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A4YEIX
Fishes

COMMERCIAL BEUIELE
FISHERIES iteee bee

Ta JUNE 1955

FISH and WILDLIFE SERVICE

United States Department of the Interior
W ashington, D.C.

UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
DOUGLAS MCKAY, SECRETARY JOHN L. FARLEY, DIRECTOR

COMMERCIAL FI

A review of developments and news of the fishery industries
prepared in the BRANCH OF COMMERCIAL FISHERIES

A. W. Anderson, Editor
J. Pileggi and J. J. O'Brien, Assistant Editors

Mailed free to members of the fishery and alliedindustries. 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 material from outside sources.

Although the contents of this publication have not been copyrighted and may be reprinted freely, refer-
ence to the source will be appreciated.

The printing of this publicationhas been approved by the Director of the Bureau of the Budget, Novem-
ber 5, 1952.

CONTENTS

COVER: Sorting the catch from a deep-water trawl in March 1955 on the deck of the
Service’s exploratory fishing vessel Oregon. The vessel has been doing explora-
tory fishing for deep-water red shrimp and testing long-line fishing for tuna in the
Gulf of Mexico (see pp. 45-46 of this issue).

Page
Experimental Farming of the Soft-Shell Clam, Mya Arenaria, in Massachusetts, 1949-1953, by Osgood R, Smith,
JohnP» Baptist, and Edward\Chin ..... «hisses eee re oo yc ae Risieve 1
Gulf of Maine Bluefin-Tuna Exploration--1954, by a i IMITHENM. ooo oon00ndgs Ao bon DUO 0006 pasichiate 17
Page Page
RESEARCH IN SERVICE LABORATORIES:..... 3 22 TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS (Contd,):
Development of Voluntary Federal Standards of Long Island Sound Oyster Investigations:
Grade for Fresh and Frozen Fishery Products, Oyster Spawning and Setting Formulae ..... 46
by Arthur J, Nolte....... 0 22 Maine Herring Exploration and Gear Research:
Literature Review of Factors that Ney Affect Theodore N. Gill Sails on Initial Cruise Ca
Processed Feeds Quality, by Neva L, Karrick 25 ibyg Te RS cares OSI OOOO AU c 47
Federal Specifications for Fresh and Frozen Fish Michigan:
TSsuedigysriencteterclicterencteh =eelameh=« Pe tiavace lhe 3 32 Great Lakes Commercial Fisheries Production,
TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS: ..... pac000 33 1 O5Ameuceeh ence cieteWoneionatol es ekenekelell= so bo 00S 48
Additions to the U, S. Fleet of Fishing Vessels | 33 Montana:
California: Direct-Current Fish-Shocking Technique De-
Sardine Fishing Predicted Good for NextSeason 33 veloped .....c cere ecreereces won6 48
$1 Million Awarded for Marine Biological Re- New England Exploratory Fishery Program:
search to Scripps Institution of Oceanography 34 Delaware Finds Shrimp in Gulf of Maine (Cruise
Tuna Tagged by Commercial Clipper Ocean Ali etet eta Pei walietieNielioKelcuen eke eiciehetehelele 49
Pride (Cruise C-55-2) «.- ++ ee seer eres 34 Ohio:
Spring Abundance of Sardines, Anchovies, and Lake Erie Commercial Fisheries, 1954 .... 50
Mackerel in California Waters Assessed by North Atlantic Fisheries Investigations:
Yellowfin (Cruise 55-Y-2) ...--+-- 35 Various Mesh-Size Cod Ends Tested in Haddock
Aerial Survey of Pacific Herring Spawning ie Fishing by Albatross U1 (Cruise 19) Sreenemenonte 50
tensity Continued (Aircraft Spotting ee Pacific Oceanic Fisheries Investigations:
55-6, 55-7, 55-8, and 55-9) .....-2+---- 36 Steel Tuna Long Lines Successfully Tested in
Kelp Bass Studies by N. B. Scofield (Cruise Line Islands Waters by John R. Manning
HS) oascoa008 3 36 (Gnuise}24) eee aeioriicteeicrciar ne 51
Canned Maine Sardine Stocks; ~ Apes iL, "1955 . 37 Skipjack Tuna Tagged iy ‘Hugh M M, Smith
Cans--Shipments of Fishery Products, January- (Cruise 28) .. 222s eee eee rete tees 52
February 1955 ......--+-- Bien snesher stein 37 pyoscsedProgramiforiios5) e.g so seee 52
Clam Investigations: Saltonstall-Kennedy Act Fisheries Projects:
Soft-Shell Clam Shortage in New England Due Fishery Statistical Office Opened in La Crosse,
to Green Crab ....e.eeeeseeeereses 37 Wiss sdocoéuo0ed0o0006 goosoOSod 53
Federal Purchases of Fishery Products spsuemens 38 Service Opens F “ishery Statistical Office in
Fishery Products Marketing Prospects, Spring Biloxi, Miss. .....-+-+--+> Epenenedenens 54
1955 . ne ee eH See icaeIGRD Pca. CeO 39 Progress on Branch of Commercial Fisheries
Florida: Projects (May 1955) ....-..+2+e-+ee 54
Crab-Meat Packing Sanitation ...... co 39 Progress on Branch of Fishery Biology Project
Fisheries Research, July-December 1954 . 41 (May 1955)... 22. +e eee eee eee acodee 58
Gulf Exploratory Fishery Program: U.S, Canned Fish and Byproducts--1954 oood 60
Good Long-Line Tuna ea Found in Carib- U. S, Fish-Stick Production, J: anuary-March 1955 61
bean by Oregon (Cruise 30) . Siaitetlats tate 45

Contents Continued Page 107

June 1955 Washington 25,D.C. Vol.17,No.6

EXPERIMENTAL FARMING OF THE SOFT-SHELL CLAM,
MYA ARENARIA, IN MASSACHUSETTS, 1949-1953

By Osgood R. Smith,* John P. Baptist,* and Edward Chin**
BACKGROUND
The clam-farming experiments which this paper describes were carried out
over the years 1949-1953 on the tidal flats of Plum Island Sound, Essex County,

Mass., and where noted, in the Hampton River, N. H. The commercially-impor-
tant clam, Mya arenaria, had been becoming progressively scarcer along the coasts

@——@ Planted Clams
O—O Native Clams

é 8 8

ow
°o

Size in millimeters

Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan.\Feb. Mar. Apr May June July Aug. Sept.
1949 1950 1951

Fig, 1 - Growth of planted and native clams under chicken wire in plot 24B, based on average length from square-foot sam-
ples. Numbers of clams per square-foot sample are beside most datum points, Numbers beside points for September
1951 give numbers of clams in eight square feet. Datum point for planted clams in January is from plot 25, Points for
native clams in March and April are from ‘‘open"’ flats around plot 24.

of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and western Maine since about 1940, and it was
generally believed that the scarcity was caused by overdigging. If overdigging was
the principal cause, it was logical to assume from the work of Mead (1900-1904),
Kellogg (1905), and Belding (1930) that clam farming would help to alleviate the
shortage. Small clams could be taken from areas closed due to pollutionand grown
to market size inclean areas. Kellogg and Belding (op. cit.) had demonstrated that
clams could be transplanted and that they would survive and grow well enough to
produce an increase in volume, so our experiments were designed to learn more
about methods and to find out if farming, either by towns or by individuals, would
be feasible under present conditions,

TRANSPLANTING METHODS

On May 26 and June 2, 1949, 16 bushels of clams averaging 39 mm, in epi!
were transplanted in Plum Island Sound at low tide (1) by broadcasting, (2) by plant-
* Fishery ResearchBiologists, Clam Investigations, Branchof Fishery Biology, U.S, Fish and WildlifeService, Newburyport,
Mass.
*** Fishery Aid, present address U, S, Fish and Wildlife Service, Seattle, Wash.
1/ Shell lengths were measured with vernier calipers to the nearest millimeter, and tabulated in two-millimeter groups, the
odd number being combined with the next highest even number (Felin and Phillips 1948).

2 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 6

ing them in plowed furrows, (3) by broadcasting them on roughened ground at high
tide, (4) by broadcasting from a boat. All these methods were commonly used by
Massachusetts towns in 1949. The clams were planted in concentrations of about
20 and 38 per square foot.

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Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar.Apr. May June July
1951 1952

Fig, 2 - Solid points show average growth of planted clams in plots 45B and 60. Open circles above and below averages
show one standard deviation. Numbers below datum points are numbers of clams in two square-foot samples from the
two plots. The X at lower left is from a volumetric sample of clams just before they were planted.

Two quite different types of clam flats were tested: Hales Cove, a relatively
soft flat, is composed of fine sand and silt, and Horseshoe Flat, a hard sandy flat
with many shell fragments.

Examination and counts of clam holes in the various plots the day after trans-
planting indicated that broadcasting at low tide is fully as effective as any of the more
laborious methods, This is in agreement with Belding (1930). Broadcasting froma
boat may be even more effective for large areas, but in testing this method we were
unable to keep the clams within the staked areas so we could not compare the results
with other plots.

Within a week after the above plots had been set out, the horseshoe crab (Limu-
lus polyphemus) had concentrated on them and dug up most of the clams. On June7,
31 horseshoe crabs were found in three 10 x 20-foot plots on Horseshoe Flat, and
the entire planted area was covered with depressions, On the softer soil of Hales
Cove, the entire surface of the plots had been lowered enough to form square pools

Table 1 - Recoveries of Medium-Size Clams Transplanted August 17,1949, — |
at Average Size of 33 mm. from Fenced Plot (#13)

Clams

Date Sampled Recovered

Avg. Growth

July 5, 1950 1 1 ke @ 61 27

July 10, 1950 16 62 3.9 58 26

Aug. 30, 1950 16 92 5.8 63 32

Sept. 7, 1950 32 97 3.0 = =
6.3

Oct. 20, 1950 3 UY) 62 26
Summary of all

1950 samples: 68 271 4.0 (Survival--about 12.5%)

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 3

of water at low tide. When the Hales Cove plots were dug in November 1949, 92
percent of the clams had disappeared. Field observations and occasional trial digs
indicated that most of the loss was caused by horseshoe crabs within a week after
the clams were transplanted.

Green crabs (Carcinides maenas) probably dug some of the clams also, but we
did not suspect their importance at that time. The principal result of this first
series of transplanting experiments was to prove that natural predation was a ma-
jor problem which would have to be met if clam farming was to be successful,

EXPERIMENTS ON METHODS OF COMBATTING NATURAL PREDATION

After the first transplanting experiments had been eliminated by predators,
more plots were set out to test methods of keeping predators away from the clams
by the use of fences and screens,

Table 2 - Recoveries of Large Clams Transplanted November 16, 1949,
at Average Size of 46 mm. from Fenced and Unprotected Plots

Recoveries

Estimated Avg. Size of Date
No, Planted

Per Sq

No, from| No, Per Avg. Size

Location
No. Sq. Ft. inmm, anne 1950

8 July 18
Hales Cove } 52 40 July 25
Horseshoe Flat } al Fe { July 21

Summary: (co (se 28,1 (Gurvival 95%

Unprotected Plots

50 July 18

Hales Cove ; 41 July 25

Horseshoe Flat }

The first fenced plot (no. 13) was set out in August of 1949, following the then
unpublished work of Turner (1949). This fence, and others built later, was made
of 3-foot-wide poultry wire of 2-inch mesh, The lower edge was buried 6 inches,
making a fence 23-feet high. This fence kept out horseshoe crabs, so in November
of 1949 two more series of plantings were set out on Horseshoe Flat and Hales Cove,
arranged so that fences could be built around some of them the following spring. The
clams were of 2 size groups--(1) the larger, dug commercially in Quincy, Mass.,
averaged 46,2 mm, in length, and (2) the smaller from Scarborough, Me., averaged
16,1 mm.

When these plots were set out, the horseshoe crabs had left the flats for the
winter. Most of the green crabs had left and those that remained were nearly dor-
mant, The only predators that seemed likely to attack the clams during the winter
were ducks and gulls, because both of these had been seen ''puddling" the flats with
their feet to wash out small clams, as described by Medcof (1949). Therefore parts
of several plots of small clams were covered with one-inch mesh chicken wire staked
down flat on the soil soon after the clams had dug in.

Only one small piece of wire about 6 x 6 feet on plot no. 24B remained through
the winter, but this one plot, as we shall see later, showed what clams may dowhere
they are well protected.

Examination of tables 1, 2, and 3 will show the results from fenced and unpro-
tected plots of large and small clams, and from a plot of small clams protected by
chicken wire staked down over them, The effect of covering planted clams with

4 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 6

chicken wire is further demonstrated by table 4,which shows results of transplanting
experiments in 1951 and 1952. These will be discussed in detail later,

Table 3 - Recoveries of Small Clams Transplanted November 18, 1949, at Average Size
of 16.1 mm. from Protected and Unprotected Plots

Average Length

td of Annulus Date
Plot No Formed at Time Sampled

of Planting

Unprotected

Oct. 9, 1950

Nov. 15, 1950

Hales Cove
Plot 17B

Oct. 9, 1950

Nov. 15, 1950

May 11, 1950
June 22, 1950
Aug. 9, 1950
Nov. 1, 1950

Hales Cove
Plot 23

May 11, 1950
June 22, 1950
Aug. 9, 1950
Sept. 20, 1950
Nov. 1, 1950

Hales Cove
Plot 24A

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- May 11, 1950
- June 22, 1950
- Aug. 9, 1950
= Sept. 20, 1950
= Nov. 1, 1950
- Apr. 12, 1951
- May 28, 1951
- July 26, 1951
= Sept. 11, 1951

Hales Cove

Plot 24B a0

Survival 12%--Sept. 11, 1951

Protected by Wire Part in Plot

; 26 Jan, 11, 1950
Hales Cove 108 1 30 May 19, 1950
Plot 25 3 )
4 9 (Sept. 18, 1950
3 5

Protected by Wire Part of Winter

Horseshoe Tia 108 i) 20 20.0 24,7 16.4 May 19, 1950
Plot 26B 1 1 1.0 37.0 19.0 July 5, 1950

L Unprotected
Horseshoe Flat 108 } 1 28.1 17.8 May 19, 1950
Plot 26A } 1 - - July 5, 1950
Unprotected

Horseshoe Flat 108 } | 1 15 15.0 16,2 May 19, 1950
Plot 27 } 1 0 ) = July 5, 1950

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 5

It should be explained that the fences kept out horseshoe crabs but not green
crabs. By the summer of 1950 we had learned that green crabs, not birds, were

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Apr. May June July Aug. Sept.Oct.Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July
1951 1952

Fig. 3 - Solid points show average growth of planted clams in plot 46. Open circles above and below averages show one
standard deviation. Numbers below datum points are numbers of clams in single square-foot samples. The X at lower
left is from a volumetric sample of clams just before they were planted,

digging up planted clams inside the fences. During the summer months we had
watched the crabs going through and over the fences at high tide, and one crab was
caught in the act of devouring a 50 mm, clam,

Table 4 - Recoveries from Protected and Unprotected Plots of Clams in Various Types of Soil
Planted April 17-19, 1951, at Average Length of 19 mm,

| Number of Planted Clams Recovered in One-Square-Foot samples

Planted Protection
Hales Cove--Mod. Soft Fine Sand and Silt
0 0 0

4 None
51 16 48 54 33 13 51 57 38

Chicken wire
162 71 65 71 35 62 64 96 25 Chick, wire on frame
149 i) 0 0 0 None
“ey 52 2 0 1 Wire carried away in August) Chicken wire a]

Ordway's--Firm Fine Sand and Silt

60A 51 15x15 42 1 1 0 0 0 None a

60B 51 15x15 46 25 37 8 83 38 15 28 ll 25 13 ll 9 Chicken wire

Rowley ''Finger Flat''--Loose Rippled Sand, Low
0

Tee] 12] | TT
49B 51 15x15 ) Wire carried away early June Chicken wire

Thorofare--Hard Rippled Sand, High

1A 51 15x15 None
51B 51 15x15 Chicken wire
OSA 104 10x10 None
3B 104 10x10 __| Chicken wire
Dole's Island Bar--Rippled Sand, Low
4 [ 51 | isxi5] - | (Clams washed away when planted) I f None
Dole's Island Pond--Soft Silt and Detritus, High
51 15x15 = = 0 1 ee Se ee Se] Pee ae None
Jones Grant, Hampton River, N. H.--Mod, Soft Fine Sand and Silt on
25 15x30 = - 2 = None
25 15x30 = - 13 = Chicken wire
a pee a = iz Wire removed and most of clams dug up by clammers, i a ee mine
25 15x30 - - 0 - None
25 15x30 - - |(holes - Chicken wire
1 see!

Survival of the planted clams depended on both the size at planting and the de-
gree of protection, Inside a fence, where green crabs could go but horseshoe crabs
could not, about 95 percent of the large clams survived for 8 months, With no pro-
tection, only about 50 percent of the large clams survived for 8 months (table 2).
There was little or no loss of large clams during the winter, but they became thin-
ned out rapidly as soon as the horseshoe and green crabs became active inthe spring.

6 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Violen NO-me

No further work was done with large clams because those available were near-
ly market size (2 inches) when transplanted, and unless such clams were obtained
by cheap mechanical means there would not be any profit in transplanting them.

The small (16 mm.) clams apparently were thinned out soon after planting, but
thereafter survived the winter fairly well in all plots (table 3). Screened samples

were not taken regularly enough to demonstrate this, but plot no. 25 was sampled
in January and most of the other plots were examined in March and April 1950. The

Number of Clams Recovered in Square-Foot Samples

APIennrawe
NownNeePI Fe
i] ot i]

4 1 3 2

5 = 3 2

4 1 4 6

3 2 6
5 2 8 =
3 8 8 1
2 4 8 2
- 13 7 4
= 8 5 9
2 7 5 B)
1 3 1 = 8
= 1 - - U
3 1 = 2 10
a - - 1 7
1 1 - 8
- 1 1 10
- 1 6
iL - it
- 1 2
2 = 5
= = - 5
= 3 6
= 1
2

1/ Sample from plot 25, adjacent to plot 24B which was not sampled at this time.

habit which small clams have of coming up out of the soil and moving about (Smith
1953) may account for some of the initial loss. Birds probably were responsible
for some of the thinning, but the horseshoe crabs and green crabs were the preda-
tors that did the real damage. In March and April clams were still abundant enough
in all sampled plots to produce good digging, but they were completely eliminated in
most unprotected areas within a few weeks after the horseshoe and green crabs be-
came active in the spring (see the May, June, and July samples in table 3). A few

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW ql

clams (0.7-1.5 percent) survived inside fences where they could be reached by
green crabs but not by horseshoe crabs. So with small clams, the two predators
under discussion are about equally bad; if one doesn't eat the clams the other will.
Here again the effect of size may be seen, The survivors had annuli, formed at the
time of planting, which indicate they were larger than the average for the lot when
they were planted (see table 3). An intermediate situation in both size and percent-
age survival is shown by fenced plot no, 13 (table 1).

