4 poled COMMERCIAL SearERIES ————ee ————— ————— ———— — —= =, = — — ___ a es ———— —————— — —=- — = == — ——— —=aa ——— =e : ’ a ve aig’) & , vy q NE is Wh Yi “ff 44! wy ia ‘i, ji: Gs ay oh bd Wh oe Vm i MBS iis . BY Meat —J 4 ; ‘sy an | Vol. 17, No. 10 FISH and WILDLIFE SERVICE United States Department of the Interior W ashington, D.C. OCTOBER 1955 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE DOUGLAS McKAY, SECRETARY JOHN L. FARLEY, DIRECTOR COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW A review of developments and news of the fishery industries prepared in the BRANCH OF COMMERCIAL FISHERIES A.W. Anderson, Editor J.Pileggi, Associate Editor H.M.Bearse, Assistant Editor Mailed free to members of the fishery andalliedindustries. Address correspondence 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 materialfrom outside sources. Although the contents of this publication have not been copyrighted and may be reprinted 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, August 2, 1955. (8/31/57) CONTENTS COVER: A salmon being hauled in over the gill-net roller on the bow of the Service’s ex- ploratory fishing vessel John N. Cobb during its exploratory cruise in the offshore wa- ters of the Gulf of Alaska this summer, Cruise revealed new information on the offshore distribution of several species of Pacific salmon, (See p. 60 of this issue.) Page Preliminary Report on Exploratory Long-Line Fishing for Tuna in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea: ....... 1 Part I-Exploratory Tuna Fishing by the Oregon, by Harvey R, Bullis, Jr... 1c eee eee cece cee ecee 1 Part II - Long-Line Gear Used in Yellowfin Tuna Exploration, by Francis J, Captiva .......ccccccccceee 16 Brine Dipping of Haddock Fillets, by J, Holston andS, R, Pottinger ...... cece cece cs cccccccsccccsces 21 Page Page RESEARCH IN SERVICE LABORATORIES: ...... 31 TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS (Contd.): Technological Research on the Fresh-Water Fish- Fishery Products Market Outlook, October-De- eries of the U.S. , by M, E, Stansby ....... 31 GenleiCsy) Gooconconnacododc0COCNS 50 Iron-Sulfide Discoloration of Tuna Cans, by Great Lakes Fishery Investigations: ....... GeorgerPigottiereveretelelciekekenenerotclenoveneleneleve 34 Fishery Conditions in Northern Lake Michigan Oyster Technological Research Continues During Explored by Cisco (Cruises 11, 1V,V, VI) .. 51 WASNT? 546 q0b00000000000000000000 40 Great Lakes: jellicd’Salimonecren denen oneteneh on okokel helichenenenenenele 40 Lake Trout Catch on Lakes Huron, Michigan, New Federal Specifications for Certain Fishery and!Superior 1949-53 errs sieierereroeoretone 54 PEOGUCESHivaisreteteteeneratene ker ROreror oro 50600 40 Gulf Exploratory Fishery Program; TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS: ........22e.% 42 Capacity Trip of Tuna Landed by Oregon Additions to the Fleet of U. S, Fishing Vessels .. 42 (GBS SE) ooooonudcbo ogc GoUODOuOOS 54 Alaska: Deep-Water Shrimp Trawling Trip Completed Fish-Trap Elimination Legislation Supported by by Oregon (Cruise 34) .....ccceccccccs 56 SecretanyaNhichaymesnevesteleereelcherecsicneneneneie 42 Maine; Pribilof Islands Fur-Seal Skin Take, 1955 ..... 44 Canned Maine Sardine Pack, Sept, 10 ....... 56 American Samoa: Fresh-Water Mussel Research Program ..... o7 Japanese Fishing Operation Catches Less Tuna North Atlantic Fisheries Investigations: than’ Plannedigerr sy wunlevaenechelctehctoretcrsvencne 45 Survey of Georges Bank and Southern New England California: Banks by Albatross Ill (Cruise 66) ....... 57 Albacore Tagging Cruise of the Deluxe(C-3-55) 45 North Atlantic Fisheries Exploration and Gear Abundance of Sardines, Mackerel, and Anchovies Research: Studied by Yellowfin (Cruise 55-Y-5) ...... 46 Good Catches of Large Ocean Perch in Deep Wa- Yellowfin Assesses Relative Abundance of Sar- ter by Delaware (Cruise 9) .......-ee0- 58 dines, Mackerel, and Anchovies (Cruise55-Y-6) 47 Maine Herring Exploration and Gear Research; Trawl-Mesh Experiments and Bottomfish Tagging Theodore N, Gill Searches for Schools of Large by N, B, Scofield (Cruise 4).........e00. 41 Herrings(Gruise)o) mer ieieinereie ctekerer ante 58 Tagged Sturgeon Recovered .........-... 48 North Atlantic Herring Research: Food Technologist Named for University of Cali- Herring Supply Forecasts Foreseen ....... 59 le NEWE ESOS DOO OOD COBO GUO ODOC 48 North Pacific Exploratory Fishery Program: Cans--Shipments for Fishery Products, January- Salmon Caught in Gulf of Alaska by John N.Cobb IMIRNSE IGEB) 6.6 6o0600UUO0CKbDD 000000 49 (Gia PE) 6 SaaS bcongcoDaOCODOUCUSO 60 Federal Purchases of Fishery Products ...... 49 Contents Continued Pages 124 and 125, wy October 1955 Washington 25, D.C. Vol .17,No.10 PRELIMINARY REPORT ON EXPLORATORY LONG-LINE FISHING FOR TUNA IN THE GULF OF MEXICO AND THE CARIBBEAN SEA CONTENTS Part I - Exploratory Tuna Fishing by the Oregon Page Page USTED” Dp Goa Gud OO ODO BU COO ODDO 1 SQUENUISIONS soles orrayaheWele te’ selva sive, o)eis/atey katie sieys) 12 Long-=Line Fishing, May 1954-June 1955 ...... 4 Weiter atuneGited) =. cpelaie ss! cteioctecusteleneretorersrekncons 15 BES MINES NTONMAION, |. o's) s.evereuct/s\ el sa ise! siisicj'ei.e 7 Page Page FABER ACEI est roe ace eho iiw le eeeia wee 16 Description of Long-Line Gear Used on the Oregon(Contd.): Description of Long-Line Gear Used on the Oregon: 16 SOV SM evatetsietencuclcienelsitcnalleistaitekele ener ctenenenens 17 WEISS) G Gadget hoo oo Glo U.olom aio aeaiolord 17 LOPLI MN? 5 esongnooubono dads 18 EAU CHIME Saeueeeie tote erat etal erelellelsiielele i= (re =i= 17 Notes on Material and Construction .......... 18 DRMin yy Detain eyrAnlenease rai etalsieseen iol cncisteteletre 19 Miterature(Gited) (. ratepeheycese sae tersrehensiore one here 20 Part | - Exploratory Fishing by the Oregon By Harvey R. Bullis, Jr.* INTRODUCTION Concurrently with other explorations in the Gulf of Mexico, chiefly for shrimp, the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been engaged since 1952 in a program of tuna exploration. Several types of commercial gear and fishing methods have been used on the Service's exploratory fishing ves- | sel Oregon to investigate the pos- sibility of the presence of com- mercially-valuable stocks inthese waters. This report gives anac- count of results to the present time, but exploratory work is be- ing continued and a final report with detailed information and sta- tion lists will appear at a later date. Prior to the start of the ex- ploratory fishing program in the Gulf there was little information to suggest the existence of fish- able tuna stocks, Observations made from the Oregon during the Fig. 1 - Baiting the long-line gear prior to setting, Both woven bam- summer months of 1950 and1951 ; boo baskets and galvanized-metal tubs are used to store the gear. * Fishery Methods and Equipment Specialist, Exploratory Fishing and Gear Development Section, Branch of Commercial Fisheries, U, S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pascagoula, Miss. Wo, 1, No, 10 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW “GG6T ounL Ysnoryi CoTxeW" Jo FMS 9y1 ut (si0p yorTq &q PeILOIpUT) SuOTIeIS BUTYST} ouI,-SuoT - Z Sty poan +. woot VAVISINOT October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 3 while the vessel was engaged in deep-water shrimp explorations along the edge of the con- tinental shelf in the northern Gulf and while traveling through the central Gulf, provided a basis for an active exploratory program. During these periods scattered schools of small tunawere commonly seenincalm weather. Trolling captures from these schools yielded blackfin tuna (Thunnus atlanticus) weighing from 3 to 18 pounds each and skip- jack tuna(Katsuwonus pelamis) weighing 5 to 20 poundseach. Inearly September 1951, PS Fig, 3 - Setting the gear from the stern of the Oregon. Two men are used to keep the mainline and branch lines run- ning clear, The third man stands by to heave the Re several large schools of blackfin tuna were observed off the Mississippi and Louisiana coasts. Inone day 9 schools, estimated at 100to 500tons per school, were seenalong the 200-fathomcurve. Afew weeks earlier, while the Oregon was running a northerly course between the Campeche Banks and the Mississippi Delta, small wild schools of tuna were seen throughout the day. These tuna appearedto range from 30 to 70 pounds and were tentatively identified as yellowfin tuna(Thunnus albacares) although no trolling captures were made. Many of these schools responded to the spray of the fire hose and came up to the vessel. The gradual accumulation of observation records provided encouraging evidence that exploratory fishing for tuna in the Gulf might be fruitful and suggested a variety of exploratory approaches, A two-phase program was instigated in 1952 to expand our knowledge of the Gulf-tuna potential and to furnish information on applicable gear and fishing methods. Phase one had two principal objectives: to determine the species present in commercial quantities; and to employ fishing techniques as sug- gested by the observed behavior of the tuna schools. To achieve these objectives, 4 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 one year (May to October) of part-time fishing effort was devoted to each of the three major commercial tuna-fishing methods; purse seining, live-baitfishing, and long- lining, in that order. The second phase was to be dependent on the previous results with abasic objective of year-round application of the gear found to be most successful. In general, the results from the first two years of part-time work (1952-1953) using purse seines and live-bait techniques were inconclusive. Unfavorable weath- er during 1952 greatly hampered seining and the additional factor of fast-moving schools in clear water prevented successful fishing, Live-bait fishing the following year met with slightly more success although fewer tuna were sighted during this period, Several schools of mixed skipjack and blackfin tuna were fished but could not be held at the stern long enough to permit satisfactory catches. Occasionally large yellowfin tuna would appear momentarily with the smaller fish and accounted for several lost rigs. None appeared while 3- and 4-pole rigs were in use. Several small bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) were caught from a school of mixed species off the Louisiana coast, Baiting operations throughout this period with a trap lift net (Siebenaler 1953) in the south, east, and north Gulf demonstrated a readily- available supply of tuna bait. Further work using the live-bait pole- and line-fish- ing technique is scheduled for the future. LONG-LINE FISHING, MAY 1954-JUNE 1955 The first catches of commercial promise were made in May 1954 using Japanese long-line gear. Exploratory fishing was carried out during May-July using the long- line equipment employedinthe Gulf of Maine bluefin tuna exploratory program (Murray 1953). In the western Gulf 37 large yellowfin were caught during Cruise 23 at 14 out of 20long-line stations. In July, 112 yellowfin, averaging 99 pounds each, were caught during a two-week cruise (No. 24)inthe northeastern Gulf of Mexico. Throughout these two cruises a large number of tuna were lost owing to the worncondition of the lines. It is estimated that approximately 90 per- cent of the 134 broken branch lines were due toyellowfintuna. Broken branch lines were often found in groups adja- cent to caught tuna, andon several oc- casions yellowfin were seen parting the line when they could get a straight pull againstthelinehauler. Fabrica- tion of new gear with modification of materials greatly reduced losses due to breakage on subsequent cruises. Following the initial success of the first two long-lining cruises during May-July 1954, five of the Oregon's Fig, 4 - Surplus oxygen cylinders and kegs make excellent long-line subs equent trips (to June 195 ee buoys and are relatively inexpensive, Glass floats and airplane-tire devotedto increasing the knowledge of inner tubes are also used and have been found to be entirely satisfactory, TS GOasornalll ange Oo: yellowfin ain fe Gulf andCaribbeanarea. Duringtwocruises, primarily conducted for deep-water shrimp explorations, afew long-line sets were made to help provide information on sea- sonal continuity. A brief resume of the long-lining results of the individual tripsis as follows: Cruise 25in August continued work in the northeastern Gulf with minor modifications of the gear. Twenty-one sets, averaging 340 hooks each, yieldeda catch of 127 yellowfin. Four of these sets failed to catch tuna; two were afternoon sets andone anovernight set. The rest of the sets were made in the early morning and all but one caught yellowfin. October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 5 Cruise 26 in September-October was an east-to-west transect through the cen- tral Gulf along the 26th parallel, starting off the edge of the continental shelf onthe west coast of Florida and terminating at the edge of the shelf off Brownsville, Tex. A total of 102 yellowfin were caught on the 11 sets (averaged approximately 420 hooks each)--72 fish were taken on 4 sets between 88 W. and 90 W. inthe central Gulf northbound current. Cruise 27 in November was concerned with other objectives, but two sets were made in the southeastern Gulf on the return leg of the trip. Five large yellowfin were taken on the 715 hooks fished. Cruise 27A in December continued the season- aspen Fig, 5 - View of the Japanese long-line hauler, One man stands at the hauler, clearing the swivels through the pulleys and coiling the branch lines, al coverage with three sets (fishing 390 hooks each set) in the north-central Gulf, Twenty-five yellowfin were landed and an additional nine were lost due to gear fail- ures as the fish were being brought to gaff. Cruise 28 in January 1955 was spent long-line fishing on a line between the Mis- sissippi Delta and Tampico, Mexico. Seventy-two yellowfin were landed in seven sets beyond the 1,000-fathom curve. Two sets in shallower water at either end of the transect failed to catch yellowfin. Sets varied from 50 to 74 baskets with an average of 600 hooks per set. The best set of the trip caught 17 yellowfin in the vi- cinity of the Sigsbee Deep. 6 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 Cruise 29 in February-March was concerned primarily with deep-water trawl- ing in the northeastern Gulf. Two long-line sets were made in early March between the Mississippi Delta and Cape San Blas but no yellowfin were taken. The tunacatch consisted solely of a 300-pound bluefin. Cruise 30 during April-May was designed to give some preliminary information on the continuity of yellowfin stocks between the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. An apparent disappearance of yellowfin in the Gulf during March and reports of prom- ising long-line tuna catches in the vicinity of St. Croix changed the objective of the Fig. 6 - Position of longline fishing stations in the Caribbean during Cruise 30, April-May 1955. cruise to establishing the westward limits of fishable stocks in the northern Carib- bean. Yellowfin tuna were caught on 6 of the 7 sets made east and north of Jamaica Fig. 7 - A large yellowfin tuna is brought to gaff. and inthe WindwardPassage. Ofparticular interest in this area was the capture of one to six large albacore (Thunnus alalunga) at the same stations and two big- eyed tuna (Thun- nus obesus) ona set east of False Cape, Haiti-- the first verified recordsfor thesetwo spe- cies from the westernnorth Atlantic. Large numbers of giant bluefin tuna in the Wind- ward Passage area caused considerable trou- ble. At each of the two stations made in the Passage, eight bluefin were landed, and judg- ing by broken gear at least that many more were caught and lost. On several occasions the main line was parted, necessitating a search for the remaining gear. By supple- menting the regular long-line floats with large aircraft-type inner tubes, gear losses were confined to an occasional basket ortwo. Four sets made betweenthe Yucatan Channel and the western tip of Jamaica caught no yellowfin. One large bluefin was caught north of Grand Cayman and another was caught east of Cozu- mel Island. Three sets were made in the Gulf of Mexico; one on the beginning leg of the trip in April and two on the return leg. A single yellowfin (weighing 190 pounds) was caught 180 miles south of Mobile on May 1. October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 7 Cruise 31 from mid-May to mid-June was spent in the northeastern Gulf to provide an area-seasonal comparison for the work carried out during this period in 1954 in the western Gulf. Fishing was generally poor, though showing an increase in catch rate between the beginning and end of the trip. A total of 29 yellowfin were landed onthe eleven 300-hook sets. These fishwere in spawning con- dition and averaged 149 pounds each. Of particular interest was the first successful night fishing for yellowfin. Threefish were caught on a250-hook night set 60 miles southeast of the Mississippi Delta. FISHING INFORMATION Morning, afternoon, and night sets were tried. The best catches resultedfrom morning fishing. Mostexploratory sets were put out shortly before dawn, using from 30 to 75 baskets of gear, each basket having 10 hooks. The long line was buoyed-off and allow- edto'soak" until10 a.m. or 12 noon, depending upon the amount of gear out. Hauling was usually Fig. 8 - While the line is being pulled in, an accurate record is main- completed by mid-afternoon. tained of the catch and gear performance, The number of men required to handle the long-line gear would vary with the size of the vessel used and its adaptability to long-line fishing. On the Oregona asic crew of six men handles setting - and hauling the lines. tp While setting the lines, one man works at the wheel and engine con- trols, two men work at the stern to clear the mainline and branch lines while paying them out, two men bait the hooks, and one man attaches and heaves the buoys. For hauling in the line, one man stands at the rail and clears branch lines over the rollers, removing un- used bait from the hooks. Two men work at the line-hauler clutch and regulate its speed. Two men stand by to pull in and coil buoy lines, re- move baskets of gear into position for the next set, and assist in landing the fish. Another man steers the vessel. Since the Oregon is employed for other fishing programs requiring the operation of quite different gear, full conversion of deck arrangements to Fig, 9 - One of the large bluefin tuna caught in the Windward Pas- make them most efficient for long- sage being hoisted aboard, Large numbers of these giant fish line work is neither practical nor eco- caused considerable gear snarling and damage, nomical,. 8 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Wools W715 NOs 10 As a general rule sets are made across the current, but consideration has to be given to the strength and direction of the wind and the way the seas are running. These factors together with knowledge of how the vessel handles under varying weath- er and current conditions will affect the choice made by the captain in selecting a pee | Fig, 10 - During the hauling of long-line gear, float lines Fig. 11 - A white-tip shark caught on a hand line during the are unsnapped from the mainline and the buoys are long-line hauling operation, ‘This species of shark is re- pulled in by hand, sponsible for the majority of shark damage to the tuna catch. course for the set. It has generally been found practical to make sets from the Oregon with wind velocities up to 25 miles per hour. A large variety of potential bait species weretried. The rough scad (Decapturus punctatus) was the most successful, but was in too short supply to permit good com- parative tests. Mullet, herring, and halfbeaks comprised most of the bait used. Through the summer of 1954 squid was used extensively, but catches almost invari- ably were poorer than with fish bait. Ona number of sets where squid andfish were Fig, 12 - A large percentage of the catch taken by the Oregon Fig. 13 - Weights and measurements are recorded for the was badly mutilated by sharks. The two large yellowfin on entire catch, the right have no value for canning. October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 9 used alternately, the catch on fish approximately doubled that on squid. This was surprising in view of the fact that a large majority of the yellowfin stomachs con- tained both squid and octopus. Many other species of fish were tried to some extent, including menhaden, pinfish, porgies, fly- ingfish, and all caught some yel- lowfin. Scrap from deep-water trawling was tried, including gempylids, bercoids, and hake, each catching some yellowfin in the limited trials. Yellowfin ranged from 9 to 190 pounds each, averaging 115 pounds throughout the year. Most of the catch consisted of fish be- tween 60 and 150 pounds each. Size-frequency records were col- lected and will be presented ina later report. Considerable trouble was ex- perienced with sharks. During the hauling operation from 2 or 3 to as many as 25 white-tip sharks (Pterolamiops longimanus) were usually observed following the vessel, and when left unmolested the sharks attacked the tunaas the fish were being landed. About 30 percent of the yellowfin catch was damaged to some extent; 20 per- cent was unfit for canning. Less commonly, other species of sharks Fig, 14 - Part of a catch of yellowfin tuna and marlin. were observed striking the hooked fish. The practice of throwing garbage or unused bait overboard just before or dur- ing hauling appeared to attract more sharks and was abandoned. Several shark-kill- ing techniques were tried to eliminate the problem. Most successful were chumming the sharks with multilated tuna and shooting them with a high-powered rifle, or hang- Fig, 15a - Diagram of the long line showing the sixth basket from the left in Figure 15b drawn with equal vertical and hori- zontal scales, The 4-fathom branch lines have been added to show spacing. ing a row of baited shark hooks in the water at the stern. Sharks caught on hand lines were hung over the rail at the stern until they could be hoisted aboard where fins and livers were removed. Although the livers of the white-tip shark generally run low in vitamin A potency and are perhaps not marketable under present con- ditions, there is a market for fins and these may prove to be a valuable byproduct. 10 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 17 Exploratory sets were made from the Oregon using buoy lines of varying lengths to determine the best fishing depth. For most of the 1954 sets, 5 baskets were sets with buoys attached close up to the mainline, the following five baskets with 5-fath- om buoy lines, the following five with 10-fathom buoy lines, and so on down to 40 ! a: poe |: | Fig, 15b - Depth-recorder tracing of long line just prior to hauling. The vertical lines mark the points where the buoys were passed on the surface while running along the line, The mainline is suspended on 20-fathom buoy lines and shows sag, varying from 5 to 12 fathoms. The erratic appearance of the fifth basket from the left was caused by tuna on the line, This basket caught one yellowfin and 4blackfin tuna, There was no catch on the other baskets shown. The black portion at the top of the recorder paper was produced because the sensitivity or gain of the ‘“‘Echograph’’ Depth Re- corder was increased, Note that such a nearly-complete record is only possible when the wind and current conditions hold the line in a vertical plane. fathoms. Only a few sets were made at greater depths, and only a few afternoon or night sets were made. One yellowfin was taken from a basket set with 70-fathom buoy lines, and catches on afternoon sets were low. No tuna were taken on night sets made in 1954. Bathythermograph casts were made at most fishing stations in an effort to determine the position of a thermocline. Up to the present time the best fishing has been on sets made at dawn or slight- ly before with buoy-line lengths from 10 to 20 fathoms during periods with moderate seas (not calm), and there has been no correlation between surface signs of tuna and the catch rate. Generally, the catch rates were poor on sets made where water depths were less than 500 fathoms. However, an insufficient number of sets have been made to properly evaluate many of these factors which presumably influence the catch. Mainline sag is an important factor in determining fishing depths, On some oc- casions it has been possible to get excellent depth-recorder tracings of the main- line which in turn have given considerable information on the amount and variation of sag (see fig. 15b). The amount of downward sag is influenced chiefly by the dis- tance between buoys and the factors which tend to stream the gear, such as current and wind (pushing the buoys). Varying the amount of slack in the mainline while set- ting will change the depth of the gear. There is a tendency for the buoys at either October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 1l ee a Fig, 16 - Removing fins from a medium-size dusky shark, _ Fig, 17 - Removing the liver from a dusky shark caught onthe Such byproducts in long-line fishing may provide sub- long line. Samples of liver from all of the species of shark stantial additional income, commonly caught are being tested for potentially-valuable byproducts, end of the line to come together, greatly increasing the sag. When the line is set with little slack, the sag per basket averages about 8 to 10 fathoms (level of attach- ment of buoy line to mainline to the level of the bottom of the catenary) except for the end baskets. Often the buoys on either end will bunch up and the mainline will sag to over 60 fathoms. The presence of fish on the line can usually be detected by the erratic picture of the mainline. Fish may pull the line to one side or another, out of range of the depth sounder, f ' Fig, 18 - A deck scene during long-line hauling operations. Fig. - 19 - A catch of large bluefin tuna from the Windward A medium-size bluefin tuna has just been landed and is Passage, being hauled out of the way, 12 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 A large number of other species of fish were caught on the long lines. White marlin (Makaira albida) were caught on the majority of the sets. Blue marlin(Ma- kaira nigricans ampla) appeared less commonly. Sailfish (Istiophorus americanus) were rarely taken. During the early months of long-lining these fish were landed and the possibility of their beinga salable byproduct was investigated. Since April 1955, a tagging pro- gram has been underway in cooper- ation with the Woods Hole Oceano- graphic Institution and all spear- fishes in good condition have been tagged and released. One small swordfish (Xiphias gladious) was caught in June 1954, A large number of lancetfish (Alepisaurus ferox) have been caught throughout the year. In- dividuals are commonly caught containing six or seven long-line baits and this species undoubtedly accounts for a large share of the bare hooks, which reduces the amount of effective gear ona set. In cooperation with biologists from the Service's Branch of Fish- ery Biology and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, some information has been gathered on the spawning and feeding of yellow- fin in the Gulf. The capture of ripe fish in the Gulf of Campeche in May 1954 and in the northern Gulf in June 1955, and collections of young yellowfins at widely scatter- Fig, 20 - Night-light dipnetting for young tuna in the offshore waters oq night-light dipnet stations dur- oie ou ing the summer and early fallshows the Gulf to be one of the spawning areas for this species. Stomach analyses indicate a year-round feeding on deep-water pelagic fish, squid, and octopus. Occasionally, a yellowfin stomach has been found to contain bits of sargassum weed and small ca- rangids, showing some degree of surface feeding. CONCLUSIONS The lack of information needed to make year-by-year comparisons of seasonal catch rates and distribution precludes a comprehensive analysis for the present. The coverage to date does indicate the presence of deep-swimming tuna stocks dis- tributed throughout the Gulf beyond the 500-fathom curve. Catches by the Oregon and several commercial vessels have been made during every month except April. (A single yellowfin was caught in the eastern Gulf on May 1 and several small land- ings were made during the following two weeks in the northern Gulf.) However, catches of commercial promise have been made only during May through January. Starting in the fall of 1954 the owners of several fishing vessels rigged with varying quantities of long-line gear carried out supplementary exploratory fishing in the Gulf of Mexico and northern Caribbean. Their catch records have beencom- municated to the Service's office in Pascagoula and have provided valuable addition- al data. October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 13 y Fig 21 - At the completion of the hauling operation the catch Fig, 22 - Successful fishing and strong currents usually re- is placed in a refrigerated brine well, Twenty-four hours sult in large amounts of twisted and fouled gear. It general- later the frozen fish are transferred to dry cold storage, ly takes one or two hours to straighten out the gear after eachset, Upper right; two airplane-tire inner tubes areused as additional floats in areas where large bluefin are know to be present. Bottom: basketball-type floats are also being tried. As yet no commercial boat has fished the Gulf with a full complement of long- line gear. Converted trawlers and snapper schooners have run up to 60 baskets (600 hooks), which is perhaps half the amount of gear an experienced crew could han- dle. Thus, while some trips are statistically encouraging from the numbers of yellow- fin caught per 100 hooks fish- ed, theyhave generally fail- ed to produce profitable trips. Thelargestcatch to date was made in September of last year when the M/V Santo Antonio, fishing 120 miles south of the Mississip- piDelta, landed over 13 tons of yellowfin on a two-week trip while fishing less than 400 hooks per day. Inlate February 1955, a sudden decline inthe yellow- fin tuna catch coincided with- in aweek withthe appearance of large bluefin tuna weigh- ing from 300 to more than 700 pounds each. At first an occasional bluefin was Fig. 23 - Unloading yellowfin at the completion of the cruise. 14 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 captured with several yellowfin but by the second week in March the catches had be- come exclusively bluefin. During March and April gear damage and loss due to these large fish was severe, and due to the absence of a market for large bluefin the pilot commercial ventures were either temporarily suspended or transferred to the north- eastern Caribbean. Fig, 24 - The problem of handling giant bluefin tuna ashore is partly solved by butchering them with a power saw. Actually, little fishing was carried out in the Gulf by either the Oregon or com- mercial vessels from mid-March to May. The relatively few sets were confined, for the most part, to the northeastern Gulf. The over-all catch rate during the past year was approximately 1.2 yellowfin per 100 hooks. The best fishing to date was in the north central Gulf beyond the 1,000-fathom curve where the catch averaged about 2.7fishper 100 hooks. These ay- erages are slightly lower than averages of some of the commercial boats that con- fined their fishing to more "proved" areas. The highest individual catches on the Oregon were approximately 6.5 yellowfin per 100 hooks. Catches on the Santo An- tonio were as high as 10 to 12 fish per 100 hooks. Long-lining has produced few small tuna of any species in spite of their appar- ent numerical superiority as judged by surface signs. The earlier records of sur- facing schools of blackfin tuna have been impressively augmented throughout the past year with observations of schools during each month at sea, Still, catches have been small, generally one or two blackfin tuna ona set. The largest number of blackfin taken ona set was 7, and oftennone was caught even when surfacing schools were commonly seen throughout the fishing areas. Often sharks caught on the long lines contained whole blackfin that showed signs of having been torn from a hook, October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 15 but the small catch has been assumed to be due to selectivity of the gear (primarily in hook size) that has been designed for capturing large fish. This then leaves open, Fig, 25 - Drying the shark fins ashore, for the present, the question of the blackfin tuna potential which has been estimated to be greater than that of any of the other species in the Gulf. LITERATURE CITED Bullis, Harvey R., Jr. J 1955. Recent Explorations for Yellowfin Tuna in the Gulf of Mexico, Proceedings of the Gulf and Caribbean Fish- eries Institute, 7th Annual Session, University of Miami, Marine Laboratory, , and Frank L, Mather, III Notes on the Tunas of the Northwestern Caribbean and the First Record of Thunnus obesus from the Western Atlantic (in press), Murray, J. J. 1953, Gulf of Maine Bluefin Tuna Exploration, 1952, Commercial Fisheries Review, vol. 15, no. 7 (July 1953), Also Separate No, 353. Rawlings, John R. 1953. A Report on the Cuban Tuna Fishery, Commercial Fisheries Review, vol. 15, no. 1 (January 1953), Also Separate No, 337, Springer, Stewart 1953, Problems of Exploitation of Tuna in the Gulf and Caribbean, Proceedings of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute 5th Annual Session, University of Miami, Marine Laboratory. 