATES INCREASED: The export of an additional 3,000 short tons of frozen tuna and 150,000 cases of canned tuna to the United States for the period April 1952 to March 1953 has been authorized by the Japanese Ministry of International Trade, reports a February 17 U. S. Em-
bassy dispatch from Tokyo.
The Japanese Government on April 7, 1952, established a quota for the export of frozen and canned tuna to the United States for April 1952-March 1953. The original quota for frozen tuna was 12,000 short tons; last September this was in- creased by 6,000 tons to 18,000 tons; and the latest increase of 3,000 tons raises the quota te 21,000 tons. The original quota for canned tuna was 1,000,000 cases and the present increase raises it to 1,150,000 cases.
NOTE: THERE HAS BEEN SOME CONFUSION AS TO WHETHER THE QUOTA WAS EXPRESSED IN METRIC OR SHORT
TONS. HOWEVER, ACCORDING TO RECENT |NFORMAFION IT 1S REPORTED THAT THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT HAS ALWAYS REPORTED THE QUOTA FOR FROZEN TUNA EXPORTS TO THE UNITED STATES !N SHORT TONS.
KHH EHH
FISHERIES PRODUCTION OUTLOOK THROUGH 1957: Japanese fisheries production is expected to steadily rise each year until it reaches approximately 10.8 billion pounds in 1957 as compared with the 7.9 billion pounds produced in 1951 and an estimated 8.5 billion pounds in 1952(see table), The 1957 estimate represents a 27-percent in- crease above the prewar levelof 1936. This pre- fe== diction, published in the Japanese press (K odo, ear | December 3, and Tokyo Shinbun, December 2), was made by the Japarese Fisheries Agency, reports a U. S. Embassy dispatch from Tokyo.
Estimated Japanese Fisheries
Daex
The upward trend in catchis expectedto re- sult from: (1) the shift from coastal fishingto more productive offshore fishing grounds, includ- ing exploration and development of some of the
5h COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 15, No. 3
more distant areas; (2) improvement in coastal fisheries with respect to mackerel- pike, cuttlefish, and mackerel, and the revival of the sardine fisheries as a re- sult of increased abundance through natural causes; (3) application of conserva- tion measures to reduce overfishing in inshore and coastal fisheries and to insure the best utilization on a sustained-yield basis; and (4) continued improvement in the whaling catch, reaching prewar levels.
The Japanese Fisheries Agency anticipates that fishermen will require gov- ernment financial and other assistance to increase fishing fleets and effect nec-
we eal
BULL TRAWLERS USED BY JAPANESE FISHERMEN IN THE EAST CHINA SEA. KYUSHU, JAPAN.
OPERATED IN PAIRS. FUKUOKA,
essary changes in the types and locations of fisheries activities to attain the production goal set for 1957.
KKH K
—=-_ ———— — ——, ——_ C —
ing by a Japanese whale catcher (Fumi Maru No. 15) en route to the Antarctic has revealed indications of good catches of tuna in the Coral Sea between Australia and New Caledonia, according to a Japanese press report (Mainichi Shimbun, Decem- ber 20). This catcher (attached to the factoryship Nisskin Maru) did some exper- imental fishing with long lines in waters south of the equator. Good tuna fish- ing was indicated at 19°43' S. latitude and 156932' E. longitude. The catch of the brief experimental fishing consisted of 11 yellowfin tuna, 8 albacore,1 broad- bill swordfish, and 15 Spanish mackerel. This is equivalent to a Japanese tuna boat catch of 350 baskets of gear on regular long-line operations, or 256,000 pounds per haul.
WHALE-CATCHER BOAT LOCATES GOOD TUNA GROUNDS IN CORAL SEA: Experimental fish-
This information was received with considerable interest by the tuna fisher- men at Misaki, one of the leading tuna ports in Japan. Misaki is 3,480 miles from the new tuna area. Tuna fishermen believe this distant fishing ground can be fished by the large-sized tuna boats (350 gross-ton class) which have been com- pleted or are under construction. Indications are that Japanese boats will soon be making trips to this newly-reported tuna area to determine the possibility of full-scale commercial operations.
kKHEERE
March 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 55
WHALE OIL SOLD TO WEST GERMANY: An agreement for the sale of 12,250 metric tons of Ja Japanese whale oil to West | Germany was reached recently. This should fo a long way towards solving Japan's difficulty in disposing of the bulk of its 1951/52 Antarctic whaling production, according to a Japanese press report (Kyodo, December 12, 1952). This amount is 35 percent of Japan's total production (34,700 metric tons) of whale oil for 1951/52. In exchange for the whale oil (in storage in Europe), West Germany is expected to sell Japan 26,000 metric tons of Cuban sugar.
Several factors contributed to Japan's inability to dispose of the 1951/52 Antarctic production of whale oil:
1. On the export market: (a) whale oil was banned by the United Kingdom, one of the largest consumers, because of its import curtailment policy; (b) Ger- many, the Netherlands, and other countries in Europe suffered the loss of markets due to Japan's excessive export credit; and (c) the supply of whale oil increased.
2. On the domestic market: the sale of whale oil has been adversely affected by imports of cheap beef tallow from the United States.
The price of whale oil has been affected by the world-wide increase in the production of vegetable oils. Because of the decline in the price of vegetable oils, the whale-oil price decreased from L120 (US$336) per ton in December 1951 (the beginning of the whaling season) to b70 (US$#196) per ton in May 1952 after the whaling season had ended. The price quoted in the deal with West Germany is approximately £95 (US$266) per ton.
The Japanese whaling industry is endeavoring to dispose of its whale-oil stocks in storage in Japan--approximately 23,000 metric tons. The Fisheries Com- mittees of the Lower House on December 19, 1952, called on the Japanese Government to purchase whale oil to stabilize the price. No decision has been made by the Government on this problem.
KHKURHEE
FISHING VESSELS LAND AT HONG KONG: Two Japanese otter trawlers landed their catches at Hong Kong on December 6, marking the first Japanese catch to be landed directly at that port in the postwar period, reports the Japanese press (Nippon Times, December 8). The two boats, owned by a Tokyo company, are part of a 13- boat fleet operating under a special license granted the firm for fishing in the South China Sea, including the area off Hong Kong. This trawler fleet is headed by the mothership Baikal Maru of 7,477 gross tons.
These landings are the result of negotiations at Hong Kong between a repre- sentative of the Japanese fishing company and Hong Kong Government officials. In discussions with Hong Kong officials regarding fishing and marketing conditions, the Japanese representative was informed that there were no legal objectionsto the landing of catches by Japanese fishing boats although it was expected that Hong Kong fishermen would oppose such landings. However, the officials added that the catches would have to be sold through the Government marketing system, to which the Japanese representative agreed.
The Hong Kong officials also stated that the current supply of fish was con- siderably below requirements since the local population has increased greatly in the past year or so, largely because of the influx from Red China. The Hong Kong fleet is apparently incapable of adequately supplying this increased need at the present time. It was believed, therefore, that landings by Japanese fishing boats would be helpful in meeting the shortage of animal protein foods.
56 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 15, No. 3
Anticipating that Hong Kong fishermen would object to the landings by Japa- nese boats and wishing to prevent any adverse effect of such landings on the Hong Kong market, the Japanese company plans to limit landings by using only twotrawl- ers of its fleet. It further plans to hold the landed catches to limited quanti- ties and to space them over specified intervals of time to prevent a drastic drop in fish prices on the Hong Kong market. The catch of the rest of the Japanese fleet operating off Hong Kong will be carried directly to Japan.
Hong Kong fishermen have already voiced opposition to the landings of Japa- nese catches (Kyodo, November 29). They charged that a sharp drop (50 percent) in fish prices occurred prewar when Japanese fishing boats "suddenly dumped" their catches at Hong Kong.
According to a December 7 press report, the two Japanese trawlers landed ap- proximately two metric tons of fish and the catch was sold through Hong Kong Gov-— ernment channels. The fish arrived at a time when recent adverse fishing weather had resulted in much smaller catches by Hong Kong fishermen.
The Japanese company received information from Hong Kong on December 9 that good progress had been made in clarifying a misunderstanding on the quantity of Japanese-caught fish to be landed and that the "situation was quiet." The Japa- nese company is anxious to avoid international friction and, therefore, carefully reviewed the situation and discussed the project with responsible Hong Kong offi- cials before deciding to send its boats into that port.
KH HHH
FISHING RESTRICTIONS OFF KOREA CAUSE CONCERN: The Japanese have expressed concern over the restrictions on fishing in areas off South Korea as a result of
the "Sea Defense Zone" established by the Commander-in-Chief of the United Nations Forces, a U. S. Embassy dispatch from Tokyo dated December 29 states. It is hoped by the Japanese that a solution will be found which will allow Japanese fishermen
to have access to those waters.
HHH HE
JAPANESE-KOREAN DISPUTE OVER FISHING AREAS OFF KOREA: Korean President Rhee
has stated his willingness to meet with representatives of the Japanese fishing industry to discuss problems of mutual interest to Japanese and Korean fisheries.
The scheduled meeting (expected to take place in February) developed from a request to President Rhee by the Japanese fishing industry to lift the Korean re- strictions on Japanese fishing inside of the Rhee Line which was established by unilateral action of Korea in January 1952 by a proclamation by President Rhee.
The Japanese Government has objected to Korea's action in claiming territorial jurisdiction beyond the international three-mile limit and extending into "high seas" areas. Seizures of Japanese vessels by Korean patrol boats have taken place over the last several months, These have been vigorously protested by the Japanese fishing industry operating in the waters off South Korea. This topic has received wide publicity in the Japanese press.
Although the discussions between President Rhee and his officials and the Japanese fishing delegation will be informal, fishery circles hope that they will pave the way for the solution of fisheries disputes by official negotiations which may follow between the Governments of Korea and Japan.
March 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 57
The newly organized Great Japan Fisheries Society is an important supporter of efforts to seek an amicable solution to the Japan-Korea dispute over fishing areas off Korea. Reorganization of this Society was begun in December 1952 and completed January 12, 1953.
KHHH
for the first time in the postwar era, states a December 17 dispatch from the United States Embassy in Tokyo. Fishing will be by mothership operations on the high seas by a private company organized on December 5, 1952. Final composition of this expedition has not been decided as yet, but it is expected that it will consist of not more than one mothership (tonnage not known), 25 diver boats (50 to 80 gross tons average), and 70 Japanese divers. The fleet will probably sail from Japan in late February or early March 1953.
A total of 25 applications have been approved by the Japanese Fisheries A- gency from a total of 78 received. The Agency gave preference to those who had engaged in peari-shell fishing before the war, and all approved applicants have had such experience. Those authorized to engage in this activity will also be required to obtain special operational licenses, provided the vessels and other conditions meet Government requirements.