The one plot (no, 25) in which a few unprotected clams did survive was onfirm-
ly-packed fine sand and silt, near the bank of Plum Island. Unfortunately, clam-
mers dug through this plot sometime during the first winter so we were unable to
secure a reliable series of samples from it.

Number of Clams Recovered in Square-Foot Samples

of 1951 1952

(

N 785 51 48 54 33 13 51

x 19.45 |21 41.4 |42.7 | 46.9 {51.4 | 42.7
Sx 5,37 : 6,09| 7,88] 8,57{ 8,4 8.28

Expense seems to be the major obstacle to raising clams by protecting them
with wire over the flats. These experiments were not on a large enough scale to
give adequate production cost figures, but if we assume 1, 200 legal clams per bush-
el (Turner 1950) and 20 clams per square foot, then 60 square feet of flat could pro-
duce a bushel, Wire to cover that area would cost around $1.60, and it probably
would have to be replaced once, bringing the cost for wire alone to around $3 to $4
a bushel,

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Experiments in progress indicate that a small vertical fence with a flange on
top may be a satisfactory means of protecting clams from horseshoe crabs and green
crabs, According to Dr. P. Korringa of Holland,2/ the French oyster growers use
a fence only 10 inches high (25 to 30 cm.) with a flange on top to protect oyster spat
from green crabs. A barrier similar to this was tried in Plum Island Sound in the

summer of 1952, This fence acted as a partial barrier, but it was too small and
2/ Unpublished letter from Dr, P. Korringa of the Ruksinstituut voor Visscherijonderzoek Bergen op Zoom, Holland, to John
Glude, Chief, Clam Investigations, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Boothbay Harbor, Me.

8 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol, 17, No. 6

was eroded badly, so results were not conclusive, A much larger and stronger
fence was built in 1953, This fence was built in the shape of a circle, to enclose
the largest possible area per unit length and avoid eddy-producing corners, Itwas
300 feet in circumference, 18 inches high, and the flange was made of 1- by 6-inch
boards, each 10 feet long, The boards were lapped instead of butted to simplify
construction, The stakes were 2 by 2 inches; a 4-foot stake was driven in the mud
at each overlap of the boards and a 3-foot stake driven in between. One-inch mesh
chicken wire, 2 feet wide, was stapled on the inside of this wooden structure, and
the bottom edge buried about 6 inches, The actual construction took about 15 man-
hours, or 3 men one tide and 2 men the next, The fence proved to be very rigid,
and probably stronger than necessary.

[Length ar MOU CaO SAR 2: eae |
in mm, | Planting} May Oct.| Nov.| March| March | May June| June | July
22 23 3 31 1 3 25 30
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During the summer of 1953 this fence effectively protected clams from the
horseshoe and green crabs, their two worst enemies, Figure 5 shows the flat out-
side the fence has been completely dug up while the surface inside is still smooth.
A baited green-crab trap set inside the fence caught 24 crabs in 24 hours, but only
3 of these were too large to have gone through the meshes of the chicken wire fence.
A similar trap outside the fence caught 111 green crabs, and, as is usual in trap
samples, very few of the crabs were small. The effectiveness of the fence was al-
so observed by swimming around it with an ''Aqualung" at high tide, when the water
was about 7 feet deep. Large and medium green crabs were clustered against the
fence all around its circumference, averaging about 1 every 2 feet of fence. Some
were at the base, some were clinging to the wire, but fully half were clinging tothe
wire up under the flange. Several small crabs and one large one were found inside.
The small ones could have gone through the meshes, or they might have swum over
the fence because one was seen in the act of swimming over it. While observing
these crabs, it became quite obvious that little ones swim much more than big ones.

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 9

No horseshoe crabs were ever found inside the fence. Those seen around the fence
usually went off in some other direction after bumping into the wire, apparently no
effort being made to get over or under the fence.

Apparently the small crabs that went through and over the fence were not num-
erous or large enough to do serious damage to the clam crop.

ae 8 - Leng

umber 0: ams Recovered in Square-Foot Samples
[Length
a 12 aT 27 20_ 23 26_ Te

ia es 11 9
45.5 |50.6 |60.5 | 63.7
5,75| 4.91] 7.95] 6.15

The fence was not standing long enough to tell just what effect it would have on
the native clams, but it protected a small plot of transplanted clams. On July 28,
1953, about a bushel of clams averaging 17 mm. in length were planted, some in-
side and some outside the fence, Those outside never had a chance, With a face
plate we could see green crabs grabbing many of them, and apparently none of them
survived more than a few days. Inside the fence the clams dug in well, and a small
plot within the fence was well peppered with their holes all summer. A square-foot
sample on October 14 had 53 per square feet averaging 24 mm,

Frequencies of Clams Transplanted April 19, 1951, from Plot 60B

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We planned to maintain this fence at least one more summer, to learn more a-
bout what could be produced by protecting a natural set, but clam diggers dug over
the area early in 1954 so that particular fenced plot was abandoned.

Instead of rebuilding the fence, we worked with the towns of Ipswich, Mass.,
and Hampton, N. H., in helping them build fences similar to ours, Both towns pur-
chased materials and supplied much of the labor. Unfortunately, neither of these
fences was successful, The one at Ipswich clogged badly with seaweeds and colonial
hydroids and could not be maintained. The one at Hampton stayed up well but it did
not save either native or transplanted clams inside. Crab traps set inside and out-
side the Hampton fence indicated the damage was done by large numbers of crabs
just small enough to go through the one-inch mesh, Crab traps fished 24 hours in-

10 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 6

side the fence on July 29, 30, and August 12, took 203, 89, and 93 crabs, respec-
tively. The average widths were 40, 40, and 41 mm. Ninety-one percent of these
were under 45 mm. wide, and therefore small enoughto get through the meshes of the
chicken wire. Control samples outside collected 266, 128, and 176, and the aver-
age widths were 47, 48, and 49 mm.

In view of these experiences, further fencing experiments will be done withfiner-
mesh wire. This should be effective if it can be maintained without clogging or wash-
ing too badly.

ATTEMPTS TO PLANT CLAMS SO AS TO AVOID PREDATORS

In April of 1951 another series of plots was set out in Plum Island Sound andin
the Hampton River, N. H., to test survival on various types of flats and to getmore
reliable growth and survival data,

Legend:
(0) © 1949-year class (1950/51 data, Plot 24B)

@—-—-6© 1950-year class (1951/52 data, Plots 45B, 46, & 60B)
@——® 1952-year class (1953/54 data)

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Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept.

Fig. 4 - Comparative growth of native clams of 1949, 1950, and 1952 year-classes, Data for 1949 and 1950 are from pro-
tected plots, there being almost no survival elsewhere, Data for 1952 year-class are from unprotected areas, where
clams survived and produced commercial digging, possibly because of more rapid growth,

This plan was adopted because the uneven distribution of native clams in Plum
Island Sound, and the results from plot no. 25 mentioned above led us to believe
that some areas might be more free of predators than others, Catches of green
crabs in traps also indicated that high sandy flats had fewer crabs on them than
muddy flats.

The results from these plots of transplanted clams are summarizedin Table 4.
It may be seen that the results at Hales Cove and Ordways confirmed the results
of plot no. 24B (table 3) in showing that clams in those flats survived only where
protected.

On the more sandy flats results were confused by the fact that the covering wire
was carried away, undermined at the edges, or buried by 3 to 6 inches of shifting
sand. Judging by the May samples, many of the clams washed away before they
could establish themselves. On one high sandy bar, ''Thorofare,'' the clams that
did get established survived longer than in the muddy flats, but survival was not
high enough in any unprotected plot to give profitable results.

SURVIVAL OF PROTECTED PLANTED CLAMS
In protected plot 24B, we established the planting density at 108 clams per

square foot, and the recovery 2 years later, on a basis of 8 square feet, was 13
clams per square foot or about 12 percent.

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 11

In the protected plots 45B, 46, and 60B, survival was estimated from the aver-
age of the last four samples and the known concentration when planted, Plots 45B
and 60B were each planted with 50 clams per square foot, and the average survival
for the two plots combined (i.e., 8 square-foot samples) was 43 percent. Plot 46
planted with 100 per square foot apparently had a 69-percent survival, but the sam-

Table 9 - Length Frequencies of Native Clams from Plot 24B, Chicken Wire-Protected from
November 18, 1949 (History of 1949 Year-Class Shown by Figures below the Heavy Lines)

Number of Clams Recovered in Square-Foot Samples Clams from—

8 Sq. Ft.

22 1 12 1951

a : ae
457
i 215
26 94
24 30
7 : 20
9 7
14 5
29 -
23
34
17
12

terol) PeawNa

1
—
AMDDMHAHeH AD!

1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1

tem | e&owg
PRR PRR TOT PNMOONMDI ORY 1 I

fT lle the eit
1) rete yom
i
Pr rye Vwrorrepr

AR ee se, ie! ie

RRR RRP ee ee
Fil IN WOrRFNANNALOUMW OC

148 304 438 611 32 130

nN
_
iS)

Following data from clams below solid line only (growing part of 1949 year-class):
148 159 175 126 127 42 19 6 = 212
8.48 | 20.77) 28.08 | 31.98 31,04 42,04 50,6 59.33 = 53.51
3.70 4.60 9.26 4.95 4, 80 8.48 11.47 | 10,39 = 9,64
1/Thirty-two mesh sampler used, | '3/This is only one of eight square-foot samples taken with fine-mesh screen,
‘2/Sample probably partly in area previously dug, 4/Large clams only, including those in previous column,

ples from that plot were quite variable. In any case, the clams were extremely
crowded over the entire plot, probably too crowded for good growth, so we know sur-
vival was relatively high. Plot 46 not only was planted more densely than the others
but it also was much better protected. It was covered by chicken wire ona frame,
supported 1 inch above the surface of the soil by boards set edgewise in the mud. A
few Polinices heros were found under this wire, but it kept green crabs and horse-
shoe crabs out better than wire that was just staked down. Crabs were sometimes
found under the edges of the wire that was staked down.

12 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 6

We do not know what happened to most of the clams that did not survive. Empty
shells were found, but not enough to account for all the loss,

Survival was high enough in all protected plots to produce good commercial
clam digging. Plot 24B produced about 25 legal clams per square foot, including
natives; plot 45B produced about 16; plot 46, 23; plot 60B, about 9. Legal-size na-
tive clams were practically absent from the last 3 plots. These figures include on-
ly clams over 50 mm., and it may be seen by tables 5 to 10 that many smallerclams
were ''coming along," so final production would be somewhat greater.

GROWTH OF PLANTED AND NATIVE CLAMS

Transplanted clams usually were distinguishable from natives because their
shells were characteristic of the region from which they had come. The clams
from Scarborough, Maine, had rather chalky-appearing shells and they tended to
be more round than Plum Island Sound clams. The ones from Quincy, Mass., usu-

Table 10 - Combined Length Heequencies of Native Clams from Three Plots (45B, 46, and 60B), Protected
gures Below the Solid Lines

Number 0 ams Recovered in Three Square-Foot samp es

qune Aug. | Sept. Oct. | Nov. March May June uly a0
1b: 17 22-27 oe ree 23 23° 26 33 a8 i = 26 A A
14

8
1
2
3

1pepetoererterepeetpepetpt tt tt te eat nanowoannil
peoppepeptett bt bt tt eR BPE NEP NAIHDWNe INO

rroopstr ttt bt tt te MPD) Ort RP ewe I
rere te eet tt int PON EPNPEWNH I Re] COP

CP ee fe 0 |
bpp pte ttt tt towon rN PN If eyed

NenNo
pepereetetpppprworpretr mt tenet tht tet NOOrFOe
Pbpb ete NP eI wt tee tee RF iE i DORWY PO
RBtriRPRePeNI NIP PNP R IT eI EP PRP RP OPONWN WHE UOMY I

rprrptr rt PRR PONDER RPR Te Pet bb tft tet
Peprett tt PP VN WONMRFPWOMDPWWN I HE] IRR

Following data from clams below solid line— 1/ only \erowing: part of 1950 year-class):
30 27 18 34 13 15 38 7
20.4 | 23.3 33.4 32.6 36.8 | 43.1 aT. 4 | 38.1 45.1
3.24] 6,14 7.95 8.20 9.66] 7.00 5eutO)| 66.50 5.02

1/The sample taken in May was not used for average size of the growing group because of the rather extreme dominance of 4 and 6 mm. clams which do not appear
to grow.

ally had thick and deformed shells. The shells of native Plum Island Sound clams
were generally smooth, slightly glossy, and more pointed posteriorly than either
Scarborough or Quincy shells. The new shell, put on as the clams grew after trans-
planting, was typical of Plum Island Sound shells, and therefore the size at planting
or the "planting annulus" could be identified and measured. A few individual clams
were difficult to identify, but with these we consulted each other and arrived ata
consensus, Annular rings, which form on clam shells much as they do on fishscales,

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 13

were not as distinct as the rings formed when the clams were transplanted. Growth
was determined from average sizes (lengths) of clams sampled at various times.

In plot 24B clams planted at 16 mm. in November 1949 reached an average size
of 57 mm, at the end of the two following summers (fig. 1).

In plots 45B, 46, and 60B clams planted in April 1951 at 19 mm. grew to aver-
ages of 54, 57, and 63 mm., respectively, intwosummers,. Datafrom plots 45Band

able 11 - Length Frequencies of Native Clams from Hales Cove (History of the 1952
Year-Class is Shown by Figures Below the Solid Lines)

Number of Clams Recovered from Samples

SS SS 1954
1 peal wack, 29 26 8 of) |a2201 (at
ae ere ere al 5-62] 2-202
ee
Ss
EEE EES Se

; B 3 |297 =

3 | 26 24 | 305 275 |306 |444 | 124 30 34 |14 |706 17
= |e 3 10 10 2 10 - 17 28 3 94 16
= || 5 = - 1 - - - 7 33 - 18 7
ale = : = = - : 1 18 = 6 4
Swill) 5 = = 2 = = = 1 11 1 3 4
> |< = = = - - - 1 13 1 5 4
ale = - - 2 = = = 5 2 1 =
= | = = = = = = = = 15 3 = =
= |) os = - - - = = = 3 4 2 =
= z = = = = = = = 1 3 = =
|| 6 - - - = - = 2 - 4 - 2
=) = < = = = = = = = 6 = =
= = = = = = = = ‘= = 9 = =
= = = = = = 3 = = = 1 = =
= = a =, = = 5 = a = 1 = =
= = = = = = = = ms = 1 1 =
ie - - - = - = = - - 2 4
all <3 - - - = - 2 = = = 7 3
a Z E é & é 5 = = = 5 8
att ee = = = a : E eS = = 16 16
Spline 5 = ‘ z 2 = : : : 6 15
Sp Manes é s 2 g E E Z 7 : 13 22
Ales 5 = = s “ z = : = 10 28
Pearl b bes 4 2 z 2 = z = = = 6 28
Salis x g = z 2 g 2 = 2 3 20
ee = z z E 2 - 2 = = 5 22
hl ie = =, = s Z z = 2 - 1 14
=| - - - = - - = - - 1 5
Bhar = zs x % a 3 2 = : 1 6
= |)s = = = = = = = = E 1 3
= = = = = = = = = = = = 1
e5 = = = = a = a = = s = 2
= ms = = = = = = = = = + 2
- - - - - = - a, = - = io. 1
- =- =- > - - = - - - - - 1

Following data from clams below solid line only (growing part of 1952 year-class):
4 | 31 32 495 349 394 608 162 63 163 36 78 201
3.5 3.8 3,87 3.31 3.7 3.57 3.85 3.53] 5.1 9.3 |23.8 | 49,4 .
4,99 1.39 1.01 1,04 0.9 0.8 0.93 0.8 7,90} 4.74) 3.99] 6.33 7.15
1/ Six square feet sampled, fine mesh (16) used on only 5 square feet.
'2/ Two square feet screened with 12-mesh screens. Clams over 24 mm, dug from about 20 square feet.

a
i)
o

60B have beencombinedto lessen variability because both were planted at a density
of about 50 per square foot and subsequent treatment was the same, Plot 46 was
planted with 100 clams per square foot and, as mentioned above, it was better pro-
tected (figs. 2 and 3).

It may be seen that all growth curves for planted clams show rapid growth in
the spring and early summer, and little or no growth in fall and winter, There ap-
pears to be a shrinkage of the shell during the winter, This may actually occur,
due to erosion or chipping of the edge of the shell, as suggested by Swan (1952).
However, we have found that sizes of clams are inversely correlated with the

14 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Viole iin NOwNG

number of clams per sample and it also happens that most of the points showing de-
partures from a smooth growth curve are similarly associated with either unusually
large or unusually small samples (see figs. 1, 2, and 3).

The effect of varying degrees of crowding within one small plot was shown by
the 8 separate square-foot samples from plot 24B taken September 11, 1951, as well
as by the departures from a smooth growth curve. Clams in the more crowded parts
of the plot were distinctly smaller in average size. A correlation between average
size and total number of native and planted clams gave a correlation coefficient of
-0.8. The differences in size appear to be due to some sort of space relationship
rather than lack of food; inasmuch as the square-foot samples adjoined, the entire
plot was only 6 x 6 feet, and there were almost no clams in the surrounding flat to
remove food from the water flowing over them. The above mentioned samples were
as follows:

Number of Clams per square foot-18 22 23 25 26 32 72 #£«100
Average size of Clams in mm, = (0) BS Of 53 CGO BO 80 51

The chicken wire put down to protect transplanted clams naturally gave some
protection to natives. Small clams were sampled by screening the top 3 or 4inch-
es through 16 x 14 per-inch-mesh screening and the lower soil through 4-per-inch-
mesh screening, The largest clams were usually picked by hand.

eager onesie

— = os The growth of native clams

was determined by comparing aver-
age lengths of the growing portion
of a year class in successive sam-
ples. The small clams appearing
in the May and June samples were
considered to be from the previous
summer's spawning because very
few clams spawn earlier than May
or June (Coe & Turner 1938), and
also because the size frequencies
of small clams sampled in late fall,
winter, and early spring indicate
that the May and June crop could
S belong to the year-class that had
: been spawned the previous summer,
By Mav these clams are noticeably
Fig. 5 - Fence built in Plum Island Sound, Newbury, Mass., June 3, larger than they were in January,
1953, to protect clams from horseshoe and green crabs, The photo- and by June most of the size fre-
graph was taken about three weeks after the fence was built, Note f AG AS 2
that entire flat outside fence is covered with excavations of preda~ Quencies are distinctly bi-modal,
tors, while the soil inside is still smooth, Of the two groups, the one contain-
ing the larger clams is what we have
called the ''growing portion, '' because its growth can be traced over at least two
years, while the group of smaller clams does not seem to grow. Actually, the ap-
parent lack of growth could be due to movement of the byssus-bearing clams, re-
cruitment, or some change in the predator-prey relationships. Horseshoe crabs
and green crabs, becoming active in the spring, might tend to concentrate on clams
around 10 to 14 mm, which, if true, could cause the ''trough" in the length-frequen-
cy curve,

During the summer of 1950 the natives in the only covered plot, no. 24B (table
9 and fig. 1), survived and grew so well that by September of 1951 there was an
average of about 16 legal-size natives per square foot, These were clams of the
1949 year-class, Thus, the growth from plankton stage to market size took only
three summers, or perhaps a little over two years.