16 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 Part Il - Long-Line Gear Used in Yellowfin Tuna Exploration _ By Francis J. Captiva* INTRODUCTION The long-line gear used on the Oregon for the capture of deep-swimming tunas is essentially the same as that used by Japanese fisherman in the Pacific Ocean (Shapiro 1950). The first units of gear tried by the Oregon were made up in Japan and used for bluefin-tuna explorations in New England wa- ters during 1952-1953, This gear was described indetail by Murray (1953-1954). After preliminary trials it was found necessary to in- corporate certain changes which were based on the results of ex- tensive long-line experimentation of theU. S. Fishand Wildlife Serv- ice's Pacific Oceanic Fisheries In- vestigations (Niska 1953). Further modifications were made later to fit the conditions inthe Gulf of Mexico. If tuna inthe Gulf of Mexicoand adjacent waters are toform the basis forastrongfishery, the methods used must be adapted to local condi- tions and the primary objective in the development of the method is to find the one that will land tuna at the low- est cost per tontaking into consid- eration labor, materials, and equipment. Experimental studies of long-line gear in the Gulf have not progressed to the point where recommendations can be made about the relative merits of (1) conven- tional Japanese-style gear, (2) all nylon gear using adrum hauler, and (3) allwire gear. Continuing stud- ies by PacificOceanic Investiga- tions onwire gear may indicate a clear superiority of this type of gear. Or, as seems probable, several kinds of long-line gear may prove useful depending on types of ves- sels available. DESCRIPTION OF LONG-LINE GEAR USED ON THE OREGON SF Fig, 26 - A 10-hook ‘‘basket’’ of long-line gear used on the Oregon. aS SSS Re bs Long-line gear consists of me three basic components: the main- b SS line, the branch lines (gangions), — and the buoys with buoy lines. The basic unit of long-line gear is the "basket'' which contains a section | of mainline and the attached branch Fig. 27 - The swivelled becket used for spacing branch lines on the lines as showninfigure 26, (Grad- mainline, > Fishery Methods and Equipment Specialist, Exploratory Fishing andGear Development Section, Branch of Commercial Fish- eries, U.S, Fish and Wildlife Service, Pascagoula, Miss. October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 17 ually we have replaced the traditional woven bamboo baskets with No. 2 galvanized tubs which are less expensive, stronger, and nest better.) A Japanese-designed line hauler retrieves and coils the line into the basket. MAINLINE: The mainline of a typical basket is 138 fathoms of 132-thread type-E filament nylon made up in nine 12-fathom sec- tions with a 15-fathom section on each end. The various sections are joined together with swivelled beckets as shown in figure 27. BRANCH LINES: The branch lines are all of equal length, and are made upof4fathoms of 11/64" diameter ''Gulf-lay" nylon line (or 132-thread type-E filament ny- lon), one 8/0 McMahon barrel swivel, one fathom of 3/32'' diam- eter 7 x 7 preformed stainless steel wire, and a 9/0 Japanese- style tuna hook. A branch line is tied to the sliding swivel on each becket using a ''figure 8" knot or a standing bowline. A fathom of wire is required near each hook because the rough hide of sharks quickly chafe through cordage, particularly nylon. BUOYS: A buoy and buoy line is used with each basket for suspending the mainline at the desired level. lines are ;''-diameter manila or 261-thread cotton line. Fig, 29 - Another variety of wire becket employing only one swivel. —— Fig, 28 - A side view of the Japanese long-line hauler in opera- tion, The Several types of buoys have been found satisfactory: 16-inch diameter rubber and canvas-cover- ed seine floats have given satisfac- tory performance in all respects, but their cost is relatively high. Surplus 1,000 cubic-inch oxygen cylinders, 5-gallon wooden kegs, and airplane-tire inner tubes have worked well. In areas of good fish- ing or where large bluefin are pres- ent there is some loss of kegs and oxygen cylinders caused by collaps- ing due to pressure when submerged, Flag buoys are attached to every tenth buoy and at the end of the line. These are made up of 16- foot bamboo poles floated by cork slabs lashed 4 feet above the butt. Sufficient weight is added to the butt to keep it floating in anupright position, They may be lighted for night fishing, 18 COMMERCIALFISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 LONG-LINE HAULER: The Japanese line hauler used for picking up the lineis shown in figure 28, The mainline is coiled automatically and can be retrieved ata rate of 12 to 15 baskets per hour depending on the catch and the a- mount of fouled gear, The branch lines, however, must be coiled by hand, NOTES ON MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION Due to the considerable stress that is exerted on the mainline and branch lines during fishing opera- tions, it is necessary to use line of sufficient strength to minimize the chances of the gear parting. Completely satisfactory results were not obtained on the Oregon until line of approximately 1, 000- pound test was used. Lines of many different materials were used with most of them performing satis- factorily: 132-thread type-E fila- ment nylon has worked the best of those tried to date because of its high tensile strength, resistance to deterioration, and qualities of stiffness and size that have worked well in the long-line hauler. Lines made up with natural fi- bers should be treated with a suit- Fig, 30 - A deck view of the Mike Flechas, a commercial long-line able cordage preservative. vessel, showing the long-line reel developed by Captain Charles Kaufman. In the foreground are buoys and buoy lines, In the up- Tangled lines often slow down OE TE Ee GIS Wel sisairela MoS, fishing operations. The most fre- Fig, 31 - A close-up view of the long-line reel on the Fig. 32 - Close-up of the detachable “pigtail” used to Mike Flechas showing the level wind gear. connect the branch line to the mainline. This is being used on the reel-type line hauler, The ‘‘pigtail’’ was designed by Ben Sholtes of Pascagoula, Miss. October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 19 quently encountered tangle, known as a "wrap;around,"' occurs when a branch line wraps around the mainline, These appear to be caused in several ways. Tangles brought about by insufficient slack a in the mainline while setting and as too much strain on the mainline during hauling can be minimized by proper setting and hauling tech- nique. Stretching the new main- line before assembling will re- duce the number of ''wrap-arounds" on new gear. Tuna, shark, and other large fish often tangle the entire basket on which they are caught. The use of swivelled beckets in the mainline has also reduced the number of wrap-a- rounds. This becket has been slightly modified from the orig- inal design developed by Pacific Oceanic Fishery Investigations because the branch lines of our gear are not removed from the mainline at any time during the fishing operations, They are made up of three #8 McMahon barrel swivels and 9 inches of 3/32" diameter 7 x 7 preformed stainless steel wire. The wire eyes are clamped by 28-2-G Nico-press sleeves. The beckets are joined to the mainline using eye splices. Fishermen in the Gulf have further modified the swiveled becket. A less expen- sive type employing only one swivel is shown in figure 29, The only disadvantage to = i Approximat Materials Tensile Streng a) hd. Type-E Filament Nylon Line i i . . ° bs. (b) 261thd, Hard-lay Cotton Line inli = . 600 lbs. (c) 3" Diameter Italian Hemp (40-1b. line) inli 2 F 750 lbs. (d) 7/32" Diameter Fine Yarn Manila Tuna Ground Line inli = i 525 lbs. (a) 132thd, Type-E Filament Nylon Line Branch Line . ° 1,010 lbs. (b) 11/64" Diameter Gulf-lay Nylon Line Branch Line ° b 1,100 lbs. (c) 361thd. Hard-lay Cotton Line Branch Line i 5 600 lbs. (d) 4" (40-1b. line) Italian Hemp Branch Line b a 750 lbs. (e) 7/32" Diameter Manila Tuna Ground Line Branch Line a e 525 lbs. 261thd. Hard-lay Cotton Line Buoy Line . - 600 lbs. 3/32" Diameter 7 x 7 Preformed Stainless Steel Wire Leaders and Beckets K 920 lbs. Japanese-Type Tuna Hooks Hooks = #8 McMahon Barrel Swivels Leaders and Beckets . 1,000 lbs, Nico-press Sleeves (28-2-G) Leaders and Beckets Ci - 16" Diameter Canvas-Covered Seine Buoy Buoy . > No. 2 Galvanized Tub Stowage . = Cost per basket using 11/64''-diameter Gulf-lay nylon line for branch lines: = Type of Main Line Total Approximate Cost (a) Type-E Filament Nylon $52, 42 NOTE: The cost per basket can be materially (b) 261thd, Hard-lay Cotton Line 42.42 reduced by using other types of (c) }"' Diameter Italian Hemp 44.42 buoys. d) 7/32"' Diameter Fine Yarn Manila 39.92 this type comes from the tendency of the wire eye to chafe the eye splice in the main line, DRUM-TYPE LINE HAULER Another type of becket has been developed by Captain Charles Kaufman whouses a drum-type long-line hauler (figures 30 and 31), This method brings in the main- line as one continuous piece and not separated into "baskets," Each branch line is attached as the line is payed out while setting, and each branch line is removed as 20 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 the line comes in, This becket uses a pigtail’ for attaching the branch lines to the main line and has been reported to be very successful (figure 32). Table 1 gives the weight andapproximate cost per basket of several types of gear patterned on the preceding descriptions. Mainline material other than that listed has been used successfully, but has not been included here as the cost is thought to be prohibitive. LITERATURE CITED Murray, J. J. 1953. Gulf of Maine Bluefin Tuna Exploration--1952, Commercial Fisheries Review, vol. 15, no. 7 (July 1953). Also Separate No, 353, 1954, Gulf of Maine Bluefin Tuna Exploration--1953, Commercial Fisheries Review, vol. 16, no, 7(July 1954). Also Separate No, 374, Niska, Edwin L, 1953, Construction Details of Tuna Long-Line Gear Used by Pacific Oceanic Fisheries Investigations, Commercial Fisheries Review, vol, 15, no. 6 (June 1953), Also Separate No, 351, Shapiro, Sidney 1950. The Japanese Long-Line Fisheries for Tunas. U.S, Fish and Wildlife Service, Fishery Leaflet 317(November), Washington, D, C, = OGe bo wN -Cetcercee — "RED TIDE" REPRODUCED ARTIFICIALLY The causative organism (G nodinium brevis) of the periodic outbreaks of "Red Tide" has been reproduced aes laboratory conditions, reports the Service's Fishery Biologists at the Fort Myers (Fla.) laboratory. Cultures of Gymnodinium brevis at concentrations of 3,000,000 cells per liter were used to kill anumber of fishexperimentally, andthe fish sokilled were per- mitted toremain inthe opencultures (beakers) for about 2 hours after death. When they were removed from the beakers the fish were gently squeezed so that the body fluids would drop back into the culture. This stimulated the dinoflagellate tomake such rapid division that it effected athreefoldincrease in 4 days--a concentration that had not been attained previously in laboratory cultures. The findings of this experiment confirmed those of earlier experiments in which increased growth of the microorganism was secured by using sterile juices that had been extracted from the muscles of fresh fish. October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 21 BRINE DIPPING OF HADDOCK FILLETS By J. Holston* and S. R. Pottinger ** ABSTRACT Fillets dipped in water or in various strengths of brine increased in weight. Major factors affecting degree of increase were (1) immersion times, (2) available surface area per unit of weight, and (3) brine strength, Salt uptake was directly related to the strength of the brine; it was affected by the available surface area per unit of weiglit, by the brine temperature, and the immersion time. Free drip from thawed frozen fillets is reduced to a practical minimum when from 0.8 to 1.2 percent of salt is incorporated into the fillet, Press drip is reduced only when the salt content of the fillet is 1.5 percent or greater. Tests of the effect of increasing quantities of salt in the fillet upon saline palatability indicated that the optimum salinity was approximately 1,0 percent. The following immersion periods and brine strengths caused the uptake of approx- imately 1.0 percent of salt in the fillet and were found to be the most satisfactory in the prepara- tion of fillets for freezing: Large haddock fillets: 20 seconds; 15 percent by weight of salt in brine, Scrod haddock fillets: 20 seconds; 10 percent by weight of salt in brine, INTRODUCTION The fishing industry has long practiced the custom of lightly brining fish fillets by dipping them in a salt solution for a short period of time prior to freezing. The process has a threefold purpose: (1) to wash the fillets, (2) to decrease free drip from thawed fillets, and (3) to give the fillets a pleasing saline flavor. The concen- tration of the salt in the solution and the length of the immersion — “ : - period have been left largely tothe ee experience of the processor. In some instances, however, the brin- ing process has been based on rec- ommendations of various investiga- tors (Birdseye 1929; Pattison 1930; Tressler and Murray 1932; Taylor 1933; Tarr and Sunderland 1940; Lemon 1940; Tarr 1941; and Stansby and Harrison 1942). A wide range | of brine concentrations and of dip- ping times have been suggested for fillets from different species of fish and even for fillets from the same species. Fig, 1- Scaling and filleting scrod haddock for brine- dipping experiments, Many of the questions of industry as to the effects of brine dipping upon fillets from iced fish could not be answered in the light of available knowledge. To answer such questions and, in particular, to study the effects of brine dipping upon fillets pre- pared from fish brine-frozen at sea (Puncochar and Pottinger 1953), the Service's Boston Fishery Technological Laboratory began a study of this phase of commercial processing. The work was restricted to studies on fillets of haddock and scrod had- dock. The specific objectives were: 1. Determine the factors affecting weight change and salt uptake by fillets during the brine-dipping process. 2. Determine the effect of brine dipping upon free drip and press drip of fillets. 3. Determine the salt content producing the most nearly optimum saline palatability of the fillets. * Chemist Fishery Technological Laboratory, Branch of Commercial *%** Chief Fisheries, U. S, Fish and Wildlife Service, East Boston, Mass. 22 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Wools Its INO, 1.0 4. Determine the effect of brine dipping on the quality and the palatability of the fillets prepared from brine-frozen round fish. 5. Prepare recommendations for brine-dipping procedures for use in the commercial production of fillets from iced fish and from fish frozen in-the-round at sea. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES PREPARATION OF SAMPLES: The fillets used in this study were prepared from the following: A. Iced eviscerated haddock and scrod haddock: Haddock stored in ice for less than 1 day. Scrod haddock stored in ice for less than 1 day. Scrod haddock stored in ice for 1 day. , Scrod haddock stored in ice for 5 days. Scrod haddock stored in ice for 10 days. obrwnr B. Brine-frozen scrod haddock: 1. Whole scrod haddock, brine-frozen immedjately after capture at sea, stored for 1 week in a refrigerated (9 to5 F.) trawler hold and then thawed in running water (60° F.) for 120 minutes. The thawed fish were filleted immediately. 2. Whole scrod haddock, similarly brine-frozen, stored for 1 week ina refrigerated (0 to5 F.) trawler hold followed by storage 18 weeks in a commercial cold-storage (-10° to 0° F.) ware- house. The fish were thawed in running water (60° F.) for 120 minutes and were filleted immediately. The iced haddock and scrod were procured from local inshore trawlers. At the request of the laboratory, the fish were eviscerated immediately after capture and then carefully iced in canvas baskets to prevent them from being bruised by pres- sure of other fish or by movement of the boat en route to port. All were as nearly as possible of uniform size within each classification. The brine-frozen whole fish were prepared at sea aboard the Service's research trawler Delaware. The fish were frozen in the refrigerated brine at a temperature between 5 and 8 F.; immersion time was approximately 90 minutes. DIPPING AND PACKAGING FILLETS: To study the effects of the dipping proc- ess on the fillets, tap water and salt Solutions of differing concentrations (0.8, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 26 percent salt by weight) were used. The salt used in preparing the solutions was of the highest industrial grade (99.64 percent sodium chloride and only very small amounts of calcium and magnesium salts). The temperatures of the dipping solutions used for some of the studies on haddock and scrod haddock held in ice for less than one day were maintained at 45 15 F. All other studies were made with the temperatures of the various dipping solutions at 65 + 5°hE NG attempts were made to adjust or to buffer the degree of acidity (pH) of the brines, since the study was designed to simulate the usual commercial procedures. The length of time (immersion time) that the fillets were held in the dipping liquids was very carefully regulated. For studies on the effect of variations in im- mersion time, the fillets were dipped for 5, 10, 30, 60, and 120 seconds. In all other studies designed to show the effects of other factors such as brine concentra- tion, freezing, freezing and storage, and of storage in ice, the fillets were immersed October 1955 for 20 seconds. COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 23 The 20-second immersion period was chosen because it was be- lieved to represent roughly the average of immersion periods used in industry. The dipping process was carried out as follows: Ten pounds of fillets were placed in a large-mesh screen basket and the basket and contents were immersed Description of Samples Large Haddock — (iced less than (iced less than 1 day) Scrod haddock ~/ (icedfor 1 day) Scrod haddock 2/ (iced for 5 days) Scrod haddock _/ (iced for 10 days) Brine-frozen / Scrod haddock — (stored 1 week at O F.) Brine-frozen / Scrod haddock — (stored 18 weeks at 0° F.) 1/ 20-second immersion, Q/ Salt content of undipped fillets varies between 0,14 and 0,20 percent, PY Expressed as force (in pounds) required to shear. Increased values indicate decreased tenderness, 6/| 8/ Brine-dip temperature: 45 + 5° F, 71/ Brine-dip temperature: 65 + 5° F, Palatibility Rating Insufficient salt Optimum Optimum Excessively salty Excessively salt Bland Bland Insufficient salt Optimum Optimum Excessively salty Excessively salt bland Bland Insufficient salt Optimum Optimum Excessively salty Insufficient salt Optimum Optimum Excessively salty Excessively salt Insufficient salt Optimum Slightly too salty Excessively salty Excessively salt Bland Insufficient salt Optimum Optimum Excessively salty Excessively salt 4/ Averaged rating of panel. Optimum rating: 100; Good; 80; Fair: 50, in the brine, The brine was agitated manually in order to permit uniform wetting of the fillets. The fillets were then allowed to drain, skin side up, for two minutes on a wide-mesh screen. They were removed and weighed again. All weighings were made to the nearest one-fifth of an ounce. Two or more replicate dipping tests were made for each solution for each experimental factor under consideration. The weighed fillets were wrapped in moisture -vaporpr oof cellophane, boxed in 5-pound waxed cartons, and frozen ina plate freezer (-20 F.ambient temperature). The samples were held in frozen storage (-2° to 0 F.) for three weeks before the analysis was started. 24 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 TEST METHODS: The physical, chemical, and organoleptic methods used were, in the main, those reported by Magnusson, Pottinger, and Hartshorne (1952). The following factors were studied: (1) Weight increase. (5) Press-drip solids. (2) Salt uptake. (6) Texture. (3) Free drip. (7) Organoleptic palatability. (4) Press drip. (8) Optimal levels of salt for palatability in fillets. Salt Determinations: The salt content of the fish fillets was determined by the use of the rapid official A.O.A.C. (1950) titration method for salt in fishery products, Each re- ported figure for salt content is an average of six determinations. The analyses were per- formed onsix 10-gram portions of fish drawn from 3 minced homo- geneous masses of meat, each mass being composed of the meat of 6 previously skinned fillets. Other work had shown that the salt con- tent of undipped fillets varies between 0.14 and 0.20 percent. Fig, 2 - Testing fillets in the laboratory Free-Drip Determination: The determination of free drip (liquid exuded from a thawing fillet without application of pressure) was made by taking 4 weighed frozen fillets (from each of the 8 experimental dipping liquids) and for 33 hours ex- posing them to room temperature (75 F.) and allowing them to thaw and drain. “Content 3 (Ee NaC1) _ Insufficient salt Insufficient salt Optimum Optimum Slightly to salty Excessively salt 5/ Averaged ratings of panel. Optimum rating 100; Good: 80; Fair: 50, G/ The data reported for this immersion-time interval were taken from other studies of the effects of brining upon fillets. They are added here to round out the immersion-time studies. indicate decreased tenderness, The thawed fillets were then weighed again. The observed weight loss divided by the original weight and multiplied by 100 gave the percentage of free drip. These tests were performed three times for each factor under investigation. Press-Drip Determination: The determination of press drip (liquid expres- sed from a thawing portion of a fillet under pressure) was made by subjecting weighed, uniform, frozen cores of fish cut from fillets to a pressure of 10 pound per square inch for a period of 15 minutes at a temperature of approximately 75 F. The fish thawed during this period. The liquid expressed from the fish core was drained off. The plug of fish was then weighed again. The weight difference (press drip) was expressed as a percentage of the original weight of the frozen core. Three tests were performed for each factor under consideration. Press-drip solids were determined by drying the weighed press drip liquid to a constant weight. The latter weight was expressed in terms of a percentage of the former weight as the percent- age of solids in press drip. October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 25 Organoleptic Testing: Organoleptic testing was performed by a panel of staff members accustomed to tasting fish. The thawed fillets were wrapped in aluminum foil and baked for 20 minutes in a preheated oven maintained at 400° F.. The panel graded the fish on a scale from 1 (inedible) to 10 (excellent) for each of the factors of appearance, flavor, and texture, with double weight being given to the factor of flavor. Organoleptic tests on the fish were repeated three times for each experi- mental factor under consideration. The texture (considered as tenderness or tough- ness) of the fillets was determined by subjecting carefully prepared portions of tem- pered (meat temperature: 25° to 30 F.) meat to the shearing action of interlocking steel plates. The uniform portions of meat were prepared in such a way that the muscular striations were perpendicular to the plates. The force (in pounds) neces- sary to shear the fish fillet portions was determined by a spring scale and indicator. Six determinations were performed for each sample under investigation. Saline-Palatability Testing: Saline palatability of the samples was assessed by serving 7 portions of cooked fillets, each containing different, but known, concentra- tions of salt, to each member of a taste panel accustomed to eating fish. Their judg- ments as to relative desirability of the salt flavor incorporated into a fillet by a particular experimental dipping procedure were expressed in terms of the most sat- isfactory salt concentrations. A rating of ''bland'' indicated that no salt flavor was discernible. A rating of ''optimum"' indicated that the salt flavor of the particular sample was at a level considered to be most appetizing by the majority of the panel. A sample that was rated as "excessively salty'' was, at best, displeasing and, at worst, almost inedible. DISCUSSION OF RESULTS WEIGHT OF FILLETS: An increase in the weight of the fillets was observed following immersion in the various dipping solutions (table 1). The increase, caused by absorption of salt and/or water, occurred under all experimental conditions, whether the fillets were dipped in water or in a saturated salt solution. An increase occurred regardless of whether the fillets were prepared from small or from large fish, from fish held in ice for periods of from 1 to 10 days, or from fish frozenand cold-stored for 1 or for 18 weeks. Effect of Immersion Time: A major factor in determining the degree of weight increase was observed to be the length of the immersion period (table 2). Samples (10 pounds of fillets per sample) that were immersed for 5 seconds ina 10-percent salt solution increased 2.8 percent in weight or to 10.28 pounds. After 120 seconds, the aa increases in the dipped fillets were observed to average 7.8 percent (0.78 pounds). Effect of Fillet Volume: A second factor determining the degree of weight in- crease in dipped fillets seemed to be the ratio of cut-surface area to the weight of the fillet. Fillets prepared from scrod haddock have a much greater surface area in proportion to their weight than does an equal weight of haddock fillets. From 15 to 20 scrod-haddock fillets were required for a 10-pound sample. Only 5 or 6 had- dock fillets were required to attain the same weight. Concomitantly, the observed weight increases of dipped scrod-haddock fillets were consistently 70 to 100 per- cent greater than those observed with haddock fillets (table 1). The effects of periods of storage of fish in ice, of brine-dip concentration, and of brine temperature on the weight increases of dipped fillets were comparatively minor. No significant, consistent differences in weight increase were found after dipping fillets of fish stored in ice for 1, 5, and 10 days. The slight variations that were observed were not consistent and could not, on the basis of present knowledge, be ascribed to the time of storage in ice. 26 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 Effect of Brine Concentration and Temperature: Differences inbrine concentra- fillets. Intermediately strong brines (8 to 16 percent) appeared to cause the largest inereases in fillet weight. The effect of brine temperature, in the range of 45° to 65° F., on weight increase in dipped scrod-haddock fillets did not appear to be sig- nificant. Effect of Brine-Freezing and of Storage: The popularly-accepted belief that fillets from brine-frozen fish absorb more water or brine than do fillets of iced fish did not appear to be substantiated in these tests. Owing probably to the very short immersion periods, fillets of brine-frozen fish did not undergo a weight in- crease significantly different from those of fillets of iced fish. The weight increases in fillets from brine-frozen fish stored 18 weeks were, nevertheless, less uniform than the weight gain in other fillets. SALT CONTENT: Effect of Strength of Brine: The concentration of salt in the brine was found to be a major factor in determining salt uptake by fillets (table 1). There appeared to be a direct relationship between the salt absorbed by fillets dip- ped for the same period of time and the concentration of salt dissolved inthe dipping solution. In some of the studies with strong brines (20 and 26 percent by weight), the salt absorbed by the fillets appeared to deviate from the relationship. These deviations were probably due to slight variations in fillet surface area exposed to the brines in the various weighed groups of fillets. In strong brines, the slight differences in surface area were sufficient to affect measurably the final salt content of the fillets. Effect of Fillet Volume: The salt uptake by fillets dipped for short intervals of time appeared to be primarily a surface effect. Thus, the ratio of surface area to the weight of the fillets determined the amount of salt found in the fillets so treated. As in the weight-increase studies, the lesser surface area of haddock fillets was reflected in a lower salt content than in scrod-haddock fillets. The difference was small in dilute brines, but became significantly greater in the more concentrated brines. Effect of Brine Temperature: Differences in brine temperature affected the rate of uptake of salt by the fillets. Fillets dipped in brines maintained at 45° 4 5~ F. absorbed about 15 to 20 percent less salt than did fillets dipped for an equiv- alent length of time in corresponding concentrations of brine maintained at 65 a By 1M, Effect of Storage Time on Fish in Ice: The fillets prepared from fish held in ice for 1-, 5-, and 10-day periods evidenced only slight differences in salt uptake during the dipping process. The absolute differences in percentage salt content of fillets of these fish, after being dipped in solutions containing up to 15 percent of salt, were very small and amounted to only fractions of 1 percent. There were no consistent differences in the salt content that could be related to the various peri- ods of storage of the fish in ice. Effect of Increased Immersion Time: An increased immersion period caused significant increases in the amount of salt absorbed by the dipped fillets (table 2). The rate of absorption was greatest during the first 5 seconds of immersion and became smaller as the immersion period was increased. After 30 seconds of im- mersion, the salt content of the fillets was about 60 percent greater than in the fil- lets dipped for 5 seconds. After 120 seconds, a period 24 times as long as the 5- second immersion time, the salt content had increased by 120 to 145 percent. The extent to which salt was absorbed by fillets during extended immersion was, in each case, determined by the brine concentration (table 3). Thus, fillets dipped October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 27 for a period of 5 seconds in 5-, 10-, or 15-percent brines evidenced total salt contents of 0.4, 0.7, and 1.0 percent, respectively. After 120 seconds of immersion in these same brines, the fillets contained 1.0, 1.6, and 2,4 percent salt, respectively. FREE DRIP: Effect of Strength of Brine: The experimental results indicate (table 1) that the loss of free liquid (free drip) by thawed fillets may be minimized by the incorporation of 7 small quantities of salt into the fillets prior to freezing. The table shows the relationship between free drip and the concentration of salt in the solution in- to which the fillets were dipped. As was report- ed by Tarr and Sunder - land (1940), a salt con- x hee coe ot rhe es Ae to 0.20 percent. 2 crod haddock, iced less than ay. ee a i, aie 3/ Brine temperature: 65° * 5° F, found necessary to reduce drip effectively. The loss of liquid from unbrined thawed fillets after 34 hours of thawing at room temperature (about 75 F.) varied between 4 and 6 percent of the fillet weight. The incorporation into the fillets, by means of appropriate brining procedures, of from 0.8 to 1.2 percent salt reduced the free drip during thawing to a maximum of about 2.3 percent. The studies further indicated that incorporation of quantities of salt greater than about 1.2 percent into the fillets did not result in an appreciable further reduction in free drip during thawing. N/ Rl Dipped for Increasing Periods of Time in Different Concentrations of Sodium-Chloride Brine 3/ Concentration of Salt in Brine Effect of Brine-Freezing and of Storage: The loss of free liquid from fillets prepared from fish brine-frozen at sea and stored in the round for 1 week and for 18 weeks was probably determined by one or both of two factors. These were: (1) the residual salt content in the fillet after water thawing of the round fish; and (2) the length of time in storage of the round fish prior to processing. Fillets prepared from brine-frozen fish that had been held in frozen storage for one week contained about 0.4-percent salt. These fillets, refrozen after undergoing the experimental dipping procedures, yielded, when thawed, normal amount of free liquid (table 1). The table shows that such fillets undergo variations in free drip very similar to those of iced fish. The fillets from brine-frozen fish that had been stored for 18 weeks had a residual salt content of 0.7 percent, probably due to inadequate thaw- ing processes, and evidenced a lesser amount of free drip. dipping solution consistent with that evidenced by fillets of very fresh fish. Those from fish held for 10 days inice, however, evidenced a greatly reduced loss of free liquid. The effect was reproducible in repeated tests on these fillets. It is possible that the difference may have been due to a greater loss of liquid from fish stored in ice for 10 days than occurred in fish similarly stored for 1 or for 5 days. PRESS DRIP: Effect of Strength of Brine: The quantity of press drip (the liq- uid that may be expressed from a frozen fillet by means of pressure) is affected by the salt content of the fillet (table 1). Press drip in unbrined fillets from iced fish generally amounted to from 27 to 30 percent; whereas in fillets containing from 1.5 to 2.0 percent salt the press drip was reduced to about 18 to 22 percent. No reduc- tion in the amount of press drip was observed in fillets containing less than about 1.5 percent salt. Since the usual commercial brine-dipping procedures do not in- volve the absorption of such a quantity of salt, the press drip from fillets is not noticeably affected by commercial dipping processes. 