The Government has limited the annual catch to 1,250 metric tons to avoid catches in excess of requirements that would oversupply the limited market. The Government has also imposed a minimum oyster-size limit. The landed catch will consist only of shells 15 centimeters or larger. The catch will be brought to Japan and processed into shell buttons. It is reported a New York firm will be a principal distributor,
Prior to World War II a fleet of Japanese divers fished for pearl shells in the Arafura Sea. According to reports, the fleet numbered 170 boats and 2,200 fishermen at its peak, and produced an annual catch of 3,800 metric tons. Alarge part of the production was exported to the United States button markets. In 1923, the Japanese also began experiments in the culture of the pearl-shell oyster at Buton, Celebes. In 1930, a company was organized in the interest of further de- velopment in the culture of the pearl-shell oyster. This company was in existence until 1944.
JAPANESE GOVERNMENT
a
Mexico
U. S. VESSELS ACCUSED OF FISHING IN MEXICAN TERRITORIAL WATERS: According to reports of Mexican commercial fishermen, approximately 30 United States shrimp fishing vessels are regularly operating off the coast of Mexico between Tampico and Tuxpan, frequently within one or two miles-off the coast. These reports also indicate that the vessels carry an unusually large number of small arms. A large fleet of United States fishing vessels is also reported in Campeche Sound, accord- ing to reports transmitted by the U. S. Embassy at Mexico City in a February 13 dispatch.
United States operators of fishing boats operating near Mexican waters are notified that foreign vessels found fishing in Mexican waters without authorization from the Mexican Government may be seized by Mexican Authorities. Mexico considers its territorial waters to extend nine miles out to sea.
Hut HH OH
58 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 15, No. 3
STATUS OF FISHERIES, 1951: The total investment of capital in the Mexican fishery industries amounted to approximately 250 million pesos (US$29 million) as of December 30, 1951, reports the November 1952 World Fish Trade, a Danish trade periodical, Further expansion is predicted.
There were at least 36 freezing plants operating in Mexico during 1951--29 on the Pacific Coast and 7 on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. In addition, there were 27 plants processing sardines, tuna, bonito, Spanish mackerel, and abalone for both export and domestic consumption. These processing plants are located in the states of Sonora, Sinaloa, Baja California, and Campeche.
Total exports of shrimp to the United States in 1951 amounted to 39,652,640 pounds, One-third of this total was caught in the Gulf of Mexico and the remain- der in the Pacific Ocean, including the Gulf of California.
Government revenue through taxes on fishery products exports has been stead— ily increasing.
Norway
HUGE FISH-FREEZING AND COLD-STORAGE PLANT BEGINS OPERATIONS: A fish-freezing and cold—storage plant, considered to be the world's largest, was scheduled for testing in Bergen, Norway, late in January, according to a report in Fiskaren (January 14), a Norwegian trace periodical. The plant was expected to begin ac- cepting herring for freezing in half-boxes (44 pounds) at a rate of 2,500 boxes per 24-hour day. During the trial operation, storage will be available for about 40,000 boxes.
When the plant is in full operation later in the summer, it will be able to freeze 5,000 half-boxes per 24-hour day and store 12,000 metric tons of fish, in- cluding herring. The dry-freezing capacity will be 75 metric tons per 24-hour day, with special consideration for tuna. The plant is equipped with refrigera- tion machinery of American manufacture.
KEKE EK
WHALE-MEAT INDUSTRY: Production: A total of 6,800 metric tons of whalemeat was produced in Norway in 1952, compared with 5,420 metric tons in 1951, reports
a December 15, 1952, U. S. Embassy dis- ners ly patch from Oslo (see table). It is ex- | Table 1 - Norwegian Production of Whale| Meat, 1951-52
pected that thefuture annual production Kind of Whale-Meat Product| 1952] 1951
will remain at between 5,000 and 7,000 (Metric Tons)
metric tons. 2,500 | 2,300
The main whale-catching districts are located on the west coast of Norway which has about 100deep-freezing plants. The total capacity of these plants is well over 100 metrictons per 24-hour day. There are 4 shore whaling stations, oper- ating 3 catcher boats each. These catcher boats are mainly engaged in catching large whales, which they tow to the shore stations for processing. In addition, there are 240 smaller boats catching smaller whales. The number has been reduced from over 400 in previous years in order to avoid reduction of the number of whales. The small boats, in contrast to the whale catchers of the shore stations, strip the whales of blubber and cut the meat in the catching area. After the meat has cooled, it is iced.
March 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 59
The Norwegian Government, through the Office of Whaling of the Ministry of Industries, issues licenses valid for one year to small boat owners who wish to engage in whale catching. Licenses were issued to 240 boats for the 1952 season, less than the number issued in previous years. In order to avoid depleting the whale supply, the Government by licensing larger boats, is attempting to enc ouraes whale catching farther from the Norwegian coast.
The catching season for small boats is from March 15 through September 14, with the exception of the period July 1 through 20. The catching season for the shore stations is from April 20 through October 19. The shore stations are al- lowed to catch whales during the July 1-20 period, but they are not allowed to market whale meat during this period. The shore stations are issued licenses valid for 7 years.
Attempts have been made to have whales processed within 24 hours after kill- ing, but this is very difficult to control. In any event, meat intended for sale for human or animal consumption is inspected and passed by government inspectors. Meat which does not pass inspection is processed into other products.
Processing Régulations:. Regulations on the handling and packing of whale meat specify, in part, that:
All whale meat packers must be authorized by the Ministry of Industries.
As soon as possible after catching, the blood shall be drawn from all whales which are to be towed ashore for processing.
Prior to towing, all whales shall be opened in order that they may be evis- cerated during towing.
The whales shall be stripped of blubber as soon as they have been brought ashore.
During processing, the whale meat is to be graded as follows:
1. Whale steak - Meat cut from the back or side of the whale, of at least a 50-square-centimeter cross section area down through the grain.
2. Manufacturing meat - The same meat as whale steak, but of smaller cuts. 3. Whale-tongue meat - The light colored meat from the tongue. 4. Animal food or waste meat - All other meat from the whale.
The meat should be deep frozen within 72 hours from the time freezing is started,
Exports of grades of whale meat other than "whale steak" or "manufacturing meat," and whale meat which is not frozen, are prohibited.
Exports: Exports of whale and seal meat from Norway in the period January- October 1952 totaled 3,861 metric tons (table 2). In the entire year 1951 exports totaled 1,144 metric tons. Frozen whale meat exports are not available separately, but seal meat exports are an insignificant part of the total. About 56 percent of the total 1952 production of whale meat has been exported at an average f.o.b price of 1,68 kroner per kilo (103 U.S. cents per pound). About 90 percent of total exports went to the United Kingdom,
60 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 15, No. 3
Wholesale Frozen Whale-Meat Prices: Prices paid by Norwegian wholesale dis- tributors for frozen whale steak for human consumption has varied from 2.75 to 3.25 kroner per kilogram (173-204 U.S. cents per pound) during the last few years.
The price of frozen whale meat for an- imal consumption has varied between 1.00 and 1.50kroner per kilogram (63- 9s U.S. cents per _pound).
Table 2 - Norwegian Exports of Whale and Seal Meat, January-October 1952 and January-—December 1951
Goune f ie 8) bh B ROR Sti een January-October potas buant tty Quantity 'Value(f.o.b.
M 000 O00
Czechoslovakia estern Germany Austria Total eaer
One of the
- = 390.0} 54,5] main exporters of whale meat (the
only significant
exporters of frozen whale meat for human consumption to the U. S.) indicated that in a normal catching season, if exports to the United Kingdom were reduced and favorable prices on the American market prevailed, he would be able to offer the following quantities for export to the U. S. annually: 1,000 metric tons whale steak, 1,000 tons manufacturing meat, and 2,000 tons whale meat for animal feeding. A representative from the Whaling Office of Ministry of Industries considered these figures too high, and believed that no more than about 2,000 tons of the Norwegian production of manufacturing meat and animal food could possibly be exported.
at 799 6
Panama
BAIT-FISHING VESSELS NO LONGER REQUIRED TO PURCHASR FURL AND LUBRICANTS IN PANAMA: The purchase of fuel and lubricants in Panama by licensed bait—fishing vessels is no longer required. Panamanian Decree No. 73, dated February 13, modi- fied Article 8 of Decree No. 30 (December 22, 1952) which had specified that such
purchases must be made in Panama. Henceforth, licensed boats will be required
=
SCALE OF MILES
£ : 100 82° : = —=
only to buy their supplies and to make small repairs there. Decree No. 73 was ef- fective commencing February 13, reports a February 16 dispatch from the U. S. Em- bassy at Panama.
March 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 61
This modification of Decree No. 30 is the direct result of the Panamanian Government's recognition of the fact that it now does not have available practical means for selling the fuel and lubricants in Panamanian territory and for collect- ing the related import duties. The oil companies refused to assist in collecting these duties.
Ve.
Spain
REVIEW OF THE TUNA FISHERIES: Landings: The total catch of tuna, albacore, and bonito in n Spain (including the Canary Islands) for the first ten months of 1952 amounted to 26,565 metric tons (table 1), reports a January 2 U. S. Embassy dispatch from Madrid.
According to Spanish classifications, "tuna" includes the yellowfin and blue- fin species, while skipjack, yellowtail, and bonito are classified under the gen- eral heading of "bonito." Albacore(also called "Bo- nito del norte") is clas- sified separately. Data in this reportare accord- ingly classified under three separate headings: "tuna," "bonito," and "al- bacore" inaccordance with Spanish classifications.
Table 1 - Spanish Tuna and Tuna-Like Fish Landings ners Canary Islands), 1947-52
Pepcid 1951 | 1950
Fishing and the Fleet: The Spanish tuna fishing industry is centered chiefly in the Canary Islands and the Provinces of Huelva and Cadiz. Bonito and albacore fishing is scattered generally around the northern and northwestern littoral, with the Cantabrian region ranking first in bonito and albacore catches.
Tuna fishing off the shores of Huelva and Cadiz is from fixed nets, owned by one company. This organization is believed to be capitalized at between 75 and 100 million pesetas (US$1,892,000-2,522,000). The Spanish Government controls 52 percent of its capital stock and private Spanish interests the remainder, In 1951 it operated 218 boats of all types and employed 1,400 persons in fishing and tend- ing its installations. Fishermen earn a fixed salary plus a percentage of the catch with average earnings amounting to about 1,000 pesetas (US$25) monthly.
This firm also operates a number of canneries in this area, the output of which consists of various species of fish for export.