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 15

In the three successful plots set out in the spring of 1951, small native clams
were present at all times, but comparatively few survived and grew. We do not
know why identical treatment produced a good crop one year and very little the next,
when there were as many or more young clams, However, by adding the size-fre-
quency data for native clams from these three plots, as intable 10, a growth curve may
be derived for the protected natives of the 1950 year-class, Their growth is simi-
lar to that of the 1949 year-class (see fig. 4).

In the unprotected plots and the surrounding natural tidal flats, there was prac-
tically no survival from the 1949 or 1950 year-class. No data were secured for
growth of the 1951 year-class, because no screens were down to protect it, and as
with the 1949 and 1950 year-classes, there was practically no survival in the natu-
ral flats. There was practically no digging in the area, and none in our plots, so
the failure of these crops was not caused by overdigging.

In marked contrast with the foregoing classes, the 1952 year-class survived
well enough, even without protection, to produce some reasonably good commercial
digging in upper Plum Island Sound, This year-class was not sampled as often nor
as thoroughly as the others, but no sampling was needed to recognize its success
during the summer of 1953, For the first time in four years the flats became pitted
with clam holes, and from 8 to 15 diggers have been working on the Newbury flats
almost every day from the fall of 1953 to the fall of 1954, The concentrations varied
from 3 or 4 legal-size clams per square foot to about 20 from midsummer on,

The success of the 1952-class seems to have been due to rapid growth. See
tables 9, 10, and 11, and figure 4 for a comparison of the 1952 year-class with the
1949 and 1950 year-classes, The larger size of this year-class of clams enabled
them to dig deeper and thus be less accessible to predators. The small byssus
clams, 12-15 mm, and under, were not unusually abundant during the winter of
1952/53, and as far as we could determine, predators were as abundant as ever,
Therefore, we have no evidence that the success of the 1952 clams was due to any
changes in the numerical relationships between predators and prey.

CONCLUSIONS

Natural predation on clams up to at least 50 mm, long is a serious problem
which will have to be met if clam farming or transplanting is to be economically
feasible. Horseshoe crabs and green crabs are the two most serious predators in
New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts. Clams can be protected from these
predators by covering flats with one-inch mesh chicken wire, In this way both na-
tive and transplanted clams can be grown from around 10 or 20 mm, to the market
size of 2 inches, or about 50 mm, intwo summers. Native clams under about 10
mm, long may or may not survive and grow under the chicken wire, The principal
disadvantage of putting chicken wire over the clams is the expense of the wire,
which might come to $3 or $4 per bushel of clams, Fences only 10-12 inches high
with a flange on top may afford adequate protection and be cheaper per acre, but
further experiments are required to demonstrate their successful practical appli-
cation,

Growth of native clams in areas studied is rapid, from plankton stage to mar-
ket size generally taking only three summers or perhaps a little over two years.
One year-class (1952) grew even faster, producing a commercially-diggable crop
in two summers, or a little over one year, This was the first year-class inatleast
4 years to survive well enough, without protection, to produce good commercial dig-
ging. The success of this year-class and the failure of others, that were just as
abundant up through the byssus stage, indicates that fluctuations in clam populations
are largely natural in origin and may result from things other than fluctuations in
the numbers of juvenile or byssus-stage clams,

16 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Wolls Ut; IOs G

LITERATURE CITED

Belding, David L.
1930. The Soft-Shelled Clam Fishery of Massachusetts, Comm, of Mass. Div, Fisheries and Game, Marine Fisheries

Series--no, 1, pp. 1-65.

Coe, Wesley Roswell and Harry J. Turner, Jr.
1938, Development of the Gonads and Gametes in the Soft-Shell Clam (Mya arenaria). J. Morph, 62(1):91-111,

Felin, Frances E, and Julius B, Phillips
1948. Age and Length Composition of the Sardine Catch off the Pacific Coast of the United States and Canada, 1941-1942

through 1946-1947, Calif. Div. Fish & Game, Fish, Bull, no, 69, pp. 1-122.

Kellogg, James L,
1905. Conditions Governing Existence and Growth of the Soft Clam (Mya arenaria). U, S. Comm, of Fish and Fisheries,

Rept, of the Commissioner for Year Ending June 30, 1903, Part XXIX, pp, 195-224,

Mead, A, D,
1900-1904, Five papers. Observations on the Soft-Shell Clam. Ann, Repts. Comm, Inland Fisheries Rhode Island.

Medcof, J. C.
1949, ‘*Puddling’’--A Method of Feeding by Herring Gulls, THE AUK, 66:204-205,

Smith, Osgood R,
1952, The Wanderings of Small Clams, Natl, Shellfish. Assn. ann, mtg, Aug, 14, 1952, mimeographed.

Turner, Harry J., Jr.
1949, Report on Investigations of Methods of Improving the Shellfish Resources of Massachusetts. Woods Hole Oceano-

graphic Inst., Contribution no, 510, pp. 3-22.

SPARE COPIES OF 1940 FISHERY MARKET NEWS AVAILABLE

The Service has available for distribution a limited number of spare copies
of 1940 issues (volume 2) of Fishery Market News (the forerunner of Commercial

Fisheries Review).

Listed below is one of the articles appearing in each issue, in addition toa
review of conditions and trends of the commercial fisheries.

JAN. 1940 "SOME ASPECTS OF FISH BEA MANUFACTURE AND, \DISTRIBUT I ON"

FEB. 1940 A THE SALT SABLEFISH OR "BLACK cop! FISHERY”

MAR. 1940 REFRIGERATED LOCKERS

APR. 1940 "MARKETS FOR FRESH-WATER TURTLES"

MAY 1940 FUR SEALS

JUNE 1940 "TRENDS AND CONDITIONS OF ,U. S. FISHERIES IN GREAT LAKES
» AND INTERNATIONAL LAKES

JULY 1940 JACKSONVILLE MARKET NEWS OFFICE COVERS EXTENSIVE FISH
PRODUCING AREA

AUG, 1940 SOME NOTES ON THE SHRIMP PACKING INDUSTRY IN THE SOUTH

» ATLANTIC AND GULF STATES

SEPT. 1940 THE OYSTER AND THE OYSTER INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES”

OcT. 1940 RELAT}VE SEASONAL SUPPLIES OF FISHERY PRODUCTS AT CHICAGO,

1939

NOV, 1940 - "FEDERAL AGENGY ACTS AS A CLEARING HOUSE FOR FISHERY
n_|NFORMAT | ON

DEC. 1940 - ECONOMICS OF THE. CARP INDUSTRY -

For these spare copies write the Branch of Commercial Fisheries, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington 25, D.C. Requests will be filled as re-
ceived until supplies are exhausted. Single copies or a complete set of Nos. 1

through 12 may be requested.

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 17

GULF OF MAINE BLUEFIN-TUNA EXPLORATION--1954
By J.J. Murray*
SUMMARY

The California purse seiner Western Pride operated in the New England blue-
fin tuna fishery from July 28 to September 9, 1954, in a cooperative agreement with
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service.

Mechanical difficulties,
encountered while prepar -
ing the seiner for the trip
from California to New
England, forced postpone -
ment of the original de-
parture date andresulted
in curtailment of effective
fishing time.

Fishing activities were
conducted in the Cape Cod-
South Channel area between
41° 38'-42 008! north lati-
tude and 68 30'-70 00!
west longitude. Best fish-
ing areas were found 40 Fig, 1 - Western Pride leaving Gloucester, Mass,, for fishing grounds,
nautical miles east south- August 1954,
east of Buoy "'R6"' of Chatham, Mass., and 10 nautical miles northeast of Race
Point, Mass.

A total of 10 purse-seine sets was completed with a catch of 48 tons of bluefin
tuna averaging between 30 and 40 pounds a fish. Best fishing occurred on August 21
and 22 when 4 sets in the South Channel netted 32 tons of fish. Tuna schools were
sighted on 13 of the 26 days spent at sea. Sizes of schools observed were estimated
from 2 to 200 tons with the majority of schools in the 10- to 20-tonclass. It was
conservatively estimated that over 1,000 tons of tuna were sighted.

Weather conditions prior to hurricane ''Carol" on August 31 were generally
favorable (with the exception of a few days) for purse-seine fishing, with adverse
weather prevailing during the period from September 8 to 18, immediately preced-
ing and following hurricane ''Edna'' on September 11. Surface water temperatures
recorded during August in the vicinity of the fishing grounds ranged from 59 to
(}5) 1s

Considering the short period of fishing time and the unusual weather, the catch
of nearly 50 tons of tuna, plus the large number of tuna schools which were seen,
is encouraging for commercial utilization of New England tuna, especially if market-
ing conditions improve for the fishermen.

BACKGROUND

Exploratory fishing for bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) in the Gulf of Maine and
adjacent waters has been conducted since 1951 by the Exploratory Fishing and Gear

* Fishery Methods and Equipment Specialist, Exploratory Fishing and Gear Development Section, Branch of Commercial
Fisheries, U, S, Fish and Wildlife Service, East Boston, Mass.

18 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 6

Development Section of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Major objective of the
program has been to evaluate the potentiality of this resource and determine the
possibility of developing a commercial tuna fishery and canning industry in the re-
gion.

The tuna purse seiner Western Explorer, chartered for the initial work during
1951, completed 8 trips with a total catch of 90 tons of tuna (Murray 1952). Opera-
tions were continued in 1952 and 1953 using Japanese-style tuna long-line gear as

LEGEND:
X Approximate location of purse-seine sets
Fr Best fishing areas shaded |

-“@BORG@ES BANK

a> 30° 70° 30° 69° 30° 68° 30° 67°

Fig, 2 - Area of bluefin-tuna exploratory fishing operation by M/V Western Pride, 1954,

the principalfishing method. While total production resulting from long-line fishing
was low, valuable information relative to locations of tuna schools, extent of range,
and oceanographic and meteorological conditions affecting the general availability
of the tunas was gathered (Murray 1953 and 1954).

In a cooperative agreement with the owners of the California tuna purse seiner
M/V Western Pride, the Service continued to promote commercial development of
this fishery during the 1954 season. Tuna-fishing equipment of the Service, con-
sisting of a tuna purse seine, seine skiff, and accessory gear was made available
to the vessel operators, who in return supplied the fully-equipped and manned purse
seiner and were responsible for all operating costs.

The author served as advisor and observer aboard the Western Pride from
July 28 to September 9, 1954, and participated in the scouting and fishing activities
for bluefin tuna in the Gulf of Maine and adjacent waters.

VESSEL AND FISHING EQUIPMENT

The M/V Western Pride, a Pacific Coast tuna purse seiner active for many
years in the California tuna and pilchard fisheries, departed from San Pedro, Calif.,
late in June 1954, and stopped at Pascagoula, Miss., where a tuna Seine, seine skiff,
and accessory gear were taken on board before continuing on to New England waters,
arriving off Cape Cod on August 1. Registered measurements of the vessel were:
length 71.8 ft.; beam 20.4 ft.; depth 10.6 ft.; tonnage 118 grosstons. The vessel

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 19

was powered by a 200-horsepower Diesel engine equipped with a power take-off

unit for operation of the purse-seine winch located on deck aft of the deckhouse.
Natural ice was carried for preserving the
fish catch, with an auxiliary refrigeration
unit to maintain fish-hold temperatures at
approximately 25 F. Fish-hold capacity
was rated at 95 tons.

Ss A standard Pacific Coast-type tuna purse
ee seine, measuring 377 fathoms in length and
— 32 fathoms in depth, stretched-mesh measure,
was employed. The body of the seine con-
sisted of five horizontal strips of linen web-
bing (numbers 36 and 40/16), 4z-inches
stretched mesh, each strip approximately
377 fathoms in length and 100 meshes deep.
A cork-line strip, 8 meshes deep, of No. 60-
thread medium-laid cotton seine twine was
laced tothe top strip of webbing. The lead-line
strip, laced to the bottom webbing strip, was
of No. 65/12 linen thread, 50 meshes deep,
and 8-inches stretched mesh.

A heavy, flat-bottom seine skiff, meas-
uring 26 feet in length and 15 feet in width,
equipped with a 100-horsepower gasoline
engine was used to assist in fishing opera-
tions.

oe SCOUTING AND FISHING RESULTS

Fig. 3 - Seine skiff and cork line during set,

TRIP NO. 1(July 28-August 12, 1954): The
Western Pride departed from Cape May, N. J., en route from California, on July 28
and arrived off Chatham, Mass., on August . Fishing boats operating in this area
had reported the presence of tuna schools during the preceding week. Scouting operations

Position

ee of Set of School

15 Miles Southeast Fish sounded out of seine during’

pursing operation.

-7

ing of cork line during set.

chool surrounded and pursing

Nauset Light, Cape Cod
40 Miles East Southeast 15
Chatham Light, Cape Cod
completed when heavy seas
ripped net and caused loss of

45 Miles East Southeast
Chatham Light, Cape Cod
fish.

'
i
o

0
Cod Light, Cape Cod

Viles Southeast Cape 65 Perfect set captured sma
school.

Miles Southeast Cape
Cod Light, Cape Cod

Miles Southeast Cape 10 10
Cod Light, Cape Cod

oO
‘
i)
iS)

Cod Light, Cape Cod
Main body of school sounded

Miles Northeast Cape 15

Cod Light, Cape Cod 2 before pursing completed.

Miles Northeast Cape

Cod Light, Cape Cod

9-7 40 Miles East Southeast 05 mall school wild anderratic,
Chatham Light, Cape Cod :

main body of schoolescaped.

20 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 6

during the next four days disclosed many small schools of tuna extending from Pol-
lock Rip Lightship north to Cape cod Rigttaae distance of 28 nautical miles. Be-
cause of the wild and erra-
tic actions of the schools it
was not possible to make
any purse-seine sets during
this period. On August 7a
school of tuna, estimated to
contain 5 tons of fish, was
sighted 15 miles southeast
of Nauset Light. The seiner |
went into the set, encircled
the school perfectly, but lost
it when the fish sounded and
escaped from the seine be-
fore pursing could be com-
pleted. The following day
the vessel proceeded off-
shore ina southeasterly
direction where, just before
sundown, large schools of
tuna were sighted approxi- Fig, 4 - Drying up tuna seines preparatory to brailing,

mately 40 to 50 nautical

miles southeast of Cape Cod. The second set, on August 9, was unsuccessful, when
a 15-ton school escaped from the seine when the cork line became fouled, causing
an excessive delay in closing the purse line. Large schools of tuna were sighted
in the South Channel region on the afternoon of August 10. At one time 5 schools
estimated to contain from 20 to 50 tons each were surfaced within a radius of 2
miles of the vessel. Weather conditions were poor with heavy seas and winds of

25 knots. Shortly before sundown when the winds and seas moderated, a set was
completed and the purse rings were brought on deck with an estimated catch of 80
tons of tuna in the seine.

Soon after pursing the winds increased to near-gale force accompanied by
heavy seas. Attempts to split the seine and divide the school into two sections fail-
ed due to the excessive rolling of the ship and resulted in tearing the webbing along
the cork-line strip, allowing most of the tuna to escape. The seine was finally re-
trieved 15 hours after setting with a catch of 3 tons of fish that were gilled in the
webbing. Extensive damage to the seine and deck gear necessitated a return to
port and a loss of eight days' fishing time while the equipment was repaired.

TRIPNO.2 (August 20-26, 1954): The Western Pride sailed from Gloucester
on August 20, compicted 5 successful sets in the South Channel fishing grounds,
approximately 40 nautical miles southeast of Cape Cod Light, and returned to port
on August 26 with a catch of 44.5 tons of bluefin tuna.

Large schools of tuna were sighted within 80 nautical miles of Gloucester .
Many of the schools were estimated to contain from 100 to 200 tons of fish, much
too large for impounding with the purse seine and equipment available on the West-
ern Pride. Small scattered schools were also found and the first set of the trip on
August 21 produced a catch of 2 tons, averaging from 40to45 pounds in weight. A
second set made later the same day on a schoolestimatedtocontain 15 tons of tuna
proved unsuccessful. Shortly after sunrise on the following day tuna schools were
again Sighted and an early morning set caught 10 tons. A few hours before sunset
the second successful set of the day was made on a "breezing" school of about 20
tons. After eight hours of work the seine was back on the turntable and the 20 tons
of fish had been brailed into the ship's hold. Scouting operations on August 23 did
not start until noon, when tuna schools estimated to contain an aggregate of 1,000
tons of tuna were sighted. Attempts to divide the fish into smaller groups by

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 21

steaming through the middle of the schools were unsuccessful. Small groups of fish
would separate briefly and then rejoin the main school. For three hours the seiner
remained in contact with the
schools, until they disappear -
ed at dusk, without being able
to make a set. High winds
and rough seas prevented
fishing on the following day,
although tuna schools were
still observed surfacing over
a wide area. On August 25
activities were transferred
to the inshore waters between
Nauset and Cape Cod Light.
Behavior of the schools ob-
served there differed marked-
ly from those further offshore.
Inshore fish were generally
found in small schools mill-
ing and moving erratically

Fig, 5 - Deckload of New England bluefin tuna, and presenting difficult tar -

gets for purse seining. Two

sets were completed in the area netting a total catch of 12.5 tons of tuna. Average
weight of the fish caught in this area was 25 pounds. The trip was unloaded at Glou-
cester on August 27 and 28.

TRIP NO. 3 (August 29-September 9, 1954): During this period one severe
hurricane and the advent of another drastically curtailed fishing and resulted in the
loss of the seine skiff and brought a halt to the seining program. On August 30 the
Western Pride scouted the inshore Cape Cod waters and found small bunches of
tuna. The fish were extremely wild and no sets were possible. Anchorage in Prov-
incetown Harbor was made late that evening. Hurricane '"'Carol' struck on the
morning of August 31 and efforts to keep the vessel from being driven aground were
finally rewarded when the storm abated late in the day. Loss of the seine skiff,
which foundered during the gale, delayed resumption of fishing while search was made
for the missing skiff. The search proved fruitless and loan of a menhaden seine skiff
was effected on September 6 and the vessel proceeded offshore to the South Channel.
A sharp drop in surface-water temperatures was noted following the hurricane and
no large schools of tuna were found in this previously productive area.

Behavior of the smaller-size schools observed resembled actions of the schools
in the vicinity of Cape Cod that were sighted on the preceding trip.

A set on September 7 caught 24 fish with a total weight of 1,000 pounds. Evi-
dently the main body of fish had moved further offshore as trawlers fishing on the
Northern Edge of Georges Bank, about 40 miles northeast of the South Channel posi-
tion of the seiner, reported sighting huge schools of tuna in the area. Efforts to
reach this position were abandoned when hurricane ''Edna'' moved up the Atlantic
Coast. On September 9 the Western Pride docked at Gloucester completing the final
trip of the 1954 season.