28 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 Effect of Increased Immersion Time: In fillets containing 1.6 percent salt as a result of immersion for 120 seconds in a 10-percent salt brine, the weight increase per 10-pound fillet sample was found to be 7.3 percent (table 2). Press- drip losses in such cases amounted to 36 percent of the core- sample weight. This weight loss may be compared with 18 to 22 percent weight loss in cores from fillets containing approxi- mately equal quantities of salt but dipped for only 20 seconds in a 15-percent brine (table1). Effect of Brine Freezing and of Storage: Fillets from fish that had been brine-frozen and stored appeared to be less sensitive to the salt effect. A smaller reduction in press drip with an increase in salt concentration in the dipping solu- tion was observed. Fillets that were dipped into tap water con- tained 0.64 percent salt and released 29 percent press drip. Fil- lets that were dipped in a 26-percent brine contained almost 3.0 percent salt and released 24 percent press drip. Effect of Storage Time on Fish in Ice: Storage of the eviscerated fish in ice for periods of up to 10 days did not appear to cause significant differences in the press drip obtain- ed from the frozen-thawed fillets prepared from them. PRESS-DRIP SOLIDS: The quantity of solid material that is dissolved or suspended in press-drip liquid appeared to in- crease slightly with increasing concentration of salt in the fil- Fig. 3- Apparatus for de- lets. The increase was noted under all experimental conditions termining press dripin (table 1). Difference in percentage of press-drip solids from frozen fish. fillets of fish that had been subjected to varying preprocessing treatments were not sufficiently great to be considered significant. The increased quantities of press drip obtained from fillets dipped in brines for extended periods (table 2) appeared to cause lower press- drip solids values. TEXTURE: The dipping process did not appear to have an immediate effect upon the texture of haddock fillets (table 1). Approximately equal amounts of force were required to shear samples prepared from fillets that had been dipped in tap water or ina saturated (26-percent) brine. Treatment of the fish prior to processing also appeared to have little immediate effect upon the degree of tenderness. Refrozen processed fillets prepared from fish brine-frozen at sea and held in frozen storage for 18 weeks required shearing forces very similar to those required by fillets of the very freshest fish. Fillets from fish held in ice for up to 10 days also evidenced little or no changes inten- derness after brine-dipping and freezing. The experimental results, however, seemed to indicate that the fillets of haddock were less tender than those of scrod haddock. An increase in applied force of approximately 28 percent or 7 pounds was re- quired to shear the larger fillets. ORGANOLEPTIC RATINGS: The palatability scores (based on appearance, flavor, and texture) for fillets from very fresh scrod haddock and haddock showed little decrease with in- ; creased salt content (table 1). In the case of fillets of fish that dieeeecten were brine-frozen at sea and stored for 1 week andfor 18 weeks CS aiereeeea prior to being processed, the drop in flavor scores (table 1) an ROA? OF GSI. due to excessive saltiness was apparent. However, where an optimum quantity of salt was present, the flavor scores of both groups of fillets October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 20 from brine-frozen fish were in the same range as those of the freshest iced fish. The flavor scores, in the case of the fillets from fish iced up to 10 days, apparently were lowered by two factors: the post-mortem age and the increas- ing saltiness. The effects of brine dipping upon palatability were ev- idently restricted to the masking of the flavor of the fish by the ex- cessive quantities of salt incorpo- rated into the fillets that had been dipped into strong brine. SALINE PALATABILITY: The desirability of all experimental samples, when studied in terms of saline palatability as determined by the taste panel, showed a steady increase as the salt content approached a range of from 0.9 to 1.2 percent (table 1). Scores for palatability fell off sharply on either side of this range. Thus, after a 20-second dip in 5-percent salt brine, a fillet usually contained from 0.45- to 0.55- percent salt and was usually rated by a taste panel as being "bland," All fillets that contained approximately one-percentsalt were rated as most pleasing (optimum) in saline flavor. Samples containing more than about 1.2-percent salt were considered slightly too salty. These ratings appeared to hold regardless of prior experimental treatment. Fig, 5 - Preparation of fillets for organoleptic tests. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS Weight increases in dipped fillets were determined by the immersion time, strength of the brine, and the fillet surface area. Factors such as brine temperature, storage period of eviscerated fish in ice, and freezing and storage as round brine- frozen fish did not significantly affect weight increase. Salt uptake in dipped fillets was determined by the strength of the brine, the fillet surface area, the immersion time and the temperature of the brine. Storage of eviscerated fish in ice did not significantly affect salt absorption by the fillets. Incorporation of certain quantities of salt into fillets reduced both the free drip and the press drip from such fillets. A salt content of 0.8 percent or more in the fillet reduced the free drip to a minor matter. Press drip was reduced by incorpora- tion of about 1.5-percent salt in the fillets. The saline palatability of a cooked fillet was greatest when the salt content was between 0.80 and 1.20 percent. This rating appeared to hold under all experimental conditions. The quality and palatability of fillets prepared from brine-frozen round fish were not affected by dilute or intermediately strong brines. Strong brines masked the flavor of such fillets in the same manner as in fillets of iced fish. The following brine dips are recommended on the basis of the tests: : Large haddock fillets--immerse for 20 seconds in a brine containing 15 percent by weight of salt. Scrod haddock fillets--immerse for 20 seconds in a brine containing 10 percent by weight of salt. Fillets of thawed brine-frozen fish--immerse for 20 seconds in a brine contain- ing 6 to 8 percent by weight of salt. 30 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 LITERATURE CITED Association of Official Agricultural Chemists, 1950, Official Methods of Analysis, 7th Edition, Box 540, Benjamin Franklin Station, Washington, D, C. Birdseye, C. 1929. Some Scientific Aspects of Packaging and Quick- Freezing Perishable Flesh Products, II, Pack- aging Flesh Products for Quick-Freezing, In- dustrial and Engineering Chemistry (Industrial Edition), vol, 21, pp. 573-76, IIL, Sanitary Measures in a Fish Dressing Plant. Ibid. vol. 21, pp. 854-57, Lemon, J. M. 1940, Fish Refrigeration, Refrigeration Data Book and Catalog, The American Society of Refrigerating Engineers, New York, fourth edition, pp. 37-46. Magnusson, H, W.; Pottinger, S. R.; and Hartshorne, J. C, 1952, Freezing Fish at Sea - New England, Part II, Ex- perimental Procedures and Equipment, Com- mercial Fisheries Review, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 8-15. Pattison, E, S, 1930, Freezing Fish by the Birdseye System, Food Industries, vol. 2, pp. 159-61, Puncochar, J. F., and Pottinger, S. R. 1953, Freezing Fish at Sea, Food Technology, vol, 7, no, 10, pp. 408-411, Stansby, M, E, and Harrison, R, W. 1942, Preliminary Investigations of Methods for Freez- ing and Storing Fillets of Some Pacific North- west Fish, U.S, Fish and Wildlife Service. Special Scientific Report No. 15, Washington, D, C. Tarr, H, L. A. 1941, Formation of Drip in Fish Muscle and Its Control in Defrosted Fish, Fisheries Research Board of Canada, Progress Reports of the Pacific Fisheries Experimental Stations No, 47, pp. 5-9, Vancouver, B, C, and Sunderland, T, A, 1940. Drip in Unfrozen and Frozen Fillets Controlled by Brining, Fisheries Research Board of Canada, Progress Reports of the Pacific Fisheries Ex- perimental Stations No. 45, pp. 19-20, Vancouver, B.C, Taylor, H, F. 1933. Fishing Industry Grows with Refrigeration. Re- frigerating Engineering, vol. 25, pp. 321-323, Tressler, D, K, and Murray, W. J. 1932. How Brining with Pure Salt Improves Fillets, Fishing Gazette, vol, 49, no. 2, pp. 24-26, = IODINE FROM SEA WEEDS A new process isreported for recovering iodine fromthe residual waters resulting from treatment of seaweeds. The water containing iodine is atomized to a fine fog and mixed with a gas which liberates the iodine. Steam or hot air is blown in to remove the iodine vapors, which are condensed and recovered as small crystals. --Industria Conservera, April 1953 October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 31 “Ze Yitd tte revere. —— TECHNOLOGICAL RESEARCH ON THE FRESH-WATER FISHERIES OF THE U.S. This report summarizes briefly the principal technological work carried out on United States fresh-water commercial fisheries and describes in somewhat greater detail the work accomplished in this field since 1950 by the Technological Section of the Branch of Commercial Fisheries, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. WORK BY UNIVERSITIES AND STATE FISHERY DEPARTMENTS Very limited technological work has been carried out by universities and State Fish- ery Departments onfresh-water fish. During the early 1940's, Michigan State College carried out work onthe vitamin content of some of the Great Lakes species of fish (Ingalls, Klocke, Rafferty, Greensmith, Chang, Tack, and Ohlson 1950; Klocke, Porter, Tack, Leffler, Henry, and Nitchals 1946; Tack, Ingalls, Klocke, Baeder, Cedarquist, Mus- ser, and Ohlson 1947). Some work was also carried out on smoking of carp. Utiliza- tion of carp was alsothe subject of some work carried out by Iowa State College (Olsen 1944). Atthe University of Wisconsin, the effectiveness of certain antioxidants inre- tarding rancidity of frozen fresh-water fish was tested (Rice 1952). EARLY WORK BY THE U.S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES AND FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE Between 1885 and 1900 a number of fresh-water fish were analyzed for proximate composition by Atwater (1892). Inmost cases the number of fish comprisinga sample was Sovery small(sometimes only a single fish) that the results are almost meaningless. A limited amount of fresh-water fish work was carried out during the 1920's by the Technological Section of the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries. This work was largely concerned with two fields--utilization of the fresh-water burbot (primarily for prep- aration of a liver oil of high vitamin-A potency) and investigation of net preserva- tives for use with fishing gear in Lake Erie. This work has been summarized by Manning (1934). A number of papers descriptive of commercial fresh-water fish- eries and touching on their technology (although not based on any original research) were published (Coker 1918; Koelz 1926). During the last war, the Fish and Wild- life Service gave assistance to a Minnesota firm in the development of a process for canning of smoked carp. WORK OF FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE SINCE 1950 Having two technological laboratories each on the Pacific and Atlantic Coasts, the Fish and Wildlife Service has carried out extensive research on marine fishes. With no facilities located near the fresh-water fisheries of the Great Lakes and Mississippi Valley, technological research on these fish was not carried out to any extent up to 1950. Numerous inquiries concerning the composition, processing, and utilization of fresh-water fish were received by the Fish and Wildlife Service. Al- most complete lack of such information occurs in the literature. In 1951 it was 32 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 decided to undertake very limited research in these fields at the Seattle Fishery Technological Laboratory. Several survey trips were first made to familiarize personnel with some of the technological problems of the fresh-water fisheries. Some of these problems include (1) paucity of information as to the chemical com- position of fresh-water fish, (2) existence of surplus of certain species during the peak of seasonal fisheries with no adequate means of preserving the fish for human consumption, (3) occurrence of several edible species for which there is limited or no market demand, (4) problems in connection with development of adequate meth- ods of retarding oxidation changes in fresh and frozen fish, and (5) need for devel- opment of new products for human and animal consumption. COMPOSITION OF FRESH-WATER FISH An investigation was initiated at the Seattle Fishery Technological Laboratory in 1951 to obtain information as to the proximate chemical composition of fresh- water fish (Stansby 1954). This project is still under way. Lots of the commercial- ly-important species were procured. In most cases the edible portion of 16 individ- ual fish were analyzed for each batch, and the composition of the composited trim- mings was also determined. From this information, the composition of the whole fish was calculated. The length, weight, and fillet yield for each fish was also de- termined. For most of the species, batches of fish taken at different seasons and in different areas are being analyzed. A complete survey of each species taken in several areas at different seasons would result in such a monumental number of analyses that it could not be attempted. A rather complete study of the variation in chemical composition of one species, sheepshead (Aplodinotus grunniens), is be- ing undertaken. This species is one of the most widely distributed fish in North America, occurring in lakes and rivers from Canada to Nicaragua (Barney 1926). It is taken commercially in three different fisheries (Great Lakes, rivers, and in rough-fish removal from small lakes). Analyses are being made to see how com- position of this fish varies from year to year (at the same season and taken in the same place), from one season to another (in the same area), and from one area to another (at the same season). Information obtained in this study will be useful in deciding how many batches of other species must be analyzed to obtain adequate information on their composition. A considerable number of analyses have already been completed. In the case of sheepshead a trend in the oil content of the meat is developing and it appears that those sheepshead taken in the Mississippi River and tributaries have a uniform- ly high oil content, those taken in Lake Erie have a lower oil content with the oil content varying fairly widely from fish to fish. Sheepshead taken from small lakes vary as to oil content, depending upon the lake from which they are taken. In some lakes the average oil content of sheepshead is between 1 and 2 percent while in other cases the oil content is as high (8 percent or more) as is the case with fish from the Mississippi River. Sheepshead are sold commercially on the basis of the texture of their meat, being classified as hard-meat sheepshead (for which there is little demand) and soft-meat sheepshead (which are considered to be of high quality and sell at a high- er price), Since there may be a correlation between oil content and the texture of the sheepshead, this factor is now being investigated. Results of analyses of many lots of fresh-water fish have been published in is- sues of Commercial Fisheries Review since December 1951. Some results include the relatively low oil content of lake herring revealed by these analyses and the very low protein content of the Siscowet lake trout. Simultaneous with the investigation of proximate composition of fresh-water fish, experiments have been carried out to determine the cold-storage life of the various species. The fish have been in most cases filleted, and packaged and stored October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 33 at 0° F. At suitable intervals organoleptic examination of the stored fish has been carried out to determine the maximum cold-storage life. Tests have not been lim- ited exclusively to commercial species. When available, sports-fish species are also being tested, since such information is in demand for home freezing of such fish. Preliminary results of the cold-storage phase of the program have been re- ported by Miyauchi (1954). In these tests several species have shown particularly poor cold-storage life. Lake chub (Leucichthys species) is especially prone to develop rancidity due to oxidation of the oil. An investigation has been carried out to determine means of minimizing this rancidity development. Use of such antioxidants as ascorbic acid, ascorbic and citric acid, and propyl gallate are of little or no value. Covering the fish with a heavy ice glaze and maintaining this glaze throughout the storage period was found to be the most effective treatment. Fish frozen in 5-gallon tin cans after covering the fish with water kept in good condition at 0° F. for 6 months, or longer. Sheepshead show a marked tendency to darken rapidly due to oxidation of tis- sue pigments. This oxidation starts even before the fish are frozen and progresses during storage. No effective method has yet been developed to retard this darken- ing. —_—_—_—— especially difficult to ho rozen in cold storage without alteration or loss infla- vor. Experiments are now under way to investigate this problem. This program, as well as some of the other current work on cold storage of fresh-water fish being carried out at the Service's Seattle Fishery Technological Laboratory, is being sponsored jointly by The Refrigeration Research Foundation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Collaboration is also being obtained on the lake herring project from the Frozen Foods Laboratory, University of Minnesota. Lake herring (Leucichthys artedi) were reported by the fishing industry to be PROBLEMS FOR FUTURE INVESTIGATION Additional information on the chemical composition of both the edible and waste portion of fresh-water fish is needed. Data on vitamin content as well as on proxi- mate composition would be of value. For some species a better knowledge of the thiaminase content (if present) would be helpful in developing markets for use of trimmings or other waste as products for feeding fur-bearing animals. Research on developing new food products from species for which surpluses exist is especially needed. These fish include lake smelt and lake herring which are caught in such large quantities at certain seasons that much of them have to be sold for animal feed. Development of new products from these species might widen markets so as to boost demand for them as human food. Other species such as burbot (Lota lota maculosa) are not even landed although probably of good edibility if a suitable marketing form could be developed. Research on utilization of hard-meat sheepshead is also needed. Many millions of pounds of these fish are available each year in Lake Erie but are not landed because the low demand keeps prices to the fishermen below operating costs. Research on new products from rough fish, such as carp and buffalo, might create better demands for these fish which at present have only limited markets in a few Eastern cities. 34 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 LITERATURE CITED Atwater, W. O, Burbot, and Smelt, Food Research, 12 pp. 1892, The Chemical Composition and Nutritive Values 36-43, of Food-Fishes and Aquatic Invertebrates, U. S. Fish Commission Report, 1888, pp. 679- Manning, J. R. 868, 1934, Technological Investigations in the Great Lake Fisheries, The Fisherman, vol, 3, no, 3 (May- Barney, R. L. June). 1926, Distribution of Fresh-Water Sheepshead (Aplodino- tus grunniens rafinesque), Ecology, vol. 7, no, 3, | Miyauchi, D, T. Dp. 351-64, Durham, N, C. 1954, Cold Storage Life of Fresh-Water Fish--No, 1. Commercial Fisheries Review, vol, 16, no. 9, Coker, Robert E, pp. 18-20, Washington, D, C. 1918, Fresh-Water Mussels and Mussel Industries of the United States, Bulletin of the Bureau of Fisher- | Olson, Anna M. ies, vol, 36, pp, 11-90, Washington, 1944, Eat Iowa Fish, Bulletin P-67, Iowa State College, Ames, Iowa, Ingalls, Ruth L.; Klocke, Jessie Finley; Rafferty, Joan , Plummer; Greensmith, R, Ellen; Chang, Miranda Li; Tack, | Rice, Lyla Peter I.; and Ohlson, Margaret A. 1952. The Effect of Antioxidants on the Quality of Frozen 1950, Nutritive Value of Fish from Michigan Waters. Chicken and Fish, Master’s degree thesis, Home Michigan State College Agricultural Experiment Economics Department, University of Wisconsin, Station, Departments of Food and Nutrition, Madison, Wisconsin, Zoology, and the Conservation Institute, Technical Bulletin 219, pp. 1-24 (May). Stansby, Maurice E, 1954, Composition of Certain Species of Fresh-Water Klocke, Jessie Finley; Porter, Thelma; Tack, P. L; Leffler, Fish, I, Introduction: The Determination of Edna; Henry, Norma Scott; and Nitchals, Ruth, : the Variation of Composition of Fish. Food Re- 1946, Nutritive Value of Fish from Michigan Waters, search, vol, 19, no, 2, pp. 231-4, I, Nicotinic Acid of Lake Herring, Carp, Com- ; mon Suckers, and Burbot, Food Research, 11 pp, | Tack, Peter L.; Ingalls, Ruth; Klocke, Jessie Finley; Baeder, 179-86, Helen; Cedarquist, Dena C.; Musser, Elizabeth; and Ohlson, Margaret A, Klocke, Jessie Finley; Tack, Peter I.; Ohlson, Margaret A.; 1947, Preparation, Utilization, and Vitamin Concentra- Nitchals, Ruth; Leffler, Edna; and Henry, Norma Scott, tion of the Burbot (Lota lota maculosa) (Lesueur). 1947, Nutritive Value of Fish from Michigan Waters. Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, Il, Thiamin of Lake Herring, Carp, Common Quarterly Bulletin, 29, No. 4, pp. 286-93. --M, E. STANSBY, CHIEF, PACIFIC COAST & ALASKA TECHNOLOGICAL RESEARCH, FISHERY TECHNOLOGICAL LABORATORY, BRANCH OF COMMERCIAL FISHERIES, U. Se FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE, SEATTLE, WASH. IRON-SULFIDE DISCOLORATION OF TUNA CANS” BACKGROUND Within the past few years, tuna canning has become one of the leading fishery industries in the United States. In building the market for tuna, the packers have taken pride in presenting a high-quality product with consumer appeal. Tuna is canned in three different styles: a solid pack consisting of two or three large pieces of solid meat; a chunk pack consisting of several smaller chunks of meat; and a grated or flake pack consisting of small pieces packed solidly in the can. During recent years, a harmless black deposit of ferrous iron sulfide has sporadi- cally occurred in cans of solid-pack tuna. The deposit is found on the inside surface of the can or lid, almost entirely in the area adjacent to the headspace. If a pack of 1/ This investigation, which was carried out at the Service’s Seattle Tecinological Laboratory, was jointly sponsored by the ~ Continental Can Company and the U, S, Fish and Wildlife Service, October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 35 canned tuna, on being sampled, is found to contain this ferrous-sulfide discoloration, the pack is not marketed; for not only are the discolored cans unsightly, but any home- maker opening a discolored can is likely to think that the tuna init is spoiled. Though the discoloration is harmless, it thus gives rise to a considerable financial loss. In addition to the ferrous-sulfide discoloration, another type of discoloration may also be found on the inside surface of the can. This second type of discoloration, or staining as it is called, is caused by a formation of tin sulfide, which is quite sim- ilar in color to the can enamel and which forms under the surface of the enamelfilm. Since this tin-sulfide staining is not very noticeable, it does not materially affectthe sales appeal of the canned tuna and is therefore not usually considered greatly ob- jectionable. Thus, of the two sulfides that may be found in canned tuna, ferrous sul- fide poses by far the more serious problem. It might be pointed out that this problem is not specific to tuna but is prevalent in many other protein foods. If a means of preventing iron-sulfide deposits in tuna cans is discovered, it is likely that the deposit could be eliminated from these other products. Previous workers on this problem have concerned themselves primarily withthe practical approach of eliminating the discoloration by improving the enamels on the inside surface of the cans. Very limited work has been done in an effort to study the underlying causes of the deposit. It is known that the formation is ferrous iron sul- fide and that itappears primarily in the headspace of solid-pack tuna as a result ofa reaction between iron in the tin can and sulfide present in the fish. It has also been established that excessive iron exposure (e. g., fracture of the tin coating) is not the direct cause of iron sulfide formation. Other factors that showed no correlation with the degree of discoloration were vacuum, headspace, net weight, moisture content, pH, and drained weight (Kleinschmidt 1953). Discoloration, which is found primarily in solid-pack tuna, appears spasmodi- cally. A packer may have no trouble with the deposit for a year or more and then an entire lot or code may become discolored. Under normal conditions of storage, sul- fide discoloration reaches a maximum (usually within 24 hours after processing) by the time the lot or code is inspected. No instances of objectionable discoloration have been reported on grated- or flake-style packs. Some canners believe that imported Japanese tuna, particularly albacore, give more trouble with discoloration than do fish caught locally. Others claim, however, that the Japanese tuna is superior in quality to American-caught tuna, owing to the universal Japanese practice of bleeding the fish while they are still alive. The objective of this series of investigations was to study the reaction mecha- nism whereby iron sulfide is formed during the canning of some batches of tuna. This work will be reported in a series of subsequent articles as follows: No. 1 - Theory of Iron-Sulfide Formation in Cans No. 2 - Analytical Methods No. 3 - Effect of Condition of Raw Fish No. 4.- Effect of Temperature during Processing and Cooling No. 5 - Effect of Salt, Oil, and Miscellaneous Packing Additives No. 6 - Experiments to Elucidate Mechanism of Reactions 36 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 No. 1 - Theory of Iron-Sulfide Formation in Cans INTRODUCTION: During recent years, black deposits of iron sulfide have spo- radically occurred in canned tuna. In some packs, the deposit, which is found pri- marily in the can area adjacent to the headspace, builds uptothe extent that itflakes - off onto the surface of the meat. This paper is the first in a series of six papers presenting the results of an investigation of the iron-sulfide reaction in tuna cans. The objective of this paper No. 1 is to discuss the various methods whereby sulfur and iron can become available to react and form iron sulfide in the cans of some tuna packs, LITERATURE SURVEY: Sulfur has been a main source of corrosion troubles to the food canners Since the introduction of the tin can as a packaging medium. A reaction between sulfur and iron or tin in the can may cause a black iron-sulfide discoloration or a green tin-sulfide staining in cans of many sulfur-bearing food products (Johnson and Frost 1951). The sulfur-bearing proteins give rise to sulfide sulfur in proteinaceous foods. This is particularly the case in seafood products (Gortner, R.A.; Gortner, R.A., Jr.; and Gortner, W. A. 1949). In some instances, the sulfide found in canned foods may be introduced from outside the product. A good example is the corrosive effect of gooseberries that have been sprayed in the field with a lime-sulfur spray (Clough, Shostrom, and Clark 1930). Trace metals may play an important role in sulfide production. Copper-bear- ing metals, such as brass or bronze, should be avoided in processing plants, as copper apparently catalyzes the formation of iron sulfide (Johnson and Frost 1951). In work done with herring, it was found that the hydrogen-sulfide content in- creases appreciably as spoilage proceeds (Stansby and Lemon 1941; Sigurdson 1947). The sulfide formed in meat due to spoilage comes from the proteins containing the sulfur -bearing amino acids, cystine and methionine (Gortner et al 1949). There are several factors that have been shown to have a bearing on sulfide discoloration. Crab meat having a high pH increases sulfide discoloration in can- nedcrab meat (Oshima 1932). The rate of dissolution of metals from tin cans con- taining fish is greatly affected by certain organic compounds peculiar to fish. Tri- methylamine oxide appreciably increases the dissolution of tin in canned herring (Jakobsen 1945). Several investigators have reported the production of hydrogen sulfide in can- ned foods during retorting. In the heat processing of chicken, hydrogen sulfide is formed by a chemical reaction that is nonbacterial in nature (Sadikov, Shoshin, Starukhina, and Livshitz 1934), Hydrogen sulfide has been found in fish after can- ning, although the raw material contained none (Tilik 1935). CAUSES OF SULFIDE PRODUCTION: General: Sulfur occurs in the meat of fresh fish in a form other than as sulfide. It is present largely in the amino acids, cystine and methionine, which make up a portion of the fish proteins. Hence, sul- fide sulfur must either come from bacterial or chemical (enzymatic) degradation of the proteins or be introduced during the handling and processing of the fish. Sulfide may be liberated from the proteins by a breakdown of the sulfur-bear- ing amino acids that are split off from the large protein aggregates, or it might be formed directly from the protein aggregates. Since the pH of canned tuna is slightly acidic (pH 6.1), it is most likely that the liberated sulfide will be found in the form of hydrogen sulfide. October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 37 Causes of Sulfide Production Prior to = If fish are allowed to lie on the deck of the fishing vessel for an extended period of time before being iced or froz- en, spoilage will produce sulfur compounds such as hydrogen sulfide within the fish. This situation may arise when fishing is good and the catch is piling up faster than it can be handled properly. Even when the fish do not lie on the deck for any pro- tracted period of time but are placed in the brine wells promptly, considerable spoil- age sometimes takes place. This may occur when the wells are filled with more tuna than the refrigeration capacity is designed to accommodate. This overloading results in such a slow rate of freezing that the center of the fish may not freeze for several days. Under such conditions, considerable spoilage results. Other potenti- alities for spoilage occur during lags in the canning process, especially at the stages prior to that of the precook, It is conceivable that sulfide caused by fish spoilage would be carried through the canning process and into the canned product where it is available to react with some form of metal during heat processing. Causes of Sulfide Production DuringCanning: Analysis of the canning process indicates that the following steps include possible causes of sulfide production: STORAGE--Most tuna are stored in a frozen state from shortly after the time that they are caught until they are thawed for canning. Chemical changes during frozen storage are generally limited to ox- idation of oils and pigments and to mild denaturation of the proteins. The latter change might have some effect on the state of sulfur in the protein, but the nature of such an effect is uncertain. BUTCHERING--Some of the parts of the tuna removed during the butchering operation are more subject to decomposition, with accom- panying hydrogen-sulfide formation, than is the meat itself. Incomplete butchering of the fish, whereby some of waste parts remained with the cleaned fish, might result in an increased sulfide content of the final product. PRECOOKING--The precook removed both moisture