Tuna fishing in the Canaries supplies about 8 percent of the total fishcatch in that area. There are no available data relating to the percentage of the Canary Island fleet specializing in tuna fishing. The total fishing fleet (excluding oar- propelled boats) in the Canary Islands numbers some 557 units with a net tonnage of 11,894 metric tons and a declared value of approximately 76 million pesetas (US$1, 917,000) .
The entire Cantabrian fishing fleet of Northern Spain in 1951 numbered 2,371 vessels (excluding oar-propelled) with a net tonnage of 56,818 metric tons. Same larly, there is no breakdown of data relating to the percentage of vessels spec- ializing in albacore or bonito fishing. The greater part of this fleet is reported to be antiquated and badly in need of replacement. There are, however, a number of modern and well-equipped fishing vessels included in the fleet.
62 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 15, No. 3
The fleet engaged in fishing for albacore off the Vigo area is estimated to number some 50 units of from 80 to 150 tons. Its fishing grounds are roughly de- scribed as an area 50 to 60 miles from Vigo off the Spanish and Portugese coasts and as far north as the 45th parallel,near the Grand Sole. The season generally runs from the beginning of June through the middle of October, with the larger vessels extending their operations later in the season up to the 45th parallel.
The Direccion General de Pesca Maritima states that the Spanish tuna fleet, as such, is relatively small. The Government has apparently made no special ef- fort to develop a tuna industry since the end of the Spanish Civil War.
In 1950 the Government repealed the ban against the construction of fishing vessels of less than 100 tons and offered subsidies for the construction of new vessels and the refitting of old ones. However, new construction was hampered by the lack of raw materials, ship fittings, and the requirement that one old unit be removed from service for every new one constructed under a subsidy. Since the majority of owners possessed only one or two units, they could not afford to re- move their vessels from service while awaiting the construction of new ones. The scarcity and excessive cost of ship-building materials still hamper the expansion of the Spanish fishing fleet.
Prices: Prices paid to fishermen vary throughout the different regions. The national averages for the years 1949-52 are shown in table 2.
Per Kilo} Per Lb.
ei 7275 | | 8.89 TeOS WES SOS
Canning Industry: An impediment to the development of the fish-canning in- dustry in general is the shortage of tinplate. With increased arrivals from the United States and European sources Spain is gradually allocating more to the fish- packing industry. Packers still complain, however, that they could export more fish if there were sufficient tinplate available.
About 20 percent of the approximately 425 fish-canning plants in operation during 1951 listed tuna and tuna-like fish among their specialties. The Vigo area is the leading packing center with a total of 103 plants--23 of which handle tuna, bonito, and albacore, among other species. Albacore fishing for canning in this area sprang into importance about 1944 when the scarcity of sardines forced the canning industry to turn to other species. When sardines are available, the can- ning of albacore is estimated to represent about 16 percent of total production, practically all of which is for export. When sardines are not available, as has been the case for the past several years, the canning of albacore is estimated to represent about 45 percent of production.
The canning facilities in the Vigo area are estimated to account for about 80 percent of the total volume of the Spanish fish-canning industry. There are no figures available as to the percentage of the national output of tuna and tuna-like fish canned in any one area. Other important areas in which tuna and tuna-like fish are canned are Oviedo, Vizcaya, Santander, and La Coruna. Of the 10 fish-can- ning plants in the Canary Islands, 7 specialize in canning tuna.
March 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 63
It is estimated that approximately 80 percent of the tuna and tuna-like fish canned in Spain is packed in olive oil, the remainder in a mild solution of vine- gar and salt with a flavoring agent, such as laurel leaves. During the fishing season a small percentage of the catch is sold fresh in the local markets. There are limited cold-storage facilities in some of the principal fishing centers in Spain, but there are no special fish-freezing plants. It is reported, however, that a Vigo firm has such a plant under order but not in operation.
Exports: Various trade sources estimate exports of tuna, albacore, and bo- nito as between 70 and 85 percent of the total catch. The same sources state that Italy is Spain's traditional export market for tuna and tuna-like fish, fol-
lowed by Switzerland, Egypt, Cuba, Great Britain, Uruguay, Mexico, United States, and Germany.
co
Pee Sweden
FISH CONSUMPTION, 1949-51: The total consumption of fishery products in Sweden during 1951 amounted to 107,700 metric tons, reports a December 5 U. S. consular dispatch from Goteborg (see table). This was a decrease of 3 percent from the total consumption in 1950, and 5 percent less than for 1949.
Consumption of fishery products during the first six months of 1952, accord- ing to preliminary estimates, amounted to approximately 48,175 metric tons, com- pared with 44,802 tons in the similar period of 1951 and 53) 855 tons in 1950.
Swedish Consumption of Fishe Products, 1949-51
mae, TOMO MET ALOIS MO Lt 9 4 9 SRO Retail <value Retail Value] Total [Retail Value
Salted herring oe ip 000 4,845,000 Other fish and fish preserves 47,026,700
| Total .....- | 107,700 50,443,700 | 111,100 42,832,860 | 113,900 45,134,535
HER HH
CANNED FISH PRODUCTION, 1947-49: The total production of canned fishery prod- ucts in Sweden in 1949 amounted to 21,435 metric tons, an increase of 5 percent when compared with 1948, and 3 percent more than in 1947, states a December 5 con- sular dispatch from Goteborg. Herring snacks, anchovies, and sardines (in that order) were the leading items canned.
Swedish Production of Canned Fishery Products, 1947-49
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Cavdlarvandsot hier! ti SHUroel nic welclelevelelevsicleleieielerele ele 1,414 Fish balls and minced fish . OtherBherrine) prEServesiitvisle cl celeleiceie ec sles eisiclcie 241 Other fish preserves . Shellfish preserves .....0.
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Total ©0820 TLHHHLHALOSLECL LLC OTF L272 202227 0008
64 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 15, No. 3
Union of South Africa
the Union of South Africa produce about 600,000 metric tons of fishery products annually and are still in the process of expanding, states a December 23 U. S. consular dispatch from Cape Town. The industries are valuedat close tob13 million (US$36 million).
The fishing fleet totals 2,558 craft--36 steam trawlers, 6 motor trawlers, 46 whaling vessels, 72 motorboats, 266 sail and row boats over 13 feet in length, and 1,493 dinghies under 13 feet. Approximately 8,000 fishermen are active in the industry and a similar number are engaged in the processing plants. Over 50,000 men, women, and children in South Africa are directly dependent on the fish- ing industry for a livelihood.
Trawling: Cape Town is the most important of the Union's trawling centers. Of the 62,500 metric tons of the fish caught by trawlers in 1951, 58,000 tons were landed in Cape Town, while the balance was handled at Port Elizabeth, East London, and Mossel Bay. Three-quarters of the total catch consisted of stockfish (Merluc-
cius capensis).
Pilchard Fishery: South Africa's vast pilchard potential (which prior to the World War II years had been practically completely ignored) has developed into the Union's most important fishery industry. Now over 500,000 metric tons of pilchard and maasbanker are taken annually. At present there are 15 reduction plants--11 in the St. Helena-Saldanha Bay area and 4 (with licenses for 2 more) at Walvis Bay. These plants produce over 100,000 metric tons of fish meal and approximately 5,000,000 gallons of fish oil each year. The canning plants handle 30,000 metric tons of pilchard. One of the four major pilchard factories at Walvis Bay went into operation only in September 1952, two reduction plants, with capacities of 10 metric tons per hour, were in operation when the factory opened, and a third has _ now been completed.
Seven vessels are presently feeding the factory, which is producing only fish meal until the cannery is completed next year. Two vessels fishing at Walvis Bay for this plant are specially designed purse seiners-—larger than the usual type. It is reported that the performances of these vessels are being watched with in- terest by the industry.
Nearly all pilchard canning companies report record trading profits for the most recent financial year and hopes for still better results are supported by the construction work in progress along the West Coast. It appears that the aggregate output of canned pilchard is soon to increase by 50 percent and this may be the limit for some time in order to preserve the resource.
Spiny Lobster Industry: Canned and frozen spiny lobster has also assumed an important role in the Union's fishing industry. About 28,000,000 pounds of spiny lobster are caught each year off the West Coast. The Government has imposed a ceiling of 7% million pounds on the annual exportation of canned and frozen spiny lobster tails.
The Union consumes about 2,000,000 pounds of spiny lobster of which about 600,000 pounds are in the form of frozen tails. The frozen spiny lobster fishery has alsodeveloped into an important dollar-earning industry through exports to the United States, while the canned product is exported mainly to the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Far East.
;
March 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 65
Standard Specifications Proposed: The South African Government recently issued two notices in its official gazette concerning the introduction of proposed compulsory standards specifications for canned fish and canned spiny lobster. Al- though these specifications will not be enforced until two months after the pub- lication of a final notice, the Cape Town Chamber of Commerce has, at the request of the South African Bureau of Standards, recently advised its members to dispose of their existing stocks of canned fish and canned spiny lobster, as the final notice is to be issued in the very near future.
Trends and Developments: The most serious problem facing the fishery indus- try along the West Coast is the lack of fresh water for use by canneries and processing plants. There is however, a Government plan afoot to supply fresh water from the Berg River to Saldanha Bay and the area around the Berg River mouth.
Development of the industry and the responsibilities of providing amenities for those engaged in the industry are in the hands of the Fisheries Development Corporation of South Africa Limited. This organization, which was established in terms of the Fishing Industry Development Act of 1944, is at present a wholly Gov- ernment-—cwned body.
Its main objects, as set out in the Act, are briefly as follows:
1, To establish and manage schemes for the promotion or better organization of the catching of fish and to finance such schemes.
2. To carry on the business of buying, selling, processing, and marketing of fish and fish products.
3. To acquire shares in any company engaged in catching fish.
4. To establish mutual benefit societies, social clubs, townships, housing utility companies, home ownership schemes, social and health services, and any other similar undertakings which may be beneficial to fishermen.
The organization has contributed much towards the success and stability of the industry and towards the general well being and social uplift of the fishermen. The Government has also taken active steps to establish a training scheme for fish- ermen to improve their efficiency. A Union Mercantile Marine Trading Advisory Board has been created to deal with the question of nautical training generally, with special reference to the training of fishermen.
Research: In 1950 the South African Government had a research ship Africana Il specially designed and built for research work in the South African seas. The length of the vessel is 205 feet, displacement 1,300 tons, maximum speed 13.5knots, and a range of 6,500 miles. It is fitted with radar, wireless, and echo-sounding equipment (down to a depth of over 4,000 fathoms). Accommodation is provided for 35 officers (including six scientists) and men. Two smaller vessels are also em- ployed for inshore research work and patrolling spiny lobster sanctuaries.