LITERATURE CITED

Murray, J. J. ; : :
1952. Reporton 1951 Exploratory Bluefin Tuna Fishing in 1954, Gulf of Maine Bluefin Tuna Exploration--1953,
the Gulf of Maine. Commercial Fisheries Review, Commercial Fisheries Review, vol. 16, no. 7
vol, 14, no. 3(Mar. 1952)--alsoSeparate 309, Guly 1953)--also Separate 374.

1953, Gulf of Maine Bluefin Tuna Exploration--1952. Com-
mercial Fisheries Review, vol. 15, no, 7(July 1953)--
also Separate 353.

22 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 6

YIN SERVICE LABORATORIES “Nf
‘ Ween eee _ oii

DEVELOPMENT OF VOLUNTARY FEDERAL
STANDARDS OF GRADE FOR FRESH AND
FROZEN FISHERY PRODUCTS

Voluntary United States Standards are yardsticks with which the quality of a
product is measured. They are developed by the Federal Government in coopera-
tion with the producers, processors, distributors, and consumers, and are recom-
mended officially for optional use.

More than 126 United States Standards for processed and fresh food commodities
are in effect, and the quantities of foods officially graded amount to billions of pounds.
Fresh and frozen fishery products are exceptional in that they do not have voluntary
United States Standards of quality as
aids to efficient buying and selling.

The grading and inspection programs
of the Federal Government have been
beneficial to industry and consumers in
reducing confusion, waste, and fraud.
They have been aids to warehousing,
financing, and marketing of foods, and
have helped producers and distributors
in the development of more and bigger
markets; i.e., the uniform improvement
of quality of poultry,brought about larze-
ly by the U.S. Department of Agriculture
poultry inspection and grading service,
has resulted in a rapid increase of do-
mestic consumption of broilers andfarm
chickens from 0.7 pillion pounds pro-
duced in 1939 to 13 billion pounds raised
in 1952.

At a meeting of the National Fisher -
ies Institute in the spring of 1954, the
major producers and distributors of fish
sticks requested the U.S. Fish and Wild-
life Service to conduct research to de-
velop voluntary standards for fish sticks.

The Saltonstall-Kennedy Act (PL- Loading a refrigerated truck with outgoing shipment of fish in
A y % Chicago’s Fulton Market.
466) provided funds for a substantial

expansion in this project to develop voluntary Federal standards of grade and con-
dition for fresh and frozen fishery products.

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 23

The development of background information on the cooked fish sticks has been
carried out at the Service's technological laboratories in Boston and in Seattle. Ex-
tensive investigations of commercial fish sticks and of experimentally-prepared
sticks have been made, including studies of frozen storage of samples. Factors af-
fecting the consumer acceptability of fish sticks have been evaluated and standard
descriptive procedures for the grading of the sticks were prepared. Close coopera-
tion with the National Fisheries Institute Fish Stick Committee has been maintained
in all of the research conducted. A contract was signed during September 1954 with
the National Fisheries Institute to establish industry liaison for Federal-industry
joint development and application of the standards.

The Fish Stick Subcommittee has participated with the Service's Technological
Section in a joint development of a draft of Proposed Voluntary Standards of Frozen
Fried Fish Sticks. The samples of fish sticks collected for the N.F I. convention
product-evaluation session have been graded by technical representatives of industry
and Fish and Wildlife Service fishery technological personnel in the East Boston
Laboratory, according to the proposed voluntary standards procedures. The pro-
posed voluntary Federal standards have been sent to interested persons of the fish-
stick industry for their written comments and suggestions.

Meanwhile, staffs of the Boston and Seattle fishery technological laboratories
are continuing to accumulate data and information needed for application of the pro-
posed standards for frozen-prefried breaded fish sticks. They are testing in prac-
tice the grading procedures for assessing the quality of the fish sticks. Investiga-
tions are also under way to develop objective tests of quality which will supplement
the subjective tests in the standard,

The staff of the College Park Laboratory will conduct bacteriological studies
and biochemical tests of factors which effect quality of fishery products. It is also
coordinating all of the standardization activities of the Service's laboratories and
industry, and will maintain liaison with other governmental agencies which have
food standardization, inspection, and grading services.

The Service has awarded two research contracts which will be applicable to our
standards program. The University of Washington will evaluate the principal tests
for freshness in fishery products, The investigation will determine the value of such
tests as volatile acids, volatile-reducing substances, trimethylamine, and hydrogen
sulfide as indexes of quality. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology will en-
deavor to develop new objective tests for freshness of fish.

Standardization results from the desire and need of the industry for uniform
measures of important variations in quality. The producer desires to get the price
that the quality of his product and the condition of the market entitle him. The proc-
essor and distributor need the quality grades to facilitate buying and selling. Since
the first objective is widest possible uniformity in standardization work, the lead
must be taken by the Federal Government. Industry can cooperate by supplying the
Federal Government with all the facts concerning the varied condition and practices
throughout the producing areas and in the trade in order that they may be evaluated
and considered in the development of realistic and practical voluntary standards.
The Government standardization agency seeks the advice of producers, processors,
distributors, and consumers. It obtains their suggestions and comments in order to
reach a complete understanding between the persons involved.

While there are no voluntary Government standards for fishery products, the
procedures for the issuance of standards and regulations governing the grading and
inspection of them, and the services rendered, are generally those presently in ef-
fect for the various commodities, such as poultry. The procedures contemplated
are as follows:

24 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vole ie e Noms

The industry shows interest and makes inquiries, and demands voluntary stand-
ards. Informal meetings and discussions of views are held, to obtain the over-all
picture. Such meetings have been conducted by the Fish Stick Committee of the
National Fisheries Institute.

The Federal Government then drafts the proposed standard or regulation, and
publishes it, in accordance with the provisions of the Administrative Procedures
Act, in the Federal Register, under the title of ''Notice of Proposed Rule Making."

A mailing list of interested persons is prepared and letters are sent out request-
ing written views and arguments regarding the proposed voluntary standard. Industry
may present suggestions for changes in the proposed rules, if it wishes.

The suggestions and views are considered by the Administrator and experts of
his staff, and certain revisions may be made.

Then a final rule is issued, and the proposed voluntary standards are promulgated
in the Federal Register, and become official.

Once the standards are put into effect, any interested person can benefit from
their use. Fishermen can use the standards. The quality-conscious packer or
processor demands fresh fish of high quality and is willing to pay more for them.
A better return for a lesser amount of high-quality fresh fish may be received than
for a bigger amount of low-quality fish.

Processors may use the voluntary standards as a basis for contracting with
buyers and as a guide to improve packing operations. They may be an aid in fi-
nancing their operations, and in meeting the ever-increasing demand for foods
packed according to definite grade standards.

Distributors can use grade standards to select, for their trade, the grade and
factors desired in the contract of purchase. They can maintain uniformity of quality
under their brands. Grade information may be carried on their labels for the benefit
of consumers, if continuous in-plant inspection has been made by Federal inspectors
applying the appropriate grade standards.

Institutional buyers may use the grade standards to fit their purchases to the use
for which intended. They may find the standards very useful in drafting specifications
to meet their needs, or use the standards as buying specifications.

There are three types of grading and inspection services available:
1. Grading of fresh or chilled fishery products at terminal markets
and other points;

2. Grading of processed and manufactured fishery products in official
plants, at terminal markets, and other receiving points;

3. Inspection of fishery products in official plants for processing.

Grading service shall be for class, quality, quantity, or condition, and shall be
on the basis of United States voluntary standards and grades. However, grading
service may be rendered with respect to products bought and sold on the basis of
contract specifications. Grading may be ona continuous basis or a Seasonal basis.

Inspection service shall be for the determination of the condition, wholesome-
ness, and fitness for human food of fishery products.

Grading and inspection certificates will be issued covering products graded and
inspected and such certificates shall show the class or classes of fishery products,

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 25

the quantity contained in the respective lot, and all pertinent information concerning
quality, quantity, or condition of the products.

There are two types of grade and inspection marks used to label products. One
carries the legend of the U.S. grade of the product and the other contains a state-
ment ''Processed and packed under continuous inspection of the Department," in ad-
dition to the U.S. grade mark.

The grade labeling must be checked and approved by the Government grading
agency, to be sure that there is no misrepresentation as to the contents of the label-
ed product.

Inspection and grading certificates are documentary evidence of quality and
condition to accompany warehouse receipts in financing operations; as proof of
quality and condition to accompany sales offers, invoices, and shipping documents;
to substantiate quality and condition of deliveries; and as a basis for labeling re-
tail containers. The final certificates areadmissible in all courts of the United
States as prima facie evidence of the truth of the statements they contain. Applicants
who may request inspections are food processors, bankers, brokers, wholesale dis-
tributors, retail grocers, warehousing concerns, railroad agencies, ‘and Federal,
State, and city purchasing agencies.

Continuous inspection regulations require that a Government inspector be sta-
tioned continuously at the processing plant to observe the product from its raw state
through every step in the entire process, and to make an inspection of the finished
product for quality and condition. The inspector makes certain that the products are
prepared and packed under strict standards of cleanliness.

All of the types of inspection and grading services are ona fee basis sufficient
only to cover the cost of the services, and are paid to the Government.

--Arthur J. Nolte, Fishery Products Technologist,
Fishery Technological Laboratory,
Branch of Commercial Fisheries,
U.S.Fish & Wildlife Service, College Park, Md.

LITERATURE REVIEW OF FACTORS THAT MAY
AFFECT PROCESSED FEEDS QUALITY

A literature review of the factors that may affect the quality of processed feeds
is now being compiled at the Service's Seattle Fishery Technological Laboratory.
This review was undertaken to obtain information that will aid in the development of
methods of chemical analysis that will indicate the nutritive value of fish meal.

Based on the present knowledge, none of the component substances in fish meal
can be used as a criterion of the nutritive value. It is also not possible to state
what effect the various processes used in fish-meal production will have on either
the component substances or the over-all nutritive value of the meal.

Thus, before laboratory tests can be developed, information must be obtained
as to (1) which of the constituent substances contribute most to the nutritive value
of the meal, (2) what is the relationship among them, (3) what effect a change in any
one constituent will have on the over-all nutritive value, and (4) what causes these
changes in the constituents.

26 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 6

Many workers have studied various aspects of this problem. Consequently,
information from these studies is being accumulated, evaluated, and systematized
so that the information relative to the various aspects of the problem will be easily
available. Furthermore, since the problem is not unique to the fishing industry but
exists for the producers of all types of processed feeds, pertinent information con-
cerning other protein feeds is also being included.

Abstract journals being used in the compilation of the review include Chemical
Abstracts, starting with volume 21 (1927); Biological Abstracts, starting with vol-
ume 1 (1926); Commercial Fisheries Abstracts, starting with volume 1 (1948); and
and Food Science Abstracts, starting with volume 22 (1950). In addition, a number
of periodicals are being thoroughly covered that were not included by the abstract
journals or that were used most often for the publication of articles applying to the
various phases of the problem.

The review is divided into 13 parts, and each one of these is further divided
into a first section called ''Summary,'' a second section called ''Fishery Products,"
and a third section called ''Nonfishery Products."

In each part the summary section gives a general discussion of the abstracts
appearing in that part, points out any contradictions among the abstracts, and brief-
ly states some of the problems remaining to be solved.

The topics covered in the review are as follows:

I. Factors that affect the over-all nutritive value of the product
Il. Factors that affect the digestibility of the product
Ill. Effect of raw material on the quality of the product
IV. Protein and its relation to the quality of the product

V. Amino acids and their relation to the biological and nutritive
value of the product

VI. Fats, fatty acids, and their relation to the quality of the
product

VII. Effect of processing methods on the quality of the product
VIII. Effect of storage on the quality of the product
IX. Keeping quality of the product

X. Biological methods for determining nutritive value and
quality of the product

XI. Other analytical determinations
XII. Review articles applying to the problem
XII. Correlation of methods for determining nutritive value
or quality of a product

Resumes of approximately 300 articles have already been prepared; and about
100 more will be abstracted later.

Parts I through IV and Parts VI and VII have been prepared and duplicated. Any
articles among those yet to abstracted that are applicable to these parts will be add-
ed later. The remaining parts are being compiled at the rate of about one part per
week.

The following are the summaries for the parts that have now been completed:

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 27

PART I - FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE OVER-ALL
NUTRITIVE VALUE OF A PRODUCT

A section on the nutritive value of processed materials is almost redundant.
Nearly all of the papers on protein, amino acids, fat, raw material, processing, and
storage are applicable in a section dealing with nutritive value. Obviously, it is
both undesirable and unnecessary to repeat all of these abstracts in this section.
Thus, in most instances, the articles included in Part I deal with generalities or
give the results of determinations of the nutritive value of various products.

The vitamin content of a product has an important bearing on its nutritive value.
For this reason the effects of processing conditions on the vitamin content of meal
and solubles are also included in this section. Riboflavin and vitamin B, are often
used to check the vitamin content or a change in the vitamin content due 40 some
variation in the treatment or source of a product. The vitamin B,, content of fish-
ery products changes during spoilage. A relationship has been shown between the
loss of these vitamins and pH, time, and temperature during processing.

Folic-acid deficiency has been shown to result in poor growth, poor feathering,
and a high incidence of perosis in chicks. Inositol plus vitamin E have prevented
hock disorder.

The problems of variations in and measurement of nutritive value of a product
are not unique to fishery products. Producers of all types of processed feeds are
interested in finding ways to make a standard product and laboratory methods to
measure the value of a product.

PART Il - FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE DIGESTIBILIT Y
OF THE PRODUCT

The digestibility of a product can be affected by both physical and chemical
factors. Thus, Part II, on the whole, includes generalized articles that mention
the various points that may affect digestibility.

The measurement of digestibility is a problem. The animal used will affect
the results and standardizing conditions are often difficult. The digestibility of
various feeds have been measured by both in vivo and in vitro methods. Unfortu-
nately, complex animal organisms react differently than enzymatic systems and
the in vivo methods do not give the same results as in vitro methods. This indicates
that digestability and nutritive value of a feed are not directly related to chemical
composition.

PART ill - EFFECT OF RAW MATERIAL ON THE
QUALITY OF THE PRODUCT

Almost no information is available to determine the effect of raw material on
the quality of a meal. There are reports in the literature that compare meals made
from different fish, but the meals have not been processed under definite enough
conditions to provide definite proof that meals from different species are different.
At this stage of our knowledge such facts as whether part or all of the fish is used,
the condition of the fish, and the processing are probably more important than the
species of the fish.

The condition of the fish may influence both the amino acid and vitamin content
of both the meal and stickwater. It has been stated that spoilage of the raw material
is accompanied by a change and general decrease in the amino acid content.

A few studies have been done on the effect of storage and preservation of the
raw material on the final product. Two groups of workers have stated that storage

28 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVEIW Vol. 17, No. 6

of raw fish did not affect the nutritive value of the meal. However, the yield decreased
rapidly. The oil content of the fish did not change, but the free fatty acid and color of
the oil increased, and the meal contained increasing amounts of oil, thus reducing

the free oil recovered. The yield of condensed fish solubles increased, but the nu-
tritive quality deteriorated. For fish stored from 4 to 10 days at 45 E, there were
rapid increases in free fatty acids, volatile nitrogen, and loss of protein in the stick-
water.

The Norwegians tested the effect of preservatives on the raw fish to be used to
make meal and stickwater. They advised that volatile preservatives are advanta-
geous to avoid high concentrations in the stickwater or meal. Nitrite brine and
formalin brine were effective. In some experiments the formalin brine was better,
but, if open containers were used, the nitrite brine was better. Formalin appeared
to be more effective in preventing the decomposition of fat, and nitrite in preventing
the decomposition of protein.

The Norwegians have also reported that the stomach contents of summer her-
ring affected the cooking and pressing, and lowered the nutritive quality of the meal.
The actual effect on the nutritive value of the finished meal of the feed the fish have
been consuming is difficult to check and certainly is a phase that can be postponed
until more basic work is done.

However, the effect of the general condition of the fish or waste material is
basic and can be determined. The principal difficulty involved in this is that dif-
ferent types of spoilage may have different effects on the finished meal. Thus the
conditions of spoilage must be carefully controlled to limit the number of unknown
variables to a minimum.

PART IV - PROTEIN AND ITS RELATION TO THE
QUALITY OF THE PRODUCT

Protein is among the most important constituents of fish meal, not only from
a nutritive standpoint, but also because the cost of a fish meal is based on its pro-
tein content. As a result, quite often when experimental work has been started on
the nutritional value of fish meal, the protein is the part that has been studied. How-
ever, measurement of the nutritional value of protein is difficult, time-consuming,
and expensive, whether it be in fish meal, cereals, or a pure protein. At present,
the most reliable methods are biological assays using chicks or rats. A number
of chemical laboratory methods have been attempted, but none of them has been very
successful in getting the same results as that obtained by biological methods.

One of the earlier chemical methods developed was that known as the protein-
quality index. This method was developed with the recognition that total protein
values alone do not give an accurate indication of the value of protein. To measure
the protein- quality index the following protein fractions are determined: copper-
precipitated protein, which is intact protein and which decreases as decomposition
increases; phosphotungstic acid precipitated protein, which consists of peptones,
peptides, and amino acids not precipitated by copper; the crude protein not digested
by pepsin, which consists of keratins, denatured proteins, and certain insoluble nitro-
gen compounds; hot-water-soluble protein, which consists mainly of gelatin. The
protein-quality index is the sum of copper-precipitated protein minus the undigest-
ible protein minus 0.6 times the hot-water-soluble protein plus 0.4 times the phos-
photungstic-acid precipitate times 100 divided by the total crude protein. This meth-
od of protein-quality index was used in one instance to explain why dogfish meals
prepared by a wet process had a higher nutritional value than those prepared by a
dry process. The dry-process meal contained 8.9 percent more total protein than
the wet-process meal. However, the nutritive value of the meal was lower because
more decomposition occurred in the dry-process meal and much of the protein went
to the amino acid stage or further. A number of analyses of fish meals for protein-

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 29

quality index have been reported, although the determination is time-consuming and
its correlation with biological value is still in doubt.

Among other laboratory methods used to estimate the value of various protein
feeds are the use of enzymatic digestion and acid hydrolysis followed by amino-acid
analysis; the rate of liberation of amino acids from the protein by enzymes; the use
of dyes to measure quantitatively the acidic and basic groups of protein molecules;
microbiological determinations using Tetrahymena geleii W. At present these meth-
ods do not give enough information so that they can be substituted for biological meth-
ods to determine the nutritional value of protein.

One of the most important phases of the problem of the nutritive value of protein
is the effect of processing procedures. There are many reports in the literature on
the stages of processing and their effects on fish meal and on other protein feeds.
Much of the early work on processing was done when there was very limited knowl-
edge about vitamins and must be evaluated with this fact in mind.

Some of this work on the effect of processing on the nutritive value of fish meals
indicated that high temperatures decreased digestibility, biological value, amino-
acid content, protein efficiency, and riboflavin. However, it is still difficult to de-
termine whether other factors involved have as much or more effect than the tem-
perature.