and tuna oil from the fish and makes it easier to pack and clean. During this heat- ing, some of the volatile constituents, including sulfides, would also be driven off. The time and temperature of precooking for a given size or species varies considerably from one plant to another. There is a cur- rent trend in the industry to cut the precook time to as short a period as possible. Any such diminishing of precook time would result in car- rying over more of the volatile sulfur compounds into the canned prod- uct. COOLING, CLEANING, PACKING, AND SEAMING--Failure to handle the fish promptly at this (or other) stages of processing would tend to increase the chance of spoilage, with accompanying increase in volatile-sulfide content of the tuna meat. The fish might also at this stage pick up traces of metal, such as copper from the cleaning table (if present). Such trace metals might be harmful, acting as cat- alysts in promoting iron-sulfide formation at a later stage. THERMAL PROCESSING OF CANS--Subjecting proteins to high temperatures, such as occur during retorting, results in some chem- ical breakdown of the protein, and this reaction may liberate sulfides. The changes occurring at this stage will be of a purely chemicaltype, since all microorganisms as well as enzymes will be destroyed or in- activated by the heat. 38 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 SOURCE OF IRON: General: The so-called ''tin can,'' which is primarily iron, gets its name from the extremely thin coating of tin deposited over the surface to protect the iron from corrosion. Tin protects iron by two mechanisms. The first is the purely mechanical protection afforded by the exclusion of corroding substances. The second is the electrochemical protection that tin gives iron in some instances. In the atmosphere prevailing in cans of many food products, tin is anodic to iron. Thus, tin goes into solution in preference to iron (Jakobsen, Ronald, and Stokke 1945; Jakobsen and Mathieson 1946). The dependence of this country onforeign sources for tinhas continually forced the plating industry into decreasing the amount of tin in tinplate. Present day tin- plates vary from 0.000015 to 0.000100 inches in thickness, depending on the grade. Even with the finest tinplating technics, microscopic pores that expose iron are pres- ent. Thus, synthetic enamels have been developed to give further protection. Oleo- resinous can linings include such materials as phenolic or maleic-modified rosin esters, unmodified phenolics, petroleum resins, and epoxy-type resins. Formerly, a single-enamel phenolic resin was used on standard tuna cans. Se- vere outbreaks of iron sulfide discoloration that accompanied the decrease in tin coating forced the industry into using a double-enameled can to give further pro- tection. The outer enamel usually contains about 15-percent fine-particle zinc ox- ide added for its chemical reactivity. During heat processing of the canned tuna, sulfide released from the fish reacts with the zinc oxide to form a white compound of zinc sulfide that is not noticeable (Flugge 1951). Recently, new enamels have been developed that allow the use of single-enameled cans in many instances. Form of Iron: Sulfide will not react directly with elemental iron under the conditions found in a tin can. By some means, iron which is exposed through frac- tures or imperfections in the can enamel or tinplate is changed into an active form. Since the can discoloration is caused by ferrous sulfide, it seems most likely that the iron in a can must be converted into an ionic(ferrous) state by either purely chemical or electrochemical reaction. An example of a purely chemical reaction would be the oxidation of exposed iron by moist air or by acids present in the oil or fish. An electrochemical reaction would be caused by the formation of a galvanic couple between two metals of different potential. If the couple is in contact with a solution of electrolyte, such as a salt solution, a current will flow which results in solution of one of the metals. Since iron is above tin in the electromotive series, it will normally go into solution and be anodic to tin. As was previously pointed out, however, under the conditions that exist in many canned foods, there is a re- verse in the nobility between tin and iron, and tin goes into solution as the anode. Hence, if the electrolytic production of ferrous ions is the source of iron in ferrous sulfide, certain batches of tuna appear to have the ability to cause iron to become anodic to tin. Such a reaction would be Fe —> Reva +2 electrons Anode (oxidation) 2 electrons + 2H ees 2(H) Cathode (reduction) then 2(H) + X —~> HX or 2(H)—— Hy 4 Since discolored cans are not ordinarily hydrogen ''swells,'' a substance X, acting as a cathodic depolarizer, might be present in certain batches of tuna. FORMATION OF IRON SULFIDE DEPOSIT: It seems most likely that ferrous sulfide is formed in the can area adjacent to the headspace by a reaction between October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 39 iron from the can, which is in the ferrous form, and sulfur from the fish, which is in the sulfide form. A preliminary analysis of the source of the reacting substances indicates that sulfur is liberated from fish proteins as hydrogen sulfide and that ex- posed iron in the can is converted to the ferrous form. Hydrogen sulfide is probably produced by a breakdown of fish tissue. This re- action is due either to spoilage (bacterial or enzymatic action) or to thermal proc- essing of the fish, or to both. Besides supplying sulfide for the reaction, certain batches of tuna also influence the conversion of exposed iron in the can to the fer- rous state. DISCUSSION: From the theoretical analysis of how ferrous sulfide may be formed in certain batches of canned tuna, it was decided to investigate the following variables and their effect on the reaction: 1. The condition of the raw fish. 2. Temperatures during processing and cooling. 3. Salt, oil, and other additives. 4. Commercial packaging and handling technics. The results of these experiments will be given in subsequent papers of this series. LITERATURE CITED Clough, R, W.; Shostrom, O, E,; and Clark, E. D, 1930, Sulfur Friend or Foe of Canner, Canning Age, May. Flugge, S. L. 1951. Those Synthetic Can Linings. Food Engineering, vol, 23, August, pp, 114-116, 158-9, Gormer, R, A,; Gortner, R, A., Jr.; and Gortner, W. A, 1949, The Amino Acids, The Primary Decomposition Products of Proteins. Outlines of Biochemistry, John Wiley and Sons, New York, N, Y,, Chapter 1, pp, 277-300, Jakobsen, F,; Ronald, O, A,; and Stokke, K. 1945, Corrosion of Tin Containers, Tidsskrift for Hermetikindustri, vol, 31. pp. 47-50, , and Mathiesen, E, ~~~ {946 Corrosion of Containers for Canned Foods, Matematisk Naturvidenskapalig Klasse, no, 5, pp. 6-112, Johnson, O, C, and Frost, L, J, 1951. Some Practical Ways to Prevent Discoloration in Canned Meats, National Provisioner, vol, 124, March 10, pp, 14-15, 28-29. Kieinschmidt, John 1953, (Personal communication from Continental Can Company.) Oshima, Kokichi 1931, Studies in Crab Canning, Investigative Reports of the Bureau of Fisheries, vol, 1, no. 8. Sadikov, V, S.; Shoskin, A, F,; Starukhina, K. M,; and Livshitz, M, L 1934, The Origin of Hydrogen Sulfide Produced When Chicken Flesh Is Cooked, Compt, Rend, Acad, Science, vol, 3, pp. 41-3, Sigurdson, G, J. 1947. Comparison of Chemical Tests of the Quality of Fish, Analytical Chemistry, vol. 19, November, pp. 892-902, Stansby, M, E,, and Lemon, J, M, 1941. Studies on the Handling of Fresh Mackerel, U, S, Fish and WildlifeService, Research Report No.1, U. S, Government Printing Office, Tilik, F, E, 1935, (Titlenot available.) Konservnaya Prom., No. 8, pp, 24-7, --GEORGE PIGOTT, CHEMICAL ENGINEER (FORMERLY WITH CONTINENTAL CAN COMPANY, SEATTLE, WASH.) AND M. E. STANSBY, CHIEF, PACIFIC COAST & ALASKA TECHNOLOGICAL RESEARCH, FISHERY TECHNOLOG! CAL LABORATORY , BRANCH OF COMMERCIAL FISHERIES, U.S. FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE, SEATTLE, WASH, 40 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 OYSTER TECHNOLOGICAL RESEARCH CONTINUES DURING THE SUMMER Even during the R-less months of the summer, active research work has continued at about full scale in the laboratories of the three contractors concerned with finding greater markets for Southern oysters under the U.S. Fishand Wildlife Servicecontracts. The studies at Florida State University, Tallahassee, Fla., have included recipe develop- ment for oyster stews and soups, and the irradiation of oysters with the radioactive iso- tope colbalt 60 to evaluate the suitability of this possible method of commercial steriliza- tion. Samples of oysters have beencollected each month at different places inthe Gulfto determine what effect the weather, bed location, and local feeding conditions have on the fatness of the oysters. These studies at the Louisiana State University, BatonRouge, La., alsoinclude the examinationat regular intervals of oysters frozen under different rates of freezing and held at several different cold-storage temperatures. The physiologist at Tulane University, New Orleans, La., is experimenting with live oysters in sea-water tanks to determine conditions that increase or decrease the amount of liquids lost when the oysters are shucked. The Southern oysters for some reason lose much more liquid than Northern oysters. a JELLIED SALMON Procedures for preparing a specialty product, jellied salmon, have been devel- oped at the Service's Seattle Fishery Technological Laboratory. Jellied salmon isa canned fish specialty which is prepared by adding a clear hot liquid gelatin and agar jelly to precooked and flaked salmon in the can. Jellied salmon can be served asis, on lettuce as a salad, or in almost any salad that calls for flaked fish. . To prepare jellied salmon the fish are precooked to remove the excess mois- ture in much the same way that tuna are precooked. Unless this excess water is removed by precooking, an undesirably soft canned product entirely unlike fish flakes is obtained. If the salmon are precooked in steam as in the canning of tuna, a con- siderable amount of undesirable oxidation of the oil with impairment of flavor oc- curs. To avoid this oxidized oil flavor, the dressed salmon are precooked or sim- mered ina very light salt brine just long enough to be cooked through to the bone and in condition for flaking. All of the skin, fat, and bone is then removed. The re- maining fish is flaked, packed into cans, covered with the hot jelly, sealed, process- ed, cooled, and labeled for market. Jellied tuna is prepared by adding the same type of jelly to the light-meat tuna flakes or grated tuna that remain after packing the solid-pack and chunk-style tuna. CB NEW FEDERAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR CERTAIN FISHERY PRODUCTS FEDERAL SPECIFICATION FOR CHILLED AND FROZEN SHRIMP ISSUED: Federal specification for "Shrimp, raw and cooked; chilled and frozen” (PP-S-316a) was issued June 20, 1955, by the General Services Administration. This supersedes Interim Specification PP-S-00316a, November 18, 1954, and Federal Specification PP-S-316, January 3, 1954. This specification is for the use of all Federal agencies. October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 41 NEW SPECIFICATION PROJECTS ASSIGNED TO THE SERVICE: In view of milifary and Federal agency interest, the development of a new Federal specifica- tion for frozen breaded shrimp and the conversion of the military specification for scallops into a Federal Specification are indicated. Both of these projects have been assigned to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Basic development work on the specification will be carried out at the Fishery Technological Laboratory in East Boston, Mass. COMMERCIAL FISHING PROSPECTS IN ARCTIC WATERS Good fishing is obtained in the Atlantic Ocean, infavorable depths, inside the Arctic Circle. For example, the Bear Island grounds at approximately 75° N. latitude are among the most productive in the world. The Arctic fishing grounds have not been fully explored because: (1) the rigorous climate discourages exploration; (2) floating icebergs are a hazard to navigation; (3) fishing grounds tend to be littered with boulders transported by the ice and trawling operations are hampered; (4) damage to gear restricts the amount of exploratory fishing which can be carried out and borne by private fishing companies; (5) so longas fishing continues to be good on the known grounds in the north Atlantic the incentive to explore further north is lacking. Few government research vessels carry out extensive exploratory investiga- tions in this Arctic area. Dueto poorer catches being made on the closer Europe- an grounds as a result of heavy fishing pressure since 1945, several European countries have focused their attention on the Arctic. They are steadily building a fleet of larger trawlers for Arctic work. Untilrecently, these vessels operated mainly at Iceland and Bear Island, but during the lastfew years, successfultrips have been made to grounds off the southeast coast of Greenland. On these trips the expenses for fuel and gear were high and the working conditions for the crew rather unpleasant. Cod, halibut, Greenland halibut, and ocean perch (redfish), appear tobe plen- tiful on many grounds in the northeastern and northwesternAtlantic. Onsome of the banks, and in deeper water, fishing with long lines may be the most productive method of fishing. For many years, long-lining for cod has been done by Port- tuguese fishermen on banks between Labrador and Greenland and for halibut by Scottish fishermen at Iceland and Greenland. It seems fairly certain that the ex- ploration of the north Atlantic fishing grounds will be continued, probably to the limits of the ice front. "Sea Secrets,'' The Marine Laboratory, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Fla. (September 20, 1955) 42 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 Si << —— mee REND: Sz = = AND Additions to the Fleet of U. S. Fishing Vessels A total of 53 vessels of 5 net tons and over received first documents as fishing craft during July 1955, according to the U. S. Bureau of Customs. This was a de- crease of 23 vessels (30 percent), compared with the 76 fishing craft new- ly documented during the U. S. Vessels Issued First Documents as Fishing Craft, July 1955 and Comparisons ; Jan, -Jul corresponding month of Section SEE iPes Total 1954 1954. Sone ae ee R(Number) ieee : INew England .... 3 15 | 21 23 All areas, withthe |yiddle Atlantic .. . - 3 9] 13 15 exception of the Pacific |Ghesapeake Bay 2 3 8 27 62 93 and New England areas, |gouth Atlantic .” , 40 119 showed decreases in newly-documented ves- sels. In the Pacific area, 26 vessels were documented, compared with 13 reported for July 1954; and the New Eng- land area added 5 ves- 2 ease 717 sels to its fleet during no 2 July of this year, com- Note: Vessels have been assigned to various sections on the basis of their home port, pared with 3 for the same month of last year. The most pronounced decrease occurred in the Gulf area, where only 7 vessels were documented, compared with 31 during July 1954. The Chesapeake Bay area had 3 additions, the South Atlantic area had 10, and Alaska, 2. During January-July 1955, a total of 264 vessels were documented for the first time as fishing craft, compared with 529 for the corresponding period of last year-- a decrease of 50 percent. on ~ SSeS Alaska FISH-TRAP ELIMINATION LEGISLATION SUPPORTED BY SECRETARY Mc- KAY: Secretary of the Interior Douglas McKay on October 8 urged that Congress enact legislation to provide for the gradual elimination of fish traps in the waters of Alaska. Secretary McKay said that a shift in the industry from trap fishing to fishing with less expensive type of gear may be expected to strengthen the competitive posi- tion of individual fishermen or small-scale operators. ‘With a limited resource to develop, '' he declared, "it seems right that opportunities to participate init should be distributed as widely as possible." October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 43 In a report prepared at the request of the House Committee on Merchant Ma- rine and Fisheries, Secretary McKay said that the Department recommended that Congress act favorably along the general lines of H. R. 242. This bill, now pending before Congress, would authorize and direct the Secre- tary of the Interior to close down, over a five-year period, all salmon traps in the waters of the Territory. FLOATING SALMON TRAP ALASKA At present, Secretary Mc- Kay pointed out, he has no au- thority to abolish the traps, since under existing law he may not discriminate against one form of gear or in favor of another. Therefore, he said, if the traps are to be eliminated it must be done by congressional action. - BRAILING Secretary McKay said that if Alaskans had control of the matter, they would undoubtedly have started action to abolish fish traps long ago. He noted that in an advisory referendum held in October 1948 the electorate of Alaska voted, by a majority of 19,712 to 2,624, in favor of a pro- posal that fish traps be gradually abolished over a period of 10 years. In addition, the Secretary said, the Territorial legislature has on more than one occasion memo- rialized the Congress to prohibit trap fishing. "The Department of the Interior believes,'' he said, ''that the Federal Govern- ment should attempt to create a more normal pattern of regulation and activity ina matter which is primarily of Territorial rather than Federal concern. This is par- ticularly important when local sentiment strongly urges, as it does on this question, that Alaska regulations be brought in line with those found elsewhere." The States of Washington and Oregon, the Secretary pointed out, abolished fish traps years ago. "It is an anomalous situation, '' he asserted, ''that fish traps still exist inAlaska."' Economic arguments in favor of abolishing the traps are decisive, the Secre- tary said. "Traps are a form of fishing equipment which require capital outlays beyond the capacity of most individual fishermen to finance. Salmon are also caught in Alaska with purse seines, beach seines, gill nets, troll lines, and other types of gear. These are commonly owned by individual fishermen conducting small-scale operations." "The Department has no particular objection to the formula set forth in H. R. 242,'' he said, "while recognizing that Congress might properly prefer some differ- ent period of time or different procedure." For many years traps have been one of the chief methods of catching salmon in Alaskan waters. In recent years the proportion of the Alaskan salmon catch taken with traps has been declining, largely because of the closing, through regulatory ac— tion or voluntary agreement, of some of the trap sites in order to permit larger es- capement. 44 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 "Various arguments have been urged in favor of eliminating the traps, not all of which have equal validity,'' Secretary McKay said. ''For example, it is some- times argued that the traps should be abolished as a conservation measure. Years of experience give no support to this argument. The basic conservation problem is one of permitting escapement of sufficient salmon to maintain the runs in succeed- ing years. That can be done as easily through regulating the traps as through regu- lating other types of gear." The salmon fishing industry has for many years been by far the most important single industry based upon the use of Alaskan resources. During the fishing sea- son of 1954 the number of people employed in this industry totaled about 20,500 and the value of the catch, as prepared for market, amounted to about $68, 200, 000. "For that reason, '' Secretary McKay said, ''the Department of the Interior has a deep interest in the welfare of those engaged in the industry, as well as in the policies which permit the maximum reasonable benefits which the fishery is capable of yielding. "' The Department's report sent yesterday to Rep. Herbert C. Bonner, chairman of the House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, stated that the Bureau of the Budget has advised that there is no objection to the submission of the report. Pribilof Islands Fur-Seal Skin Take, 1955 The annual sealing operations (June 22-July 31) conducted by the Fish and Wild- life Service on the Pribilof Islands in the heart of the Bering Sea netted 65, 638 fur- seal skins, the Acting Secretary of the Interior reported August 28. The take was 1,756 skins greater than last year's production of 63,882 skins and close to the an- nual average of 65,000 skins. The uniform take of recent years indicates that the herd has stabilized at 1.5 million animals. The fur-seal herd has grown from a low of about 132,000 in 1910, when the United States Government took over its management and protection. During this period the Federal Government netted some $17 million--more than twice the purchase price of the entire territory of Alaska--. from the sale of sealskins. This is one of the world's greatest achievements in the field of wild- life conservation. Although the Federal Gov- ernment has held a virtual mo- nopoly on raw fur-seal skins in this country for 45 years, it has never learned how to transform a seal skin into the soft luxuri- ous fur women have coveted Maekarhirecesls since the days of Catherine the Great. Since 1913 the Government has had to depend upon a single firm in St. Louis for the processing of its entire supply of sealskins. The Fish and Wildlife Service has been directed to discover the mysteries of sealskin processing through a program of research financed out of proceeds from the semiannual sealskin sales. (At the last sale in April, 24, 746 sealskins sold October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 45 for $2,296,757.) Results of the research, one object of which will be to discover more economical methods of processing the skins, will be made available to the public. Under terms of the Provisional Fur-seal Agreement of 1942, 20 percent of the annual Pribilof seal harvest is delivered to the Canadian government. The Provi- sional Agreement replaced the International Convention of 1911 between the United States, Great Britain, Japan, and Russia which prohibited pelagic sealing--the kill- ing of fur-seals at sea in the North Pacific. Representatives of the governments of the United States, Japan, Canada, and Russia are scheduled to meet in Washington on November 28, 1955, to negotiate a new international agreement for the conservation of tiie Pribilof Islands herd. The Alaska fur-seals have a coat of soft underfur which distinguishes them from the common hair seals seen in zoos and circuses and whichi are widely dis- tributed over the world. Regularly each spring the great Pribilof Islands herd comes out of the sea to settle down on the volcanic rocks. So far as is known, this is the only land the an- imals touch upon during the year. The young are born a few weeks after the herd arrives. —=e aaa American Samoa JAPANESE FISHING OPERATION CATCHES LESS TUNA THAN PLANNED: The Japanese fishing company operating off American Samoa with the mothership Saipan Maru, completed early in September its first 3 months under a 6-months contract to the tuna cannery located in thatIsland. During the first half of the sched- uled operation there was difficulty in locating the fishing grounds because of unfa- miliarity with the waters, and the catch of 2, 895 metric tons was less than planned. However, recently the fishermen have at last learned the grounds and the catch has picked up to about 3.25 tons per day. There are thus some prospects that the plan will be fulfilled in the latter half of the operation, reports the September 5 issue of Nippon Suisan Shimbun. Whether or not the contract will be renewed was scheduled to be decided in dis- cussions to be held when the president of the United States firm operating the Amer- ican Samoa tuna cannery visited Japanin September. a a California ALBACORE TAGGING CRUISE OF THE "DELUXE" (C-55-3): The commercial fishing vessel Deluxe returned to San Diego on July 28 from a seven-day trip to fur- : : ther the California Depart- Alb z Pp ee tae a Le eee ere Beparane at ment of Fish and Game studies Tag Ss of population, growth, and migrations of albacore tuna 50-60 mi. SW. San Diego . 40 mi. W. Todos Santos. . by tagging. The tags used | were type G''spaghetti'' tags, 35 mi. WSW. San Diego. . Ota Maes sind aes and during the trip the stand- ard white tag was compared with pink and blue tags. 46 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 During the trip, 700 albacore tuna were caught and of these 40 were tagged and re- leasedin good condition. The table on the preceding page shows fish tagged by area. Daily weather and sea conditions were recorded. The surface water tempera- ture ranged from 61°-63° F. in areas fished. The number of boats fishing in the various localities was recorded. All fish were caught by trolling jigs and salted bait was used in an effort to keep fish near the boat after locating a school. The use of the blue-dyed tags was discontinued when, after several days' ex- posure to sun and salt water, the color had faded appreciably. KOK OK OK AK sess the relative abundance of Pacific sardines, jack mackerel, Pacific mackerel and anchovies, off the coast of California and Baja California was completed by the California Department of Fish and Game's research vessel Yellowfin July 29. Dur- ing the cruise, whichbegan Ju- ly 15th, the area off the coast of Southern California from Pt. Conception to Pt. LaJolla, including Santa Cruz, Santa LEGEND; a ] EACH MARK REPRESEN Rosa, Anacapa, Santa Catalina, CNERCRUBUEE and SanClemente Islands was @ - SARDINE. surveyed. @ - JACK MACKEREL. ~ PACIFIC MACKEREL. Collections were made at 50 light stations. Sardines were sampled at six stations, anchovies at 14, Pacific mack- erel at 12, andjack mackerel, at eight. In addition Pacific M/V Yellowfin Cruise 55-Y-5, July 5-29, 1955, mackerel, anchovies, and sardines were observed but not collected at one light station each. Fifteen other species were noted at one or more of the stations occupied. XX - ANCHOVY. -5>- - ROUTE OF CRUISE. The Yellowfin traveled a total of 427 miles while scouting for fish--139 schools were observed visually or with the aid of the Sea Scanar; 18 of these were estimated to be sardines, 49 Pacific mackerel, 2 jack mackerel, 28 anchovy, 5 saury, and 37 were unknown. Two schools oflarge fish (presumably bluefin tuna) were observed off Pt. Mugu and Pt. La Jolla. A large school group of sardines was observed in the Santa Barbara channel between Santa Cruz Island and Pt. Hueneme but could not be sampled due to adverse weather conditions. gea surface temperatures during the cruise rangedfrom 12.95-19. 95°C. (55. 3- 67.9 F.). The following table gives the ranges in surface temperature in which the primary species were taken. Temperature Range Species Sardiner eames deve is SpacuPietebarenee INNGMONA? “ogo 040 0 ob oo 0 Pacitichmackere laments Jvackemackenre] asa ea October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 47 "“VYELLOWFIN" ASSESSES RELATIVE ABUNDANCE OF SARDINES, MACKEREL, AND ANCHOVIES (Cruise 55-Y-6): To assess the relative abundance of sardines ToSanPedro ‘ So Sait) PEQUENA Bar toler. Pt) 5M. wanicg LEGEND: EACH MARK REPRESENTS ONE SAMPLE: © SARDINES LESS THAN ONE YEAR OLO. @ ADULT SARDINES. B@ PACIFIC MACKEREL, (BE ACK MACKEREL. XK NORTHERN ANCHOVIES. spawned in 1955, and the relative abun- dance of older sardines, jack and Pacif- ic mackerel, and northern anchovies was the purpose of Cruise 55-Y-6 by the California Department of Fishand Game's research vessel Yellowfin. The vessel, which sailed on August 8 and returned on August 28 to Los An- geles Harbor, operated along the coast of Baja California from Point Eugenia to Magdalena Bay and the area around Cedros Island. During the cruise 65 light stations were occupied. Sardines were sampled at 29 stations, Pacific mackerel at 31, jack mackerel at 23, andnorthern an- chovies at 21. Of the 29 stations at which sardines were taken, 24 yielded sardines of the 1955 spawning season of less than 125 mm. (4.9 inches) stand- ard length, and 17 yielded adult sar- dines. In general, sardines appeared more abundant in this area than they did during a comparable cruise in 1954. Forty-five percent of the sta- tions yielded either juvenile or adult sardines as compared with 34 percent inthe same area during the 1954 survey. ROUTE OF CRUISE. M/V Yellowfin Cruise 55-Y-6, August 8-28, 1955, The Yellowfin traveled a total of 348 miles while scouting for fish. A total of 246 schools were observed, of which it was estimated that 74 contained sardines, 17 Pacific mackerel, 100 anchovies, 13 jack mackerel, and 42 were unknown. Sea surface temperatures ranged from 16.15°C. (61,1°F.)to 22.650 C..(72-80 8). The following table gives the ranges in surface temperature in which the primary species were taken: Species Sardine a. er 5 Pacific mackerel Jack mackerel Northern ancho A total of 292 yellowtail (Seriola clorsalis) were tagged and released during the eruise. This total included 207 fish tagged on 13 Fathom Bank. KOK OF OK TRAWL-MESH EXPERIMENTS AND BOTTOMFISH TAGGING BY "'N. B,. SCO- and to tag true cod and sablefish, the N. B. Scofield, research vessel of the Cali- fornia Department of Fish and Game, sailed on Cruise 4 from Los Angeles Harbor 48 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 on July 14 and returned on August 20. Similar work in the past has been used asthe basis for laws governing net-mesh sizes. This cruise was under the sponsorship of the Pacific Marine FisheriesCom- mission. A total of 57 drags were made off Humboldt Bay, Calif., NW. Cape Blanco, Ore., and the Coast of Washington in the vicin- ity of Destruction Is. and Swiftsure Bank, and also Holmes Harbor in Puget Sound. ~~ Of the 57 drags, 26 were for English sole (Parophrys vetulus), 13 for dover sole (Microstomus pacificus), 5 drags for sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria), and13for true cod (Gadus macrocephalus). As the numbers of true cod taken were small, the tagging crew kept ae : busy on lingcod (Ophiodon elon- N. B, Scofield gatus) and sablefish. As aconse- as quence, 16 true cod, 406 ling, and 680 sablefish were marked. A total of 51,000 pounds of fish were caught in 57 hours of fishing. As the mesh experiments were being carried out in Holmes Harbor, 12 English sole tagged in previous years by Washington biologists were recovered. Also two sablefish and a lingcod carrying marks were caught. Several of these fish were tak- en alive and were released after being measured. In a number of cases there was overlapping of catches so that mesh-comparison trawls could be used ontwo species concerned and in addition both lingcod and sablefish were taken for marking. % OK OK OK TAGGED STURGEON RECOVERED: California's sturgeon are getting around these days, according to a September press release of the California Department of Fish and Game. A fish tagged by that Department in San Pablo Bay at the mouth of the Sacramento River, in November 1954, was recovered off Astoria, Ore., in the Columbia River by commercial fishermen, who returned the tag to California officials. This marks the first time that concrete evidence has been obtained that the stur- geons migrate between the two great river systems. Thefish was 49 inches long when tagged, and had grown one inch in the 10-months' interim. HOOK OK OK FOOD TECHNOLOGIST NAMED FOR UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA: Harold S. Olcott, former Department of Agriculture food specialist, has been chosen as Professor of Marine Food Technology and Marine Food Technologist on the staff of the University of California's statewide Institute of Marine Resources. The estab- lishment of the position is part of the planned development of the University's Insti- tute of Marine Resources, which was established in 1953. Its headquarters are on the La Jolla campus of the University, but Olcott will work on the Berkeley campus. According to the Acting Director of the Institute, the appointment of Olcott will initiate the fulfilment of a long-standing need for scientific work in the field of ma- rine foods by the University of California. ''The marine fisheries of the State con- stitute a very large industry with an even larger potential of food and feed. Develop- ment of these latent resources is in large part dependent on improved technology," the Acting Director said. October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 49 Olcott will also be directly associated with the Department of Food Technology, Berkeley, and will direct research work leading toward advanced degrees in food science and comparative biochemistry. as) Cans--Shipments for Fishery Products, January-August 1955 Total shipments of metal cans for fish and seafood during January- August 1955 amounted to 67,217 short tons of steel (based on the amount of steel consumed in the manufacture of cans), compared to 72,077 short tons for the same period last year. The decline in the use of cans for fishery products is due to lighter packs of canned tuna and Maine sardines. 