Commercial enterprise is further aided indirectly by the Fishing Industry Re- search Institute which carries out research of a technological nature in the fields of canning, freezing, and processing of fisheries products. The Institute isshort- ly to be transferred to the grounds of the University of Cape Town where a modern block of twenty research laboratories is to be erected.
Other scientists and scientific bodies are also contributing their share to the accumulated knowledge of fishes of the coast of the Union. The Zoological
66 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 15, No. 3
Department of the University of Cape Town is, for example, engaged in marine bio- logical studies of estuarine waters, while the South African Council for Scientif- ic and Industrial Research operates a special unit for the purpose of carrying
out basic research into the industrial potentialities of marine resources.
HHH KH
SOUTH-WEST AFRICA CURTAILS PILCHARD FISHING: The administration of South- may operate at Walvis Bay, states a January 5 U. S. consular dispatch from Cape Town. Each factory will be limited to 24 vessels, except in cases where factories already have more than this number operating. It is reported that pilchard schools are so large that vessels have caught more fish than they can carry and are forced to discard some of the catch. Another factor prompting this action is the vessel congestion at fishing factory jetties where due to unloading delays fish rot in the holds. Now, no vessel may wait more than 12 hours before unloading.
United Kingdom
WHITE FISH AND HERRING INDUSTRIES BILL INTRODUCED: The "White Fish and Her- will provide grants towards the cost of building and equipping vessels for inshore
and near- and middle-water fishing. The White Fish Authority stated in its first annual report that 75 percent of these vessels are over 30 years old, reports a December 18 U. S. Embassy dispatch from London.
Exchequer payments over a period of ten years will be authorized in the amount of L9 million (US$25 million) to the White Fish Authority and up to £750,000 (US$2,100,000) to the Herring Industry Board. The terms of the grants will apply only to vessels or engines ordered after July 1952. Thus, working owners will be eligible for a grant of 25 percent of the cost,with a maximum of £4,000 (US$11,100), and in other cases the grant will be 20 percent of the cost. Working fishermen also are eligible for grants for 25 percent up to a maximum of b1,000 (US$2,800) for new engines.
Under the Sea Fish Industry Act, 1951, the White Fish Authority may borrow up to b15 million (US$42 million) and the Herring Industry Board under its empower- ing legislation up to £2.5 million (US$7 million). These limits have now been raised to £25 million (US$69.6 million) and by million (US#11 million), respectively.
The existing white fish subsidy will be continued until March 31, 1958; the total amount allocated for such subsidy is now 47.5 million (US$20.9 million) but this limit may be raised to b10 million (US$27.8 million) subject to an affirmative resolution of the House of Commons.
The grants to be made by the Herring Industry Board towards the cost of new vessels and engines are similar to those of the white-fish industry. Furthermore, the powers of Ministers to make grants to the Board for promoting the sale of her- ring, the conversion of surplus herring to oil and meal, and other purposes will be extended for ten years from the passage of the Bill and the maximum payable is to be raised from bl1.5 million to £3 million (US$4.2 to 8.4 million). The provis- ion for grants for new vessels and engines does not apply to Northern Ireland, but the other provisions relate to the United Kingdom as a whole. A financial memo- randum which accompanied the Bill estimated that during the coming financial year
March 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 67
(April 1, 1953, to March 31, 1954) grants will total 325,000 (US$905 000); ad- vances to the Board in respect of boats and engines will amount to £120,000 (US$334,000); and the white fish subsidy will cost &1,950,000 (US$5 400,000) .
None of the provisions of this Bill affect distant-water trawler fleets.
NOTE: ALSO SEE COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW, JANUARY 1953, P. 66.
i
HERRING MARKETING FUND PAYMENTS, 1951/52: In the fiscal year ending March 31, 1952, the Herring Industry Board was advanced £95,000 (US$264,000) from the Her- ring Industry Vote (Government grants), which was applied to loans to fishermen for provisions, reconditioning, and equipment of boats. No advances for these purposes are scheduled to be made after August 2, 1952.
Also, from the Herring Marketing Fund the Board was advanced £257 ,000 (US#715 ,500) for working capital, largely for the herring meal and oil schemes. There were no loans granted during the year for export promotion such as was pre- viously granted British kipper exporters for assistance in breaking into the United States market, reports a January 6 U. S. Embassy dispatch from London.
—=
2
U.S.S.R.
RUSSIAN FISHERI#S STATUS, 1952: The Russian catch of fish in 1952 was 70 per- cent greater than in 1940, and the capacity (presumably its gross tonnage) of its fishing fleet was 3.2 times that of the prewar fleet, according to a report by a member of the Politburo published in the January 17 issue of The Fishing News,
a British trade magazine. By 1955 the capacity of the fishing fleet would be in- creased to 4.5 times the prewar figure. Before World War II Russian fishermen landed the third largest catch in the world, estimated at 1,560,000 metric tons, Only the United States and Japan surpassed this catch.
The deep-sea catch amounted to 66 percent of the total 1952 landings as com- pared with the 1940 figure of 48 percent, While the catch off the Murmansk coast and the Baltic Sea was increasing satisfactorily, landings for the Sea of Azov, the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea, and Far Eastern fishing grounds were light.
There was every possibility that the total catch might be increased at an even higher rate than in the past, and that the output of high-quality fish prod- ucts might also be considerably increased so as to fulfil the assignments of the current Five Year Plan--namely, to raise the catch to more than twice the 1940 level. To carry out this task it would be necessary to expand the number of coast- al bases serving the fishing fleet and to build new ones, to build still more fish- processing factories, to increase the mechanization of catching and processing op- erations, and to expand the program for building fishermen's houses,
A large number of skilled fishery personnel--captains, navigators, and mechan- ics--have been trained in postwar years, though there is still a shortage of such men. There were in 1952 about 12,800 men under training as compared with 740 in 1940, stated the member of the Politburo.
The inland breeding of fish in ponds andreservoirs is another aspect of the fishing industry in the Soviet Union. The construction of the huge hydro-electric power stations onthe Volga and the Don, as well as on the Dnieper, the Kura, and the Amu Darva rivers, had resulted in the establishment of immense reservoirs (in-
68 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 15, No. 3
land fresh-water seas) which if properly developed could be the basis of fish- breeding on a vast scale and would lead to a large increase in stocks of bream, carp, pike, perch, and other fish.
The changes effected in the river system as a result of the hydro-electric power program, however, would substantially alter the natural conditions of fish propagation in the Caspian and Azov Seas, and would involve the intensive devel- opment of the breeding of the valuable species found there in order to prevent a depletion of stocks. The valuable sturgeon fishery, which was conducted by the Soviet Union under an agreement with Iran, is located in the South Caspian.
Hatcheries and special fish ponds must, therefore, be constructed on a large scale, stated the member of the Politburo. He complained that the Soviet Ministry of Fisheries had been very slow to carry out these measures. Ponds on collective farms are potentially a rich source of fish supplies. A big building program is envisaged. The levels to which the productivity of such ponds could be raised was shown by the experience of fish farms in three provinces in the Ukraine, where a number had achieved a yield of 1.5 to 2 tons of fish per pond hectare (just over two acres) per year.
In 1952 the Soviet Union claims that its cold-storage capacity for all frozen foods, including fish, had more than doubled, and that by the end of the current plan in 1955 it would be more than four times that of 1940. Delays in equipping the distribution network with mechanically-operated refrigeration plants were rapidly being overcome. In 1948 there had been 1,650 centers equipped with such plants; in 1952 there were 18,000, and by 1955 it was expected to total 40,000 plants.
The number of self-propelled refrigerator ships--mostly engaged in the fish- ing industry--was more than doubled in 1952, and by 1955 it would reach three times the prewar figure.
The five-year plan for 1951-55 was considered at the Communist Party confer- ence held in Moscow recently, reports the February 1953 World Fishing, a British trade periodical. It estimates that the production of fish in 1955 will be 58 percent greater than in 1950. But it must be remembered that the target figure for the previous five-year plan was not achieved. It was set at 2,250,000 metric tons, but 1950 production was only 1,800,000 tons.
CANNED MACKEREL QUALITY ENHANCED BY BLANCHING FISH BEFORE FREEZING
In freezing mackerel for canning it was found that blanching scope 'Y/ to 8 minutes before freezing enhanced the quality of the canned product. Dipping in ascorbic acid solutions before freezing prevented non-blanched mackerel from becoming rancid, but had no effect on blanched mackerel. (Report of the Technological Laboratory of the Danish Ministry of Fish- eries 1951.)
--World Fisheries Abstracts, vol. 3, no. 6, (Nov.-Dec. 1952), p. l.
March 1953
COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW
~ FEDERAL @
Economic Stabilization Agency
WAGE AND SALARY CONTROL SUSPENSION ORDER INTERPRETATION:
1 of Executive Order 10434, February 6, 1953, appeared in the Federal Register of
February 19, 1953.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ON THE SUSPEN- SION OF WAGE AND SALARY CONTROLS BY EXECUTIVE ORDER 10434, ISSUED FEBRU- ARY 6, 1953+
1. Q. Do wage, salary or other com- pensation adjustments made on or after February 6, 1953, require approval under the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended?
A. No.
2. Q. May new wage, salary, or other compensation adjustments be made ret- roactive to a date when controls were in effect?
A. Any adjustments determined or agreed upon on or after February 6, 1953, may be made without violating the De- fense Production Act of 1950, as amend- ed. This does not determine, however,
that such retroactive payments are or
ee
are not permissible tax deductions for the year in which the services paid for were performed; or that such retroactive payments will necessarily be recognized as permissible reimbursable expense by
Government procurement agencies, un-'
der the statutes applicable to their operations.
3. Q. What is the effect of the suspen- sion of wage and salary controls on wage and salary agreements or determinations by private parties which were made be- fore February 6, 1953, where petitions
were pending before the stabilization’
agencies?
A. The wage and salary adjustments contained in “petitions pending” before the wage and salary control agencies may be put into effect at this time as of the
+These questions and answers are appli- cable to the programs administered by the Wage Stabilization Board, the Wage Stabili- zation Committee, the Office of Salary Stabi- lization, and the Railroad and Airline Wage: Board, formerly contained in Title 32A, Chapter IV.
proposed effective date. Agreements expressly conditioned on the approval of stabilization agencies are deemed ap- proved according to the Executive Order.
4. Q. What is a “petition pending” before the stabilization agencies within the meaning of Executive Order 10434?
A. A petition pending before the sta- bilization agencies is any petition, includ- ing petitions for review, reconsideration or appeal, properly filed in accordance with the applicable procedural regula- tion on or before February 6, 1953, and not disposed of on or before February 6, 1953.