Probably the feed material that has had the most study on methods of proper
processing is soy protein. Studies of soybean meal have shown that for different
reasons both underheating and overheating will affect the nutritive value of the meal.
If the meal is underheated, a trypsin inhibitor is not destroyed and the result is poor
utilization of the protein. Thisfactorisof no importance in fish-meal production.

If the soybean meal is overheated, digestibility and nutritive value decrease.

One of the important factors in heat damage to protein is the Maillard reaction
in which the aldehyde group of carbohydrates apparently reacts with amino groups
in the protein or amino acid. Although fish meal contains almost no carbohydrate,
there is still a possibility that this type of reaction may occur with other aldehydes
during processing.

Among processing factors that may affect the nutritive value of the product are:
whether the meal is wet-rendered or dry-rendered, the press, the condition of the
raw material during drying, and how long the meal may be subjected to a high heat
when the drying is almost completed. The effects of storage and the importance of
the conditions of storage on the nutritive value of the protein are other factors that
may play a part in determining the over-all nutritive value of the meal.

Many of the factors that determine the nutritive value of protein and the im-
portance of various interrelationships are still among the problems to be solved.
However, knowledge is increasing, particularly about the amino acids. Enough work
has been done on amino acids that is relative to the problem of the quality of fish
= they will be discussed as a separate subject in Part V (to be released
later).

PART VI - FATS, FATTY ACIDS, AND THEIR RELATION
TO THE QUALITY OF THE PRODUCT

Many fish meals are prepared from raw materials with a high oil content and a
high degree of unsaturation in the oil. Although most of the oil is often removed be-
fore the meals are processed, that still present will change during both processing
and storage of the meal.

30 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 6

Numerous short-term investigations have been carried out looking into the effect
of the condition of oil present in mixed feeds either as the natural oil occurring in
fish meal or as added oil. No really comprehensive investigations have been made.
Results of what work has been done are often conflicting so that no firm conclusions
can be drawn. Following are some of the principal results reported in the literature.

It has been demonstrated that the composition of oil was altered during manu-
facture of fish meal. The amount of total fatty acids in cold-pressed menhaden oil
was much higher than in oil extracted from menhaden meal. In addition there was
a lower percentage of saturated fatty acids and a higher iodine number for the un-
saturated acids present in the cold-pressed oil. Some work on Norwegian herring
was reported in which the fat in the press cake had a higher free fatty-acid content
than the pressed oil. Fat in the press cake was clear and easier to extract than
the dark fat extracted from the fish meal. In one instance it was suggested that an
indication of quality might be obtained from the free fatty-acid content, which is
normally about 5 percent of the fat but has been as high as 40 percent in samples
with much decomposition. However, whether free fatty-acid content can be used as
a criterion of nutritive value is still unknown, although several workers have indi-
cated that the fatty acids may be one of the factors involved.

The reasons for losses of nutritive value for chicks and rats during processing
of fish meal have been investigated in experiments where the meals were prepared
under controlled conditigns. Canadian workers have heated extracted and nonextract-
ed herring meals at 300 F. for 0, 60, 120, and 180 minutes. When these meals were
fed to chicks, both of the meals heated for 180 minutes and the unextracted meals
heated for 120 minutes caused lowered growth. When the oil was extracted and added
to the heated extracted meals that had not lowered growth, the nutritive value for
chick growth was decreased. Fresh herring oil did not have this effect.

In the period immediately after the fish meal leaves the drier, the meal begins
to heat spontaneously. The temperature of the meal has been shown to increase as
much as 125 Fahrenheit degrees in the first 10 to 20 hours after drying. Factors
that affect the time and duration of the heating period include the type of meal, fat
content, amount of unsaturation of the fat, and moisture content. Peroxide values
of extracted fat increased very rapidly during the first 24 hours after processing.

The ether-soluble fractions decrease during storage and one worker has re-
ported that the largest decrease in herring meals was in those that had become most
rancid during the drying process. Japanese workers also have reported this decrease
in the ether-soluble fraction during storage. The iodine and bromine values decreased
and there was little increase in the free fatty acids. None of these results were com-
pared with the results of animal-feeding tests, so that the actual effect on nutritive
value is unknown.

In much of the work that has been done on the effect of fat on the nutritive value
of products other than fish meals, rats have been the test animals. However, when
animal protein concentrates were tested using chicks, it was reported that a high
free fatty acid content of the fat was not an indication of the nutritive worth of such
products in well-balanced rations for poultry feeding. High rancidity of the fat in
the concentrates did not greatly effect the nutritive value when the concentrates were
used at 10- to 15-percent levels in the feeds. Other reports have indicated that ran-
cid or oxidized fat fed to rats had lowered nutritive value.

Grains change during storage periods. Free fatty acids and peroxide values
increase, the nitrogen soluble in 3 percent sodium chloride decreases, but again the
importance of the changes in nutritive values were not checked by animal tests.

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 31

It is obvious that the effects of fat, its kind, degree of unsaturation, extent of
rancidity, and other changes that may take place in the fat are factors that require
additional study to determine their importance in affecting nutritive value and quality
of the product. Such knowledge would also help to determine the processing steps
necessary to avoid deleterious changes. Particularly needed are more systematic
investigations into the nature of the changes which take place in the oils in fish
meals during the heating which occurs immediately after manufacture. This heating
probably results in the formation of oxidative oil compounds. There is some evi-
dence that these compounds may have a toxic effect. The oils may also combine in
some manner with amino acids or proteins, making them less digestible or unavail-
able to animals; or alternatively, the heating of the oils in the fish meal during cur-
ing or storage may, through production of high temperatures, cause alteration or
breakdown of amino acids and proteins. While there are hints in the literature that
such reactions may take place, no comprehensive investigation to determine just
what takes place during this stage of oxidation of fish oils in meals has been made.
Such investigations would do much to clarify the nutritional role of fat in fish meal
and might result in revealing one of the principal causes of the wide variability in
the nutritive value of different fish meals.

PART VIL - EFFECT OF PROCESSING METHODS ON THE
QUALITY OF THE PRODUCT

In general, research on the effect of processing methods on the quality and nutri-
tive value of fish meal has not been directed to find the basic reason for variations
that appear. A survey of the literature shows lack of agreement about the effects of
processing methods and the reasons for these effects. Many of the studies that have
been reported were done when methods were ‘not available to analyze and when there
was little or no knowledge of vitamins, particularly of members of the vitamin B
complex. Thus, it is necessary to examine the results of various feeding tests with
the thought in mind that when one product was said to be inferior to another, the cause
might have been a vitamin or amino-acid deficiency. Considerable stress should be
given this factor in the use of the abstracts summarized in this report.

Experiments have usually been conducted on the biological value or digestibility
of the meal, and the results are conflicting. Undoubtedly one reason for this is
given in a Norwegian paper that states the effect of a drying method can only be de-
termined if meal from the same raw material is prepared simultaneously in differ -
ent driers. Results at this laboratory are among those that have indicated that there
was no great damage to the protein caused by unfavorable drying conditions. How-
ever, other reports state that direct heat-dried meals are inferior to vacuum-dried
or steam-dried meals. It has also been reported that a greater difference in nutritive
value exists between meals from the same species prepared by a different process
than between meals from different species prepared by the same process.

Recently two laboratories have reported the effects of processing methods on
fish oils. Decreased growth of both chicks and rats resulted when fish oil was heated
at 300 F. for 2 hours or was polymerized at 275 C.

Attempts have also been made to check the effect of processing on individual
amino acids in fish meals.

Problems of processing protein meals are not peculiar to fishery byproducts.
Heat has been shown to damage protein under a variety of conditions, sometimes at
temperatures lower than is required for destruction of amino acids. Dry heat, wet
heat, the presence of reducing sugars, length oftime of processing, temperature of
processing, and method of drying are among the factors in processing that have been
shown to affect the quality of a product. Soybean meal must be heated at an optimum
temperature. If the meal is underheated, a trypsin inhibitor is not destroyed; if the
meal is overheated, damage to the protein results. In either case the nutritive value
of the meal is decreased.

32 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 6

Experiments on cereal products have sometimes indicated that dry heat is less
damaging than wet heat, but in other instances the reverse has been recommended.
The factors that change digestibility or availability of amino acids in a product are
often the factors that must be determined.

On the protein quality of cottonseed meal recent workers found that a low process-
ing temperature did not always produce high-quality meals. Others have reported
that protein efficiency varied with the amount of heat treatment. It has been recom-
mended that cottonseed meal be cooked at alow temperature for a longer time rather
than at a higher temperature for a shorter time.

So many factors can cause variations in the nutritive value of a product that one
must eliminate as many variables as possible to determine both what factors cause
damage and what kind of damageis the most harmful to the quality of the meal. Much
of the experimental work has been of the type that has determined the biological value
of a particular meal, but has contributed nothing to the reason for this effect, even
though at least part of the history of the meal was known. Experiments to determine
the fundamental effect of processing still remain to be carried out and this basic work
can best be done by working with one variable at a time. Whenit is known what factors
influence quality and how these factors are affected by the stages of processing, then
additive results of the damage can be determined. At present, it is still almost im-
possible to make a meal of good or poor quality at will except for scorching the pro-
tein which always reduced its nutritive quality. When variations can be made within
reasonable levels basic causes for an inferior meal will have been found and the an-
swers toprocessing problems will no longer be elusive.

Parts VI and VIII thru XIII of this literature review will be summarized ina
subsequent report.

--Neva L. Karrick, Chemist
Fishery Technological Laboratory
Branch of Commercial Fisheries,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Seattle, Wash.

Sjoe

FEDERAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR FRESH
AND FROZEN FISH ISSUED

Federal specifications for fresh and frozen fish, PP-F-38ld (September 3, 1954),
was recently issued by the General Services Administration. This supersedes Interim
Federal Specification PP-F-00381c and Federal Specification PP-F-38lc.

Special commodity clauses for waterfoods, clams, and shrimp, covering Defense
Department purchases, were also issued recently by the Army Quartermaster Mar-
ket Center System.

The above specifications and special clauses are effective May 20, 1955, and
copies may be obtained without charge from the General Services Administration
Regional Offices in Boston, New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Kansas City (Mo.), Dallas,
Denver, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 33

pre —————— =

be ES =] REN DS > : =

ede DEVELOPMENTS

Additions to the U. S. Fleet of Fishing Vessels

A total of 31 vessels of 5 net tons and over were assigned first documents as
fishing craft during March 1955, according to the U. S. Bureau of Customs, This
was 37 vessels less
than during the same
month of last year--a
decrease of 54 percent.

U. S. Vessels Assigned First Documents as Fishing
Craft, March 1955

: [March | Jan, -March
| Section rags] asa] 198s | 19sa] Total 1954

4 0 oO) Oe DeOMNbalerA GG 6 SG 6 os

In the Gulf section
only 11 vessels were
documented for the first
time as fishing craft in Chesapeake Bay.
Marchascomparedwith J|South Atlantic .
4iduringthesamemonth |Gulf ......

INew England ...
Middle Atlantic ..

ayearearlier, The Pa- |Pacific
cific section also had1l /Great Lakes.
additions, the South At-
lantic section 3, the Mid- [Hawaii
dle Atlantic and Great
Lakes sections each 2,
and the New England and
Alaska sections each l,

TrRNOrRrre WI Nee

Puerto Rico. .
Winknowle 6 6 = = = = 1
Total iss. fee ie (Oke (RIE SI ak
Note: Vessels have been assigned to the various sections on the basis of their home
port,

!
i)

During the first quar-
ter of 1955 only 73 vessels were documented for the first time as fishing craft as
compared with 189 vessels for the corresponding period in 1954--a decrease of 61
percent,

California

SARDINE FISHING PREDICTED GOOD FOR NEXT SEASON: The southernCali-
fornia sardine industry can expect a good fishery this fall if the same relation be-
tween the amount of spawning in the spring and the availability of sardines in the fall
continues as during the past three seasons,

Considerable numbers of sardines spawned this spring in the southern Califor-
nia center, reports the Service's South Pacific Fishery Investigations. In March
sardine spawning extended as far north as San Pedro and was widespread off San
Diego and Ensenada,

A relation seems to exist between the amount of spawning in the southern Cali-
fornia center in the spring and the availability of sardines to the southern Califor-
nia fishery in the fall, In 1952 and 1953, when few fish spawned in this center, the
fishery took only about 5,000 tons; in 1954 the fishery took over 65,000 tons.

34 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vole sii NosaG

A marked increase in sardine spawning off southern California and adjacent
Baja California in the spring of 1954 preceded the encouraging recovery of the south-
ern California sardine fishery in the fall of 1954. The southern California-northern
Baja California spawning area and the one off central Baja California are the current
major spawning centers. In recent years, particularly in 1952 and 1953, the south-
ern California center decreased markedly in importance; the spawning in this area
in 1954 was about 30 times greater than it was in 1953,

These studies are part of a cooperative research effort of the South Pacific Fish-
ery Investigations, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the California Depart-
ment of Fish and Game, Hopkins Marine Station, and California Academy ofSciences.
The California Marine Research Committee directs this joint program, which is
known as the California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations,

% OK OK OK

$1 MILLION AWARDED FOR MARINE BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH TO SCRIPPS
INSTITUTION OF OCEANOGRAPHY: The Rockefeller Foundation has given the Uni-
versity of California $1 million for the support of research in marine biology at the
University's Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, Calif.

The grant will be expended over an eight-year period. It willbe used to strength-
en present research projects and initiate new ones, A visiting professorship and
four resident professorships will be established in addition to several graduate fel-
lowships and post-doctoral fellowships. Plans also include improvements in labo-
ratory equipment and facilities, and greater use of the University's fleet of five ves-
sels for experimental work on marine plants and animals in the open sea.

% OK OK OK

TUNA TAGGED BY COMMERCIAL
eo CLIPPER "OCEAN PRIDE” (Cruise
C-55-2): A total of 1,088 yellowfin,
skipjack, and big-eyed tuna were tagged
by the chartered commercial tuna clip-
per Ocean Pride on a two-month's cruise
completed at San Diego on April 19 (see
table). All fish were tagged with type
"G" plastic tubing tags.

Sea-surface temperature observa-
tions were made during the entire cruise,
The highest water temperature record-
ed was 85 F,, 40 miles SW. of Cape
Blanco, Costa Rica. The lowest water
| temperature recorded was 57 F, at
100° 30° 20° 70> Coronado Islands off Mexico. The fish
caught at the Galapagos Islands were
taken in surface water temperatures
ranging from UGS ID x0) HO? 13. , while at Cocos Island and off Costa Rica the surface
water temperatures were higher, ranging from 84° F.to 85 F.

Cruise 55-C-2, Feb. 15-Apr. 19, 1955, of the M/V Ocean Pride,

Area Yellowfin

(Number of Fish). .....

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 35

A fish tagged aboard the Ocean Pride was recovered by the same vessel after
being at liberty for five days. It was recovered in the same area as released.

OK KK OK

SPRING ABUNDANCE OF SARDINES, ANCHOVIES, AND MACKEREL IN CAL-
IFORNIA WATERS ASSESSED BY "“YELLOWFIN”™ (Cruise 55-Y-2): The first of two
1955 cruises to assess the abundance of sardines, anchovies, and mackerel in Cal-
ifornia waters during the spring months was completed at Los Angeles on March
21 by the California Department
of Fish and Game's researchves- | 9)... wis oncro pay
sel Yellowfin. On the first half a -
of the cruise (which began March 7 i

7) preliminary experiments were | |} Purisia
run on electrofishing with the Piney eeeeL tS
hope of ultimately obtaining ade- ; == Santa Barbara

ae
vice which will be of value incol- Hoyt
lecting fish samples at sea, Al- -
though far from conclusive, the * an
preliminary work appeared en- STA. ROSA 1. Ym \SANTA MONICA BAY

couraging. i ye START OF CRUISE

r .
SAN MIGUEL |.‘

Following experimental work on
in Los Angeles Harbor, 49 light STA. CATALINA EY
stations were occupied between SAN NICOLAS 1, fears
San Luis Obispo Bay andSan Di-
ego. Hauls with the blanket net SAN GUESS Uc
resulted in 14 samples of north-

ogatq ues
BIUIOFITeED

MARK REPRESENTS ONE SAMPLE.
ern anchovy, 1 sample of sar- @ ADULT SARDINES

dines, and1 sample of Pacific A PACIFIC MACKEREL
mackerel, The anchovies were ® ANCHOVY

= CRUISE ROUTE

taken over the entire range of
the cruise, Sardines were tak- Cruise 55-Y-2, Mar, 6-21, 1955, of the M/V Yellowfin,

en in the San Diego area and Pa-

cific mackerel in the Los Angeles Harbor area. In addition to these, the blanket
net captured sauries (7 stations), jack smelt (9 stations), top smelt (4 stations),
and grunion (7 stations).

A total of 590 miles were traveled scouting for fish and a total of 141 schools
were seen either visually or with the aid of the ''Sea Scanar.'' Of the schools sight-
ed 84 were estimated to be anchovy, 28 saury, and8 squid. The remaining 21 schools
were unidentified though many of these were probably anchovy. The heaviest con-
centrations of schools were encountered between Port Hueneme and Santa Barbara inthe
north and between Oceanside and Dana Point in the south, Although no scouting
nights were lost, operations throughout the cruise were hampered somewhat by
rather heavy swells and during the early part of the cruise by several hours of bright
moonlight each night,

Surface temperatures, bathythermograph casts, and reversing thermometer
casts were taken at each light station regardless of whether fish were observed or
collected in the net.

Surface temperatures engountered gn the cruise ranged from 12. ae: (53.8° F.)
at Santa Rosa Island to 15.75 C. (60.4 F.) in Santa Monica Bay. Anchovies were
taken at both these temperature gxtremes, The single sardine sample was taken at
a temperature of 14,9° C. (58.8 ~ F.) and the single sample of Pacific mackerel at

a temperature of 15.3° C. (59,5° F.).

% OK OK OK

36 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Wools 5 ING ©

AERIAL SURVEY OF Eee HEREING SEWING: INTENSITY CONTINUED

Legend:
pind Activity Areas;

trations of birds feeding on the
eggs of the Pacific herring (Clupea
pallasi), aerial flights were made
along the shore lines of San Fran-
cisco, San Pablo, and Tomales
Bays by California Department of
Fish and Game planes between
March 5 and 31, After location of
major concentrations of feeding
shore birds, the information as to

4 location and extent of spawn was
~| relayed to ground personnel, who

then made a spawning intensity
check of the area,

Flight 55-6 (March 5): Light
concentrations of bird activity were
observed in the Richmond-San Pab-
lo area. No activity was observed
in the Sausalito or Tomales Bay
areas,

Flight 55-7 (March 11): Shore-
birds were located west of Golden
Gate Bridge approach, also on Bel-
vedere, Bluff Pt. and Angel Is.

Flight 55-8 (March 17): Heavy
concentrations of working birds
were seen in the Golden Gate Bridge
approach, Sausalito, Tiburon, and
Angelis. areas. No activity was
observed in Tomales Bay or the
San Pablo-Richmond areas,

Flight 55-9 (March 31): No bird activity was sighted.