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 fishery products are converted to tons of steel by using the factor: 23,0 base boxes of steel equal one short ton of steel. Federal Purchases of Fishery Products FRESH AND FROZEN FISHERY PRODUCTS PURCHASED BY DEPARTMENT Army Quartermaster Corps in July 1955 amounted to 2 million pounds, valued at $0.8 million (see table). This was a decrease of 11.7 percent in quantity and 17.7 percent in value when com- pared with June purchases. July 1955 purchases were higher than in July 1954 by 8.1 percent in quantity and 22.9 percent in value. Purchases of Fresh and Frozen Fishery Products by Department of Defense (July and the First Seven Months of 1955 and 1954) ES eee Jan, -Jul 1955 . (Millions of Pounds). .| . .(Millions of Dollars).. ZAK) i lees TNS AL |) abate 8) .8 Army Quartermaster Corps purchases of fresh and frozen fish for the first seven months in 1955 totaled 15.1 million pounds (valued at $6.4 million), higher by 8.8 percent in quantity and 12 percent in value as compared with the similar period in 1954. Prices paid for fresh and frozen fishery products by the Department of Defense in July 1955 averaged 40.2 cents as compared with 43.2 cents in June and 35.4 cents in July 1954, In addition to the purchases of fresh and frozen fishery products indicated above, the Armed Forces generally make some local purchases which are not included in the above figures. 50 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 Fishery Products Market Outlook, October-December 1955 Markets for most of the major fishery products are expected to be steady with firm prices during the fourth quarter of 1955, according to the Commercial Fish- eries Outlook, October-December 1955, issued by the U. S. Fish and WildlifeServ- — ice on October 17. Fishing in general becomes more difficult as colder weather sets in resulting in smaller landings. The North Pacific halibut fishing season closed September 21. Salmon fishing on the Pacific Coast will be limited to a few scattered fall catches. The tuna canning industry will operate at a moderate level. Groundfish landings in New England will also decline with demand being met to a major degree by supplies in cold storage. Cold-storage holdings of most of the major fisheries are at high levels. How- ever, holdings are not expected to be as high as during the fourth quarter of 1954. Demand for frozen fishery products will pick up the beginning of this quarter, al- though there will be some slackening during the Christmas and New Year holidays. The fishing industry started the quarter by promoting its products withatheme of ''Join the Fish Parade," during National Fish Week, October 3-8. National Tuna Week will be held November 3-12. Several kinds of highly-desirable shellfish are expected to be abundant this quarter, including oysters, shrimp, hard clams, Pacific Coast dungeness crabs in December, and Atlantic and Gulf Coast blue crabs in October and November. Cold-storage holdings of fresh-water fish in both the United States and Canada are at their seasonal peak this quarter. Fresh-water species expected to be in good supply are lake herring, sauger, sucker, yellow perch, and yellow pike. Lake trout and whitefish from lakes Michigan and Superior will find ready markets with firm prices. Markets for fish meal and oil will be firm with some upward pressure as sup- plies become more difficult to obtain. "At a glance," the outlook for some of the major fisheries is as follows: HALIBUT: Supplies estimated 10 million pounds short of 1954's high level, but near the supplies of 1953. SALMON: Very short canned pack for most species, so look for active demand in the fourth quarter. GROUNDFISH: Markets will be steady for cod, haddock, and ocean perch since cold-storage holdings are moderate for each species. Prices will increase slightly, but firm up toward the end of the quarter. FISH STICKS: Production for the first half of 1955 is well ahead of 1954. Cold- storage holdings of block and slab fillets (the raw material for fish sticks) have maintained an average of nearly 12 million pounds the first six months of 1955. Cold weather will stimulate sales and create a steady market. CANNED TUNA: Production slowed by cannery labor disputes, but inventories still high in October. National Tuna Week, November 3-12 will help promote sales. SARDINES: Maine sardine pack lowest since 1938, so prices will increase. Pacific sardines had just appeared along the California coast as the quarter start- ed, but a cannery labor dispute and marketing difficulties will keep pack short. October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 51 SHRIMP: Maximum production is expected in the Gulf area, where over 90 per- cent of all fresh shrimp are landed. Prices are expected to decline moderately. OYSTERS: The main production season occurs this quarter. The greatest problem will be supplying demand. Prices will be firm. Great Lakes Fishery Investigations FISHERY CONDITIONS IN NORTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN EXPLORED BY "CIS- CoO" (Cruises Ill, IV, V, VI): To explore fishery and limnological conditions in northern Lake Michigan, the Service's Great Lakes Fishery Investigations sched- uled a series of cruises with the research vessel Cisco during the balance of this year and the early part of 1956. This work closely parallels stud- ies conducted in southern Lake Michigan from May 1954 (Cruise P I, 1954) until March 1955(Cruise “a II, 1955), and completes the fish- ery and limnological survey of Lake Michigan. Preliminary analysis of the data collected in southern Lake Michigan emphasizes that a major change has taken place in the fish population of the lake between the pre-sea lamprey period (1930-31) and the present period of lamprey abundance. Comparison of catch- es in gill nets of identical speci- fications fished in 1930-31 and a- gain in 1954 in southern Lake Mich- igan clearly demonstrate that the once abundant lake trout, a favored food item of the sea lamprey, is now virtually extinct. The seven species of chubs that inhabited the deep cold waters of Lake Michigan with the lake trout show a mixed reaction to the presence of the lamprey in the lake. Although the lake trout must have fed heavily on small chubs of all species, the slow-growing bloater (Leucichthys hoyi), which is characteristically small at advanced ages, probably served as the major food supply of the lake trout. With the lake trout gone the bloater is relieved of predation. Because of its small size, it is not utilized by the commercial fishery or the sea lamprey. As would be expected under such circumstances, the bloater has become much more abundant. Rough analysis of data shows that the abundance of bloaters has increased about 400 percent between the 1930-31 period and 1954. The Service’s research vessel Cisco. The two species of chubs that attain the largest size (L. johannae and L. nigri- pinnis) were common in the nets fished in 1930-31 but virtually absent in nets fish- ed during 1954. Their pronounced decrease in abundance between pre- and post- sea lamprey periods is not difficult to explain. These large chubs probably serve as a major food item of the sea lamprey. They also have been sought actively by fishermen because they have a higher commercial value than all other chubs. The four remaining species of chubs (L. reighardi, L. kiyi, L. zenithicus, L. alpenae) are intermediate in size and probably now serve as the basic source of food for the sea lamprey. They are the only abundant species of fish inhabiting the cool deep- water portion of the lake where the lamprey undergoes its major growth. These chubs also make up practically the entire present commercial chub catch whichhas 52 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Wolo ts IN@s 10 increased from about 2 million pounds in early 1940's to over 11 million pounds in 1953. As would be expected under these conditions, comparisons between 1930-31 and 1954 show that these species are now about 3 to } their former abundance. The 1954 catches of all species of chubs contained smaller percentages of large fish than the 1930-31 catches due to the preference of the sea lamprey and the commer- cial fishery for larger fish. Invertebrate food that was formerly utilized by small lake trout and the great- er numbers of intermediate and large species of chubs has been more than enough to sustain the greatly increased bloater population. Length-weight records show that chubs in 1954 were heavier than chubs of the same length in 1930-31. Cruise II--May 10-22, 1955: Studies initiated in northern Lake Michigan with this cruise are de- signed to provide more data for comparing chub populations of pre- and post-lamprey periods. However, the collection of information onthe little known early life history of chubs will be empha- sized. Studies of the species composition and dis- tribution of the chub populations of Lake Michigan will continue. Use will be made of bottom andmid- water trawls as a means of collecting chubs for population and biological studies, and as methods of harvesting chubs in commercial quantities. Hydrographic work initiated in southern Lake Michigan in 1954 has provided a vast fund of infor- mation on the physical and chemical structure and characteristics of the Lake. The collection of hy- drographic data in the northern section of the Lake is designed to provide a general picture of condi- tions for the entire Lake. Hydrographic transects were made during this cruise between Manitowoc, Wis., and Ludington, Mich., and between Sturgeon Bay, Wis., and Frankfort, Mich. Bathythermograph records show that water in the open lake is nearly homothermous from surface to bottom and that a slight temperature gradient occurs near shore. Surface temperatures aver- aged about 39° F. and ranged from 37.9° to48.7° F. The reply cards enclosed in drift bottles being used ask the finder if a metal drag was attached to the bottle when found. Early returns of drift bottles reveal that about one half of them lost their drags before being found even though the bottles were on- ly out afew days. The card also has a space for the finder to make comments. Remarks in this space indicate that most of the bottle without drags have a ring of wire remaining around the neck of the bottle. This would indicate that the movements of the bottle caused the wire, which was rigidly at- tached to the neck of the bottle, to break at that point Returns from drift bottles with sand ballast and without drags are falling behind returns from bot- tles with drags. Comments from the finders give a clue to the reason for this difference as they in- dicate that the heavier bottles with sand ballast are more frequently partly buried in the beachthan are the bottles with drags which are relieved of their added weight (drag and wire) upon being wash- ed onto the beach. Experimental nylon gill nets (23-3", stretched measure) were set off Frankfort at four depths (25, 50, 80, and 130 fathoms) and at two depths (25 and 50 fathoms) off Sturgeon Bay. Few chubs were taken in the gill nets set off Sturgeon Bay and in the 130-fathom set off Frankfort. Good catches of spawning chub (L. reighardi) were made inthe 25-, 50-, and 80-fathom sets off Frank- fort. Two-inch (stretched measure) gill nets were set obliquely from the surface to bottom in 160 feet of water off Frankfort and Manitowoc. Inthese sets lake herring (L. artedi) were found concen- trated near the surface and bloaters were mostly near the bottom. A few lake herring, bloaters, and other species of chubs were scattered between the surface and the bottom. Trawling areas were difficult to locate in the area covered during the cruise. Bloaters pre- dominated in the tows that were made. No large catches were made. Very few fish were taken in mid-water trawl tows although fathometer tracings showed a few small schools of fish. Cruise IV--May 31-June 12, 1955: During this cruise experimental gangs of nylon gill nets with graded mesh sizes from 2 to 4 inches were set in 50 and 80 fathoms off Frankfort, at 25 to 50 fath- oms off both Charlevoix and Manistique, and at 100 fathoms in Grand Traverse Bay. Bloaters (Leucichthys hoyi) dominated the catch from sets in 25 and 50 fathoms, and were well represented in catches from nets in deeper sets. L. reighardi was the second most abundant chub taken in gill nets during this cruise. The reighardi were most- ly in spawning or spent condition. Some L. kiyi and two of the now scarce L. nigripinnis were tak- en in deeper sets. Catches of L. alpenae and L. zenithicus, which together make up the bulk of the commercial chub catch in southern Lake Michigan, are exceedingly light in the northern portion of the lake. Bloaters which are a nuisance to the com- mercial fishery in the southern end of the lake be- cause of their small size are larger in the north- ern section, yet they are the most abundant chub in both parts of the lake. One lake trout was taken in the experimental gill nets fished at 25 fathoms off Charlevoix. This fish was 4 years old and is probably a member of the last year-class of lake trout that hatched in Lake Michigan. Nylon gill nets (2-inch mesh) were set oblique- ly from the surface to the bottom in 160 feet of wa- ter off Frankfort and Charlevoix. The heaviest con- centration of chubs was within 4 or 5 fathoms of the bottom where L. hoyi and L. reighardi domi- nated the catch. A few bloaters were scattered from the bottom to the surface. Some lake herring were taken within the upper 60 feet and afewperch in the upper 40 feet of water. October 1955 Tows with bottom trawls were made at several depths off Frankfort, Charlevoix, and Manistique, and in Grand Traverse Bay. Chub catches varied from light to heavy and were primarily composed of bloaters. These bloaters are of a much larger average size than those taken in trawls in the south- ern portion of the lake in 1954. Five small ale- wives were taken in trawls towed near Charlevoix. This species is just now entering and becoming es- tablished in Lake Michigan. Of particular interest was a catch of a yellow perch and two crawfish in a trawl towed at 100 fathoms in Grand Traverse Bay. Mid-water trawling was carried out during day- light hours off Charlevoix and in both afternoon and evening off Frankfort. No fish were taken in tows near the surface or at mid-depths. Cottids and chubs were taken in fair numbers in tows made within a few fathoms of the bottom. A few coregonid fry with yolk sacks still pro- truding were taken in surface tows with a } meter plankton net. These are probably young of the spring-spawning chubs (L. hoyi and L. reighardi). Hydrographic transects were made across the lake from Charlevoix to Manistique and from Manistique to Frankfort. A resistance thermograph recorded surface water temperatures during the entire peri- od that the boat was on the lake. Thermal strati- fication is complete except for a few deep-water areas where the water is nearly homothermous from surface to bgttom. Surface temperatures ranged fr 39.4 F. over the deep areas of the lake to 68 F. near shore. The latter temperature was near a river mouth and probably does not rep- resent a true temperature for lake water. Cruise V--June 21-July 2, 1955: This cruise nearly duplicated operations of Cruise III (May 10-22) of this year in order to measure changes in lake conditions and fish populations betweenthe two periods. Experimental nylon gill nets were set on the bottom of Lake Michigan at 25, 50, 80, and 135 fathoms off Frankfort and at 25 and 50 fathoms off Sturgeon Bay. There was no pronounced change between Cruises III and V in the quantity of chubs taken in gill nets. Bloaters (Leucichthys hoyi) continued to dominate the catch. Most conspicuous change in species composition of the chub catch has been a sharp reduction in the number of L. rei- ghardi. The reduction can probably be associated with the termination of the spawning period of the species between the two cruises and the resultant lessened activity which is essential for gill-net en- tanglement. L. kiyi replaced L. hoyi as the sec- ond most important contributor to the chub catch during this cruise. Chub catches continued to be lighter off Sturgeon Bay than at corresponding depths off Frankfort. The nets set at 135 fathoms took fewest chubs, but in spite of the small catch, six species of chubs were represented. Gill nets were set obliquely from surface to bot- tom in 160 feet of water off Ludington and Frank- fort. Chubs were taken from the bottom up to with-: in 20 feet of the surface but with the greatest con- centration in the bottom 20 feet. Lake herring COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 53 (L. artedi) were taken in the zone from the surface down to 80 feet with the greatest concentration be- tween 40 and 60 feet in the thermoclinal region. A few yellow perch were taken within 40 feet ofthe surface. Botton-trawling hauls were made between Stur- geon Bay and Manitowoc, and between Ludington and Frankfort. Most catches were of moderate size and made up primarily of cottids and chubs. Of the chubs, the bloaters were most abundant. Trawl catches on the east shore tended to run larger than on the west shore. Hydrographic transects were made across Lake Michigan from Frankfort to Sturgeon Bay and from Manitowoc to Ludington. Temperature records obtained during the cruise show that surface tem- peratures ranged from 49.8 to68.9 F. Thelake is well stratified and the epilimnion is less than 60 feet thick in most cases. Surface temperatures in the same area during Cruise [III ranged from 37.9 -48.7 F. Cruise VI--July 12-25, 1955: Theprimary pur- pose of this cruise was to collect data for a com- parison of present chub population of northern Lake Michigan with what existed there in 1932. Experi- mental linen gill nets made to the same specifica- tion as those fished by the research vessel Fulmar were fished at three stations between Charlevoix and Manistique where the Fulmar fished these nets. Data collected from fish taken in these nets should show what changes, if any, have taken place inthe chub populations since the sea lamprey became abundant in the lake during the 1940's. Otter trawls were towed on the bottom at sev- eral depths southeast of Beaver Island. Shallow- water catches contained large numbers of 9-spine sticklebacks (Pungitius pungitius) and troutperch (Percopsis omiscomaycus). A large catch of bloaters (Leucichthys hoyi) was made at 45-50 fathoms. In general all catches were smaller than in other parts of the lake at similar depths. Per- haps the smaller catches can be attributed to the exceptionally clear water of this area. A secchi disc could be seen near shore to depths of 55 feet whereas, in other sections of the lake, it can be seen at depths no greater than about 20 feet when close to shore. A hydrographic transect was made across north- ern Lake Michigan between Charlevoix and Manis- tique. Surface temperatures usually ranged be- tween 70 -75 F., but near the end of the cruise strong northerly winds brought about an area of upwelling near the Frankfort region and the surface temperature fell from 73.4 F. to 42.8 F. A special study was made in Lake Charlevoix, a relatively large lake connected to Lake Michigan by a narrow channel. Nansen bottle and bathermo- graph casts were made at one station, and several tows were made with plankton nets and trawls. Perch and smelt fry made up the bulk of the trawl catches. Mysis is apparently not present in the lake although existing conditions seemed to be fa-~ vorable for this species. A 54 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 Great Lakes LAKE TROUT CATCH ON LAKES HURON, MICHIGAN, AND SUPERIOR, 1949-53: The catch of lake trout in Lake Michigan had dropped to zero by 1953 and that for Lake Huron was only 6.7 percent of normal. This sharp decline is attributed to sea lamprey depredations. Lake Superior was the only one of the Great Lakes to yield appreciable quantities of lake trout. The table gives the lake trout production for the 1949-53 period. Lake Trout in the Upper Great Lakes, 1949-1953, and Modern "Normal" Production in the Various Waters Lake and State Catch— Modes ie or Province 1949 | 1950 | 1951 {1952 | 1953 Production— Lake Huron: IMMUN 6.5 6 6.00 0 050 « Ontarios)/Perwree tone FOE cc ts nck cot wie eee Lake Michigan: Michigan.) cen: Wisconsin vermansmcmnae Sere JuUMiaYeMNE 6 625 0 Indiaman) fie Wo chet Ge FP OCA eater i ee ate ee Ans Lake Superior: IMCS G 4 6 5 6 00 Shiels Wisconsin: So efince hw nhs Minnesota Sey eee AllU.S. waters ... 2,965 |3,193)| 2,911 Ontario. et tes, ee euce 1, BOS |b, HOG || ab, AVS |, SO jab, Seva 1,395 Aliwaternsimnn surmecriiee 4, 321 1/ Catch of less than 1,000 pounds omitted, 9/ Years on which normal catches are based: Canadian waters of Lake Huron, 1923-1939; U, S. waters of Lake Huron, ~ 1895-1939; Lake Michigan, 1927-1944; Canadian waters of Lake Superior, 1930-1949; U. S. waters of Lake Superior, 1926-1949. 3/ Includes Huron proper. 2,074 |1, 746 521] 450 || ale eg Ang ot Gulf Exploratory Fishery Program CAPACITY TRIP OF TUNA LANDED BY "OREGON" (Cruise 33): A total of 652 yellowfin tuna (weighing 59,000 pounds) were caught by the Service's explora- tory fishing vessel Oregon during an 18-day commercial-scale tuna long-line trip in the north central Gulf of Mexico, which ended August 27. Thefishranged in weight from 7 to 215 pounds each, with an average of approximately 90 pounds. Of the fish caught, 19 percent were shark damaged. The remaining whole yellowfin weigh- ed 45, 665 pounds. During the 14 fishing days, 19 sets were made. Except when unfavorable sea conditions were encountered, approximately 100 baskets of gear were run eachday, either as one continuous set, or two 50-basket sets (12,870 hooks were set for the cruise). The gear was normally set with half 10-fathom float lines and half 20-fath- om float lines. A variety of bait species were used on most sets, including small mullet, cigarfish (Decapterus), balio, and herring. There was no apparent bait preference. October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 55 Catch rates on individual sets ranged from 1.7 to 11.2 yellowfin per 100 hooks and averaged 5.06 yellowfin per 100 hooks. In addition, 27 blackfin tuna, 8 Kat- suwonus, 78 white marlin, 1 blue, marlin, 10 sailfish, 2 small swordfish, and 178 sharks were landed on the long lines. Sixteen of the white marlin were tagged and released in cooperation with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and an additional 99 sharks were shot during the trip. LEGEND: Fishing activities were car- + “TONG-LINE SETS. ried out in two general areas. During the first half of the cruise all sets were made approximate- ly 90 miles south of Mobile Bay. After seven days in this areathe Oregon's brine-freezing tank was filled to capacity (14 tons) and the vessel returned to Pascagoula to unload. ee eee = During the last half of the cruise a few sets were made in the same area before the Oregon moved to an area SSE. of the Mississippi Delta and worked be- tween the 600- and 1, 000-fathom curves. The largest single catch was made south of Mobile where 88 yellowfin were taken on 104 baskets. The best single catch rate was south southeast of the Mississippi Delta where 56 yellowfin were caught on a 50-basket set for an average of 11.2 fish per 100 hooks. 90° goof. / 88° 8 Cruise 33 of exploratory fishing vessel Oregon, Aug, 9-Aug. 27, 1955. Stomach analyses, sex determinations, and body measurements were obtained for the catch. Bathythermograph casts were made at each end of the line. Plank- ton samples were obtained on each run between stations. Night light dip-netting produced large series of post-larvae and juvenille tunas, sailfish, and one 20-inch swordfish. Large schools of mixed blackfin, Katsuwonus, and yellowfin tuna were SS observed during the cruise. Three 50-pound yellowfins were caught on handlines. Exploratory fishing for red shrimp (Hymenopendeus robustus) in the deep wa- ters of the north central and northeastern parts of the Gulf of Mexico will be the objective of the Oregon during a trip scheduled to leave Pascagoula September 6 (Cruise 34). Additional information will be sought on the seasonal distribution of potentially-valuable red shrimp stocks in this area and the known depth ranges of this species. Major trawling emphasis will be centered between Cape San Blas and Tampa Bay in depths of 150 to 300 fathoms, and along the Louisiana Coast in the same depth range. OOK OK OK OK 56 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 DEEP-WATER SHRIMP TRAWLING TRIP COMPLETED BY "OREGON" (Cruise 34): The basic objectives of this trip were to obtain (1) additional exploratory cov- erage of the 100- to 300-fathom area in the eastern and north-central Gulf of Mexico between Cape San Blas and Tampa Bay and (2) preliminary trawling coverage of the red shrimp depth range along the Louisiana coast west of the Mississippi Delta. 319 The Oregon completed the second part of this 3-week deep-water shrimp trawling trip on September 26. Sixteen drags using a 40-foot trawl were made in125 to 275 fath- oms along the Florida coast be- onee-g 7 I se tween 87 west longitude and 28 Pa “200, AY north latitude. Catches of red pers a x shrimp throughout this area were oF CocAT OF AA na \ small (1 to 14 pounds per 2-hour rf tow). No indications of commer- 2 eae , cial concentrations were located 92° 80 Guilin Oceana vee He 8’ south of 29 30' N. and 87 08' W. at (210 fathoms west of Cape San Blas). From this position west to 88°05! W. good catches were made in depths of 200 to 225 fathoms. Trawling with an 80-foot balloon net, 150 to 295 pounds of red shrimp were caught per 3-hour drag, averaging 225 pounds per drag. Fifteen drags with the 40-foot trawl were made along the Louisiana coast in depths of 100 to 300 fathoms west of Southwest Pass. Catches ranged from 6 to 13 pounds per drag in the 150- to 300-fathom range. Due to poor trawling bottom throughout this area, 2 nets and doors were lost and 3 other drags resulted in se- vere tearups. Two drags were made off Southwest Pass in depths of 55 to 65 fathoms to ob- tain silver porgies (Stenotomus caprinus) for future trials as tuna long-line bait. A total of 250 pounds of 8-10 to the pound porgies were frozen. Ten pounds of very large (3-5 heads-on to the pound) brown-grooved shrimp were also taken in each catch. Large numbers of schooling blackfin tuna and skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis) were observed throughout the areas worked. Night-light collecting yielded several hundred juvenile skipjack. — LSE Maine CANNED MAINE SARDINE PACK, SEPT. 10: The total pack of canned Maine sardines to September 10, 1955, was 828,181 actual cases--considerably less than for the same period in 1954. (See graph on chart 6 of this issue.) Fish supply was still very spotty, reports the Maine Sardine Industry. October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 57 Fresh-Water Mussel Research Program The research program to improve the domestic mussel-shell button industry will include life-history studies of the two most important species, the heavy shell "big toe'' and "niggerhead" mussels. These two mussel varieties are of the great- est importance to the United States button industry. Present plans of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service include (1) a survey of the TVA area of the Tennessee River to determine the shell potential, particularly as applied to juvenile populations; (2) a study of the effect of siltation in the TVA system on the mussel popula- tions, particularly on the juvenile sizes; (3) a surveyto locate new mussel beds; (4) a study of regulations on the harvesting of mussels; (5) a study of the possibility of improving present fishing gear and other methods of shell harvest; (6) and a study of the possibility of trans- planting desirable heavy-shell mussels to areas where desirable populations do not now exist but where the biological conditions might permit the establishment of such populations. Fresh-water mussel. Most of the mussel shells taken in this country for manufacture into fresh-wa- ter pearl buttons have been produced in waters of the Mississippi River basin, es- pecially in areas of the Tennessee River. Thus, during 1954, Tennessee account- ed for 30 percent of the total take of mussel shells; Alabama, 20 percent; Arkansas, 18 percent; Kentucky, 13 percent; Indiana, 11 percent; Illinois, 7 percent; andlowa-- center of manufacture--only 1 percent. At this time there is no demand for shells taken from the northern rivers out- side the Mississippi River basin. The principal species taken from these waters is the mucket or "pocket book" mussel, the shell of which is less suitable for the type of button now desired. The competition from plastic materials and imported marine pearl shells has given the domestic mussel-shell industry a difficult time in recent years. During 1954, the industry produced 4.3 million gross of buttons, valued at $4, 800, 000, and 3,155 tons of lime and poultry grit, valued at $22,000. The value of manufac- tured items produced from fresh-water mussel shells averaged $4,900, 000 in the last 3 years, whereas during the period 1936-38 this value averaged $4, 100, 000. Nevertheless, this gain in value has been due entirely to the increase in pricesfor buttons, as the quantity produced has declined substantially during the period. cao North Atlantic Fisheries Investigations SURVEY OF GEORGES BANK AND SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND BANKS BY. "ALBATROSS III" (Cruise 66): A seven-day cruise (completed September 28) de- signed to study: (1) the distribution of zero-ring haddock (less than one year old) in connection with the early life-history and year-class strength studies; (2) the distribution and numbers of older bottom fish; and (3) the whiting fishery. During the cruise, 56 one-half hour drags with a No. 36 trawl net, 57 bathy- thermograph lowerings, and 27 surface one-meter net tows were made. Due tothe very few zero-ring haddock found on the above banks, a poor survival of spawn is indicated. Juvenile whiting were found at most stations. Scattered concentrations of juvenile hake, butterfish, and scup were also found at six stations. Intensive sampling of whiting for racial studies was undertaken at six stations. 58 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 Estimates of the 1955 year-class of Georges and Browns Bank haddock will be made by correlating the distribution and drift of eggs during the spring and the dis- tribution of zero-ring haddock during the fall. = & \ North Atlantic Fisheries Exploration and Gear Research GOOD CATCHES OF LARGE OCEAN PERCH IN DEEP WATER BY "DELA- WARE" (Cruise 9): Five catches of ocean perch (Sebastes marinus) greater than 10, 000 pounds per one-hour drag ; << were made out of 35 such drags poms) \, ‘priett?