5. Q. A party, who has exhausted all remedies available under the applicable procedural regulation, has filed a request for further reconsideration of the previ- ous action by the appropriate agency. Is a “petition pending” within the mean- ing of Executive Order 10434?
This Interpretation
Act of 1950, as amended. This does not determine, however, that such retroac- tive payments are or are not permissible jtax deductions for the year in which the services paid for were performed; or that such retroactive payments will neces- sarily be recognized as permissible reim-= bursable expense by Government pro- curement agencies, under the statutes applicable to their operations.
8. Q. A wage, salary, or other com- pensation agreement was executed be- fore February 6, 1953, and provided for adjustments subject to stabilization agency approval, but a petition was not filed with the appropriate agency on or before February 6, 1953. What adjust- ments may now be made?
A. A decision or agreement may now be made to effectuate such adjustment without violating the Defense Produc- tion Act of 1950,as amended. This does
A. No. A petition is not pending where a party invokes a procedure not provided for in the applicable procedural regulation.
6. Q. Is a petition for review, reconsid-
not determine, however, that such retro. active payments are or are not permis- sible tax deductions for the year in which the services paid for were performed; or that such retroactive payments will nec-
eration, or appeal “pending” if it has notjessarily be recognized as permissible in fact been filed but the time within|reimbursable expense by Government which it could have been filed has not|procurement agencies, under the statutes
expired?
A. No. Only those petitions which were actually filed with the appropriate agency on or before February 6, 1953, are “pending” within the meaning of the Executive Order.
7. Q. A petition for approval of a wage, salary, or other compensation ad- justment was denied or modified by a stabilization agency. May such adjust- ment now be made in full, retroactive to the proposed effective date?
A. A decision or agreement may now be made to effectuate such adjustment without violating the Defense Production
CFT
applicable to their operations.
9. Q. What effect does Executive (Order 10434 have upon enforcement proceedings?
A. The Executive Order does not excuse violations committed prior to February 6, 1953. The stabilization agencies are continuing to process enforcement actions.
Issued: Washington, D. C., February 17, 1953.
ARTHUR S. FLEMING, Acting Economic Stabilization
Administrator. [F. R. Doc. 53-1693; Filed, Feb. 17, 1953; 1:38 p. m.]
Selective Service System
MANPOWER POLICY FOR COMMERCIAL FISHING INDUSTRY:
A manpower policy for the
commercial fishing industry was issued by the Director of the Selective Service System on March 5, 1953, as Operations Bulletin No. 91.
70 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 15, No. 3
Since food has its source in commercial fishing as well as in agriculture, the principles relating to agricultural manpower contained in the attachments to Operations Bulletin No. 72, Subject: "Policy on Agricultural Manpower," shall be applied in the classification of registrants engaged in the commercial fishing industry, states the Bulletin. Local boards may contact the Defense Fisheries Administration, U. S. Department of Interior, through its field offices listed below, which when requested will furnish information as to the essentiality of registrants engaged in the commercial fishing industry.
FIELD OFFICES OF THE DEFENSE FISHERIES ADMINISTRATION
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR
LOCATION AND AREA COVERED Boston, Massachusetts
The Boston office covers the States of Maine, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. New York City, New York
The New York office covers the
States of New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Delaware.
Hampton, Virginia
The Hampton office covers the States of Maryland, Virginia, North
Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.
New Orleans, Louisiana
The New Orleans office covers the States of Louisiana, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas.
San Pedro, California
The San Pedro office covers the State of California.
Seattle, Washington
The Seattle office covers the States of Washington, Oregon, and the Territory of Alaska.
Chicago, Illinois The Chicago office covers the
States of Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Minnesota,
ADDRESS
Fish and Wildlife Service, Market News Service,
10 Commonwealth Pier, Boston 10, Massachusetts
Fish and Wildlife Service, Market News Service,
155 John Street,
New York 38, New York
Fish and Wildlife Service, Market News Service,
18 South King, Street, Hampton, Virginia
Fish and Wildlife Service, Market News Service,
Rm. 314 Customhouse,
423 Canal Street,
New Orleans 16, Louisiana
Fish and Wildlife Service, Market News Service,
Rm. 208, P. O. Building, San Pedro, California
Fish and Wildlife Service, Market News Service,
421 Bell Street Terminal, Seattle 1, Washington
Fish and Wildlife Service, Market News Service, 200 North Jefferson Street, Chicago 6, Illinois
March 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW ale
On questions of fishery manpower matters affecting states not mentioned above, the Defense Fisheries Administration, U. S. Department of the interior, Washington 25, D. C., may be contacted.
Commercial fishermen and other skilled workers "essential to the production of substantial quantities of fishery commodities" will be granted the same tem- porary draft deferments allotted to farm workers, according to an announcement by the Secretary of the Interior in mid-March 1953.
nn ~_
Sa Department of State
REVISED HALIBUT FISHERY CONVENTION SIGNED BY CANADA AND UNITED STATES: A
Convention for the "Preservation of the Halibut Fishery of the Northern Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea" was signed in Ottawa on March 2 by representatives of the
SIGNING OF INTERNATIONAL HAL!BUT CONVENTION. SHOWN AT THE SIGNING CEREMONY IN OTTAWA ARE: SEATED, LEFT TO RIGHT - WILLIAM C. HERRINGTON, SPECIAL ASSISTANT FOR FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE
TO THE UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE OF THE UNITED STATES; THE HON. D. C. BLISS, CHARGE D' AFFAIRES, A.|. OF THE UNITED STATES IN OTTAWA; THE RT. HON. L.S. ST. LAURENT, PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA; THE HON. J. SINCLAIR, CANADIAN MINISTER OF FISHERIES; THE HON. H. LAPOINTE, CANADIAN MINISTER OF VETERANS AFFAIRS; STANDING, LEFT TO RIGHT - H.F.B. FEAVER, HEAD OF THE CANADIAN PROTOCOL DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS; W. L. RODMAN, ASSISTANT AGRICULTURAL ATTACHE, U. S. EMBASSY; THE HON. D. WILGRESS, UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, AND S. BATES CANADIAN DEPUTY MINISTER OF FISHERIES.
United States and Canadian Governments, reports a March 2 release from the U. S.
Department of State. This new Convention replaces the previous Halibut Fishery Convention and is the third revision of the Convention of March 2, 1923.
I
The Prime Minister of Canada presided at the ceremony which celebrated the 30th anniversary of the signing of the first halibut fishery convention between the United States and Canada. This established the International Fisheries Commis-
72 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 15, No. 3m
sion, now to be known as the International Pacific Halibut Commission. The orig- inal convention, signed in 1923, was the first international convention in the world for the management of a fishery.
KHER HE
UNITED STATES-ECUADOR FISHERY CONFERENCE;
A conference between representa-
concern was scheduled to begin on March 25 in Quito. The conference was expected to last a week, Discussions were to center around the seizure by Ecuador of tuna vessels, but were expected to cover the whole range of tuna fishing problems in which both Ecuador and the United States are interested, according to a Department of State representative.
The United States will be represented by William C. Herrington, Special Assistant to the Under Secretary, Department of State, as Chairman, and Warren F. Looney, Foreign Affairs Officers, Department of State. In addition, the official delegation will also include three industry advisors: Harold F. Cary, General Manager, American Tuna Boat Association, San Diego, Calif.; Donald P. Locker, French Sardine Co., Terminal Island, Calif.; and John Real, Secretary, Fishermen's Cooperative Association, San Pedro, Calif.
Eighty-Third Congress (First Session) FEBRUARY 1953
Listed below are public bills and resolutions introduced and referred to com- mittees or passed by the Eighty-Third Congress (First Session) and signed by the President that directly or indirectly affect the fisheries and allied industries. Public bills and resolutions are shown in this section only when introduced and,
if passed, when signed by the President; reports, hearings, or chamber actions on from month to month.
BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS INTRODUCED:
Alaska Statehood: H. R. 2684 (Bartlett) - A bill to provide for the admission of Alaska into the Un- ion; to the Committee on Interior and Insular Af- fairs.
Also: H. R. 2982 (Saylor)...
Collisions-at-Sea Regulations: H. R. 2456(Hart)- A bill to amend the act of October 11, 1951, author- izing the President to proclaim regulations for pre- venting collisions at sea, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries.
Consumers! Advisory Bureau: H. R. 2939 (Fine) - A bill to establish in the Department of Commerce a Consumers! Advisory Bureau, and for other purposes;
to the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce.
Food & Drug Factory Inspection Authority: S. 835 (Smith of New Jersey) - A bill to protect the pub- lic health and welfare by restoring authority for factory inspections under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act; to the Committee on Labor and Pub- lic Welfare.
but also shown are the more pertinent some of the bills shown in this section
Also: H. R. 2769 (Wolverton)...
Hawaii Statehood: H. R. 2981 (Saylor) - A bill to enable the people of Hawaii to form a constitu- tion and State government and tobe admitted into the Union on an equal footing with the original States; to the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs.
Labeling of Foreign-Produced Trout Packages: S. 1114 - (oaseshan) - A bill relating to the label- ing of packages containing foreign-produced trout sold in the United States, and requiring certain in- formation to appear on the menus of public eating places serving such trout; to the Committee on Inter state and Foreign Commerce. (Foreign-producedtrout for sale in any place other than a public eating place would have to be: packaged and properly wrap- ped; and each package and wrapper labeled with the word "trout" preceded by the name of country in which produced. Public eating places would be re- quired to inform their customers the country of ori- gin if the trout served is foreign produced. )
Also: H. R. 3400 (Budge)...
March 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 73
3178 (Johnson)... Res. 168 (Brooks of Louisiana)... 1017 (Anderson)...
Some of the above bills do not provide for juris- diction, use, and control of the subsoil and seabed of the Continental Shelf lying outside of the orig- inal State boundaries,
H. R. Navigable Waters: H. R. 2478 (Yorty) - A bill to He da confirm and establish the titles of the States to S. lands beneath navigable waters within State bounda- ries and to the natural resources within such lands and waters, to provide for the use and control of said lands and resources, and to provide for theuse, control, exploration, development, and conservation of certain resources of the Continental Shelf lying
outside of State boundaries; to the Committee on the Trade Agreement Authority: H.R. 2577 (Scudder) A bill to extend the authority of the President to
dici . Judiciary enter into trade agreements under section 350 of
Also: H. R. 2719 (Hiestana)... the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, and for other i. R. S731 (iN see purposes; to the Committee on Ways and Means. H. Re. 2722 (John eee He R. 2728 ae Water Pollution: H. R. 2535 (Elliott) - A bill H.R. 2860 (Rameoa yas to encourage the prevention of water pollution by H. R. 2008 (GBs: allowing amounts paid for industrial waste treat- i, R. 2995 (ounces ae ment works to be amortized at an accelerated rate i z. a175 (pinnines) ee pe er ena purposes; to the Committee on Ways
MISSISSIPPI RIVER FISHERIES--1950 ANNUAL SUMMARY
The first complete general canvass of the Mississippi River Fisheries in almost 20 years was conducted by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the year 1950. The last survey of these fisheries was made for the year 1931.