Se a a

KELP BASS STUDIES BY "N, B. SCOFIELD" (Cruise 55-S-2): In spite of poor
weather conditions that severely hampered fishing and diving work, 154 specimens
of kelp bass were secured by the California Department of Fish and Game's research
vessel N. B. Scofield and an additional 166 bass were measured and released. How-
ever, the weather prevented the collection of barred perch, corbina, and yellowfin
and spotfin croakers on the nine-day cruise completed at Los Angeles on April 20.
The cruise covered the area off the islands of San Clemente, Santa Catalina, and
Santa Cruz, near Santa Barbara and Point Dume,

Part of the bass collection featured the smallest visible sizes which have been
unobtainable previously, Diving work revealed that the very small bass were abun-
dant in two locations but could not be netted or taken by size 16 salmon-egg hooks,
These small fish would take the hook but the hook could not be set for some reason,
The collection was finally affected by a large trap with very small mesh webbing

completely covering the wire framework.

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 37

Canned Maine Sardine Stocks, April 1, 1955

Distributors' stocks of Maine sardines in the United States are estimated at
331,000 actual cases as of April 1, 1955, according to a recent Bureau of Census
survey. Canners!' stocks were reported by the Maine sardine industry at 715, 000
cases (100 No. ¢ cans) on the same date, states a Bureau of Census release of
April 29,

The data on distributors! stocks are based on a probability sample of all whole-

salers and warehouses of retail multiunit organizations handling canned foods,
Canners' stocks are provided by the Maine Sardine Industry, a canners' association,

Cans--Shipments for Fishery Products, January-February 1955

February 1955 amounted to 9, 353 short tons of steel (based on the a-
mount of steel consumed in the manufacture of cans), comparedto 8,434
short tons in the same period a year earlier.

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,

oN Total shipments of metal cans for fish and sea food during January-

Pr
=

oe
Clam Investigations
SOFT-SHELL CLAM SHORTAGE IN NEW ENGLAND DUE TO GREEN CRAB:

Work of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Clam Investigations began during 1948,
when soft-shell clams became scarce in New England, supposedly from overdig-
- ging. The word "investigation'' implies fact-finding, so the research program was

designed to provide the facts regarding the clam shortage,

Catch statistics indicated depletion of soft-shell clams in Massachusetts, Pro-
duction had dropped from 8.4 million pounds of meats in 1940 to 0.6 million pounds
in 1948, The number of diggers in Ipswich had dropped 90 percent. A census show-
ed few clams remaining in the flats,

What caused this shortage? Overdigging was blamed. Yet, after 5 years dur-
ing which only a negligible amount of digging occurred, the clams were still scarce,
Seed clams which were planted disappeared in 3 weeks, Yet, if the plots were cov-
ered with 1-inch mesh chicken wire, the clams survived and grew well. Therefore,
some natural enemy must have eaten the clams,

Further research disclosed three important predators: Polinices, the boring
snail; Limulus, the horseshoe crab; and Carcinides, the green crab, The most se-
rious predator north of Cape Cod proved to be the green crab, which is now tremen-
dously abundant, Laboratory experiments showed that each green crab could devour
15 small clams in a day, which explained the failure of unprotected clam farms.

Why should green crabs suddenly become a serious enemy of the soft clams?
Records made before 1900 stated that green crabs occurred only south of Cape Cod.
From 1905 to 1915 green crabs appeared in Casco Bay, Me. From 1948 to 1953
they were present all along the coast of Maine and even in Canada, From all areas
diggers report that these crabs are now more plentiful than ever before in history.

33 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol, 17, No. 6

The spread and increase of green crabs may be correlated with warm tempera-
ture trends. Average air temperature for the coldest month of winter has increased
from 23.6 F, inthe 1821-40 period to 28.4 F. in 1941-52 period. This long-
term increase in temperature may be responsible for the northward extension of the
range of the green crab, Short-term warm cycles such as those from 1923-1933 and
1943-1953 are believed responsible for increased abundance of green crabs and the
resulting scarcity of clams. Gulf of Maine water temperatures for the coldest month
of the winter averaged 31.9° F, in 1943 but rose to 37.1° F. in 1952.

How can predators be controlled? Green crabs can be trapped easily, but they
are so numerous that this method has not yet proved practicable. In one 12-acre
cove more than 30,000 crabs were trapped in a month, catching more on the last day
than on the first. Low screen fences with a horizontal strip of sheet metal at the
top partly protected one clam farm. Chicken wire laid directly over the flats pro-
tected the clams but cost $2.75 for each bushel of clams produced, Controlby poi-
soning and by finding enemies of the predators is being investigated, but so far the
best bet seems to be a series of cold winters,

--John B. Glude, Fishery Research Biologist,
Clam Investigation, Branch of Fishery Biology,
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service,

Boothbay Harbor, Me.

Federal Purchases of Fishery Products
FRESH AND FROZEN FISHERY PRODUCTS PURCHASED BY DEPARTMENT

OF DEFENSE, MARCH, 1955: Fresh and frozen fishery products purchases for the
military feeding of the U. S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force by the Ar-
my Quartermaster Corps in March 1955 amounted to 2.6 million pounds, valued at
$1.4 million (table 1).
This was an increase of
48,2 percent in quantity
and 52.8 percent in value
as compared with Febru-
ary purchases, and higher

Purchases of Fresh and Frozen Fishery Products by
Department of Defense (March and the First
Three Months of 1955 and 1954)

QUANTITY ee:
March Jan. -Mar.
1955 | 1954 1955 1954 © 19
: PaREES of Pounds). . . . (Millions of Dollars

Le (Le 16.4 | 0 | 22) 6 i 8.8 | 28 nos,

Army Quartermaster Corps purchases of fresh and frozen fish during the first
three months in 1955 totaled 6.4 million pounds (valued at $2.8 million), higher by
25.8 percent in quantity and 23.0 percent in value as compared with the similar pe-
riod a year earlier.

Prices paid for fresh and frozen fishery products by the Department of Defense
in March 1955 averaged 44,2 cents per pound as compared with 42.8 cents in Feb-
ruary and 46.5 cents in March 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, Therefore, actual purchases are somewhat higher than indicated,
but it is not possible to obtain data on the local purchases made by military installa-

tions throughout the country,

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 39

Fishery Products Marketing Prospects, Spring 1955

CONSUMPTION AND RETAIL PRICES: Total supplies of fishery products in
the first half of 1955 are likely to be larger than in the same period of 1954, and
retail prices a little lower. Civilian per-capita consumption of these products may
run a bit higher than in the spring and summer of 1954,

Total supplies of fresh and processed fishery products this spring were expect-
ed to continue larger than a year earlier, with the biggest increase in the process-
ed commodities, Retail prices for the fishery products, judging from the Bureau
of Labor Statistics wholesale prices in primary markets, were expected to average
a little lower than last spring.

FRESH AND FROZEN FISH: More fresh fishery products were expected to be
available as landings by commercial fishermen increase seasonally. More of the
frozen products--especially haddock and halibut--were expected to be available this
spring than last. Cold-storage holdings on April 1 were up 15 percent, and commer-
cial freezings were expected to be expanding seasonally during the next few months,
In addition, imports of frozen fish--particularly fillets and blocks--were expected
to be at least as large this year as last.

CANNED FISH: Supplies of canned fishery products were larger this spring be-
cause of heavier stocks of canned tuna, Maine sardines, and Pacific sardines car-
ried over from last year's packs, as well as the continued heavy imports of canned
tuna and frozen tuna for canning, Although very little canned salmon is available at
the packers! level, there appears to be a sufficient volume in the other channels of
distribution to maintain civilian consumption of this product at about the same per-
capita rate as a year ago, at least until the 1955 packs start moving to market in
volume after midyear, Production of canned salmon in 1954 was moderately larger
than in 1953, but civilian consumption of this product thus far during the 1954/55
marketing season has been at a slightly higher rate than a year earlier,

This analysis appeared in a report prepared by the Agricultural Marketing Serv-
ice, U. S. Department of Agriculture, in cooperation with the U. S. Fish and Wild-
life Service, and published in the former agency's May 2 release of The National
Food Situation (NFS-70).

Florida

CRAB-MEAT PACKING SANITATION: The sanitary conditions in fresh crab-
meat packing plants is an immediate and pressing problem for the blue-crab indus-
try, according to the January Commercial Fisheries Newsletter #1 of the Marine
Laboratory of the University of Miami, This problem of sanitation in crab-meat
plants became of particular urgency in the summer of 1953 when several cases of
food poisoning, presumably due to crab meat, were reported along the Atlantic
Coast. The markets most affected were Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York
City.

The U. S. Food and Drug Administration at the request of New York City au-
thorities sent technicians and inspectors to find the source of the trouble and to es-
tablish means of correcting it. As a result of this some shipments of Florida fresh
crab meat were embargoed by the Federal Government and a large percentage of
meat was condemned. This caused an immediate income loss to the industry, and
a far greater loss was represented in the decreasing market for crab meat,

Some producers of crab meat are unfamiliar with procedures used by Federal
inspectors, and with the terms used in describing the bacteria and quality standards,

40 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 6

The Federal Government analyzes a small sample of fresh crab meat for the
presence of the bacteria Escherichia coli. If these bacteria--usually referred to
simply as E. coli--are present, the entire shipment of crab meat is condemned,
The crab meat is not condemned solely because of the presence of E. coli itself,
but because of what the presence of this organism represents. E. coliis usedas
an indicator of pollution, since it is an inhabitant of the intestinal tract of man and
other animals. When E, coli is found in a food product, including crab meat, it in-
dicates that other filth organisms, for example the typhoid germ, Salmonella typhi,
may also be present and may be transmitted to a food product by a person who fails
to observe the simple rules of cleanliness,

On July 12, 1954, the New York City Board of Health adopted a resolution which
was to take effect January 1, 1955, toamend the Crab Meat Regulation of their health
code. Before crab meat is acceptable in New York City, under the new resolution,
it must fall in to one of two groups. The first group is crab meat which has been
packed in a hermetically-sealed container and then sterilized; the second, crabmeat
which has been prepared, processed, and packed ina plant under permit of a Fed-
eral or state inspection service approved by New York City's Department of Health.

Regardless of whether a plant may pass inspection, the Health Department of New
York City is empowered to exclude any packer from shipping crab meat tothat city if the
meat is suspected of containing bacteria inexcess of the following standards:

More than 100 hemolytic (Staphylococcus aureus) per gram of meat, or

More than 100 coliform organisms per gram of meat, or
More than 1,000 enterococcus organisms per gram of meat, or

More than 100,000 colonies (groups of bacteria) per gram in the total
plate count.

In order to reach a full understanding of these standards it is necessary to
know what the terms mean. A gram is a unit of weight; there are approximately
454 grams in a pound or about 28 grams in an ounce. When the numbers of bacteria
are reported in terms of numbers of organisms per gram, that number represents
i of the theoretical total number of organisms in the pound of meat,

Enterococcus is a group of bacteria, Like E. coli it indicates human or animal
contamination when present in food. Enterococci bacteria are easily recognized,
and their presence is more reliable as indicators of animal pollution since they are
not as abundant as E, coli,

Hemolytic Staphylococcus aureus is another kind of bacteria. These bacteria
are known as pathogens or disease producers, They secrete a poisonous material
which produces an acute stomach and intestinal inflamation, This poisonous sub
stance is not destroyed by heat, and pasteurization at temperatures less than170 F.
probably have no effect on it.

Staphylococcus aureus is found on the skin and mucous membranes of the animal
and human body, especially of the nose and mouth, where they often occur in large
numbers under normal conditions. It is also the cause of boils, carbuncles, andin-
ternal abscesses in man and of mastitis in cows. Hence crab meat can become in-
fected with this organism if handled by careless persons.

The total bacteria plate count merely expresses the total number of organisms
in a one-gram sample, without attempting to distinguish one type of bacteria from
another,

This type of examination indicates the general sanitary conditions under which
the meat was packed.

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 41

As a result of the efforts of the Federal Government, the City of New York,and
the health departments of the states concerned, the industry has become conscious
of quality. One of the most direct methods of contamination of crab meat is from
the hands of the pickers or other crab-plant employees. If the hands of the pickers
are kept constantly clean this major source of contamination will be removed, Clean-
liness in this respect does not mean the mere washing of the hands, it means that
the hands and fingernails must be scrupulously clean at all times.

Contamination also occurs if flies, rodents, or roaches come into contact with
the crab meat or with utensils used in the processing of the meat, Since these pests
frequent the sources of contamination, they must be kept under control if cleancrab
meat is to be produced.

The above does not attempt to give details on complete sanitation control ina
crab plant, but merely to emphasize basic rules of cleanliness that are apt to be
forgotten in a daily routine. The dealer must realize that the problem of running
a sanitary plant is his responsibility and that it is not a part-time, but rather a
full-time job, and will require his complete attention.

7K KK OK

FISHERIES RESEARCH, JULY-DECEMBER 1954: Marketing (Mainly Mullet): A
survey of the existing literature of the problems of marketing of fresh fishery prod-
ucts of Florida origin was made in the third quarter of 1954 by the University of Mi-
ami Marine Laboratory, To obtain first-hand information as to what the present
problems are, two extensive field trips were made, one along each coastline of Flor-
ida, Fifty-three of the
larger wholesale dealers
were interviewed and
some of the larger retail
dealers and fishermen
were queried. Informa-
tion was obtained about
the status of each fisher-
man as to production, the
problems he faced, the
supply and demand, of
the desirability of his
produce to the public,
price fluctuations and their causes, quality of production,and methods of handling.
Opinions were asked as to what each fisherman thought were the determining factors
in upsetting the fresh-fish market and suggestions were recorded as to what could
be done, in the opinion of the fisherman, about improving the situation and rehabil-
itating the fresh-fish market. Particular references were made to mullet but infor-
mation on other food fishes was recorded.

Mullet

Opinions on the establishment of procéssing plants in Florida to compete with
northern fishery products which have apparently pushed Florida fish off the market
were gathered from all of the major dealers with special reference given to the geo-
graphic, financial, and economic problems involved in such a proposal, Frozen fil-
lets, canned and smoked fish, and fish sticks were discussed as a new market for
fresh fish, and dealers were asked if they would be able to financially support the
undertaking of a processing plant, sell to a processing plant, or would show no in-
terest in a processing plant,

With a basic general knowledge of the marketing and production problems con-
fronting the Florida fresh-fish industry, the next step was to get actual statistics
on the past and present fluctuations in the market for fresh fish. Particular refer-
ence is being paid to mullet due to its preponderance in the Florida catch. Inasmuch

42 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 6

as 90 percent of the mullet produced in Florida is sold out of the state, the prob-
lem will be to find out where these are sold, how many, and how this distribution
has fluctuated in space and time. Attitudes of wholesale buyers to mullet will be

obtained, and chief competitors of mullet will be studied.

Research is being undertaken to compile a list of alternate names for mulletin
view of the unpleasant connotations of this fish on local markets, These names will
be reviewed and an alternate name will be submitted to the U. S. Food and Drug Ad-
ministration for use as a substitute name to acquire northern markets and regain
many lost southern markets.

The preliminary phases of the marketing study were completed in the final
quarter of 1954, These included a canvas of the wholesale fish dealers of the state
to obtain their opinions concerning the feasibility of increased production of process-
ed fish in Florida, methods of improving quality, the price structure, improved pro-
duction methods, and publicity methods, The valuable information thus gained is
being organized and reduced to usable form.

The other major field activity in this investigation during the October-Decem-
ber 1954 period was a trip to the major markets for Florida fish, chiefly mullet,
outside the state, The investigator interviewed 31 wholesale and distributing deal-
ers in Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina. It was found that
the largest market for Florida mullet appears to be in Georgia, particularly in
south Georgia. Most of the mullet is bought in Florida but some comes from Ala-
bama, During certain seasons the Carolinas produce smaller fish but despite their
size they appear to compete successfully with Florida mullet because of their fre-
quently better quality.

This southeastern region seems to be definitely a fresh-fish consuming area,
and attempts to introduce a market for processed mullet might be unsuccessful.
The per-capita consumption appears to be quite high. The market for processed
fish seems to increase toward the periphery of this region, such as Chattanooga,
Tenn.; and Charleston, S. C, Perhaps canned mullet could be successfully intro-
duced into these areas. Frozen round mullet, while acceptable, is considerably
less desirable to these areas and is bought only when fresh mullet are unobtainable
during the closed season, One of the biggest promoters of fresh mullet is the roe
obtained during the fall of the year, Many people buy the mullet for the roe alone,

Preliminary observations seem to indicate that the market for mullet has fallen
off only at the outer fringe of the southeastern area, However, this area is being
rapidly invaded by less expensive, and sometimes fresher, northern fish such as
fresh and frozen scup or porgy (Stenotomus), croaker, and whiting. These species
appear to offer serious competition, mainly on the basis of the low price (one-half
to one-third the cost of mullet). Since this area can be considered rather typical of
the lower-income bracket, a low-price fish in fairly fresh condition seems to be the
biggest seller in this region. These fish may in time push the sales area of mullet
further south so that the market may dwindle further.

Frozen fish, either domestic or foreign, does not appear to offer any consider-
able competition with fresh fish from Florida. Many of the chain stores are freez-
ing mullet in the round and wrapping them in cellophane. These are somewhat pre-
ferred to frozen fish sticks and fillets such as ocean perch, whiting, and haddock.

The over-all picture seems to be that the southeastern area is very satisfied
with the taste and quality of mullet, but that this region, at present the market for
about 90 percent of Florida mullet, may futher dwindle due to lower-price freshfish
from New York and Virginia, Due to an extremely bad crop year, the economic sit-
uation is poor and people are interested in low-priced products, The low cost of
meat and poultry at certain seasons has resultedina loss of amarket for a considerable

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 43

amount of fresh fish from all areas, Even if it is possible to produce mullet ata
lower cost, it does not appear that it will result in any considerable regaining of
these lost markets, While people will of course like a low-priced fish, these areas
appear satisfied with the price in accordance with the quality and the extra roe,

A shipment of mullet was sent to a smoker in Baltimore to determine the reac-
tion of markets in this area to smoked mullet. If results are favorable, further
shipments to this and other areas will be made to attempt to create new markets for
the Florida production of mullet and other species.

A new canned fish product, canned Florida mullet, has been developed by the
Food Technology Department of the University of Miami, Canned mullet has a good
texture and a pleasant flavor, very similar to canned salmon, The product was
first prepared as a student laboratory exercise, but it has undergone four years of
storage tests, and further research on methods of commercial production and han-
dling are under way. By providing a low-priced product, canned Florida mullet
may be a means of increasing the utilization of this fish,

Shrimp Explorations: In June 1954 the Diesel Engine Sales Company of St. Au-
gustine loaned the new trawler Goodwill to the Tampa Shrimp Producer's Associa-
tion for exploratory shrimp fishing. At the request of the Association a scientist
from the University of Miami Marine Laboratory accompanied the vessel on several
cruises to assist in the planning of the operation and to make observations. These
trips extended over about 2} months.