| completed by the Service's explora- s tory fishing vessel Delaware on a _/ | 15-day cruise in North Atlantic wa- /| ters. Catches between 5, 000- ; Ste eee coal 10,000 pounds were recorded for 44° at ee ee ee 5 other drags. The best catches Ell i eve Z were made in depths between | Cy oun Pe 27 ago! | enemas |e 250-300 fathoms. The best single ‘sume ay oe] PS ear alee catch of 20,000 pounds of ocean yy eles soa ae @ 5,00p 0 10,000 LBS. PER 1-KR. DRAG perch was taken by the balloon Sell | eaiee aaa Oss Man See ee eee trawl eihe tishtaveragedmlnos andr pounds each and are much larger OL 42 o 64° 62 60° than ocean perch from shallower The Service’s exploratory fishing vessel Delaware made good catches Waters. of large ocean perch at depths greater than ordinarily fished by New England trawlers. The cruise, which began on September 15, was one of a series designed to explore the groundfish resources at the edge of the continental shelf in waters deeper than are ordinarily fished by New England trawlers. The vessel fished in depths between 100-500 fathoms. The gear fished consisted of a standard No. 41 trawl and a No. 41 balloon trawl. The vessel departed on September 26 for a 12-day cruise to study the rate at which groundfish catches can be brine-frozen under commercial operating condi- tions. —— —— =) Maine Herring Exploration and Gear Research "THEODORE N. GILL" SEARCHES FOR SCHOOLS OF LARGE HERRING (Cruise 5): Anintensive search for schools of large spawning herring was carried on during Cruise No. 5 inorder to determine whether different races of herring live inthe Gulf of Maine. The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service research vessel TheodoreN. Gill traversed the Maine coast, between Cape Small and Eastport, the islands of Campobello and Grand Mananin New Brunswick, and areas along NovaScotia between Digby and Yarmouth. The vessel left Boothbay Harbor August 16 and returned August 26, 1955. No schools of spawning fish were observed along the Maine coast in the local- ities where herring have been known to congregate and spawn in the past. The re- gion around the islands of Damariscove, Monhegan, Matinicus, Mount Desert Rock, Petit Manan, Libby, and Cross were searched thoroughly with echo-sounding de- vices, but the results were negative. Mackerel seiners operating off the western and central parts of the Maine coast report a similar scarcity of large fish. October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 59 During this cruise, only one gill-net set was made, because it had been de- cided to put the nets out only when fish schools were discovered. In the evening of August 17, we set the five gill nets on a school of fish three miles off Matinicus Rock. Several hundred pounds of large whiting, a mackerel, a white hake, and several alewives and bluebacks was the total catch. Small fish were plentiful in the few inshore Maine localities that were visited, and a great school of brit was discovered by echo-sounding along the western side of Campobello Island, N. B., on August 21. During the night these fish were lo- cated from a depth of 50 feet to the surface. The school was about six miles long. A lampara-seine set was made on these fish during the late morning of August 22. Since most of the fish had then descended from the surface, we were able to capture only a few hundred small fish, less than four inches long. Through the active cooperation of scientists of the Fishery Research Board of Canada, we were able to obtain samples of spawning herring in the Yarmouth(Nova Scotia) area. These fish were being taken by both gill nets and weirs. a \ Ty North Atlantic Herring Research HERRING SUPPLY FORECASTS FORESEEN: United States and Canadian fish- ery biologists, on September 29, told sardine packers of both countries that they hoped to perfect a system for making accurate long-range forecasts of the Gulf of Maine herring supply. This prediction highlighted a September meeting of 75 Maine and Canadian pack- ers and their representatives, held at Hinkley Point, Me., during which the ex- perts brought the packers up to date on the large-scale herring research programs being conducted and financed by the United States and Canadian governments. It was especially timely in view of a drastic fish shortage which is holding sar- dine production to one of the lowest levels in history this year. A similar situation existed in both 1951 and 1953, states a September 29 news release from The Maine Sardine Industry. The discussions were lead by Drs. Lionel Walford, Chief Fishery Biologist of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, D. C., and J. L. Hart, Director Atlantic Biological Station, St. Andrews, N. B. Both agreed that their organiza- tions were getting at the heart of the herring problem and that the findings should become progressively valuable to packers and fishermen in the future. The biolo- gists stated that no definite conclusions as to the cause of the present fish shortage have been reached but data is being collected that may tell the story in a year or two. The research programs of both countries are being closely coordinated and a spirit of complete cooperation exists in the double-barrel attack on the problem. The packers agreed that accurate long-range forecasting of the fish supplies that would be available from year to year would be of inestimable value to the in- dustry. 60 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 North Pacific Exploratory Fishery Program Salmon were caught at every station fished by the Service' Ss exploratory vessel. Ton N. Cobb in the offshore waters of the Gulf of Alaska and adjacent areas of the North Pacific. A total of 50 gill-net sets showed that salmon were widely distributed on the high seas from off northern Vancouver Island to Dutch Harbor, Alaska, during the 12-weeks cruise that began on June 23 and ended September 18, 1955. Results of the exploratory fishing yielded valuable new information on the off- shore distribution, abundance, and availability of salmon to certain types of gear. All fishing was carried out from 50 to 300 miles offshore, anda few stations were fished a second time after an interval of abouttwo months to compare catch results at different times. All five species of Pacific salmon were caught ina number of the gill-net sets, other sets produced from 1 to 4 species. Chum salmon were most abundant in the over-all catch, with king salmon least numerous. The majority of the salmon - were of good size, apparently adult spawning stock. Smaller fish rep- resenting later year-classes were taken in the smaller mesh nets de- The John N. Cobb, a vessel operated by the Service’s Branch of Com- a : mercial Fisheries, is conducting exploratory fishing in the North signed to sample immature salmon Pacific, feeding in the area. The gill-net catch for the 50 sets was 2,484 salmon, an average of 49 salmon per set and included 1,248 chum, 639 pink, 367 red, 211 silver, and 19 king salm- on. Individual catches ranged from 1 to 168 salmon. The gill nets also caught 55 steelhead trout and various numbers of pomfret, scad, mackerel shark, and afew ragfish. Salmon trolling gear fished for 28 hours in the vicinity of 5 gill-net sta- tions caught 22 fish--18 silver, 3 pink, and 1 king salmon. The nylon gill nets designed to fish from the surface to about 20 feet deep, were made up in 50-fathom shackles, with mesh sizes from 34" to 6" stretched measure. Most sets were made at night, setting in the evening and hauling back shortly after daybreak. The three daytime sets caught salmon, but the catches were less than those taken in the same places at night. On most sets, either 20 shackles (1,000 fathoms) or 30 shackles (1, 500 fath- oms) of gill net were set. Smaller amounts of gear were used early in the tripand during poor weather on several sets. Weather conditions, in general, were favorable for surface gill-netting during most of the cruise. Only a few fishing days were lost because of adverse weather up to the end of August. But from August 30 to mid-September a series of storms seriously cut down fishing time. Over 2,000 frozen salmon were returned to Seattle for racial studies and 330 were tagged at sea and released. In addition, blood samples from 45 red salmon were preserved for an experiment on the identification of races of fish through blood characteristics. October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 61 Oceanographic data, including surface and subsurface water samples, plankton hauls, and bathythermograph records, were obtained at each fishing station. The cruise was part of the high-seas salmon research program approved by the International North Pacific Fisheries Commission. Le Pacific Oceanic Fishery Investigations (Cruise 4): Good catches of yellowfin tuna near Fanning Island, were made by the Commonwealth, a fishing vessel under charter to the U. S. Fishand Wildlife Service's Pacific Oceanic Fisheries In- vestigations. The ship returned toHon- Fe et a olulu on August 16 after a six-weeks = TROLLING AREA. cruise to the Line Islands. This was the third cruise in a series which will extend throughout 1955 to study changes ~ "ELLOWPIN TUNA TAQGED. in the seasonal abundance of tunainthe equatorial region. = YELLOWFIN TUNA CATCH/100 HOOKS, 'e~ NUMBER OF YELLOWF IN TUNA TAGGED. During 105 hours of scouting close to shore around the Line Islands, only 43 bird flocks were sighted. In general these flocks were small and tended to disperse quickly when the vessel ap- proached, as though the fish had sound- ed. A few were identified as accompa- nying skipjack tuna schools. Trolling close to shore in the areas shown on the chart for 105 hours netted only 24 yellowfin. Six lines were fished simultaneously during this time. This low catch rate, which is about 0.2 yel- lowfin per hour, is the lowest for the three cruises on which trolling was done in 1955, Eighty-three wahoo were cap-_ Ctuise 4 of M/V Commonwealth chartered by the Service’s tured incidentally during trolling. Pacific Oceanic Fisheries Investigations. An average of 35 11-hook baskets per day was fished on 11 long-line stations from July 15 to August 8. The range of catches of these stations (which began at Christmas Island and terminated at Palmyra Island--see chart) was from 0.2 to 6.9 yellowfin per 100 hooks. The lowest catch rate was made at Christmas Island and the two highest (6.1 and 6.9 yellowfin per 100 hooks) at Fanning Island. The average catch rate for all stations was 3.1 yellowfin per 100 hooks. A total of 135 sharks, nearly all of which were brown sharks were captured. Of the 137 yellow- fin captured, 33 (24 percent) were shark damaged. One special long-line station at which only three baskets were set was occupied at the east end of Palmyra Island reef. This set which was anchored to the reef caught only 1 yellowfin and 20 brown sharks (61 sharks per 100 hooks). The weather as a whole during the cruise was fair but with prolonged rain showers in the vicinity of PalmyralIsland. No fishing time was lost due to bad weather. 62 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 In addition to determining abundance of yellowfin tuna, a tagging program is being used to study possible migration of this species. Approximately 700 yellow- fin tuna have been tagged in the equatorial area but to date no recoveries have been made. A site has been located at Christmas Island for a submerged recording sea thermometer and a dummy instrument was installed to test the anchor system. When the thermometer is installed it will maintain a six-mor.ths' record of sea temperatures and may help to explain the fluctuations in tuna abundance. % OK OK OK SKIPJACK TAGGING CRUISE BY "CHARLES H. GILBERT"! (Cruise 22): total of 821 skipjack tuna were tagged with the California-type ("G ) EES pi tag by the Service's research ves- sel Charles H. Gilbert during a six-week cruise off the Hawaiian Islands. The primary purpose of the trip (which began on July 11) was to catch and tag what is known 22%. as ''seasonal skipjack" or fishlarg- er than 12 pounds catch. Fishof this size were scarce and only 57 fish were tagged and released in this size group. Inthe 3 to10-pound size class, 764 fish were tagged. Other objectives of the trip were 2x. (1) the testing of artificial baits; and (2) scouting for skipjack schools and transmitting the results to the local fleet twice daily. Surface temperature records were made throughout the area covered and subservice temperatures were ob- tained when fish were caught and at other irregular intervals. 158°W. 6 OW. General location of tag releases and number of releases for skip- jack tagged on the Charles H, Gilbert’s Cruise 22. The artifical baits were tested on one small skipjack school without success. Routine observations were made on the behavior of skipjack schools and associated bird flocks. The length, weight, sex, and stomach contents of 10 skipjacks from each school were obtained and all untagged skipjack tuna were measured. On August 17 a total of 80 skipjack of 33 to 4 pounds size were obtained and processed for honeycombing tests. Various lures were used on four trolling lines for catching skipjack and 16fish were caught. OOK KK OK OK NEW ALBACORE GROUNDS LOCATED BY "JOHN R. MANNING" (Cruise 26): Albacore tuna were located as much as 800 miles north of the grounds where the United States commercial vessels fish, according to a report of a 6, 000-mile ex- ploratory albacore fishing cruise to the United States west coast and back. This cruise was made by the Service's fishery research vessel John R. Manning. The principal purpose of the cruise was to study the distribution and abundance of the albacore tuna throughout the vast stretch of open ocean east of Hawaii and on into the coastal waters of California, where a United States fishery for this species is October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 63 in full swing in the late summer. In addition to the open ocean distribution, the immediate coastal distribution during the summer fishery was also investigated. Little is known of the occurrence of albacore in the open sea between Hawaii and the United States west coast, but it is believed that there may be possibilities for the development of commer- cial fishing grounds there. The Japanese have long fished albacore at the same latitudes farther west, and albacore tagged on the Cali- fornia coast have been recaptured in this Japanese fishery, presum- ably having passed northwest of Hawaii in their migrations. The present fishery on the American coast is very restricted in the duration of its season and the ex- tent of its grounds. The aim of exploratory fishing is to aid the expansion of the fishery by find- ing schools of albacore earlier or later than the extremes of the present fishing season or outside the geographical limits of pres- ent operations. / Cruise 26 of the John R. Manning, July 15-Sept. 10, 1955, In its exploratory work the Picea vessel employed both long-line fishing gear used by the Japanese in the northwest Pacific and the trolling technique of the United States fishery. According to the fishery research biologist in charge on the cruise, trolling was much more produc- tive than long-lining, catching 58 albacore to the long lines' 6. The fishing,done by the vessel in the coastal area was at all times several hundred miles from the cen- ter of activity of the commercial fleet, and although not highly productive, it did result in locating albacore as much as 800 miles north of the grounds where the commercial vessels were fishing. The results of this cruise together with the results of other Fish and Wildlife Service vessels operating out of Honolulu and Seattle suggest that in addition to the albacore off the West Coast, there is, during the summer, an important concentra- tion of fish about 1,000 miles north of Honolulu. In this area vessels surveying for salmon took large numbers of albacore in gill nets, and hydrographic vessels took them on troll lines. The existence of this latter body of fish may be important to Hawaii for they are within practicable range of Honolulu. The John R. Manning departed Pearl Harbor, Ts Hy on July 15, 1955, fished northeast from 30 iNew Lois 6! W. to 47 SSNs 40 SOL OU ies southeast to 40 33! INiegoomOau Wie northeast to 43 go! N., 130 °00' W.; southeast to 41 39'N., 126 41' W.; southwest to 40 17'N., 128 18' W.; then directly to San Francisco. After refueling and reprovisioning at San Francisco between August 15 and a9; the vesgel fished along the West Coast from 38 49'N,, 124° 57' W. south to 35 02'N., 122 D5 °Wis§ dug west along 35 N. latitude to,130 LE We dongitude; northwest to 38° 43'N., 132 16'W., then southwest to 29 41'N., 143 °01' W.; returned to Pearl Harbor on September 10, 1955. The vessel fished 38 long-line stations. Each station consisted of a 40-basket set of 13-hook gear, 20 baskets with 5-fathom floatlines and 20 with 15-fathom float- lines, alternated in groups of 10 baskets. 64 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 A total of 6 albacore (6 to 22 pounds each) were taken on the gear at 4 stations (see table for location of albacore catch). The total catch for all stations was: 6 albacore tuna, 24 big-eyed tuna, 5 striped marlin, 1 black marlin, 1 short-nosed spearfish, 719 great blue shark, 8 soupfin shark (Galeorhinus Table 1 - Location of Albacore Tuna on Cruise 26 |zyopterus), 5 mackerel of the John R. Manning shark (Lamna cornubica), Number o Number} 3 mako shark (Isurus glau- W. Long. Strikesl landed | cus), 113 lancetfish(Alepi- 134728! saurus sp.), 59 dolphin 133024! (Coraephaena hippurus), 1 133°20! wahoo, 7 bramids, 3 moon- 132°35! fish (Lampris regia), 1 Pa- 131°30! cific jack mackerel (Tra- 131°13.5! churus symmetricus), and 130059! 1 Anotopterus pharad (?). 128°31' 128°16! 127°07' 128°18! Oo 1 127011" 122°57! 122°51! fo) 122°15! 1 (24°38) 125014! 126°48.5! 126048. 5! 1 131033) 131045! oO Lee 1G, Intensive trolling with 6 jig lines was substituted for long-lining when weather conditions did not permit setting of the long-line gear. Five such trolling stations were conducted and albacore were taken at two of these. At 39-520 No) soa ange in 12 hours of trolling, a total of 53 albacore strikes were recorded, of which 35 fish were landed. The fish weighed from 12 to14 pounds each. Another trolling sta- tion at 35°03'N., 123°47'W. yielded 6 albacore (10-13 Sie men te pounds each) out of 9 strikes 1/ This is the total number of identified fish hooked. in 13 hours. 2/ These fish were taken by long line. All others were troll-caught albacore. PHORPWWwWOoOwWwWrre TS) © T usigow lomox BAR AAA Eteino® ont to ovitsitin? 2: WHALE MEAT TO U:'S. FOR MINK FEED: Since small: whales: have been a- broken but bad weather:curtailed hunting.” The price for>small whale meat has re- mained the entire season at 10 U.S:-cents a pound delivered-because: of consider - able demand. Large shipments have been sent to the United States to mink farmers. It appears that the meat of small Norwegian whales is coming into the picture in a serious way-as.a ‘mink food; states the August 10 Fiskaren; a Norwegian fishery periodical: 3 3K OK AS MACKEREL FILLETS: About 3.1 million pounds of mackerel had been filleted by five Norwegian plants by early August 1955, according to Fiskaren (August 10), a Norwegian trade periodical. By the end of the season it is expected the total will reach 4.4 million pounds with a 40- to 50-percent yield of fillets. Most of the fillets are-shipped to‘East: European-countries to fulfill contracts, However, mackerel fil- lets will soon be introduced to the Norwegian market. g Pakistan FISH OIL IMPORTS: Imports of fish oils (hardened) into Pakistan for the five trade: years (July 1-June 30) declined steadily from 1950/51 through 1953/54 (see table). i Pakistan's Fish Oil Imports, Trade Years 1950/51.-1954/55 | Qty] Value |Qty.| Value [Qty | [Qty. [| Value “|[Qty.| Value | T, OOO|1, OOO|1, OOO}, OOO|L, OOO|1, OOO]1, OOO fL, OOO TL, OOO}T, OOO|1, OOO]1, OOO |1, 0001, OOO, 000 Lbs.| R.| US$ |Lbs.| R.| US$ | Lbs} R.|US$ |Lbs.| -R.] US$ |Lbs.| R. | US$ 80 | 139} 42 | 365 |162-|/49 | 715 | 386 | 116/841 | 568] 170 | 494 | 500 | 150 Portugal CANNED FISH EXPORTERS ORGANIZE TO PROMOTE SALES IN U.S.: A group of 30 south Portuguese canners and exporters of sardines and other canned fish have met under the auspices of the-Chamber: of Commerce of-the United States of America in Portugabto consider measures for the promotion-of their products in the United States.< At the suggestion of the Chamber’ they are considering the appointment of joint representatives in distribution centers other than New York, notably Chicago, New Orleans, and San Francisco. They are also considering the possibilities of marketing their products under a joint trade name. Two representa- tives of the group are being sent to the United States on an investigative and promo- tional tour, according to a September 22 dispatch from the United States Embassy in Portugal. ek oe ok 3K October 1955» COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 99 FISHING TRENDS, APRIL 1955: The catch of sardinés in Portugal during April 1955 continued light at most fishing ports, except at ports in Algarve Province, re- ports the July 1955 Conservas De Peixe, a Portuguese trade magazine. Sardine landings at Algarve Tishing ports (including very light landings in Lisbon) totaled 1,337 metric tons, valued at 4.9 million escudos (US$170;000), as compared with landings of 1,797 tons,‘valued at'6.5 million escudos (US$225,000); in April 1954. Only 567 tons of the April 1955 catch was canned. Portimao was’ the leading fishing center in Algarve during April, producing 632 metric tons, valued at 2.3 million escudos (US$80,000). Landings at the ports of Lagos, Olhao, and V. R. Sto. Antonio averaged between 200-250 tons in April. There was practically no tuna fishing in Portugal during April. The landings of all fish, other than sardines, in April totaled only 2,898 metric tons, valued at 6.7 million escudos (US$231,000), mostly chinchards and the remainder biqueirao, bonito, and mackerel. KOK OK RK SARDINE FISHING TRENDS, MAY 1955: The new Sardine fishery season in Portugal opened during May 1955, and results were encouraging. In May 1955 sar- dine landings in the main fishing centers of Portugal amounted to 5,399 metric tons, valued at 15.3 million escudos (US$0.5 million ex-vessel). During May 1954 the sardine landings amounted to only 3,412 tons, valued at 12.7 million escudos (US$0 .4 million). Fishing for sardines-out of Matoshinhos; which is one of the most-important fishing centers,-was poor. Only 129 metric tons were landed during the month, points out the August 1955 Conservas De Piexe. OK OK OK CANNED FISH EXPORTS, JANUARY-MAY 1955: Portuguese canned fish ex- ports totaled 4,229 metric tons, valued at 60.7 million escudos (US$2.1 million), Portuguese Canned:Fish Exports, May 1955 during January-May 1955, Portugal's export of canned fish in May 1955 was good, according to Con- _servas De Peixe, August 1955. During January-May 1955 Germany was the leading receiver with 61.4 million es- eudos (US$2.1 million) of canned fish (principally sardines), followed by Italy with 55.5 million escudos (US$1.9) mil- lion), principally sardines, Great Bri- tain with 43.1 million escudos (US$1.5 million), and the United States with 37.5 million escudos (US$1.3 million), princi- pally 876,tons of sardines in oil or sauce, 10 tons of tuna and tunalike fish in oil, 22,811 and 775 tons of anchovies. ae OOK OK Fe OK 100 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 FISHERIES TRENDS FOR 1955: Commercial fishing in Portugal benefited from generally favorable conditions this year. The total cod catch should be as good as last year, when 65,237 metric tons (wet basis) were caught. The sardine catch has been at about the same level as in the previous season, which was the best in years, and sardine prices are higher than last year. Other offshore fishing also has been as good as last year, points out a United States Embassy dispatch (September 29, 1955) from Lisbon. Of the 70 Portuguese cod-fishing vessels, 20 hand-line fishing vessels have re- turned loaded this season and 13 more are reported to be on the way to Portugal completely loaded. Another 13 remain at the Grand Banks to complete their loads. These vessels encountered cyclonic storms, and some were forced to put into St. Johns. Modernization of the cod fleet and the addition of new and larger units contrib- uted to the larger catch in 1954 and 1955. The Portuguese cod fleet in 1937 com- prised 51 small sailing ships, totaling 17,300 gross tons, with a total complement of 5,000, which is more than double the 1937 total. Despite the increase in Portu- guese cod consumption since 1937, when population increased by more than a mil- lion, imports of cod (34,945 metric tons in 1937) decreased in 1954 to 13,548 metric tons, valued at 105 million escudos (US$3,700,000). ok Kk Ok MARINE-OIL PRODUCTION AND EXPORTS, 1954: Production: Portuguese production of marine oil in 1954 totaled 8,079 metric tons fae 1), an increase of able 1 - Portuguese Production of Marine Oils, 4 a Se ee 1/ Whale oil — Cod-liver oil Fish oil(principally sardine) 18 percent over 1953, reports an April 19 United States consular dispatch from Lis- bon. The 1954 production included 3,279 tons of whale mae 3,000 tons of cod-liver oil, and 1,800 tons of fish oils (principally sardine). Table 2 - Portugues’: exports of Marine Oil, 4 Zc a OD ITT SE TT aT | Exports: Portu- guese exports of ma- rine oils in 1954 to- taled 8,821 metric tons, a decrease of 2 percent from 1953 shipments of 9,036 tons (table 2). Of the total amount of cod- liver oil exported in 1954, 191 tons were shipped to the United States as compared with 282 tons in 1953. Singapore PRAWN CULTIVATION IN SWAMPY AREAS: Interest in the cultivation of creased in recent years, states a dispatch from the United States consulate at October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 101 Singapore. At the present time it is estimated that 1,200 acres of swamp ponds, or about 10 percent of the available area, are used for the cultivation of prawns. Pro- duction at the present time averages about one-half ton per acre per annum, or 600 metric tons a year. It is believed that if additional swampland is cleared that the annual production could be increased to 6,000 tons. This production would be a val- uable supplement to the food supply. es Spain VIGO FISHERIES TRENDS, AUGUST 1955: Fish Canning: Canners purchased 5.4 million pounds of fish in August 1955 and operated at the highest level since September 1954, states a September 12 dispatch from the United States consulate at Vigo. Purchases for July 1955 were 1.7 million pounds and 3.0 million pounds in August 1954. Bonito and agujas (needlefish) produced the largest income for the canners. Agujas were sold on the local market as a substitute for sardines, Fishing: The total catch for all varieties was 15.2 million pounds, but the val- ue was relatively low because of large catches of low-value agujas (needlefish) and jurel (Tracharus tracharus). The catch of the more valuable bonito increased mod- erately, but the catch of cod and hake declined. South-West Africa REVIEW OF FISHERIES, 1954: Fishing is the second most important activity in South-West Africa's economy; the two principal sources are the pilchard (Sar- dinia pilchardus) and the spiny lobster (sea crayfish). Capital invested exceeds the equivalent of US$11.2 million. Employment is provided for over 200 whites and 3,500 nonwhites. As of January 1955, 217 motor vessels were licensed to fish, man- ned by 570 whites and 711 nonwhites. Pilchard landings are centered at Walvis Bay, where there are six processing plants, while the spiny-lobster industry is located at Luderitz, which has four canning and freezing factories. The South-West Africa Administration vigorously endeavors to prevent the Ay ite, Visy af ah f di — - — erritory's fish resources from disappear- ee ses te ee ee ing. To that end it has set a minimum size for spiny lobster which may be taken andhas 1, proclaimed areas which may not be fished. Further protection is provided by limiting the number of factories licensed to process spiny lobster and setting a ceiling on yearly production and export of canned products and frozen spiny lobster tails (the only edible part of the animal). No restrictions are placed on the manufacture of spiny-lobster fish meal except that only offal, the dumping of which is prohibited, may be used. Six factories are at present licensed to process spiny lobster, and additional licenses are unlikely unless the explorations being con- ducted by the Territory's laboratory and modern survey ship show that the fishing grounds can stand a heavier drain with- out detriment to resources, 102 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 “While the existence of pilchard shoals off Walvis Bay was known for many years no -attempt to! exploit them commercially was made until 1950. Since then six proc™ essing plants. have been licensed F . atthe port and the industry expand- ed rapidly until conservation steps were decided necessary. At pres- ent no further factory licenses are being granted, only a total of 250,000 tons may be caught annually, and a closed season between No- vember 15 and February 28 has been declared. A survey ship is conducting exten- sive explorations with a view to determining future restrictions. Strict-control is a Canned spiny lobster Frozen spiny lobster tails Spiny lobster fishmeal. . Spiny lobster tails, fresh and frozen. . Pilchard fish oil : atte ; Pilchard on meal aie Other fresh fish and ee shellfish -6n6% ised over the canning and preserva- |Dried, salted, and tion of fish products (including spiny lob- cured fish ster) by the Administration and minimum standards have been established and are enforced for all export fish products. Turkey : ‘FISHING INDUSTRY CENTERED IN ISTANBUL REGION: The Istanbul region, comprising the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara, is the most important fishing ‘center, It benefits from the seasonal migration of fish to the Black Sea for spawn- ing and their return to the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas.. The principal migra- tory fish are bonito, pelamid, mackerel, tuna, anchovy, pilchard, Spanish mackerel, and swordfish. Attempts are being made by the Turkish Government to increase the return from the fishing industry by setting up cold-storage and packing plants. United States economic aid has made available a research vessel for the fishing research center at Istanbul, equipment for the private fishing vessels, and machinery and equipment, for the Government cold-storage plants. MF United Kingdom “BRITISH FIRMS NOW PRODUCING FISH STICKS: Fish sticks have been suc- cessfully introduced to the British market by four firms located in the Grimsby area of England, states The Fishing News of August 5. These firms report excel- lent sales, New equipment is being installed to keep pace with the orders. Both cooked. and uncooked fish sticks are sold in 6-oz. overwrapped packages to retail trade outlets equipped with frozen food cabinets. Expansion of distribution to the retail outlets without frozen food cabinets is expected as production increases. October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 103 Production has been confined to consumer packages containing four and six portions, each package six ounces net weight. The uncooked 6-oz. package is re- ported to be selling at retail for approximately 21 U.S. cents (British 1s. 6d.). Fish sticks are being produced from boneless cod, but producers expect to use other varieties as soon as possible. Producers predict a rapidly expanding market for this product. Heck ok ok Ok RECORD HALIBUT TRIPS LANDED AT GRIMSBY: Record trips of frozen Greenland halibut were landed at Grimsby, England, during the week ending August 19, 1955, according to The Fishing News. The Norwegian refrigerator ships Bemar and Kolistand landed 300 tons valued at 4100,000 (US$280,000). : : The catches were stored in cold-storage warehouses to be sold when supplies of fresh halibut are low. Shipments of quick-frozen halibut to England from the Greenland fishing banks started in 1954, ; % OK OK KK EXPERIMENTS IN PRESERVING FISH BY VACUUM-DRYING: Successful ex- periments in vacuum-drying or dehydrating fish have been reported by a small fac- tory in Aberdeen, Scotland, states the August 13 issue of Fish Trades Gazette, a British fishery periodical. The new method of preserving fishreduces it toaneasily packed and lasting state. The man behind the Aberdeen experiments is a Norwegian, who has been work- ing on this method of processing fish for 15 years. It is believed that the new process will be invaluable to the British fishing-in~- dustry as a means of absorbing surplus catches without incurring heavy cold-storage costs or loss through deterioration. The complete product is a small "block" of fish measuring only a few square inches and weighing a few ounced. Placed in water for 8 or 9 hours it becomes a slab of fresh fish. Fresh or salted fish, filleted or unfil- leted, can be reduced to the vacuum-dried product. Whether moved by sea, air, road, or rail, the fish can be treated as ordinary dry cargo. Theycanbe stored for an indefinite period of time, even in the tropics. kK ok ok "FATRTRY'' LANDS CAPACITY LOAD OF FISH: The British factory trawler Fairtry after an 82-day trip docked at Hull, England, on September 9 with a capac- ity load of fish. The vessel's trip consisted of 1,460,000 pounds of frozen’filléts, 122 tons of fish meal, and 350 gallons of fish-liver oil. Haddock, halibut, cod, and flounder made up the trip. Fishing was conducted in waters off Greenland and Newfoundland. Good weath- er prevailed throughout the trip and there was not a single day on which fishing was not possible, reports The Fishing News (September 16, 1955), a British fishery peri- odical. A whaling firm of Leith, Scotland, owns the factory trawler, which. is;man- ned by a crew of 80. Up to a 25,000-pound haul can be pulled aboard by. the winches, If there is too much fish in the net, a hole is cut and some of the catch is permited to escape. 