Landings of fishery products in the Mississippi River and its tribu- taries during 1950 amounted to 105,795,800 pounds, with an ex-vessel value of $10,104,129. This was an increase of 28 percent in quantity and 249 per- cent in value as compared with the 1931 landings. Rough fish taken from lake and stream managé- ment programs have been included. Although these fish in many cases were not taken by commercial fishermen, they were mar-
et - keted through commercial
ee channels. Rough fish made upamajority of the catch in some states. There was a marked decrease in the production of mussel shells--in 1931 over 37 million pounds were harvested, but during 1950 only 23 million pounds were reported. Increased use of cheaper synthetic buttons has probably contributed greatly to the decline of this industry.
TENNESSEE
LOUISIANA
ARKANSAS.
MINNESOTA
WISCONSIN
ILLINOIS
ALABAMA
MISSISSIPPI
SOUTH DAKOTA
KENTUCKY
OWA
OKLAHOMA
MISSOURI
During 1950, there were 19,197 fishermen employed in these fisheries as compared with 15,884 in 1931.
--C.F.S. No. 840
Th COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 15, No. 3
FISHERY INDICATORS
CHART I - FISHERY LANDINGS for SELECTED STATES
In Millions of Pounds
MASSACHUSETTS
CUMULATIVE DATA CUMULATIVE DATA
2 MQS. 1953 - 10.6 2 mgs. 1953 - 2p eeoS2a— a0 2 4 1952 -
12 1952 - 295.8 12 1952
g JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV. DEC
FLORIDA LOUIS! ANAL/
CUMULATIVE DATA
3.MQS. 1953 - 7.7 3, 1952 - 11.3 1952 - 62.5
SS JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV. DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV. DEC
CALI FORN|A/
CUMULATIVE DATA
2 mgs. 1953 - 58.7 2 1952 -. 34.9 1952 - 611.8
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC
2/ONLY PARTIAL-=INCLUDES PRODUCTION OF MAJOR FISHERIES AND MARKET FISH LANDINGS AT PRINCIPAL PORTS.
JAN FEB MAR _APR_MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC
COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW U2
March 1953
CHART 2 - COLD-STORAGE HOLDINGS and FREEZINGS
of FISHERY PRODUCTS x
In Millions of Pounds
U. S. & ALASKA HOLDINGS
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV. DEC
NEW ENGLAND HOLDINGS!/
ae
0 JAN FEB MAR _APR_ MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC J/MAINE, MASSACHUSETTS, RHODE ISLAND, AND CONNECTICUT.
MIDDLE WEST HOLDINGS3/
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC B/OHIO, IND., ILL., MICH. 1OWA, MO., N. DAK., NEBR., & KANS..
WIS., MINN.
WASHINGTON, OREGON, AND ALASKA HOLDINGS
56 48 40 32) SS JES
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT _NOV_ DEC
*Excludes salted,
cured,
U. S. & ALASKA FREEZINGS
2 MQS. 1953 - A Wee 6 12 1952 - 313.2
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC
MIDDLE & SOUTH ATLANTIC HOLDINGSE/
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC 2/ALL EAST COAST STATES FROM N. Y. SOUTH.
GULF & SOUTH CENTRAL HOLDINGS4/
=
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC A/ALA., MISS., LA., TEX., ARK., KY., & TENN.
CALIFORNIA HOLDINGS
==
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV. DEC
and smoked products.
716 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 15, No. 3
CHART 3-CANNED PACKS of SELECTED FISHERY PRODUCTS
In Thousands of Standard Cases
TUNA AND TUNA-LIKE FISH - CALIFORNIA MACKEREL!/— CALIFORNIA CUMULATIVE DATA
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC
ANCHOVIES - CALIFORNIA SALMON - ALASKA
CUMULATIVE DATA
2 MQS. 1953 - 265.2 A Wee iceelo TG) 2 1952 - 867.5
0 JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV. DEC JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC
SARDINES (ESTIMATED) - MAINE
STANDARD CASES
No.Cans Can Designation Net Wat.
Variety
SARDINES 100 % drawn 34 02. SHRIMP ..ceeeeeeee 48 = 5 oz. WI Goneocoodbead 48 No. 4 tuna 6&7 oz. PILCHARDS . C 48 No. | oval 15 oz. SALMON ...2-2-e0ee 48 |-pound tall 16 oz. ANCHOVIES .....--- 48 5 |b. 8 oz.
UAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC
SHRIMP - GULF STATES
“CUMULATIVE DATA 1952/53 SEASON,
SARDINES - CALIFORNIA
ULAT.
1952/53 SEASON,
AUG «= JAN. 1951/52 SEASON, AUG. -JAN.
JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR _APR_MAY_ JUNE AUG SEPT OCT NOV. DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY —
a
March 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 4/4)
CHART 4 - U.S. FISHERY PRODUCTS IMPORTS
FILLETS & STEAKS OTHER THAN GROUNDFISH,
GROUNDFISH (INCLUDING OCEAN PERCH) FILLETS, FRESH & FROZEN
FRESH & FROZEN
CUMULATIVE DATA
2Mgs. 1953 - 8.4 2, 1952 - 7.7 1952 - 52.8
12
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV. DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV. DEC
SHRIMP, FRESH & FROZEN, FROM MEXICO
LOBSTER & SPINY LOBSTER, FRESH & FROZEN
CUMULATIVE DATA
2 MQS. 1953 - 7.1 2, 1952- 6.1 12 1952 - 39.0
CUMULATIVE DATA
2 mgs. 1953 - 4.9 2 1952 - 6.2 12 1952 - 33.8
.
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC
TUNA, FRESH & FROZEN SEA HERRING, FRESH, THROUGH MAINE PORTS
CUMULATIVE DATA |
2 mgs. 1953 - 5.8 2, 1952 - 8.2 12 1952 - 69.0
o JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC
CANNED SARDINES
CANNED TUNA AND TUNA-LIKE FISH (IN OIL) (IN OIL AND NOT IN OIL
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV. DEC
78 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW
y ye 2 ae
On lt
FOg SB ere Os Ae a ee eB BIA
Recent publications of interest tothe conmercial fishing industry are listed
below.
FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE PUBLICATIONS
THESE PROCESSED PUBLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE FREE FROM THE DIVISION OF INFORMATION, U. S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, WASHINGTON 25, D. Co, TYPES OF PUBLICATIONS ARE DESIGNATED AS FOLLOWS: ;
CFS = CURRENT FISHERY STATISTICS OF THE UNITED STATES AND
ALASKA.
SL = STATISTICAL SECTION LISTS OF DEALERS IN AND PRODUCERS OF FISHERY PRODUCTS AND BYPRODUCTS.
SEP.- SEPARATES (REPRINTS) FROM COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW.
SSR.-FISH - SPECIAL SCIENTIFIC REPORTS--FISHERIES (LIMITED
DISTRIBUTION).
Number Title CFS-810 - New Jersey Landings, August 1952, © p. CFS-830 - Frozen Fish Report, January 1953, 8 p. CFS-831 - New Jersey Landings, September 1952, 2 p. CFS-832 - New Jersey Landings, October 1952, 2 p. CFS-833 - Manufactured Fishery Products, 1951 Annual Summary, 6 p. CFS-834 - Massachusetts Landings, November 1952, 7p. CFS-836 - Florida Landings, November 1952, 6 p. CFS-837 - Maine Landings, November 1952, 4 p. CFS-838 - Texas Landings, December 1952, 4 p. CFS-839 - Fish Meal and Oil, December 1952, 2 p. CFS-840 - Mississippi River Fisheries, 1950 Annual Summary, 7 p.
SSR-Fish. No. 84 - Furunculosis of Fish, by Bruce M. McCraw, 91 p., December 1952
Number Title
Wholesale Dealers in Fishery Products (Revised) :
SL-9 - Delaware, 1953, 1 p.
SL-16- Florida, 1953, 11 p.
SL-20- Texas, 1953, 4 pe
Sep. 338 - Japanese 1952 North Pacific Salmon-Fish- ing Expedition.
Sep. 339 - Use of Fish in New England Schools In- creased by Demonstrations.
Sep. 340 - Louisiana School-Lunch Program Uses More Fish.
Sep. 341 - Experiments with a "Fish Pump."
Sep. 342 - Technical Note No. 24--A Portable Imer- sion Freezer.
MISCELLANEOUS PUBLICATIONS
SERVICE, BUT USUALLY MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE AGENCIES ISSUING THEM. CORRESPONDENCE REGARDING PUBLICATIONS THAT FOLLOW SHOULD BE ADDRESSED
TO THE RESPECTIVE AGENCIES OR PUBLISHERS MENTIONED.
IF READILY AVAILABLE, ARE SHOWN.
British Columbia Catch Statistics 1952 (By Area and Type of Gear), 131 p., illus., processed. Department of Fisheries of Canada, Pacific Area, Vancouver 5, B.C. (Limited distribution.) This is the second annual report of fish-catch stat- istics for British Columbia based on the multi- ple sales-slip system that was introduced on a Province-wide basis on January 1, 1951. Statis- tics are presented by species, by months, by year, and by area. The most significant effect on the volume of fish caught in British Colun- bia in 1952 was the decrease in the fishing ef- fort caused by the tie-up of the fishing fleets pending price and other negotiations between the fishermen's union and the operators. There were
DATA ON PRICES,
five distinct and separate periods during 1952 when fishing activities were curtailed. The first major stoppage occurred when the whaling fleet remained tied up pending a union contract and did not leave port until May 2, nearly four weeks later than in 1951. Despite this, however, the total whale catch was the highest for many years. Whaling statistics are not reported on sales slips and are therefore not included in this summary. The second tie-up started in Prince Rupert on April 29 when most-of the trawl fleet remained in port pending price negotiations and union recognition. This tie-up gradually spread to other parts of the Province and includ- ed most but not all of the trawler fleet. The
March 1953
THESE PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FROM THE
COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW
79
ELSH AND
WILDLIFE SERVICE, BUT USUALLY MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE AGENCIES
ISSUING THEM.