The first cruises were in the area between Tampa and Cape San Blas and Tam-
pa and Anclote Light. Thirty-five drags were made with try nets, in water 10 to60
fathoms deep. No commercial concentrations of shrimp were found and the bottom
was made hazardous for trawling by the presence of sponge and coral,

At 29°05' N, latitude and 85°25' W, longitude an interesting discovery was
made of a scallop bed about 6 miles long, The scallops caught were of commercial
variety, 12-3 inches long. The bed is large enough to be of commercial importance,

9 im early July a small bed of shrimp was found off Tarpon Springs (at 28°07! N.,
83 10' W.). The catch rate was 275 pounds of heads-on shrimp per hour witha
375-mesh flat trawl. Seventeen boxes were caught in two nights of fishing.

Tests were made with the 'Shrimplupe," an electronic detection device, It was
useful in locating obstructions but it could not be said to have detected shrimp.

In August 1954 the Goodwill operated between Tampa and the Middle Ground
area, No large concentrations of shrimp were found, The few shrimp caught were
large in size, 10-20 count per pound (heads on),

Fourth quarter 1954 exploratory shrimp fishing was done in the Gulf of Gua-
canaybo on the south coast of Cuba. Results were not encouraging. Shrimp caught
(Penaeus schmitti, a white shrimp, and P, duorarum, the pink-grooved shrimp)
were small and catches were poor, Indications were that only about one box (100
pounds) of headless 30-count shrimp could be caught per night in this area,

Blue Crabs: Encouraging progress in the blue-crab investigations was report-
ed by the University of Miami Marine Laboratory. In August 1954 the operation of
the Chesapeake Bay crab scrape at Punta Gorda was not successful, due perhaps to
the high water temperatures prevailing. In September, however, the scrape caught
considerable quantities of ''prepeelers.'' These were put in floats built for the pur-
pose, anda small but steady production of soft-shell crabs has resulted. A profit
is being shown by the operator engaging in this experimental project. Expansionis

44 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 6

planned, and other areas will now be tested to study the feasibility of establishing
soft-shell crab operations in other parts of Florida. Marketshave already been es-
tablished for the product.

Advice and encouragement has also been given to crab dealers who wish to at-
tempt canned ''pasteurized" crab meat. This product is not fully sterilized and is
not comparable to a fully heat-processed canned product, but will keep longer than
the meat marketed fresh, Several dealers are trying this method with apparent
success,

Trials were initiated with a fyke net to determine whether crabs could be caught
in this gear, Results were expected in January 1955.

Considerable work was done to discover if the method of processing crab meat
by pasteurization could be adopted to the Florida industry, This method was devel-
oped by a Maryland crab producer in conjunction with the U. S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Taste panel tests showed that properly pasteurized crab meat compares
favorably with the fresh product and some companies are in production while others
are showing interest in the method,

Advice and assistance was given to established and new crab processors in the
problems of sanitation and quality control. This problem has been made particular-
ly serious by much stricter quality rules set up by some important northern markets.
Most Florida plants are now meeting the new requirements or are making the neces-
sary changes to meet them in the near future,

Scallops: No commercial scallop fishery operated in the summer of 1954 in
Lee County, Florida. The scallops were presumably killed by a ''red tide" out-
break, Investigations of the grounds showed that one to three bushels of scallops
could be caught per day in either of two small areas, but no other area of the Sound
yielded any catch, Small samples were available for study.

The Lee County scallop fishery research was completed in the final quarter of
1954 and a final report was in preparation, No attempt is made here to summarize
the whole report, but one interesting aspect of local scallop life history concerning
spawning and growth is presented in brief.

It has been found that spawning occurs during all four seasons of the year; how-
ever, for any one group of scallops the time of spawning appears to be of shorter
duration. Asa result, scallops of various sizes may be found on the grounds through-
out the year, The proportion of each size group changes throughout the year due to
the varying spawning times, and differential growth and mortality rates.

The biggest group may come from a late spring and early summer spawning,
This group attains a size of approximately 14 inches by the winter when growth is
slower, and then grows rapidly in size until the following winter, Mortalities re-
move most of this group before their second summer,

A minor group may appear during the late summer, fall, and winter and grow
to a size of less than one inch prior to the early spring season when growth becomes
rapid, This group survives the next winter at a size larger than two inches, These
may remain in the fishery until they are about two years of age when most or alldis-
appear.

The largest scallops found in this area had a shell length measurement of slight-
ly over 3 inches; however, this size is rarely attained.

From 1950 to 1953 over 70 percent of the Florida scallop landings have come
during June, July, and August. There was essentially no production in this area

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 45

during 1954 due to the heavy mortalities suffered that year, The situation will be
watched carefully to see if the fishery is able to re-establish itself during the next
few years.

Electrical Fishing: The analysis of the results of the shrimp electrical experi-
ment was completed, In the course of this investigation, it was shown that pulsed
direct current could be successfully used to cause pink-grooved shrimp, Penaeus
duorarum, to swim tail first to the positive pole. The optimum electrical condi-
tions that caused this forced movement were determined,

Using this basic information, calculations were made of the power requirements
necessary to electrify a conventional shrimp trawl. These calculations show that
the use of electrical current as a commercial fishing aid is impractical at this time,
Both the cost and size of the electrical generator would prevent its use.

There are further indications from the data of this experiment that electrical
fishing might be possible if suitable electronic equipment could be developed which
would employ electrical impulses of high intensity and short impulse duration, Con-
denser and battery discharge are systems which lend themselves to this application
with resultant lowering of power requirements. 7

Gulf Exploratory Fishery Program
GOOD LONG-LINE TUNA FISHING FOUND IN CARIBBEAN BY "OREGON"

(Cruise 30): Good long-line tuna fishing was found east of Jamaica and in the Wind-
ward Passage area by the Service's exploratory fishing vessel Oregon, During the
four-week cruise (April 6-May 2)
eleven 42-basket long-line sets
were made in the northwestern
Caribbean and three sets were
made in the central Gulf of Mex-
ico, Yellowfin tuna were caught
at 6 of the 7 stations east and
north of Jamaica and in the Wind-
ward Passage at rates of 1 to2.6
yellowfin per 100 hooks, Ateach
of these 6 stations from one to
six 50- to 60- pound albacore
tuna (Thunnus alalunga) were al-
so caught, Considerable diffi-
culty was encountered during

two sets at the head of the Wind-
ward Passage due to large num-
bers of giant bluefin tuna in that
area. At each of these stations Location of long-line sets(x) during Oregon’s Cruise 30, 4/6-5/2/55.
8 bluefin tuna were landed weigh-

ing from 400-600 pounds each. Judging by broken gear, at least that many more
were caught and lost.

Puerto Rico

Mexico

The four sets made between the Yucatan Channel and the western tip of Jamaica
caught no yellowfin or albacore tuna, One large bluefin was caught north of Grand
Cayman and another was caught on a set east of Cozumel Island,

Three sets were made in the Gulf of Mexico, A single yellowfin was caught on
the last set of the trip (May 1) 180 miles south of Mobile. This fish weighed 190
pounds and is the largest yellowfin that has been caught in the Gulf to date, At the

46 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 6

same station a 14-foot false killer whale became entangled in the long-line gear
and was landed.

In cooperation with a staff member of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Insti-
tution, 18 of the marlin taken on the long lines were tagged and released. Two
big-eyed tunas weighing 175 pounds each were taken on a set made near the
southwest tip of Hispaniola. Plankton collections and night-light collections
were made by the Fishery Biologist assigned to the cruise from the Service's
station at Galveston.

To further explore potential red shrimp beds with commercial-scale
trawls, the Oregon was scheduled to leave Pascagoula on May 17 (Cruise 31).
Additional trawling exploration was to be carried out on extensive areas of ap-
parently good trawling bottom in the red-shrimp depth ranges in the Florida
Straits area and southeast of Cay Sal Bank. In April 1954 a series of shrimp-
trawl drags south of Dry Tortugas in depths of 170-250 fathoms yielded promis-
ing catches of deep-water red shrimp (Hymenapenaeus robustus). Due to damage
sustained when a trawling obstacle was encountered, drags with larger commer-
cial-type trawls were not made at that time.

Tuna long-line sets were to be made between Cuba and the Bahama Bank
as a further check on the seasonal range of commercially-valuable tunas inthe
Gulf and Caribbean area. The Oregon was scheduled to return to Pascagoula
on June 14.

Long Island Sound Oyster Investigations

OYSTER SPAWNING AND SETTING FORMULAE: About 25 years ago knowl-
edge of the reproduction of oysters in Long Island Sound was rather limited
and many of its aspects were covered by a veil of mystery. We do not know
all the answers now, but we have learned so much since that time that it is
amusing to recall certain ideas expressed by some of the old-timers.

The industry has always been interested in the time when the oysters be-
gin to spawn and the time when "'setting'' occurs. The oysters ''set'' when the
larvae descend to the bottom and become small oysters. This change, or me-
tamorphosis, from the swimming to the sedentary stage is known as setting.

Each of the old-timers had his own unshakable opinion about the behavior
of oysters, and it was unusual if two oystermen agreed on any subject. For
example, some insisted that setting occurred only in August, others thought
that it took place only during the third week of September, and still others--
and this is a fact--maintained that some oysters spawn and set even in winter.
Further, some oystermen said that all oysters of a new generation set on the
same day all over the Sound, while other oystermen believed that there were
2 or 3 distinct sets--perhaps 6 weeks apart. Many other opinions were also
supported vigorously.

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 47

To sum up, nobody knew much about the subject. Yet, the dates of the begin-
ning of spawning and especially of setting were--and still are--of great practical
importance to the industry, for by the latter date the oystermen should have the
grounds fully prepared to receive the new generation of oysters. This preparation
consists of cleaning the oyster beds and planting clean oyster shells (the cultch) to
provide attachment for the descending oyster larvae. Some of the largest oyster
companies of Long Island Sound plant as many as a million bushels of shells every
year, and that quantity indicates that the planting is a rather extensive and expen-
sive undertaking, Obviously, planting shells at the proper time is essential. If
they are planted too late, they will miss the set. If they are planted too early, they
may become fouled and become unsuitable for attachment of the larvae,

Systematic and persistent research of biologists eventually helped to clear up
many mysteries. Several years ago the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service was able
to offer the industry the following formulae:

In Long Island Sound the beginning of spawning should be expected on
June 30 + 4 days, and the beginning of setting should be expected on July
Wort 4 days.

These formulae have held up rather well thus far, and now the industry fully de-
pends on them,

Many other data, such as the extent of the setting period, intensity of setting
in relation to time and depth, and growth and survival of young oysters under dif-
ferent conditions, have given the oystermen much needed practical information since
the Service's studies began.

--Victor J. Loosanoff, Research Biologist,
Long Island Sound Oyster Investigation,
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service,

Branch of Fishery Biology,
Milford, Conn,

Maine Herring Exploration and Gear Research

"THEODORE N, GILL" SAILS ON INITIAL CRUISE (Cruise 1): The first of a
series of exploratory herring fishing cruises in the Gulf of Maine and adjacent wa-
ters was commenced on April 19 when the Service's research vessel Theodore N,
Gill departed Boothbay Harbor, Me,
These explorations will be made
in an attempt to locate herring
schools and to follow them on
their migrations inshore as the
season progresses,

On this cruise it is plannedto
cover the entire Gulf from Cape
Cod to Cape Sable in two weeks
by running parallel transects at

: : adi 8 * — “
10-mile intervals from the coast «qyaqh So FON FuEODORE N-O1

line to 170 miles offshore. These
courses will be run while sound-
ing for herring with a vertical

echo sounder, and a ''Sea Scanar
which sounds to the sides and a- Service's research vessel Theodore N, Gill.

43 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Wollg ws IN@s 3

head of the vessel as well as below it. Lift nets will be operated to sample the
schools encountered. Plankton tows will be made and continuous water-tempera-
ture records kept during the cruise,

The northeastern part of the Gulf east of 67°30! W. longitude will be covered
by the Canadian research vessel Harengus, sounding with the same type of gear dur-
ing the same period of time, Results of the two cruises will be integrated to give
an indication of distribution of herring schools and the size of the fish that com-
prise them, Any schools located will be followed during successive cruises to be
made by the two vessels as the season progresses,

Michigan

fishermen took 27 million pounds of fish from Michigan's Great Lakes waters dur-
ing 1954, one million pounds above the average annual catch, a recent bulletinfrom
the Michigan Department of Conservation reports.

Herring provided 8.5 million pounds and smelt ran second with an all-time re-
cord of 4.9 million pounds, Chubs, carp, lake trout, and yellow perch combined
made up another 9 million pounds, and 16 other types of fish comprised the remain-
des

Only 85 pounds of lake trout were taken in Lake Michigan and none was caught
in either Lake Huron or Lake Erie during the year, Until the sea lamprey depre-
dations of recent years, lake trout from these lakes provided the bulk of a $2 mil-
lion industry. Now, lake trout come mostly from Lake Superior where the sealam-
prey is still found only in small numbers. In 1954, 1.6 million pounds were pro-
duced from Superior.

Lake Michigan produced 14.2 million pounds of the total catch, Lake Superior
5.8 million pounds, Lake Huron 5.4 million pounds, and Lake Erie about 1.8 mil-
lion pounds,

Montana

DIRECT-CURRENT FISH-SHOCKING TECHNIQUE DEVELOPED: The develop-
ment of a direct-current fish-shocking technique using two negative electrodes and
one floating positive electrode was reported by fishery biologists assigned to a''test
stream" study conducted in Flint Creek near Philipsburg, Mont., by the Montana
Fish and Game Department,

The technique is described as follows:

"Fish are 'repelled' from the two negative electrodes near the stream banks
and ‘attracted! to the floating positive electrode near the center of the stream chan-
nel, This system is particularly advantageous in Flint Creek where dense willows
along the banks would make netting of shocked fish extremely difficult if it were not
possible to 'attract' the fish into the open channel, Fish attracted to the positive
electrode in water ranging from 1,4 to 3.5 feet per second line up at the surface of
the water along the downstream edge of the triangular wooden electrode frame and
are easily captured ina dip net. In water of lower velocities, it is necessary tomove
the positive electrode in such a way that 'attracted' fish will swim along at the trail-

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 49

ing edge until netted. In water of higher velocity than 3.5 feet per second, the
shocked fish are simply swept downstream by the water current and are captured
later in a more favorable spot,

"The floating wooden triangle of the positive electrode is attachedto its handle
by a strap hinge which gives the desired flexibility as well as sufficient control over
movement in the horizontal direction, Thin-wall conduit (either ¢ inch or 1 inchin
size) provides light yet sturdy handles and frames for dip nets andelectrodes, Com-
mon copper screen (16 mesh per inch) is usedfor the electrode surface of the posi-

tive electrode, and copper tubing (4 inch) is used for the grids on the negative elec-

trodes,"
KS

New England Exploratory Fishery Program

"DELAWARE" FINDS SHRIMP IN GULF OF MAINE (Cruise 4): Northern
shrimp (Pandalus borealis) were not taken in commercial quantities in any of the
tows made by the Service's exploratory fishing vessel Delaware in the Gulf of Maine
on an 11-day cruise completed at East BostononApril 28. As was the case inCruise

)

_ Cashes Ledg

9 3 | | 5I

Two specimens of Atlantic Coast northern shrimp
(Pandalus borealis), Characteristics of this
species are; (1) a tubercle or small spine on the
dorsal surface of the rear half of the third abdom-
inal segment; (2) a bifid rostrum, with the lower
tip projecting beyond the upper tip. Note the eggs
on the larger specimen. (Large specimen does

M/V Delaware--Exploratory Fishing Trip No, 4--April 18-21, 1955 not have legs in normal position.)

3, the greatest catches of shrimp were made in the vicinity of Wood Island, Me.;
an area that produced shrimp in commercial quantities in the late 1940's.

This was the fourth cruise of a series to determine the present abundance of
northern shrimp in waters which formerly supported a commercial fishery in the
winter months,

A total of 32 tows was made (see chart), most of them with a small-meshed
No. 36 net,

The female northern shrimp, virtually all of which were egg-bearing in Feb-
ruary, had mostly shed their eggs by the time of this cruise.

50 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 6

Nets were torn on several of the tows along the Maine Coast, and two fishing
days were lost due to stormy weather.

The Delaware was scheduled to depart May 9 on Cruise 5. This 12-day cruise
will be the third of a series to explore the commercial potential of groundfish on
the edge of the continental shelf, in water deeper than is ordinarily fished commer -

cially.
we

Ohio

Ohio's Lake Erie Commercial Fisheries Production, LAKE ERIE COMMER -
1954 with Comparisons | cA ESHER ae
1954 1953 1952 HEue® Blain Dy Chloe comn-
mercial fisheries of Lake
Erie amounted to 23.4 mil-
lion pounds in1954, a 2-per-
cent increase over the 23.0
million pounds landed in
1953, reports a recent bul-

Goldfish : : oie 39 98 100 126 letin from the Ohio Depart-
Mooneye ; a ; : 6 12 14 94| ment of Natural Resources
Bhmeaee 4) ag a 6 : 76 189 203 388 (see table). The increase
Saeeusael ss 5 4 5 | G91 | 1,098 | a S05 4- &, Bos] VES Che vO Leger cauclnes
Sturgeon ..... 2 1 6 10 of carp, catfish, white bass,
Saar Leen 587 517 and yellow perch. Landings
Wine DABS ob anc 765 944 of blue pike and yellow pick-
Winie@igih ~ . 4 5p 213 375 erel were lighter in 1954.
Mellow sperchiarn rm, 1,556 Za OS) The leading species on
Yellow pickerel . 4, 840 5, 418] the basis of quantity landed
Burfalonishwawese: e by Ohio's Lake Erie com-
Miscellaneous .. mercial fishermen was yel-
INOW 4 5 oa 6

low pickerel, which com-
prised 21 percent of the
total; followed by blue pike, 20 percent; yellow perch, 17 percent; white bass, 12 per-
cent; andcarp, 11 percent. In 1953 blue pike accounted for 30 percent of the total
caich; followed by yellow pickerel, 25 percent; and yellow perch, 14 percent.

YaONG
(eo5)-
North Atlantic Fisheries Investigations

TROSS III'"' (Cruise 59): A six-day fishing cruise to determine the selectivity of
sizes of haddock caught with cod ends 5

of 7-, 74-, and 8-inch meshes (be - ee eee,
tween centers) was completed at =
Woods Hole, Mass., onApril 12 by Inches
the Service's research vessel Alba- 8

tross III.

73
7

1/Inside measurements.

Favorable quantities of fish were
found south of La Have Bank when 34
tows were made. Upto4,000 pounds were taken. Selectioncurves for the three codends
were established (see table).

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 51

Four sets were made SE. of ''The Leg" on Georges Bank. Good quantities of
scrod haddock were obtained and 125 live haddock were returned to the Woods Hole
laboratory for tagging and growth studies.

Otoliths, cleithra, scales, length, and maturity information were collected
from haddock caught on La Have and Georges banks.