104 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 WORKING DECK \ NX TRAWL WINCH ~ ema 7 Fy AFT BRIOGE CHUTE AND NETS a FISH POUNDS | FILLETING MACHINERY MAIN ENGINE FISH MEAL PLANT QUICK FREEZE AUXILIARY GENERATORS Factory trawler Fairtry. Sketch showing arrangement of the facilities on the vessel. The task of unloading the capacity load was expected to take 5 to 6 days and the vessel expected to sail on another trip about September 17. kK ok ok FROZEN FISH PRODUCTION ALMOST DOUBLED IN 1954: Quick-frozen fish which utilized nearly 7 percent of Great Britain's total landings in 1954 became a significant factor in fish mar- keting, the September 2 issue ReeeheEicn Fish of The Fishing News points out. Used Produced "There is a likelihood that this trade will grow further with important effects upon produc - tion and distribution," says the fourth annualreport of the White Fish Authority for the year ended March 31, 1955. A remarkable increase in the production and sales of quick-frozen fish in 1954 is indicated by the data in the table. Ok Kk NUMBER OF FISHERMEN: A steady decline in the number of persons engaged as fishermen in Great Britain during the last few years was disclosed by the Parlia- mentary Secretary of the Ministry of Labor. The number of fishermen employed in sea fishing regularly dropped from an estimated 28,063 in 1952 and 27,414 in 1953 to 26,244 in 1954, reports The Fishing News (July 29), a British fishery periodical. jpe-OO CORRECTION In the September 1955 issue of Commercial Fisheries Review, page 30, the listing of the fifth article (''Weight Range, Proximate Composition, and Thiamin- ase Content of Fish Takenin Shallow-Water Trawling on Northern Gulf of Mexico") shouldhave beendeleted; it is listed correctly in the second column on that page. On page 27 of the same issue the number of the Federal Specifications '"Sar- dines, Canned" should have read PP-S-51b. October 1955 CSLLDELE FED Interdepartmental Committee on Trade Agreements FISHERY ITEMS LISTED FOR CONSIDERATION IN FORTHCOMING TRADE AGREEMENT NEGOTIATIONS: The Interdepartmenta ommittee on Trade Agreements issued formal notice on September 21 of the intention of the United States Government to participate in multilateral tariff negotiations with some 25 countries. Public hearings be- gan October 31, 1955. The actual nego- tiations are expected to get under way in January 1956. This notice set in motion preparations for these negotiations, including oppor - tunity for presentation by interested per- sons of both written and oral views on possible concessions which may be grant- ed or obtained by the United States. The Tariff Commission will also make the required determination of ''peril-points" on all products on which the United States will consider possible concessions. In accordance with the requirements of the trade agreements legislation as amended by the Trade Agreements Ex- tension Act of 1955, no item may be re- duced by more than 15 percent below the List of Fishery Items Proposed Agreement Ne ari ar. & 1954 Schedule Brief Description A Class No. 12] 8350 110 | Sodium Alginate Par. 34 Drugs of animal origin advanced in value or con- dition: 2220 250 | Shark-liver oil, including dogfish-liver oil COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW ERAL | ACTIONS 105 rate existing on January 1, 1955, in steps of not more than 5 percent a year over a three-year period. Submissions of views from interested industry members and the public generally with respect to con- cessions threatening national defense re- quirements and concerning those in which wages are substandard in the exporting country were also requested. The United States expects to negotiate with 25 countries. The countries, all parties to the General Agreement on Tar - iffs and Trade areas follows: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Cuba, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Finland, France, Federal Republic of Germany, Greece, Haiti, India, Italy, Japan, Lux- embourg, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Nor- way, Peru, Sweden, Turkey, Union of South Africa, and the United Kingdom. A list of fishery products on which the United States may consider offering concessions follows. Listing of an item is for the purpose of obtaining the views of interested parties on the possibility of a concession; it does not necessarily mean that a concession will be offered or made on the product. No tariff conces- sion can be made on any product not in- cluded in this or a subsequent published list. or Consideration in Trade gotiations Duty on Imports in 1954 January 1, 1955 Quantity Value bs. US$ 5% plus 1¢ per Moyes SERA Cope tsb" 1,568,870 106 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 ist of Fishery Items Proposed for Consideration in Trade arifif Par. & 1954 Schedule A Class No. 2220 260 2220 270 2220 300 (Note: PareeeliG69 2210 920 2210 970 2210 980 (Note: Par. 41 0941 700 Par. 92 0808 710 0803 000 0803 100 0803 500 0990 100 Par. 60 8722 000 Par. 717 (a) Agreement Negotiations (Cont.) ae Brief Description Duty on Imports in 1954 January 1, 1955 Quantity Value Shark oil, including dog- fish oil Fish oils, n.e.s. (except cod oil and herring oil and not including whale oil). Fish-liver oils, n.e.s. (except cod-liver oil) 5% plus 1¢ per lb. I.R.C. tax 5% plus 13¢ per lb. I.R.C. tax 378,071 The above items do not include halibut-liver oil which was not listed) Drugs of animal origin, not edible, crude: Shark oil and shark-liver oil, including dogfish oil and dogfish-liver oil Free plus 1¢ per pound I.R C. tax Fish livers Free 301,213 Free plus 13¢ per lb. I.R.C.tax Fish oils, n.e.s.(except cod oil and herring oil and not including whale oil.) The above items do not include halibut-liver oil which was not listed) 3,968 Isinglass 25% Animal and fish oil: 5% plus 1¢ per Ms); Ihde) LG Shark oil, including oil produced from dogfish, MeES)pytes Whale oil: Sperm: Crude 13¢ per gal. Refined or otherwise processed 34¢ per gal. 453,056 Whale oil, n.s.pf. 3¢ per gal.plus IC pegs belek: Ge 138,327 Pounds 144,041 Spermaceti wax 23¢ per lb. Ambergris 10% Fish, fresh or frozen, whole, or beheaded or eviscerated but not further advanced: October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 107 List of Fishery Items Proposed for Consideration in Trade Agreement Negotiations (Cont .) 1954 Schedule Brief Description Duty on Imports in 1954 A Class No. January 1, 1955 0055 500] Swordfish, frozen 14¢ per lb. 1,033,588 0056 990 Kpart) Sablefish (black cod) Par. 717 (b) Fish, fresh or frozen, filleted, skinned, boned sliced, or divided into portions: 0060 380] Fresh-water fish 5 11,547,638 0060 320] Swordfish - 8,937,589 Par (1c) Dried and unsalted: 0062 250| Shark fins : 71,697 Par. 718{a) Fish, prepared or pre- served, packed in oil or in oiland other substances: 0063 340] Sardines, smoked, neither 577,912 skinned nor boned, valued over 18 but not over 23 cents per pound 0063 390] Sardines, neither skinned 16,430,075 5,915,016 nor boned, valued over 23 cents per pound 0066 300} Antipasto, valued over 9 296,352 cents per pound 0066 700} Other (than those listed 389,668 immediately above and sardines, anchovies, bon- ito and yellowtail, tuna, smoked pollock, fish val- ued not over 9 cents per pound, prepared fish sticks and similar products. Note: This item includes prod- ucts such as canned smoked salmon, canned smoked Sturgeon, can- ned sprats, fillets of mackerel, and numerous oriental specialties when packed in oil or in oiland other substances. Par. 718(b) Fish prepared or pre- served, not in oilorin oiland other substances inairtight containers weighing with contents not over 15 pounds each: 108 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 List of Fishery Items Proposed Agreement Negotiations (Cont.) rate O Brief Description Duty on January 1, 1955 0067 300] Fish cakes, balls, and pudding 1954 Schedul A Class No. Imports in 1954 0067 720| Herring, other (than smoked or kippered or in tomato sauce in con- tainers weighing with contents more than 1 pound each.) 8,902,526 2,375,203 0067 800 0067 900 Bonito, canned in brine Other (than those listed immediately above and anchovies, herring in tomato sauce, etc., salmon, sardines and tuna.) 30,578,625 This item includes prod- ucts such as canned mackerel and jack mack- erel, canned cod flakes, canned alewives, canned eels, and numerous oriental specialties when not packed in oil or in oil and other substances.) Fish, pickled or salted: Salmon = C1 0068 000 . 721(d) 131,550 Caviar and other fish roe (except sturgeon) 0079 200] Not boiled and packed in airtight containers Button blanks: Pearl or shell not turned, faced or drilled 110,147 Gross 5¢ per lb. 71509 9724 200 13¢ line per gross plus 25% 204,811 . 1528 Pearls and parts; not strung or set: 5953 500 5% . 1535 9420 550} Fish hooks, not specially provided for Natural The United States hopes to obtain, markets in other countries involved were through the forthcoming negotiations, invited to present suggestions as to prod- new concessions of benefit to United ucts on which concessions should be States trade. Domestic producers or sought and the extent to which existing exporters interested in developing customs treatment should be modified October 1955 to permit development of trade in those markets. The Committee for Reciprocity Infor - mation also gave notice that it would re- ceive the views of interested persons concerning any aspect of the proposed negotiations. (The membership of this committee is the same as the Committee on Trade Agreements.) Public hearings before the Committee were scheduled to begin October 31, 1955. The United States Tariff Commission also announced it would hold public hear- ings starting October 31, to receive the views and information useful in preparing its "'peril-point'' report to the President. Views and Information received by the Tar- iff Commission were made available to the Committee for Reciprocity Information. International Cooperation Administration INDIA TO BUY COLD-STORAGE UNITS AND MARINE DIESELS: India was authorized by the Internation- al Cooperation Administration under pur- chase Authority No. 86-18-005-9-50197 to purchase six cold storage units for a fish warehouse and six marine Diesel engines. These items may or may not be purchased from United States suppliers. Department of State FIRST CLAIM PAID UNDER "FISHER- MEN'S PROTECTIVE ACT": The U.S. Treasury reimbursed the west coast tuna fishing firm, Sun Pacific Inc., for $12,000 in fines paid to the Ec- uadoran Minister of Economy for release of the firm's tuna vessel Sun Streak. This was the first such claim paid by the U.S. Treasury in accordance with the provisions of Public Law 680 which was passed in the Second Session of the 83rd Congress with the endorsement of the American fishing industry. This law provides for reimbursement of the owner COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 109 of the vessel for costs incurred because of seizure by a foreign country on the high seas or in areas which the United States does not consider to be within the territorial waters of a foreign country, provided that there is no dispute as to material fact. The Sun Streak was seized on Septem- ber 4, 1954; while on a routine fishing voyage approximately 38 miles off the coast of Ecuador. After five days of de- tention in Quayaquil, Ecuador, the Ameri- can vessel was released upon payment by the owners of the fines imposed. According to the attorneys represent- ing the claimant, a reimbursement claim was filed with the U.S. Department of State on January 25, 1955, under the pro- visions of P.L. 680. In commenting on the very expeditious manner in which this claim has been handled and settled, the attorneys noted that ''the entire nego- tiations were conducted in a spirit of active cooperation on behalf of all Feder - al agencies concerned." OK OK KOK GREAT LAKES FISHERY CONVENTION RATIFIED: The Convention on Great Lakes Fish- eries entered into force October 11 upon the exchange of ratifications in Ottawa by the United States and Canada. The Convention was signed at Washington on September 10, 1954, according to an October 11 press release of the U.S. Department of State. The Convention brings under a joint United States-Canada conservation re- gime the greatest fresh-water fisheries in the world, Under it will be established the Great Lakes Fishery Commission composed of six Commissioners, three from each Government. The Commission will seek the preservation and improve- ment of the Lakes fisheries through dual activities in the fields of fishery research and sea-lamprey control. In fishery research, the Commission has the duty of coordinating the scientif- ic activities of all agencies presently en- gaged in scientific study of the Lakes fisheries--the United States and Canad- ian Governments and the conservation 110 departments of the eight Great Lakes States and the Province of Ontario. The Convention thus provides a machinery for the pooling of the efforts of all fish- ery experts in the area and the coordina- tion of their research. The Commission will have no power to regulate fishing operation. It can, however, recommend conservation meas - ures to the party Governments on the basis of its scientific findings. The second major responsibility of the Commission is to destroy the para- sitic sea lamprey. This eel-like crea- ture attaches itself like a leechtoa fish and nourishes itself on the blood and body juices of its host. It has proveda scourge to the trout and whitefish in Lakes Huron and Michigan. Lake Superior fisheries are now alsounder serious attack. It is estimated that this parasite is costing Great Lakes fishermen more than$5 mil- liona year in lake trout alone. The Commission has wide powers in the field control of the lamprey. It is expected the Commission will make ex- tensive use of electrical barriers which, placed across spawning streams, prevent COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 the lampreys from going upstream to spawn and cause their deaths. Co Pere Treasury Department DEPARTMENT FINDS JAPANESE CANNED TUNA NOT DUMPED ON U.S. MARKET: nan announcement dated October 5, 1955, the U.S. Treasury Department stated that an investigation showed that Japanese canned tuna exporters are not selling their products at prices below those charged in their own country. The investigation was undertaken be- cause of complaints by United States pack- ers and producers of tuna that Japanese canned tuna was being ''dumped" onthe American market at unfair low prices. The Treasury in a memorandum to the press said the investigation showed that ''such merchandise is not being, andis not likely tobe, soldat less than fair value." This ruling by the Treasury prevents the matter from going tothe U.S. Tariff Com- mission for consideration of injury todo- mestic industry under the provisions of the Anti-dumping Act. PHOSPHORESCENCE IN SEAWATER Phosphorescence, or bioluminescence, is due to the manufacture of light by animals and microscopic organisms. For a long time the problem of phosphor - escence remained unsolved, and was merely a matter of speculation. Recently it was shownthat a complicated chemicalreaction is involved. Light is, apparent- ly, producedasaresult of the slow burning of a substance called luciferin present in minute marine animals. When this compound combines with oxygen, light is produced. The reactioncanbe compared tothe burning of a candle, but the energy produced takes the form of light only. This type of light is unusual, since it is a cold light, withnoheatatall. The phosphorescence in the water which you see is probably due tobacteria and single-celled microscopic organisms. However, the production of "cold" light insomé form is not restricted to these forms. It is also known in sponges, jellyfish, corals, marine worms, clams, snails, squids, insects, starfishes, sea squirts, and fishes. --"Sea Secrets'' The Marine Laboratory, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Fla. (September 20, 1955) October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW otal FISHERY INDICATORS | SS aa eee CHART | - FISHERY LANDINGS for SELECTED STATES In Millions of Pounds MASSACHUSETTS CUMULATIVE DATA CUMULATIVE DATA 8 MQS, 1955 - 163.0 B 1954 - 195.7 12 1954 - 263.9 291.3]_ - 296.0 492.2 JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV AN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT O FLORIDA LOUISIANAL/ CUMULATIVE DATA 9 MQS. 1955 BS 954 1954 - CUMULATIVE DATA 7 MQS+ 1955 - 64,9]_ 2 1954 - 86,0 12 1954 - 131.0 JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC J/ONLY PARTIAL--!NCLUDES LANDINGS AT PRINCIPAL PORTS. NEW JERSEY CUMULATIVE DATA 8 mgs. 1955 - 260.9 a 1954 - 300.6 12 1954 - 402.8 JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC OREGON CUMULATIVE DATA 1955) - JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC Z2/ONLY PARTIAL--!NCLUDING PRODUCTION OF MAJOR FISHERIES AND MARKET FISH LANDINGS AT PRINCIPAL PORTS. JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC 112 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 CHART 2 - LANDINGS for SELECTED FISHERIES In Millions of Pounds ; HADDOCK OCEAN PERCH (Maine and Massachusetts) (Maine and Massachusetts) CUMULATIVE DATA . 195: 95 7 mgs. 1955 - 86.7 195. 7 1954 - 104.4 1954 - 135.2 12 "1954 - 181.4 JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC 1 SHRIMP WHITING (Gulf States=/ including Florida West Coast) (Maine and Massachusetts) CUMULATIVE DATA CUMULATIVE DATA 7 mgs. 1955 - 88.6 7 gS. 1955 - 54. 7, 1954 - 81.0 7 1954 - 34, 12 1954 - 183.5 12 "1954 - 65. JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC “JAN FEB MAR’ APR_MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC I/LA. & ALA. DATA BASED ON LANDINGS AT PRINCIPAL 2O0RTS AND ARE NOT COMPLETE. In Thousands of Tons MENHADEN PACIFIC AND JACK MACKEREL (East and Gulf Coasts (California) CUMULATIVE DATA 8 MQs. 1955 - 597.7 8, 1954 - 388.1 12 1954 - 832.5 0 JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC In Thousands of PILCHARD TUNA AND TUNA-LIKE Fis 2/ (California) CUMULATIVE DATA 1954/55 SEASON, 8 mgs. 1955 - 133.6 TOTAL AUG.-JULY - 67.1 8 , 1954 - 145.1 1953/54 SEASON, 12 1954 - 203.9 TOTAL AUG.-JULY - 2.6 CUMULATIVE DATA Legend: 1955/56 1954/55 UAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC J/ RECEIPTS BY CALIFORNIA CANNERIES, INCLUDING IMPORTS. October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 113 CHART 3 - COLD-STORAGE HOLDINGS and FREEZINGS of FISHERY PRODUCTS + In Millions of Pounds U. S, & ALASKA HOLDINGS 0 JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPTOCT NOV DEC NEW ENGLAND HOLDINGs!/ JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC T/MAINE, MASSACHUSETTS, RHODE ISLAND, AND CONNECTICUT. MIDDLE WEST HOLDINGS?/ ee u JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC WASHINGTON, OREGON, AND ALASKA HOLDINGS JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC *Excludes salted, B/OH10, IND., ILL., MICH., WIS., MINN., IOWA, MO., N. DAK., NEBR., & KANS. cured, CUMULAT LV! 9 mgs. 1955 - 254,9 as 1954 - 238.2 12 1954 - 302.7 U. S, & ALASKA FREEZINGS —E OATA FES MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT 0 JAN FEB 2/ALL EAST COAST MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC STATES FROM N.Y. SOUTH. GULF & SOUTH CENTRAL HOLDINGS4/ Tg JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC A/ALA., MISS., LA TEX., ARK., KY., & TENN. CALIFORNIA HOLDINGS JAN FEB anc smoked products. MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC 114 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 CHART 4 - RECEIPTS and COLD-STORAGE HOLDINGS of FISHERY PRODUCTS at PRINCIPAL DISTRIBUTION CENTERS In Millions of Pound RECEIPTS!/ aT WHOLESALE SALT-WATER MARKET (FRESH AND FROZEN) NEW YORK! ., CUMULATIVE DATA 20] 9 MgS. 1955 - 126.8 CITY 9 2 COLD-STORAGE HOLDINGS ay 1954 - 126.5 12 1954 - 164.5 t) OM FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV: DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC J/\NCLUDE TRUCK AND RAIL IMPORTS FROM CANADA AND DIRECT VESSEL LANDINGS 2/AS REPORTED By PLANTS IN METROPOLITAN AREA. AT NEW YORK CITY. RECEIPTS AT WHOLESALE MARKET (FRESH AND FROZEN) CHICAGO CUMULATIVE DATA COLD-STORAGE HOLDINGS 9 MQS. 1955 - 84,3 9 1954 - 88.4 12 1954 - 116.6 0 JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC w JAN FEB’ MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV. DEC BOSTON COLD-STORAGE HOLDINGS Se JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC SEATTLE WHOLESALE MARKET RECEIPTS, LANDINGS, & IMPORTS (FRESH & FROZEN) CUMULATIVE DATA 9 MQS. 1955 - 76.7 oir 1954 - 82.1 12 1954 - 109.0 Legend: 1955 1954 FISH OIL (In Millions of Gallons) CUMULATIVE DATA FISH MEAL (In Thousands of Tons) CUMULATIVE DATA 8 mgs. 1955 - 159.7 G5 1954 - 162.0 12 1954 - 231.4 8 mgs. 1955 - 15.1 1954 - 13.8 1954 - 21.6 1 8 42 oS JAN FEB 0 — JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV. DEC October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 115 aT | CHART 6- CANNED PACKS of SELECTED FISHERY PRODUCTS In Thousands of Standard Cases MACKEREL?! - CALIFORNIA TUNA AND TUNA-LIKE FISH - CALIFORNIA CUMULATIVE DATA . 1955 - 5,966.0 MS ose - 67611.2 12 1954 - 9)281.4 CUMULATIVE DATA 8 mgs. 1955 - 255.3 _ — —— 8 , 1954 - 211.1 12 1954 - 365.6 JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC ANCHOVIES - CALIFORNIA SALMON - ALASKA CUMULATIVE DATA CUMULATIVE DATA 8 mgs. 1955 - 565.1 2400} TOTAL 1955 SEASON - 2,386.7 8 ts 1954 - 458.6 TOTAL 1954 SEASON - 3,103.0 1954 - 655.2 0} JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC STANDARD CASES Variety No. Cans Can Designation Net Wet. SARDINES ....... 100 7 drawn 35 oz. SHRIMP.........- 48 a oz. ID UINAUchie\sisieleltieieie 48 No. } tuna oz. PILCHARDS ..... 48 No, 1 oval oz. SALMON ........ 48 1-pound tall oz. ANCHOVIES ..... 48 Oz. 0 = JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC 1/ INCLUOING SEA HERRING. SARDINES - CALIFORNIA Legend; SHRIMP - GULF STATES CUMULATIVE DATA CUMULATIVE DATA —— 1954/55 1954/55 SEASON, TOTAL AUG.-JULY - 1,391.9 1953/54 SEASON, TOTAL AUG,-JULY - 1955/56 SEASON, AUG. -SEPT. 1954/55 SEASON, AUG. -SEPT. 1954/55 SEASON, AUG. -JULY 64.1 0 = AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY SEPT OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY 116 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 CHART 7 - U.S. FISHERY PRODUCTS IMPORTS In Millions of Pounds GROUNDFISH (INCLUDING OCEAN PERCH) FILLETS, Legend: FILLETS & STEAKS OTHER THAN GROUNDFISH, FRESH & FROZEN 1955 q FRESH & FROZEN eee 904 T CUMULATIVE DATA CUMULATIVE DATA - 1955 - 96.8 9 1954 - 105.1 1954 - 137.6) 8B MQs. 1955 - 37.8 BG 1954 - 31.4 12 1954 - 47.9 (0) JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY_AUG SEPT OCT NOV. DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC SHRIMP, FRESH & FROZEN, FROM MEXICO CUMULATIVE DATA, CUMULATIVE DATA 8B mgs. 1955 - 23.3 - 1955 - 34.1 8 1954 - 20.9 1954 - 31.3 12" 1954 - 34.9 1954 - 42.2 0 JUAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC TUNA, FRESH & FROZEN SEA HERRING, FRESH, THROUGH MAINE PORTS CUMULATIVE DATA i CUMULATIVE DATA 8 mgs. 1955 - 115.2 6 gs. 1955 - 1.7 8 , 1954 - 96.4 8 |, 1954 - 26.9 12 1954 - 123.7 12 1954 - 28.3 0 — +] JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT _NOV_DEC FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC eel U.S. IMPORTS OF CANNED TUNA AND TUNA-LIKE FISH CANNED SARDINES (IN OIL AND IN BRINE) (IN OIL AND NOT IN OIL) CUMULATIVE DATA CUMULATIVE DATA 8 mgs. 1955 ~ 33.1 3S mgs. 1955 - 13.5 8 , 1954 - 34,3 CN eee) = ae: 12 1954 - 47.0 12 MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 117 ay es ~F- —- sa LET eet Le a I Fo th < Wholesale Dealers in Fisher Products (Contd.): FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE | 5 > 25> Washington, 18s Tevisea), 6p». PUBLICATIONS ep or Shad Roe, (Revised), 1 p SL - 118 - Groundfish Flakes, (Revised), 1 p. THESE PROCESSED PUBLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE FREE FROM SL - 119 - Squid, 1954, 1 p. THE DIVISION OF INFORMATION, U. S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERV- ICE, WASHINGTON 25, D. C. TYPES OF PUBLICATIONS ARE DESIG- NATED AS FOLLOWS: Sep. No. 412 - Regime of the High Seas and the Con- servation of the World's Fisheries Resources. Sep. No. 413 - Early Experiences with Fish Oils--A Retrospect. Sep. No. 414 - Freezing and Cold Storage of Pacif- ic Northwest Fish and Shellfish - Part V - Palat- ability and Cold-Storage Life of Blacktip Rock- fish (Sebastodes aleutianus) and Flag Rockfish (Sebastodes rubrivinctus). CFS - CURRENT FISHERY STATISTICS OF THE UNITED STATES AND ALASKA. FL FISHERY LEAFLETS. SL - STATISTICAL SECTION LISTS OF DEALERS IN AND PRO- DUCERS OF FISHERY PRODUCTS AND BYPRODUCTS. SSR.- FISH. - SPECIAL SCIENTIFIC REPORTS--FISHERIES LIMITED DISTRIBUTION). SEP.- SEPARATES (REPRINTS FROM COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW. Number Title CFS-1119 - New York Landings - Annual 1954 - By Months, 8 pp. CFS-1142 - Imports & Exports of Fishery Prod- ucts - Annual 1950-1954, 8 pp. CFS-1167 - Massachusetts Landings - April 1955, 5 pp. CFS-1170 - Florida Landings - Annual 1954, 6 pp. Research in Service Laboratories Section: Fishery Technological Research Program. Sep. No. 415 (Fish Meal and Oil Project. Some Factors Affecting Sawdust Losses in Cutting Fish Sticks. SSR-Fish. No. 130 - Reaction of Tunas to Stimuli, CFS-1171 - California Landings - March 1955, 4 pp. CFS-1173 - Fish Meal and Oil - June 1955, 2 pp. CFS-1174 - New England Fisheries - Annual 1953, 7 pp. CFS-1175 - Florida Landings - April 1955, 6 pp. CFS-1179 - Fish Stick Report - April-June 1955, 1952-53. Part I: Response of Tuna to Chemi- cal Stimuli, by Albert L. Tester, P. B. van Weel, and John J. Naughton. Part II: Response of Tuna to Visual and Visual-Chemical Stimuli, by Sidney C. Hsiao and Albert L. Tester, 130pp., illus., processed, March 1955. (Also Contri- 2 pp. butions Nos. 47 and 48 of the Hawaii Marine CFS-1180 - Florida Landings - May 1955, 6 pp. Laboratory, University of Hawaii.) CFS-1181 - Texas Landings - June 1955, 3 pp. CFS-1182 - Massachusetts Landings, May 1955,5 pp.| SSR-Fish. No. 147 - Observations of Skipjack CFS-1183 - California Landings - April 1955, 4 pp. Schools in Hawaiian Waters, 1953, by William CFS-1184 - New Jersey Landings - June 1955, 2 pp. F. Royce and Tamio Otsu, 36 pp., illus., proc- CFS-1187 - Rhode Island Landings - June 1955, 3 pp. essed, May 1955. This report presents the re- CFS-1188 - Pacific Coast Fisheries - 1953 - An- sults of the first year's study of locating skip- nual Summary, 7 pp. jack schools in Hawaiian waters, particularly CFS-1190 - Maine Landings - June 1955, 4 pp. in areas where and at times when they are not CFS-1191 - Massachusetts Landings - June 1955, available to the local fishery. In addition a com- 5 pp. parison and evaluation of vessel and airplane CFS-1193 - North Carolina Landings - June 1955, scouting techniques are presented. 2 pp. CFS-1194 - New York Landings - June 1955, 4 pp. | SSR-Fish. No. 150 - Maturity and Fecundity of CFS-1195 - Mississippi Landings - May 1955, 2 pp. Bigeye Tuna in the Pacific, by Heeny S. H. Yuen, CFS-1196 - Mississippi Landings - June 1955, 2 pp. 35 pp., illus., processed, June 1955. FL - 298 - Employment Possibilities in the Alas- | SSR-Fish. No. 151 - A comparative Study of Long- kan Fishing Industry (Revised), 5 pp. line Baits, by Richard S. Shomura, 38 pp., illus., FL - 355 + The Trouts of North America (General processed, June 1955. Describes in detail a Remarks on Classification), by comparative study of long-line baits-- the at- Samuel F . Hildebrand, 13 pp., proc- tractiveness of different baits to the various essed, Reissued March 1955. Pies ie of tuna taken on longlines, the durabili- FL - 423)>- Trout Feeds and Feeding, by A.V. Me of the various baits while on the hook and Tunison, 23 pp., illus., processed, soaking,'' and the effect of such preserving revised February 1945 techniques as dry-salting or brining and finally of different ways of impaling the bait on the hook. A study of bait returns shows a progres- sive decrease in the number of sardine baits retrieved with increasing soaking time. With Wholesale Dealers in Fishery Products: = = Maryland - Revised), 11 pp. SL - 12 - Virginia - 1955 (Revised), 11 pp. respect to sardine, there were no differences in catches as between salted and brined or between salted and fresh-thawed baits. Of the three principal bait species studied (sar- dine, herring, and squid), the evidence shows the sardine to be the best long-line bait. The sardine need only be single-hooked, whereas the herring in order to attain equal efficiency must be double-hooked. The sardine's supe- riority over squid is based on higher catches in moderate to rough seas. If this advantage is due to visibility, then the herring, which is similar in appearance to the sardine, should also be superior to the squid in rough seas, providing the herring are double-hooked. Thus the order of preferability of the commonly a- vailable long-line bait is single-hooked sar- dines, double-hooked herring, and finally squid. The differences in the catch related to the kind of bait are not attributable to dietary preference but are explained on the basis of availability or visibility during the soaking period. SSR-Fish. No. 152 - Mid-Pacific Oceanography. Part VI - Hawaiian Offshore Waters, Decem- ber 1949-November 1951, by James W. McGary, 141 pp., illus., processed, June 1955. SSR-Fish. No. 153 - Report of an Investigation of the Spearfishes of Formosan Waters, by Hiro- shi Nakamura, 50 pp., illus., processed, July 1955. SSR-Fish. No. 154 - A Summary of Sightings of Fish Schools and Bird Flocks and of Trolling in the Central Pacific, by Garth I. Murphy and Isaac I, Ikehara, 24 pp., illus., processed, June 1955. The results of 546 days of trolling and watching for bird flocks and fish schools are summarized in three categories based on distance from islands. The frequency of fish- school sightings appears to be a function of the abundance of birds, and was lower beyond 180 miles from land than within that range. Skip- jack were the dominant species in the open ocean; yellowfin were more abundant near land in most instances. There is a seasonal pattern in the frequency of sightings, possibly associ- ated with the life patterns of the birds. In is- land areas good agreement was obtained be- tween the abundance of fish schools and the abundance of plankton. In the oceanic areas the agreement was not very good. Possible reasons for the discrepancies are discussed. SSR-Fish. No. 156 - Spring and Summer Distribu- tion of Haddock on Georges Bank, by John B. Colton, 69 pp., illus., processed, June 1955. Systematic surveys of the populations of bottom fish in the Georges Bank area were made by the Fish and Wildlife Service vessel Albatross Ill during the summers of 1948 and 1949 and in the spring and summer of 1950. These surveys were conducted to estimate the size and com- position of the populations of haddock and other species of demersal fish and to obtain informa- tion on distribution, movements, year-class strength, and growth rates in relation to envi- ronmental conditions. This paper presents an analysis of the distribution of haddock (Mela- hogrammus aeglifinus) by area, depth, bottom type, season, and year. COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 THE FOLLOWING SERVICE PUBLICATION IS FOR SALE AND WASHINGTON 25, D. Cy Evaluation of Three Types of Fish Rearing Ponds, by Roger E. Burrows and Harry H. Chenoweth, Research Report 39, 32 pp., illus., processed, 15 cents, 1955. MISCELLANEOUS PUBLICATIONS THESE PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FROM THE FISH AND WKLOLIFE SERVICE, BUT USUALLY MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE ORGANIZATION ISSUING THEM, CORRESPONDENCE REGARDING PUB- LICATIONS THAT FOLLOW SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE RESPEC- TIVE ORGANIZATION OR PUBLISHER MENTIONED. DATA ON PRICES, IF READILY AVAILABLE, ARE SHOWN. Age Determination of the Northern Anchovy,(ENG- , Fish Bulletin No. , OOpp., illus., printed, Marine Fisheries Branch, De- partment of Fish and Game, Sacramento 14, Calif., 1955. Contains these two articles: "Studies Relating to the Validity of the Scale Method for THe Determination Md the North- ern Anchovy (Engraulis mordax),"’ by Daniel J. Miller, amet ce and Lergth Concitien of the Northern Anchovy Catch off the Coast of California in 1952-53 and 1953-54,"' by DanielJ. Miller, Anita E. Daugherty, Frances E. Felin, and John MacGregor. Alla Pesca Vagantiva Dei Giovani Tonni, by Tito Biancalana, Pp., illus., printed in Italian. (Reprinted from I] Giornale della Pesca). Il Giornale della Pesca, via Barberini n. 47, Rome, Italy. "All's Not Quiet on the Potomac,'' by James Whar- ton, article, The Commonwealth, vol. XXII, no. 7, July 1955, pp. 11-13, 35-36, illus., printed, single copy 25 cents. Virginia State Chamber of Commerce, 111 North Fifth St., Richmond 19, Va. Deals with the unsolved problems of the Potomac River's oyster in- dustry. Bulletin of the Nippon Institute for Scientific Re- “search on Pearls, No. 2, ilfus., printed in _ Japanese with summaries in English. Nippon Institute for Scientific Research on Pearls, Zoological Institute, Science Faculty, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan, 1955. A collection of scientific papers on pearls. Bulletin Officiel D'Information du Conseil Supe- rieur de eche, Number 19, January- February-March 1955, 94 pp., illus., printed in French. Conseil Superieur de la Peche, 1 Avenue de Lowendal, Paris, France. Catch Localities for Pacific Albacore (THUNNUS GERMO) Landed in California, 1951 throu 1953, by Harold B: Clemens, Fish Bulletin No. 100, 28 pp., illus., printed. Printing Division, Documents Section, Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento 14, Calif., 1955. Check-list of the Fish Specimens in the Taiwan Fisheries Research Institute, by Yun-shang Liang, Report no. 3, 35 pp., printed. Fisheries Research Institute, Taiwan, China. The Chemistry and Fertility of Sea Waters, by H.W. Harvey, 224 pp., Mus; printed, $5.50. October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 119 THESE PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FROM THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, BUT USUALLY MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE ORGANIZATION ISSUING THEM, Cambridge University Press, 51 Madison Ave., New York 10, N. Y. The Chronological Order of Fraser River Sockeye Salmon during Mi Tation, Spawning an eath, by 5. R. Rick: Bulletin VII, 100 PP., illus., printed. International Pacific Salmon Fisher- ies Commission, New Westminster, B.C., Canada, 1955. DERMESTES PERUVIANA (Cast.) y DERMESTES eg.) Coleopteros que Parasitan el Pescado Saints, Seco, = Victor H. Bertullo, Marcos Herrera, and Estela Rodriguez Rivas, Tomo VI, no. 2, 7 pp., illus., printed in Spanish with summary in English. (Reprinted from Anales de la Facultad de Veterinaria, pp. 53- 59.) Republica Oriental del Uruguay, Monte-- video, Uruguay, 1954. A Description of Two Species of Bonito SARDA = ORTENTALIS and 5 56 sae eee sideration of Relationships Within the Genus by H.C. Godsil, Fish Bulletin No. 99, 43 pp., illus., printed. Printing Division, Documents Section, Department of Fish and Game, Sacra- mento 14, Calif., 1955. Distribution of Certain Vitamins in the Edible Portion of Fish, Shelifish, and Whales (Wet Weight Basis), by H. L.A. Tarr, Pacific Fish- eries Experimental Station Industrial Memo- randum No. 17, 2 pp., printed. Fisheries Re- search Board of Canada, Ottawa, Canada, 1954. The Elementary Chemical Composition of Marine ~~ Organisms, iS A. P. Vinogradov, Memoir No. 2. ranslated from Russian by Julia Efron and Jane K. Setlow, with bibliography edited and newly enlarged by Virginia W.Odum, 647 pp. printed, $17. Sears Foundationfor Marine Re- search, Yale University, New Haven, Conn., 1953. Los Escombridos en Cuba--su Biologia e Indus- ~trializacion, (Atun, Bonito, Albacora, Sierra, errucho, Pintado y Peto), by Luis Howell Rivero, Contribucion No. 2 del Centro de Investigaciones Pesqueras, 106 pp., illus., processed, in Spanish, Division Agricola, Banco de Fomento Agricola e Industrial de Cuba, Habana, Cuba, 1954. Estados Larvales y Juveniles del Bonito, by Luis Howell Rivero y Mar Juarez Fernandes, Contribucion No. 9 del Centro de Investi- gaciones Pesqueras, 25 pp., illus., printed in Spanish. Dependencia de la Division Agri- cola del Banco de Fomento Agricola e In- dustrial de Cuba, Playa Habana, Bauta, Cuba, 1954, Fishes of the Western North Atlantic, by Henry B. igelow an illiam C. Schroeder, Memoir 1, pt. 2, 588 pp., illus., printed, $15. Sears Foundation for Marine Research, Yale Univ., New Haven, Conn., 1953. Fishes of Yosemite National Park, by Willis A. Evans and Orthello L. Wailis, Yosemite Nature Notes, vol. 23, no. 1, 30 pp., illus., printed. Yosemite Natural History Association, Yosemi- te National Park, Calif., revised June 1955. (Florida) Summary of Florida Commercial Marine Fish Landings for 1954 (Report to Florida State Board of Conservation), by Gordon Luce with collaboration of Billy F. Greer, 46 pp., illus., processed, The Marine Laboratory, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, July 1955. Contains tables summarizing the total Florida commercial landings and value of food fish, nonfood fish, shellfish, and miscellaneous items by species for the year 1954; a breakdown of the landings between east coast and west coast; and landings and value by county and by species. Trends and conditions and a list of common names and distribution of commercial marine fish landed in Florida are also included. This is the fifth year in which a summary has been compiled in the cooperative program between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Ma- rine Laboratory of the University of Miami on behalf of the Florida State Board of Conserva- tion. Gremio dos Armadotres da Pesca da Baleia (Rela- torio e Contas do Exercicio de 1954 e Orca- mento para 1955), 33 pp., illus., printed in Portuguese. Comissao Revisora de Contas, Lisbon, Portugal, 1955. Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission Fifth nnual Report 1953-54 (to the Congress of the United States and to the Governors and Legis- lators of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Missis- sippi, and Texas), 29 pp., printed. Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission, 312 Audubon Bldg., New Orleans 16, La. Contains the Com- mission's activities for the period October 1953- October 1954. Summarizes the principal activ- ities and plans of the marine fishery adminis- trations of the Gulf States in the interest of bringing about the proper utilization of the fish- ery resources. Included are short discussions of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service activities in biological research and exploratory fishing in the Gulf area. Describes an oceanographic survey of the Gulf of Mexico and oyster investi- gations. A list of Public Law 466 projects (ap- proved as of September 10, 1954) covering bio- logical research and investigations, exploratory fishing, statistical, technological, educational, market development, and economic research and services is presented. A financial report of the Commission is included. Handbuch der Seefischerei Nordeuropas, Band IX, Heft 5, 105 pp., illus., printed in cera E\. Schweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, Stutt- gart, W. Germany, 1954. Contains the following articles: ''Gerwinnung und Verwertung der Seetiermehle,'' by Dr. Ing. Hans Kurmeier and "Gewinnung und Verwertung der Seetierole,"' by Prof. Dr. W. Ludorff. "Ices Containing Chlorotetracycline in Experi- mental Fish Preservation," by D.C. Gillespie, J.W. Boyd, H. M. Bissett, and H. L.A. Tarr, 120 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 THESE PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FROM THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, BUT USUALLY MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE ORGANIZATION ISSUING THEM, article, Food Technology, vol. 9, no 6, June 1955, pp. 296-300, iflus., printed, single copies of peri- odical: domestic US$1, foreign US$1.25. The Garrard Press, 119 West Park Ave., Champaign, Ill. (Published by the Institute of Food Technolo- gists.) Methods of preparing flake-type and block ice containing added chlorotetracycline (CTC) are described. The work described was initiated in order to ascertain the value of CTC as a fresh fish preservative when applied under normalcom- mercial conditions. It has involved the prepara- tion of flake-type of ice containing the antibiotic, and has included the design of a method by which it can be distributed uniformly throughout blocks of ice prepared by customary slow-freezing pro- cedures. These ices have been used to ice fish on commercial fishing vessels. Further tests concerning the effect of inclusion of CTC in re- frigerated sea water on keeping quality of fish transported in this medium have also been made. Informe Preliminar Sobre Investigaciones en Planc- ton de los Mares Cubanos, by See A. Suarez Caabro, Contribucion No. 10 del Centro de In- vestigaciones Pesqueras, 39 pp., illus., proc- essed, in Spanish. Dependencia de la Division Agricola del Banco de Fomento Agricola e In- dustrial de Cuba, Playa Habana, Bauta, Cuba, 1954. "Inhibition of Mold and Yeast Development in Fish Products,'' by J. W. Boyd and H. L.A. Tarr, article, Food Technology (published by the Insti- tute of Food Technologists), vol. 9, no. 8, August 1955, pp. 411-412, printed, single copies of peri- odical: domestic US$1, foreign US$1.25. The Garrard Press, 119 West Park Avenue, Cham- paign, Ill. A brief report on experiments con- cerning inhibition of mold and yeast development in fish products. Growth of molds and yeasts in smoked fish was strongly delayed when about 0.05 to 0.1 percent sorbic acid was incorporated in the meat during the brining process. Develop- ment of ''dun'' in salted fish, which is caused by the mold Sporendonema epizoum, was likewise markedly inhibited by sorbic acid. Sorbic acid appears to be quite stable in fish muscle. Neither chlorotetracycline nor tetracycline was of any value in retarding mold or yeast development in such fish products. Investigaciones de Puertos Pesqueros, vol. 1, Zona oR 262 pp. vol. 2, Zona Sine (Uncluyendo Isla de Pinos), 283 pp.; illus., processed, in Spanish. Seccion de Asuntos Pesqueros, Division Agri- cola, Banco de Fomento Agricola e Industrial de Cuba, La Habana, Cuba, 1954. Journal du Conseil, vol. XX, no. 3, 118 pp., illus., printed, single copy Kr. 12 (US$1.74). Messrs. Andr. Fred. Host & Son, Bredgade, Copenhagen, Denmark, May 1955. Among the articles pre- sented in this journal are the following: ''Some Echo-Sounding Experiments on Fish," by D.H. Cushing; ''Selection of Soles by the Mesh of Trawls,'' by A.R. Margetts; and "A Preliminary Report on a New Type of Commercial Escallop Dredge," by R.H. Baird. "Korean Fisheries, Yesterday, Today and Tomor- row,'' by Jai Hyon Lee, article, Korean Survey, Montrose, 1948, 1950, 1 vol. 4, no. 7, August-September 1955, pp. 7, 10-11, illus., printed. Korean Pacific Press, 1828 Jefferson Place, NW., Washington 6, D.C. Data given are mostly for 1938. "Length-Weight Relationship in Migrating Fry of Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) in Sashin Creek, Little ae Walter Alaska,'' by Bernard Einar Skud, article, Copeia, no. 3, August 19, 1955, pp. 204-207, Tha ., printed. The American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, Mt. Royal & Guilford Aves., Baltimore 2, Md. List of Offshore Oil Well Structures in the Gulf of Mexico, II pp., processed. Commander, Sth Coast Guard District, Room 332 Custom House Bldg., New Orleans, La., June 1955. Los Camarones Comerciales de Cuba, Parte II, by Isabel Perez Farfante, Contribucion No. 6 del Centro de Investigaciones Pesqueras, 31 pp., illus., printed in Spanish. Depencia de la Divi- sion Agricola del Banco de Fomento Agricola e Industrial de Cuba, Playa Habana, Bauta, Cuba, 1954. (Louisiana) Directory Seafood Dealers, 40 pp., printed. fdustrial Services Section, Louisi- ana Wild Life and Fisheries Commission, 126 Civil Courts Bldg., New Orleans 16, La. This directory classifies all of the fish dealers (producers, wholesalers, brokers, retailers, etc.) in Louisiana under the following headings: bait; crabs; crab meat; crawfish; fish; fish sticks; frogs; fresh and canned oysters; shrimp; shrimp bran; and breaded, canned, cooked, dried, frozen, and peeled shrimp. This booklet should be of value to handlers of fishery products all over the country as well as United States ex- porters of fishery products. Margins of the Sea, by Maurice Burton, 212 pp., ins ., printed, $3. Harper, New York, N.Y., 1954, "Maritimes Clam Problem," article, Trade News, vol. 7, no. 12, June 1955, pp. 11, 18, illus., printed. Department of Fisheries, Ottawa, Canada. Describes a study of the soft-shelled clam, Mya arenaria, and its disappearance in the Maritimes. Biologists of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada have found no evi- dence of disease or parasites, and they say pollution is not a serious factor. Insome cases the clams reappeared as mysteriously as they had vanished, but the return was for a short time only. The scientists are now experiment- ing with a hydraulic digging machine which they hope will cut down the mortality rate. If the machine (which is patterned after a mechan- ical machine used in the Chesapeake Bay area of the United States) is successful, it may help conserve the beds that are left. The biologists say the future is dismal unless hydraulic dig- ging and the cultivation of seed clams can hold the stocks at their present level. The Movements of Salmon Tagged in the Sea, ot by K. A. Pyefinch and W. B. Woodward, Freshwater and Salmon October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 121 THESE PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FROM THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, BUT USUALLY MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE ORGANIZATION ISSUING THEM, Fisheries Research 8, 18 pp., illus., printed. Her Majesty's Stationery Office, Edinburgh, Scotland, 1955. (New Jersey) Annual Report (Division of Fish and Game, for the Fiscal Year Commencing July 1, 1953 and Ending June 30, 1954), 52 pp., printed. Department of Conservation and Economic Development, Division of Fish and Game, Tren- ton, N. J. Contains, among other subjects, a list of the fishery regulations effective Septem- ber 1, 1953. These regulations are known as the Fish and Game Code and supersede the statute laws in respect to these regulations. A section on fish contains reports on hatchery operations; fish distribution and reclamation; summary of the pound fisheries; Fisheries Laboratory investigations; Dingell-Johnson projects; New Jersey landings for 1953; and statistics on the Delaware River and Hudson River shad industry. Notas Sobre el ''Pez Mariposa'' (LAMPRIS LUNA) en Cuba, Fate awetl Rivero, Contribucion No.7 del Centro de Investigaciones Pesqueras, 7 pp., illus ., processed, in Spanish. Dependen- cia de la Division Agricola del Banco de Fomen- to Agricola e Industrial de Cuba, Playa Habana, Bauta, Cuba, 1954. "The Noxious Sea Life in Alabama Waters," by Mabel Loesch, article, Alabama Conservation, vol. 26, no. 6, May-June , pp. 10-17, 22-23, illus., printed. Alabama Department of Con- servation, 711 High St., Montgomery, Ala. De- scribes the various types of sea life which may be annoying to bathers or fishermen in Alabama waters. The author states that "very few of these will be found often as most live in the more tropical waters and only occasionally stray into our waters."' The stinging, dangerous to handle, and vicious sea animals are described with suggestions for treatment in case of attack. The fish which are poisonous when eaten are also described. "Pen Surfaces and Odour Development in Trawler Fish Holds," by W. A. MacCallum, article, Food Technology, vol. 9, no. 5, May 1955, pp. 251-253, printed, single copies of periodical: domestic US$1, foreign US$1.25. The Garrard Press, 119 West Park Ave., Champaign, Ill. (Published by the Institute of Food Technolo- gists.) Describes an investigation conducted to learn the effect of various types of surfaces which may come in contact with the fish on the preservation of the catch; and to determine if hold linings impermeable to bacteria, e.g. metal surfaces, are necessary for the proper stowage of groundfish aboard Atlantic Coast trawlers. The author states that, "Of the ma- terials and surfaces studied, rough, unpainted wood boards were shown to be a very serious source of contamination of fish at all levels in the pen. These surfaces could not be effective- ly washed. Painted and varnished wood sur- faces were impermeable to bacteria in most cases. However, when used commercially, many of these surfaces ultimately become broken and eroded. Aluminum, or probably any other corrosion-resistant, non-toxic metal, gives 1 satisfactory surface. Such surfaces provide a reasonable guarantee against bilgy and sour odors, provided the catch is well iced. If the fisn are not protected by the use of all-metal pens, they should be kept away from slime-bearing pen surfaces with ice. Screens along the pen sides are useful aids. The vertical walls and boards of the pen are the most difficult to ice properly. If only part of the pen can be of metal, the walls should be given priority." Produccion Destino y Consumo de Pescado en la Republica Argentina, by Carlos Gonzalez, Boletin No.4, 8 pp., processed in Spanish. Departmento de Investigaciones Pesqueras, Buenos Aires, Republica Argentina. ess Report to the Legislature, 1955 Session, fhe Senate Interim Committee on Fish and ame (Created Pursuant to Senate Resolution No. 15, 1953 Regular Session), 113 pp., printed, Senate of the State of California, Sacramento, Calif. Among other items, this report contains a chapter on marine fisheries and research, a brief history of the Department of Fish and Game of California, and a report on the catch- able trout program and the Wildlife Conserva- tion Board. Pro Progress Reports of the Pacific Coast Stations, Wo 103, 27 pp., illus., printed. Fisheries Research Board of Canada, Ottawa, Canada, July 1955. Among the articles included are: "Selectivity of Trolling Lures," by D. J. Milne; "Results of Tests on Kuralon Staple Twine," by P. J.G.Carrothers; 'Preliminary Re- sults of Gray Cod Tagging in Georgia Strait in the Winter of 1954-55," by C.R. Forrester and K. S. Ketchen; ''Vitamin A Instability," by Lyle A. Swain and D. R. Idler; "'A Soluble Fertilizer from Shrimp Waste,'' by D. R. Idler and P. J. Schmidt; and ''The Nutritive Value of Fish Meal and Condensed Fish Sol- ubles. X. The Vitamin B;9 Content of Herring Stickwater and Condensed Solubles," byH.L.A. Tarr. Prospects for the 1955-56 Herring Fishing Sea- son, by F. H.C. Taylor, Circular No. 48° pp., processed. Fisheries Research Board of Canada, Pacific Biological Station, Nanaimo, B.C., July 1955. "Reactions of Herring Larvae to Light: a Mech- anism of Vertical Migration,"’ by P.M. J. Woodhead and A. D. Woodhead, article, Nature, vol. 176, no. 4477, August 20, 1955, pp. 349 - 350, illus., printed, 2s.(28U.S.cents). Mac Millan & Co., Ltd., St. Martin's Street, Lon- don, W.C. 2, England. Red Tide Bacterial Studies, by Selwyn J. Bein, Special Service Bulletin No. 10, 2 pp., proc- essed. The Marine Laboratory, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Fla., March 1955. "Refrigerated Test-Bed Northern Wave ," arti- cle, Modern Refrigeration, vol. LVIM, no. 687, June » Pp. 197-199, illus., printed. Re- frigeration House, Victoria Road, Woking, 122 THESE PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FROM THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, BE OBTAINED FROM THE ORGANIZATION ISSUING THEM, England. Fitted with specially-designed quick- freezing equipment and a substantial subzero storage compartment, the Northern Wave made its first experimental voyage. The principal objective of the experiment was to discover whether it is possible, by freezing part of the catch at sea, to secure an improvement in the quality of fish brought from distant waters. A brief description of the Northern Wave and scope of the experiment are presented. Report on Continuous ee Tests, 1947-8, and their Application to anagement of the OS Ge of Western Australia, by Keith _ ear isheries Bullefin No. 5, 54) pp., illus., printed. Fisheries Department, Perth, Western Australia, 1954. This report records the extent and rate of replacement of stocks of the marine crayfish, Panulirus longipes (Milne-Edwards)}, under conditions of intense fishing at a previ- ously unexploited area in the Pelsart Group of Houtman Abrolhos, Western Australia, during 1947 and 1948. The ¢arapace length composition of the catch in the various hauls is recorded in a comprehensive set of tables, both in order to provide raw data of use in future age grouping determinations, and to enable an assessment to be made in the future of the effects of intensive commercial fishing on these stocks. A brief account of the life history and general biology of the species is given. Crayfishery manage- ment is discussed. It is pointed out that the most rational fishing practice is that of fishing a given ground with a limited series of pot hauls in a given season, thereafter for a shorter or longer period, leaving the reef areas to be re- plenished. "Results of the 1954 Pismo Clam Census," by John E. Fitch, article, California Fish and Game, vol. 41, no. 3, July 1955, pp. 209-211, printed. California Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento 14, Calif. "A Review of the Black Sea Fish Fauna and Gen- eral Marine Life Conditions," by E. P. Salas- tenenko, article, Copeia, no. 3, August 19, 1955, pp. 230-235, printed. The American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, Mt. Royal & Guilford Aves., Baltimore 2, Md. Revue des Travaux de L'Institut des Peches Mari- times, vol. XIX, no. 2, June 1955, 182 pp.; illus., printed in French. Institut Scientifique et Tech- nique des Peches Maritimes, 59 Avenue Ray- mond-Poincare, Paris 16, France. (Scotland) Herring Industry Board Twentieth An- nual Report for fhe Year Ended 3ist December 1954, 7 pp., printed, Is. 3d. (17 U. S. cents). Her Majesty' s Stationery Office, London, Eng- land, 1955. This is a report of Scotland's her- ring fisheries, with data on marketing, research and development, and the herring fleet. In- cluded are statistics on the volume and value of catches in principal ports, cured herring production, composition and disposition of the fleet operating in East Anglia, and the utiliza- tion of herring. Rules and directions having seasonal effect which were issued during 1954 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 10 BUT USUALLY MAY are summarized in an appendix to this report. Also included is a financial statement of the Herring Industry Board for the year ending December 31, 1954. "The Sea Lamprey Invasion," by Larry Wiegert, article, Wisconsin Conservation Bulletin, vol. 20, no. 8, August 1955, pp. 8-11, illus., printed. Wisconsin Conservation Department, Madison 1, Wis. Seashores, by Herbert S. Zim and Lester Ingle, pp., printed, paper $1; cloth $1.95. Simon & Schuster, New York, N. Y., 1955. A guide to shells, sea plants, shore birds, and other natu- ral features of American coasts. The Seaweed Story, 21 pp., illus., printed. Depart- —nent of Fish and Game, 926 Jay Street, Sacra- mento 14, Calif. See Through the Sea, by Millicent Selsam and Betty Morrow, 48 pp., 1 illus ., printed. $2.50. Harper and Douglas, 49 E. 33rd Stes Nic Wioul Gea voomeAs children's book about creatures living in the sea. Stud of the Operations of the Fish and Wildlife ervice, pp., illus., printed. House Com- mittee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, Washington 25, D.C., 1955. A report on hear- ings before the House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries. The hearings were held March 2-15, 1955, to report to the Committee on the various activities of the Fish and Wild- life Service and to provide some background on services performed. The report includes statements of Fish and Wildlife Service Director John L. Farley, Assistant Directors A. J. Suo- mela and E. F. Swift, Assistant to the Director A.M. Day, and the Chiefs of all branches and Divisions of the Service. Graphs, charts, and illustrations are included, The Summer Circulation of the Florida West Coast "Offshore Water as Deduced from the Pattern _ of Thermocline Depths and a Non-Geostrophic Equation of Motion, by Frank Chew, Technical Report 55-12, 14 pp., illus., processed. The Marine Laboratory, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Fla., March 1955. Survey of of Bar Clam Resources of the Maritime = rovinces, by J edcof and J. 5S. MacPhail, pp., printed. Fisheries Research Board of Canada, Ottawa, Canada, 1955. "Swordfish Hunt,'' article, Trade News, vol. 7, no. 12, June 1955, pp. 12-14, printed. Depart- ment of Fisheries, Ottawa, Canada. A brief description of the swordfish fishery off Nova Scotia's coast. As spring rains give way to summer sunshine, more than 200 boats and five times as many men prepare for the short but lucrative chase of the "long snouts.'' Some of them will follow the migration from the time the swordfish arrive off Georges Bank (off southwestern Nova Scotia) until they finally disappear after reaching Cape Breton waters. In four decades the swordfish hunt has grown October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 123 THESE PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FROM THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, BUT USUALLY MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE ORGANIZATION ISSUING THEM, from a small industry to an important item in the fisherman's income. Taiwan Fisheries, 18 pp., illus., printed. Industrial evelopment Commission, Economic Stabiliza- tion Board, Republic of China, 1955. Describes Taiwan's deep-sea, inshore, and coastal fisher - ies; and fish culture. Includes data on fisheries production in Taiwan; fishing craft, fishermen, and enterprises; fishing districts and ports; major fish species; marketing; ice making, cold storage, and freezing; processing of fishery products; imports and exports; and the outlook for Taiwan's fishing industry. "Theory and Application of Continuous Pressure Filtration to the Extraction of Irish Moss," by D.A. Dahlstrom, Walter Hock, Stanley M. Osri, and Andrew Singleton, article, Food Technology, vol. 9, no. 6, June 1955, pp. 303-308, Tlus., printed, single copies of periodical: domestic US$1, foreign US$1.25. The Garrard Press, 119 West Park Ave., Champaign, Ill. (Published by the Institute of Food Technologists.) The op- eration and mechanics of continuous pressure filtration is described. After an extensive pres- sure leaf test program, the requirements for a continuous pressure filter installation were de- termined. A flow sheet for a proposed filter, taking into account these requirements, is pre- sented and described. Tide Tables: Central and Western Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean for the Year 1956, Serial No. 784, 370 pp., printed, 75 cents. Coast and Geodetic Survey, U. S.Department of Commerce, Washington 25, D.C. United States Imports of Merchandise for Consump- igin), Calen- tion (Commodity by Country 0} dar Year 1954, Report No. FT 110, 175 pp., processed, $1. Bureau of the Census, U.S. De- partment of Commerce, Washington, D.C., June 1955. (For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington 25, D.C.) Variations in Temperature and Light Response Within a Plankton ee = Hilary B. Moore, Contribution No. Sepp. puuluses printed. (Reprinted from Biological Bulletin, vol. 108, no. 2, pp. 175-18, April 1955.) Ma- rine Laboratory, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Fla. "When the Tilefish Died,: by Bernard L. Gordon, article, Natural History, vol. LXIV, no. 5, May 1955, pp. 273-275, illus., printed, single copy 50 cents. American Museum of Natural History, New York 24, N. Y. A brief history of the tilefish fishery. The tilefish was un- known until 1879 when the first specimen was caught south of Nantucket Lightship in 150 fathoms of water. Tilefish were found to be plentiful enough to support an important new fishery, but three years after its discovery the tilefish experienced near-annihilation be- cause of its inability to tolerate changes in environment. Scientists explained that tilefish are bottom dwellers in about 100 fathoms of warm water. In 1882, the Gulf Stream, near the edge of which the tilefish dwell, moved farther out to sea, leaving them in cold water. They could not follow the shifting Stream, as the bottom of the ocean drops abruptly near the 100-fathom line. Consequently, almost the entire population was killed. Whether or not this explanation was correct cannot be stated definitely. In any case, not a single tilefish was caught anywhere for approximately ten years, although frequent searches were made. It was not until 1892 that they were found again. White Fish Authority, Fourth Annual Report for the Year Ended 31 March, 1955, 47 pp. printed Ts. 6d. (about 20 U.S. cents). Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, England. Presents a general description of the White Fish Author- ity, its functions, income, and expenditures. Sections on production of fishery products, marketing and distribution, research and train- ing, and investigations are also presented. Editorial Assistant--Ruth V. Keefe Illustrator --Gustaf T. Sundstrom Compositors--Jean Zalevsky, Alma Greene, and Helen Joswick 2K KK Ok Photograph Credits: Page by page, the following list gives the source or pho- tographer for each photograph in this issue. Photographs on pages not mentioned were obtained from the Service's file and the photographers are unknown. Cover --E. Schaefer; pp. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19--H. Bullis; p. 48--J. L. Squires. 124 FOREIGN: .... COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW CONTENTS, CONTINUED TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS (Contd,): Pacific Oceanic Fishery Investigations: Good Yellowfin Tuna Catches near Equator by Commonwealth (Cruise 4) ....... Skipjack Tagging Cruise by Charles H, Gilbert (Cruise 22) .. cere ccrcccsacsceccos New Albacore Grounds Located by John R, Manning (Cruise 26) ......0.% Senet North Pacific Oceanographic Cruise by Hugh M, Sain GEGaMsssD) Geacdcobo00s rs Two Populations of Albacore Tuna in North Dacihicrerepetnercnenenenher toh okencnekeeha More Tagged Tuna Recovered in Hawaiian Waters eeee Tagged Skipjack Tuna Recovered from Stomach of Vellowhin) Aina’ vcieileeieie)el shel cle Canned Salmon Consumption in Federal Penal and Correctional Institutions, 1954........+e.6 Saltonstall-Kennedy Act Fisheries Projects: Program Approved for Second Year ....... Service Opens Four New Statistical Offices .. Shrimp Rail-Freight Rates Reduced..... South Carolina: Fisheries Biological Research Progress, June- Seeman WES Gono ndoodgocud0d U, S. Foreign Trade; Edible Fishery Products, June 1955 ....... Groundfish Fillet Imports Declined Again in Seprembersl Go ommeretensterctereltonete Certifications Available for Direct Imports of Frozen Marine Products from Hong Kong .. Wholesale Prices, August 1955 .........2., eosee eeceeceoeeeeeoeosee eee oe ew Oe International: International Pacific Salmon Fisheries Com= mission: 1955 Fraser River Sockeye Run Below Ex- DECtALLONSHeveledelshelslsisiel lela ere 1955 Fraser River Sockeye Escapement ... International Law Commission: Government-Industry Meeting to Discuss Code on Fishing and Territorial Waters ...... Territorial Waters: South Pacific Fishery Resources Meeting Held United States and South American Governments Suspend Negotiations on South Pacific Fishery INESOUINEES GoGachopopooooadooDDOS Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Commission: Report on Fifth Annual Meeting .. United Nations: Harnessing the Sea’s ResourceS ....cee- Australia: Tuna Cannery Expands Facilities ........ Barbados Island (British West Indies); Government Encourages Cooperatives ..... Belgium: Marine Oil Imports and Exports, 1954 ..... Bolivia: Ganned Sardine Imports ......c.ccceeccce Canada; Fishery Scientists Investigate Arctic Waters . Denmark: Review of Fishing Industry, 1954 Ecuador: Fish and Shellfish Exports, 1954 ........2. Page 61 62 62 65 81 FOREIGN (Contd.): French Morocco: Sardine Industry Trends, September 1955 .... Sardine Industry Hurt by Fisherman’s Strike .. German Federal Republic: Trawlers Make Good Trips off Greenland .... Russian Factory Trawlers Built in West Germany Fishery Research Vessel Returns from First AED) 6 6.9.10 Greenland: Factoryship Greenland Increases Production . Developments in Fishing off Greenland ..... New Ocean Perch Grounds off West Coast.... Guatemala: Shrimp Explorations off Pacific Coast ...... Haiti: Development of Commercial Fisheries Studied . Hong Kong: Fishing Industry Vital to Basic Food Require- MENS) cece cece ee rcsoen Iceland: Herring Fishing Industry Subsidized ....... Sales of Fish to Soviet Union, 1953-55 India; Fisheries Expansion Plans Ireland: Herring Meal and Oil Industry Developed .... Israel: New Developments in Fishing Industry ... Salt-Water Fishery Catch Increases Japan: Japan Becomes Full Member of GATT ...... High-Seas Salmon Catch Exceeds Expectations . Salmon Export Agency Association Established Good Canned Tuna Sales Reported ......... Albacore Tuna Export Allocation ......... Frozen Tuna Export Check Prices Reduced ... Salmon Mothership to Fish for Tuna ....-..- New Fisheries Training Ship Completed ..... Overseas Fisheries VentureS ...sececserees Argentine Coastal Fisheries to be Surveyed .. Operating Time Extended for Trawlers Fishing for Sole and Cod in North Pacific Republic of Korea: Fishing Industry Expansion cieliertodeteneMetenetene Malaya; Fisheries Research Vessel .......0c0008 Mexico: Veracruz Fish-Freezing Plant .......e...-. New Fish-Meal Plant Norway: New Spiral Press for Fish Meal Developed ... Meal-and-Oil Factoryship ..... Vocational Training for Fishermen ... .- ciel Norwegian Fisheries Trends, April-June 1955 ' Large Lot of Frozen Fish Shipped to Australia . Whale Meat to U. S, for Mink Feed ... Mackerel Fillets..... Pakistan: Fish Oil Imports ......... Portugal: Canned Fish Exporters Organize to Promote Salles imMWES osdcoodascccdvocco00be Fishing Trends, April 1955 SVaversiavchewecotcovetohe Sardine Fishing Trends, May 1955 ........- eeereecsceec ere e se ee eee oe oe eeeceecoec eee e ececoescececes eee ° eseeseerecec occ ees ee Contents Continued Page 125 Vol. 17, No. 10 October 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 125 CONTENTS, CONTINUED Page FOREIGN (Contd,): Portugal (Contd.): Canned Fish Exports, January-May 1955 .... 99 usheries Trends for 1955) 5. cies e.+c's 60 100 Marine-Oil Production and Exports, 1954 ... 100 Singapore: Prawn Cultivation in Swampy Areas ....... 100 Spain: Vigo Fisheries Trends, August 1955 ....... 101 South-West Africa: Reyaew of Fisheries, 1954 .osje. ce ec ccew ers 101 Turkey: Fishing Industry Centered in Istanbul Region . 102 United Kingdom: British Firms now Producing Fish Sticks... 102 Record Halibut Trips Landed at Grimsby ... 103 Experiments in Preserving Fish by Vacuum- LINDE 6 9.5 AO OOOO: O0.510 COO DCO OIG 103 Fairtry Lands Capacity Load of Fish ...... 103 Frozen Fish Production Almost Doubled in 1954 104 NinnberofFishermen f)e.<.<.< «cesses 104 IEDERAISUAGTIONS: slete es e/esie 0. srons6:0 0/1 eele 105 Interdepartmental Committee on Trade Agreements: Fishery Items Listed for Consideration in Forth- coming Trade Agreement Negotiations .... 105 International Cooperation Administration: .... India to Buy Cold-Storage Units and Marine MESES deco anccooocoouDUaDo ooo 109 Page FEDERAL ACTIONS (Contd.); Department of State: First Claim Paid under ‘‘Fishermen’s Pro- KECLIVEVA Cina alslistelstelelarsietetabeleietcieicheiaye 109 Great Lakes Fishery Convention Ratified ... 109 Treasury Department; Department Finds Japanese Canned Tuna not Dumpedion(WiySs Market! yicccclece ee ccc 110 RISHERYGINDIGATIORS #) <.ciciere.c-e/e clvicleie ec cic 111 Chart 1 - Fishery Landings for Selected States 111 Chart 2 - Landings for Selected Fisheries ... 112 Chart 3 - Cold-Storage Holdings and Freezings Of Rishery) PYOducts! c sfeiel