‘boats finally started returning to the fishing grounds on June 23, but production was seriously curtailed during the tie-up. During the salmon season, the gill-net and seine fleets were tied- up on two separate occasions. From July 20 to July 24, the gill-net and seine fleets remained in port pending price negotiations on pink salm- on. The second tie-up of the salmon gill-net and seine fleet occurred during prolonged nego- tiations on the price of chum salmon, This lasted from September 6 until October 20 and, with the exception of a small number of boats fishing for the cooperatives or for food relief purposes, the tie-up of net fishermen was prac- tically 100 percent effective. The final tie- up during the year affected the herring seine fleet. Due to the drop in the market price for fish oils since the last season, the operators initially offered a lower price per ton to the fishermen for the 1952/53 season as compared with the previous year. This was not acceptable to the fishermen and attempts made at negotiating a price satisfactory to both operators and union were not successful in the closing months of 1952,
(British Columbia) Provincial Department of Fish-
eries Report (with Appendices, for the Year Ended December 31, 1951), 116 p., illus., print- ed. Provincial Department of Fisheries, Victoria, B. C., 1952. The first section of this report is devoted to an analysis of British Columbia's 1951 production and value of fishery products, the canned salmon pack, and a review of the salm- On canning industry. Also discussed are the other canning industries (pilchard, herring, tuna, and shellfish), the production of processed fish (mild-cured salmon, dry-salt salmon, dry- salt herring, and pickled herring), the halibut fishery, fish oil and meal, net fishing in non- tidal waters, value of Canadian fisheries~and the standing of the provinces for 1950, species and value of fish caught in British Columbia, condition of British Columbie's salmon-spawning grounds, and the herring investigation. The sec- ond section of this report includes the follow- ing articles: "Contributions to the Life-History of the Sockeye Salmon (Paper No. 37)," by D. R. Foskett; "Results of the West Coast of Vancouver Island Herring Investigation, 1951-52," by J. C. Stevenson, a. S. Hourston, Ke. J. Jackson, and D. N. Outram; "The Larva of Bankia setacea Tryon,"
by D. B. “uayle; "Report of the International Fisheries Commission, 1951;" "Report on the Inves- tigations of the International Pacific Salmon Fisheries Commission for 1951;" and the "Salmon- spawning Report, British Columbia, 1951." Stat- istical data on the British Columbia fisheries
are also included.
(Canada) Fisheries Statistics of Canada, 1949 and
ee
1950, 96 p. (tables), printed (in snglish and French), Cyl.00. Department of Trade and Com- merce, Dominion bureau of Statistics, Ottawa, Canada, 1952. This is a review of the fishery statistics of Canada for 1949 and 1950 prepared in collaboration with Dominion and Provincial Fisheries Departments. It includes data on the quantity and value of the catch of fishery prod- ucts for Canada as a whole (excluding Newfound- land); production of fish oils and fish meal; production of frozen, salted, pickled, vinegar-
cured, and canned fish; shellfish production; en- ployment in fish-processing establishments; and value of exports andimports of fishery products. The publication also contains data on the total value of the fisheries, by province, for 1948-1950; Canada's lobster pack, by province, for 1941-1950; and fishing bounties paid to vessels and boats in 1949 and 1950.
(Canada) 1949 Landings of Fresh Groundfish by Off- shore Vessels at Nova Scotia Ports, by F. D. McCracken and G. Sullivan, Statistical Series No. 5, 8 ps, illus., processed. Fisheries Research Board of Canada, Atlantic Biological Station, St. Andrews, N.3., February 1953. This is the thira of of a series of circulars which presents data for fresh groundfish landings by offshore vessels at Nova Scotia ports for 1949, Statistics of catch by species and size are recorded by months in re- lation to fishing method. Catch Statistics for part of the offshore fleet are listed by quarters in relation to area fished. Special reference is made to ocean perch (redfish) in this circular with a graphic presentation of the long-term trend in total landings by all countries from the Nova Scotia Banks and Gulf of St. Lawrence and a graph of the more recent landinss of this species from Newfoundland Banks.
Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission Third Annual
Report 1951-52 (to the Congress of the United
States and to the Governors and Legislators of Alabama, Florida, Loisiana, Mississippi, and Texas), 38 p., illus., printed. Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission, 312 Audubon Bldg., New Orleans 16, La. Contains the Commission's activities for the pe- riod October 1951-October 1952. Resumes of biologi- cal, oceanographic, and technological research by the various Gulf states and plans for future inves- tigations are presented. Included are short dis- cussions of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service activities in biological research and exploratory fishing in the Gulf area. Also describesthe ocean- ographic survéy and oyster investigations, and con- tains a financial report of the Commission.
Handbook on Sanitation of Vessels in Operation, PHS
Publication No. 68, 48 p., illus., vrinted, "5 cents. Division of Sanitation, Public Health Service, Federal Security Agency, Washington, D.C., 1951. (For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington 25, D. C.) This booklet describes in detail recommended sanitary measures to be taken on board vessels in interstate and international commerce, Divided into seven ma- jor sections, the recommendations cover such sub- jects as potable water, wash water, waste dispos- al, vermin control, food sanitation, and the all- important ratproofing schemes. Shipowners, sea- men, health officials, and those engaged in for- ' eign commerce, in particular, will find this bode let helpful in maintaining good sanitary condi- tions at sea. There is attached to the inside cover of this nandbook a copy of a Fublice Health Service form entitled "Inspection Report--Vessel Sanitation." It is a revision of one generally used by Public Health Service representatives dur- ing inspections of vessels in operation. The se- quence of the items on the form follows that in the handbook.
80 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW
Vol. 15, No. 3
THESE PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FROM THE FISH AND
WILDLIFE SERVICE, BUT USUALLY MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE AGENCIES
ISSUING THEM.
een Tropical Tuna Commission Annual Re- ae in Spanish and English. iiaterssmentcan Tropical Tuna Commission, La Jolla, Calif., 1952. The Convention between the United States of Amer- ica and the Republic of Costa Rica for the estab- lishment of an Inter-American Tropical Tuna Com- mission was signedon May 31, 1949. The purpose of the Convention is to establisha means of cooper- ation in the gathering and interpretation of fac- tual information to facilitate maintaining, at a
level which will permit maximum sustained catches,
the populations of yellowfin and skipjack tuna, and other fish taken by tuna fishing vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean. This report describes the functions and duties of the Commission and outlines the program of investigations. It in-
cludes a reportof the investigations of the Inter-
American Tropical Tuna Commission during the year 1951, and the text of the Convention between the UnitedStates of America and the Republic of Costa Rica for the establishment of the Commission. Also included are the enabling legislation passed by the United States Congress, giving effect to the Convention, and the Decree ratifying the Con- vention adopted by the Republic of Costa Rica.
—T28 p., printed, $1.25.
marily as a means of publicizing the products and activities of the New England Fish Company, on the occasion of its 85th anniversary, the book con- tains considerable valuable information on the fishing industry. There is accurate and authen- tic information on historical background, catch- ing, packing, freezing, processing, packaging, and marketing of fish and shellfish (including
salmon, tuna, crabs, clams, oysters, halibut, cod,
rockfishes, flounders, smelt, and herring). Of particular interest are the discussions on what
buyers want to know about fresh fish, frozenfish,
and canned tuna; and inspecting and grading of canned salmon. General information on the nutri- tional value of fishery products and sources of fishery information are also valuable. Also in- cluded are an interesting history of the develop-
ment of the company and its facilities, and a list of its products and how they are produced and mar- keted. Written in the language of the layman, the
report makes interesting and informative reading for fish producers, buyers, or consumers. The photographs and illustrations are excellent and were used freely.
"The Netherlands Sea Harvest," by W. G. Pybus, ar-
ticle, Foreign Trade, vol. 13, no. 320 (February 14,
1953), pp. 7-9, printed, single copy 10 cents.
The Department of Trade and Commerce, Ottawa, Can- ada. (Available from The Queen's Printer, Govern-
ment Printing Bureau, Ottawa, Canada.) Describes the Netherlands fishing industry for 1952, rising costs and prices, and trade in fishery products, and includes a forecast for the fishing industry for 1953. Statistical data are also included on
landings of fish in Netherlands ports for 195l and
January-September 1952, and imports (from Canada) and exports.
"The Oyster Farmers of Virginia," by James Wharton, article, The Commonwealth, January 1953, pp. 14-16,
. New | England Tish! Command Seattle, Washington, 1953. Although designed pri-
illus., printed, 25 cents per issue. Virginia State Chamber of Commerce, Richmond 19, Va. De- scribes Virginia's public and private oyster-grow- ing industry. Throughout Tidewater Virginia there are oyster grounds operated by business enter- prise and the so-called "public rocks" adminis- tered by State authorities. A discussion of the two different types is found in this article.
(Pacific Marine Fisheries Commission) Fifth Annual
Report of the Pacific Marine Fisheries Commission for the Year 1952 (To the Congress of the United States and the Governors and Legislatures of Washington, Oregon, and California), 19 p., printed. Pacific Marine Fisheries Commission, Portland, Oregon. Describes briefly the activities of the Commission and contains a short resume of the one meeting of the Commission during 1952, Also in- cluded are summaries of reports submitted by the participating agencies on the research conducted in 1952 on the following marine species and fish- eries: ocean salmon, albacore tuna, sablefish (black cod), the otter-trawl fishery, and pollu- tion research. In addition, a financial report of the Commission appears in the reporte
(Scotland) The Food of Halibut from North Atlantic
Fishing Grounds, by A. D. McIntyre, Marine Re- search 1952 No. 3, 22 p., illus., printed, 4s.
13d. (about 58 U.S. cents). Scottish Home Depart- ment (Available from Her Majesty's Stationery Office, Edinburgh, Scotland), 1953. Describes the food of the North Atlantic halibut, based on the examination of 1,225 stomachs, mostly from the waters around Iceland and Faroe. The halibut had been feeding mainly on fish, decapod crustacea,
and cephalopoda, according to this report. A change in feeding with age, from a more or less mixed diet in the younger specimens to an almost entirely fish diet in the adults is suggested, particularly off Iceland. The feeding intensity is greater in summer than in spring. The small number of species required to support the halibut popula- tion is noted, and the importance of Sebastes mar- inus discussed. The feeding habits are considered and some of the factors connected with a fish tak- ing bait are analyzed.
(Scotland) Haddock Bionomics--1. The State of the
Haddock Stocks in the North ¢ Sea , 1946-50 | 50 and at Faroe 1 1914-50, by B. B. Parrish and R. Jones, Ma- rine Research1952 No. 4, 27 p., illus., printed, 5s. 13d. (about 72 U.S. cents). Scottish Home Department (Available from Her Majesty's Stationery Office, Edinburgh, Scotland), 1953. The first in a series entitled "Haddock Bionomics," this public- ation is an attempt to apply theoretical models to fish population problems developed on precise con- cepts of "overfishing," "maximum yield," and "maxi- mm fishing intensity," earlier formulated. To the authors, the concept of "maximum fishing inten- sity" is the most important element in biological overfishing, and can be defined as "...that fish- ing intensity which, when operative ina given a- rea, on a self-contained fish stock over a number of years during which recruitment has been rela- tively steady, would give the maximum sustained yield from that area. When the fishing intensity increases above that level which gives rise to the maximum sustained yield from the gear in use then the stock is, on this definition, being 'overfished'."
March 1953
Seasonal and Vertical Patterns of Oyster Setting off
COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 81
WILDLIFE SERVICE, BUT USUALLY MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE AGENCIES
ISSUING THEM.
The authors conclude, "The particular merits of this definition are (1) that it is independent of political or economic factors, which deter- mine the profitableness of fishing to the indi- vidual fishermen and which may fluctuate widely from year to year, and (2) that the maximum yield can be determined from population data and is characteristic of each self-contained fish Stock subject to commercial exploitation. Nec- essarily, it depends upon the method or methods of fishing." This study is the result of the assessment of the haddock stocks on the Faroe Plateau and in the North Sea since 1914 and 1946, respectively, by the use of mathematical models to determine the present level of yield in re- lation to the maximum yield, based on the bio- logical concepts which are more reliable thanthe interpretation of commercial statistics alone.
Wadmalew Island, S. C., by J. Kneeland McNulty, Contributions from Bears Bluff Laboratories No. 15, 19 p., illus., printed. Bears Bluff Labora- tories, Wadmalaw Island, S. C., January 1953. De- scribes seasonal and vertical patterns of oyster setting as estimated from semimonthly spat counts of cultch exposed at various vertical elevations during two setting seasons at three stations near Bears Bluff Laboratories, Wadmalaw Island. Spat- fall in excess of one percent of the seasonal to- tal can ve expected from early May through early October, subject to annual variations of about two weeks. Two setting pulses can be expected each season, the first from early June through early July and the second, of lesser intensity, some time in August or early September, with set- ting of considerable intensity occurring before, between, and after these maxima. A vertical dif- ference of about 2 feet has been detected in the zone Of maximum setting at 2 stations, about 2.8 and 8.3 nautical miles distant from the sea. As measured from mean low tide level, maximum set- ting occurred at about minus 1 foot at the more
Seaward station and at about plus 1 foot at the other station. Setting below low-water mark to
a depth of 7 feet was continuous from about Ju- ly 1 until about September 15, 1952, at the sta- tion investigated. Spatfall intensity at minus 5, 5, and 7 feet averaged about 1.5 times less than intensity at minus 1 foot and about 4 times less than at plus 1 foot. Rapid fouling of clean cultch below low-water mark with bryozoa and silt is suggested as a major factor in reduced setting below low-water mark.
‘Years of Progress 1945-1952 (U. S. Department of
the Interior), 197 p., illus., printed, $1.25 (paper 5 For sale by the Superintendent of Doc- uments, Washington 25, D. C.) This publication reports on the progress in the utilization and conservation of our natural resources and the contributions of the various ageucies (including the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Defense Fisheries Administration) of the Department of the Interior during the period 1945-52. It is divided into major sections by major resources-- (1) Water 2nd Fower, (2) Mineral Resources, and (3) The Land of America. The latter section in- cludes, among others, a report of the Fish and Wildlife Service with specific discussions on utilization of fishery resources (including a description of the contributions of the Branch of Commercial Fisheries); disaster caused by the sea lamprey in the Great Lakes fisheries; Alaska fisheries administration; maintenance of inland fisheries; aid to the states in fish and wildlife conservation, river basin studies, protection of wildlife resources; and other activities. Other major sections of this publication are (1) The Defense Agencies of the Department, (2) Depart- mental Management, (3) Foreign and International Affairs, and (4) The Controversy Over the Contie nentsl Shelf. The first of these sections in- cludes a description of the Defense Fisheries Ad- ministration's progress since its establishment in 1950.
82
COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 15, No. 3
WHAT DO CONSUMERS LIKE ABOUT FROZEN FISH?
"Ease of preparation" is the most liked feature of frozen fish. This was brought out in the recently published results of a national consumer
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service during 1951. It was mentioned by nearly half (42 percent) of those asked: "What do you particularly like about frozen fish?"
"Taste" ranked second in importance, with 23 percent saying that they particularly liked frozen fish for this reason. The "price" of frozen fish surprisingly ranked ' far below many other features, with only Spercent mentioning ite "Hase of stor- ing" frozen fish in - the refrigerator (cit- ed by 12 percent of . the respondents) was = third in importance. "Ready availability" (liked by 64 percent) , "lack of bones" (6 percent) , and its "ad- dition of variety" _ to the diet (53 per- 4 cent) were all ad- a Ma! Stan vantages of frozen fish more frequently ae = mentioned than its - economy.
Analysis of the
replies by geographic
areas of the country (Northeast, North Central, South, and West) gave quite similar rankings to the main reasons for frozen fish being liked. "Ease of preparation" and "taste" ranked one and two, respectively, in all areas.
"Ease of storage" was third everywhere except in the South, where it dropped
to fourth place with “easy availability" third.
The fourth ranking virtue of frozen fish in both the Northeast and West was considered to be the "variety" which it could add to the diet. However, in the North Central area people considered the "absence of bones" as being fourth in importance.
Part I--National Summary (FL-407) and Part II--Regional Summary (FL- 408) of the series Fish and Shellfish Preferences of Household Consumers-- 1951 are available free upon request from the Division of Information, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington 25, D. C.
March 1953 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 83
CONTENTS, CONTINUED
PAGE PAGE FOREIGN (CONTD.) FOREIGN (coNnTD.) MEX1 CO: We, Sa) Sa" hoe U. S. VESSELS ACCUSED OF FISHING IN RUSSIAN FISHERIES STATUS, 1952 .....0+5 67
MEXICAN TERRITORIAL WATERS .ccceccsese OV IFEDERAL ACTIONS: ..cccesecccccccecseccsees 69 STATUS OF FISHERIES, 1951 .ccccoceccsaee 58 ECONOMIC STABILIZATION AGENCY:
NORWAY: WAGE AND SALARY CONTROL SUSPENS1! ON HUGE FISH-FREEZING AND COLD-STORAGE ORDER INTERPRETATION ..cvccccceerovrere O69 PLANT BEGINS OPERATIONS ..cccvc0eccereee 08 SELECTIVE SERVICE SYSTEM: WHALE SMEATIAIINDUSTIRVA selslelsicieloicieielel-eicicieie OO) MANPOWER POLICY FOR COMMERCIAL FISHING PANAMA: INDUSTRY cccccrcvccssccecscccccesecese 69 BAIT-FISHING VESSELS NO LONGER REQU| RED DEPARTMENT OF STATE: TO PURCHASE FUEL AND LUBRICANTS IN REVISED HALIBUT FISHERY CONVENTION PANAMA scoscceseccccceeeccsereeccccose O60 SIGNED BY CANADA AND UNITED STATES ... “7/1 SPAIN: ; UNITED STATES-ECUADOR FISHERY CONFER- REVIEW OF THE TUNA FISHERIES cesoeoseee O61 ENCE ciccicincivicweciccivicigesccccaiccoocesecs Je SWEDEN: E|IGHTY-THIRD CONGRESS (FIRST SESSION), FISH CONSUMPTION, 1949-51 ..cvcceecceese 63 FEBRUARY 1953 .ccccccccvescercccesccccee /2 CANNED FISH PRODUCTION, 1947-49 ....006 G63 ]FISHERY INDICATORS: ...ccreccecccesecerereee /4 UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA: CHART 1 - FISHERY LANDINGS FOR SELECTED STATUS OF COMMERCIAL FISHERIES, 1952 .. 64 STATES sescccserseccverccccercvccccscccs /4 SOUTH-WEST AFRICA CURTAILS PILCHARD CHART 2 - COLD-STORAGE HOLDINGS AND FISHING .cccccccccccccnccescscccseccss 06 FREEZINGS OF FISHERY PRODUCTS .ecreeeee 9 UNITED KINGDOM: h CHART 3 = CANNED PACKS OF SELECTED WHITE FISH AND HERRING INDUSTRIES BILL FISHERY PRODUCTS ccoccccccccccccsereses 10 VNTRODUCED 2... .ccecccccccecccccecesese 66 CHART 4 - U.S. FISHERY PRODUCTS IMPORTS Rae HERRING MARKETING FUND PAYMENTS, RECENT FISHERY PUBLICATIONS: .cccccevcceee /8
MOS IASCueeporetstorn cvercietavalctetote et cteraioveleverietiee se Ou, FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE PUBLICATIONS . 78 MISCELLANEOUS PUBLICATIONS ceccocscceeee /8
Editorial Assistant--Ruth V. Keefe Illustrator--Gustaf T. Sundstrom
Compositors--Jean Zalevsky and Betty Coakley
eK KH
Photograph Credits: Pageby page, the following list gives the source or photog- rapher for each photograph in this issue. Photographs on pages not mentioned were obtained from the Service's file and the photographers are unknown.
Cover, pp. 2; 35, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. 12, and 1$--Statf of Exploratory Fishing and Gear Development Section, Branch of Commercial Fisheries, Seattle, Wash.; pp. 20 (fig. 3 and 4), 21, 22, and 23--
N. B. Wigutoff; p. 25--F. T. Piskur; p. 26--Staff of Boston Fishery
Technological Laboratory; p. 42--Les Frigoriferes du Littorall S.A.3
pe 48--Food and Agriculture Organization; p. 54--S. Shapiro; p. 71--
National Film Board of Canada. a y
INT.-DUP. SEC., WASH., D.C. 39751
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This is the first survey of the fisheries of the United States since 1951 to include all areas. The tables in this report include a summary of the number of fishermen and operating units by area; catch by species by area; catch by states; and catch by gear.
FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES AND ia 1950
PRINCIPAL UNITED STATES AND ALASKA FISHERIES % : : Catch of the Fisheries of the a. is United States and Alaska, 1946-50L/ : iG Ex-vessel Average , Year uantit: : : ee 4 UNITED STATES 3 343 ae 000 p 339,000 ,000 3 % 367,000,000
307,600,000 310,000,000
Pere Paes 1/CATCH DATA FOR YEARS 1946-49 |NCLUDE ESTIMATES esis ws FOR SOME REGIONS NOT SURVEYED. ALASKA
The 1950 catch of fishery products in all sections of the United States and Alaska totaled 4,884,909,000 pounds, with an ex-vessel value of $3435,876,000. This was an increase of 2 percent in quantity and 1 percent in value as compared with the estimated figures for 1949,
Copies of C.F.S. No. 841 are available free upon request from the Division of Informa- tion, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington 25, D. C.
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