—a_e

Pacific Oceanic Fisheries Investigations

STEEL TUNA LONG LINES SUCCESSFULLY TESTED IN LINE ISLANDS WA-
TERS BY TJOHN FE Re . MANNING" (Cruise 24): The new steel "D™ ring long-line tuna
gear was found easier to handle than the standard cotton line on a three-week tuna-
fishing cruise by the Service's research vessel John R. Manning in the rich yellow-
fin tuna grounds near the equator south of Hawaii. The cruise was completed at
Honolulu on April 15, The steel gear developed only few bad tangles even with the
abundance of sharks in the area and the frequent catch of large marlin. Thirty bas-
kets of steel long-line gear were fished together each day. The addition of swivel-
ing ''D'' rings to the steel gear and the use of nylon droppers reduced considerably
the loss of fish and dropper lines previously experienced with the steel gear. In
setting the steel gear a new device was used for automatically attaching the dropper
lines.

The underlying purpose of these attempts to mechanize the long-line method of
fishing for tuna, heretofore used on a large scale only by the Japanese, is to cut
down the amount of manpower required and thus make it economically feasible for
American fishermen to exploit the resources of deep-swimming tuna that only the
long line can reach, The newly-developed fishing gear features a steel main line
which is set and hauled with reels powered by a small winch. At appropriate inter-
vals along this cable D-shaped rings are fitted for the attachment of the branchlines,
which bear the hooks. A device has been developed to snap the branch lines onthese
rings automatically as the gear is payed out, a task which must be done by hand on
the traditional type of long line.

Ten days fishing with 60 baskets of gear set each day produced a total of 128
yellowfin tuna, 4 big-eyed tuna, 2 skipjack tuna, 9 marlin, and 133 sharks, The
yellowfin catch totaled about 6 tons. The best day's catch (42 yellowfin) was made
off Christmas Island; the second best catch (21 yellowfin) was made at Washington
Island. The open ocean catches were generally poor.

An interesting incident of the cruise was the landing of a huge white marlin, es-
timated to have weighed around 1,500 pounds, which had in its stomach a freshly
killed yellowfin tuna 5 feet in length and weighing 157 pounds. Some light was thrown
on the question, often debated by fishermen, of the use that marlin make of their
bills in capturing their prey--the tuna had been speared clean through its body twice
before being swallowed,

On 6 fishing days on which the John R. Manning and the Charles H. Gilbert set
long-lines in close proximity, the daily catches of the 2 vessels were almost iden-
tical.

Quantitative pelagic trawl collections were obtained at 13 stations and will pro-
vide material for examining variations in abundance of forage organisms in the open
ocean and along the Line Island chain,

Eleven yellowfin and 3 big-eyed tuna, all over 150 pounds in weight, were butch-
ered into loins and labeled, wrapped, and dry frozen for subsequent experiments in
canning by the Pauley Process.

52 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol, 17, No. 6

During the long-line fishing, 47 yellowfintuna were brought aboard alive, tagged,
and released, A record was kept of tuna schools, bird flocks, and aquatic mam-
mals sighted. Surface trolling was conducted during daylight hours on the runs to
and from the fishing grounds,

% OK OK OK

SKIPJACK TUNA TAGGED BY "HUGH M, SMITH" (Cruise 28): A total of 107
skipjack tuna were tagged by the Service's research vessel Hugh M, Smith on a one-
month cruise in the area around the Hawaiian Islands, completed at Honoluluon A-
pril 8. The California-type plastic tube tag was used and the fish were released in
apparently viable condition. The fish were all small (3- to 7-pound size) and caused
no difficulty in tagging. One slow
biting school was fished and tagged
with considerable ease and effec-
tiveness as 62 of the 70 skipjack
caught were marked and released.
These fish were tagged in 17 days
of scouting and fishing prior to the
onset of the summer fishing sea-
son with hopes of obtaining some
recoveries during the season to
check for injuries and survival
caused by tagging.

ie =

na ore

—— eae
\ Skipjack Tuna

This makes a total of 285 fish marked since the tagging work was initiated last
summer, The recapture of any of these tagged tuna would give invaluable informa-
tion, not only about their migratory movements, but also about their age and rate
of growth, matters which otherwise can only be deduced by indirect methods, All
commercial and sport fishermen are therefore urged to report without fail the re-
capture of any tagged skipjack with the fullest possible information on the time and
place of capture,

This cruise was the latest in a continuing series planned to survey the seasonal
changes in the abundance of this small striped tuna species, which in the summer is
the basis of the largest fishery and the only fish-canning industry in the Hawaiian
Islands, but which becomes very scarce in local waters in the winter. By scouting
for skipjack schools at all seasons of the year, and by tagging and releasing cap-
tured fish, the Service hopes to obtain information on the movements of the fish
that may enable fishermen to enlarge their fishing grounds over greater areas and
to extend their season of highly productive fishing over a greater part of the year,

A total of 35 bird-flock-attended schools were sighted--6 were identified as
skipjack; 1 a mixed school of skipjack, yellowfin, and mahimahi (dolphin); and 28
unidentified. Most of the promising fish schools were seen beyond 35 miles from
land especially in areas south of Oahu, Molokai, and Lanai, while in the vicinity of
Kauai they were sighted within 20 miles of land. Schools encountered at this time,
however, were generally fast or erratic in their movements and proved trouble-
some infishing, Live-bait fishing was attempted on 15 schools but fish were caught
from only 3 of these schools.

Other work carried out on the cruise included: (1) recording thermograph was
operated continuously out at sea; (2) whenever possible, BT observations were made
at three-hour intervals on all scouting runs and also immediately after fishing; (3)
some good traces of skipjack schools were obtained on the Bendix,

% OK OK OK

PROPOSED PROGRAM FOR 1955: At a meeting between Service representa-
tives and the POFI Tuna Industry Advisory Committee on April 4-5 at Terminal Is-
land, Calif.; the following program was proposed for the Service's 1955 Pacific
Oceanic Fishery Investigations:

June 1955

Equatorial Tuna: (1) Helpinsure suc-
cessful commercial fishing of yellowfin
tuna in equatorial waters by ascertain-
ing the effect of changes in weather and
currents of the quantities and sizes of
yellowfin.

(2) Continue improving the steel and
fiber gear used in the long-line method
of fishing,

(3) Estimate the contribution of the
countercurrent and upwelling in the east-
ern Pacific to tuna production in the cen-
tral equatorial Pacific by joint operations
with West Coast agencies,

(4) If it is found within the legal re-
sponsibility of POFI, developa program
of investigation of the tuna stocks in South-
east Polynesia,

Hawaiian Skipjack Tuna: (1) Learn
more of the off-season distribution of
skipjack tuna by sight scouting and echo
ranging.

(2) Use new electronic scanning de-
vice to study the behavior and movement
of skipjack schools; and experiment with
tagging asameans of learning skipjack
migrations in the vicinity of the Hawaiian
Islands.

(3) Complete the analysis of conven-
tional oceanographic surveys of the wa-
ters surrounding the Hawaiian Islands
and continue specialized observations on
the eddy system in conjunction with (1)
and (2).

Tuna Bait Studies: (1) Continue de-
veloping, with sea tests, motile lures
which combine movement with appear-

COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 53

ance, taste, and smell this to be aug-
mented with studies of the structure and
use of the tuna eye to learn more about
the ways in whichtunas can be attracted
to catching devices.

(2) Continue studies of electro-fishing
on tuna in ponds in order to design an
electrical unit for sea tests.

(3) Continue observations of occur-
rence of live bait as opportunity affords
in (a) Leeward Islands; (b) Around equa-
torial islands; and (c) Investigate open-
ocean saury baiting in northern waters.

Albacore Tuna: (1) Continue studies
of the winter distribution of albacore tuna
andthe related oceanographic conditions
in the North Pacific.

(2) Cooperate with West Coast agen-
cies in locating small albacore inadvance
of the Pacific Coast season and in inves-
tigating the causes of shiftsintime of ap-
pearance of albacore, as wellas the mark-
ed change in amount taken by the Pacific
Coast fishery from year to year.

(3) Study the summer vertical and hor-
izontal distribution of egg, larvae,and
adult albacore northof Hawaii. Cooper-
ate with oceanographic groups inthe Unit-
ed States, Canada, and Japan in a com-
prehensive North Pacific oceanographic
and plankton survey.

(4) Try to catch albacore on the high
seas by live bait, deepand surface troll-
ing, and long lines.

(5) Develop a Pacific-wide albacore
core tagging program,

“Ss

Saltonstall-Kennedy Act Fisheries Projects

FISHERY STATISTICAL OFFICE OPENED IN LA CROSSE, WIS.: A statistical
office for the collection of fishery data was opened recently at LaCrosse, Wis., by

the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Branch of Commercial Fisheries,

Activities

of the La Crosse office will include obtaining detailed data on employment in the
fisheries, the number of craft and quantity of gear operated, and the catch of fish-

ery products in the upper Mississippi River area,
ice's Fish-Cultural Station at La Crosse.

The office is located in the Serv-
The address is Post Office Box 862, Ke-

vin J, Allen, who was formerly engaged in the seafood business in the New Bedford,

Mass., area is in charge of the office.

This project is being financed by funds provided by the Saltonstall-Kennedy Act

(68 Stat. 376).

3K OK OK Ok

54 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 6

SERVICE OPENS FISHERY STATISTICAL OFFICE IN BILOXI, MISS.: A sta-
tistical office for the collection of fishery data was opened recently at Biloxi, Miss.,
by the Service's Branch of Commercial Fisheries. Activities of the Biloxi office
will include obtaining detailed data on employment in the fisheries, number of craft
and quantity of gear operated, the catch of fishery products, and related activities
in Mississippi; as well as the collection of certain data on the fisheries of Alabama,
Detailed statistics on the shrimp fishery will be obtained for Biloxi and nearby ports
in connection with the Service's expanded program for the collection of shrimp sta-
tistics.

Hermes G. Hague, who has engaged in fishing operations in the Gulf and who
was, for atime, employed by the Service in its exploratory fishing program in the

Gulf, will be in charge of the office.

This project is being financed by funds provided by the Saltonstall-Kennedy Act

(68 Stat. 376).

% OK

PROGRESS ON BRANCH OF COMMERCIAL FISHERIES PROJECTS (MAY 1955):
This is a report of the status as of mid-May 1955 of the various Saltonstall-Kennedy
Act projects under way inthe U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Branch of Commer-
cial Fisheries and financed by funds provided by P. L. 466 (83rd Congress).

1. North Atlantic Fisheries Explora-
tion and Gear Research: A program to
explore the fishery resources of the
North Atlantic area and to developmore
effective fishing gear for use inthat area,
The program is based at East Boston,
Mass.; and is in full operation using the
Service's exploratory fishing trawler
Delaware,

The Delaware was outfitted with new
electronic fish finder and additional
trawling cable, which will allow fishing
to depths of 400 fathoms.

Seven cruises were completed to ex-
plore deep-water grounds on the edge of
Georges Bank and to explore potential
shrimpareas in the Gulf of Maine--1, 000
pounds of 10-pound lobsters were caught
in a single drag; shrimp appear to have
moved from grounds fished some years
ago; and catches of other fish have not
been large.

Cost of project: $160, 000 a year.

2, Maine Herring Exploration and Gear
Research: A project to determine more

fully the availability of herring in New
England waters in order to smooth out
the fluctuations in supply that have been
plaguing the Maine sardine industry.

The Service research vessel T.N.
Gill was transferred to Boothbay Harbor,
Me.; and outfitted with a ''Sea Scanar"
and experimental gear for sampling sur-
face and subsurface herring schools.

The first exploratory cruise in the Gulf
of Maine began on April 19. The re-
search program was laid out in coopera-
tion with the Branch of Fishery Biology
and the Canadian Department of Fisher-
ies, and with the advice of the Maine
Sardine Industry.

Cost of project: $76, 000 a year.

3. Research on Methods of Handling,
Freezing, and Packaging Southern Oys-
ters: A project to study improvements
in the methods of handling, freezing, and
marketing Southern oysters.

The College Park, Md., laboratory
completed analyses on representative
samples of oysters collected to measure
seasonal variability incomposition. These
data will provide background information
for research contractors at a later date.
Contracts for research were let with
these Gulf area universities: Louisiana
State University, Tulane University, and
Florida State University.

June 1955

The first group discussion of research
under way at each of these universities
was held in New Orleans on April 24,

Cost of project: $40,000 a year,

4, Development of Voluntary Standards

ucts: A program to develop voluntary
grades and standards for various fish-
ery products,

(a) A contract was awarded the Nation-
al Fisheries Institute for industry liai-
son assistance in the development of
grades and standards. The contractor
has now completeda survey of producers,
packers, and distributors in the principal
production and marketing areas through-
out the United States, A completere-
port of this survey was being prepared,
Preliminary information indicates that
cooked fish sticks will have the highest
priority for development of grade stand-
ards. Second priority probably will be
assigned to breaded shrimp, and third
to ocean perch frozen fillets.

(b) Personnel have been recruited for
the Service research phases of standards
development and are now engaged in re-
search, Two other contracts for re-
search on the standards project were a-
warded, The University of Washington
is evaluating the principal chemical
methods for the measurement of fresh-
ness of fishery products on a one-year
contract, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology is developing new objective
tests for freshness of fish and fishery
products under a one year contract.

(c) At the Service's Boston laboratory
a semifinal draft of standards of grading
conditions for cooked fish sticks was
completed, It is now being reviewed by
industry producers and buyers for their
comments, Scale models of cooked fish
sticks showing salient characteristics,
such as variations in size and shape and
major defects, were prepared for use in
the application of standards,

Cost of projects: $100,000 a year,

5. Development of a Quality Index for

ects will determine through research

COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 55

studies possible new uses for fish oils
and develop a standard quality index for
fish meals, The personnel requiredfor
the Service portion of the meal and oil
research program were recruitedand
are now at work.

QUALITY INDEX FOR FISH MEALS:
Agreement was reached on the following
contracts for research on the quality in-
dex of fish meals: University of Dela-
ware, short-term growth response and
longer-term broiler feeding tests of
screened meal samples; Maryland State
College, nitrogen distribution studies of
fish meals; and Reedville Oil and Guano
Co., Reedville, Va., pilot-scale and
commercial-plant studies.

NEW USES FOR FISH OILS: The fish
oil research program was likewise firm-
ed up through discussions with individual
members of the industry. Basic research
contract proposals under consideration
include: University of Minnesota, chem-
istry of inclusion type complexes; Uni-
versity of Minnesota, composition of the
unsaturated and saturated fractions in
fish oils; and University of Minnesota,
the chemistry of odors in fish oils.

APPLIED RESEARCH ON FISH OILS:
A part of the research effort will be
placed on the modification of oils for in-
creased use in known fields or for the
recovery of former markets lost to com-
peting products. Among the proposals
under consideration are: University of
Cincinnati, application of fish oils inthe
leather trade: Florida Southern College,
use of fish oils and metallic compound
complexes as fungicides and insecticides
for citrus orchards; University of Con-
necticut, evaluation of fish oils in high
energy rations for chickens; North Caro-
lina State College, determination of phys-
ical-chemical characteristics of fish
body oils in different seasons and geo-
graphical locations; Texas A. & M. chro-
matography of fish oils; and OregonState
College, use of fish oils in swinerations,

MEAL AND OIL RESEARCH IN GENER-
AL: Arrangements were being completed
for the use of pilot-scale reduction equip-
ment in one of the principal menhaden
processing plants as a part of the Serv-
ice research program. Samples will be
taken at the same time of the meal and

oil prepared from the full-scale com-
mercial equipment in this plant. Samp-
lings will also be taken routinely of oils
produced at specified places throughout
the entire United States. Analyses of
these oils will provide valuable back-
ground information on the variability
with locality, season, and type of equip-
ment used,

Fish-meal sampling will be carried
out on a somewhat similar basis at the
reduction plant. Service staff members
will study problems of heating and piled
fish meal and in warehouse storage of
sacked fish meal,

Cost of projects: $234, 000 for first
year.

. Regular Educational and Market
ieteioeriene Program: Program: These are exist-
ing programs formerly financed by the
annual transfer of funds from the Depart-
ment of Agriculture. The equivalent of
the $175, 000 was allocated for carrying
out the same work as previously, which
features market promotional activities,
educational activities, and school-lunch
demonstration programs,

EXAMPLES OF ACTIVITIES: School-
lunch demonstrations, numbering 78,
have been conducted in North Carolina,
Virginia, Missouri, and Kentucky during
this spring semester.

Two industry-financed Service-pro-
duced fishery educational motion pic-
tures are in production. Theyare 16mm.
color sound films. One entitledShrimp
Tips from New Orleans is financed by a
Gulf manufacturer of shrimp peeling ma-
chines; the other entitled Fishing with a
Kicker is financed by two larger outboard
motor manufacturers,

Exhibits were sponsored at the major
food association conventions of the Amer-
ican Dietitians Association, American
School Food Association, National Fro-
zen Food Wholesalers Association, and
the National Restaurant Association,

The preparation and publication of
Commercial Fisheries Abstracts, Com-
mercial Fisheries Outlook, Fishery
Notes, " and "Test Kitchen Series" have

proceeded according to schedule,

COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW

Vol. 17, No. 6&

The program is completely staffed and
on schedule.

Cost of project: $167,000 a year.
EXPANSION OF REGULAR EDUCA-
TIONAL AND MARKET DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAM: An additional allocation ex-

pands the regular programs, It is pri-
marily for increasing in number and
scope the school-lunch demonstration
program, for increasing the emphasis
on promoting the purchase of fishthrough
locker plants, and for conducting special
marketing programs to aid segments of
the fishing industry that are faced with
excessive inventories.

A contract was awarded to the Univer-
sity of Miami Marine Laboratory to study
the development of new markets for
Florida fishery products. It is well un-
der way.

Beginning in January a special indus-
try-government special marketing pro-
gram was undertaken to aid the distress-
ed Boston haddock industry. Asa result
of the program, cold-storage stocks in
Boston dropped almost 45 percent from
January 1 to March 30,

A similar industry-government coopera-
tive marketing program had been started
with the Pacific Coast tuna canning industry,
in which the industry will concentrate on
consumer markets and the Service will con-
centrate on institutional markets.

Arrangements for similar programs
are under consideration for the halibut
and shrimp industries,

The school-lunch program is being ex-
panded in the Pacific Coast, Gulf, and
Middle Atlantic States.

All programs are well under way and
all vacant personnel positions have been
filled.

Cost of expansion: $85, 000 a year.

7. Information on Foreign Production,
Marketing, and Technical Advances in
the Field of ‘Fishery Products: These
projects will assist domestic producers
of fishery products to compete more ef-
fectively with imports of foreign fishery —

June 1955

products and to develop and reestablish
foreign markets.

A unit has been established and work
is under way to improve the receipt and
analysis of foreign consular dispatches
and other sources of information on for-
eign production, processing techniques,
and markets,

Arrangements have been made to
have specialists in the Department of
Agriculture conduct special investiga-
tions of foreign production facilities and
markets for fishery products while on
related projects in foreign countries.

Cost of project: $48,000 a year,

8. Surveys on Fish Consumption and
Industry Segments: An economic sur-
vey of the shrimp industry is well under
way. Field work has commenced for the
purpose of obtaining foreign and domes-
tic costs of production, This work is
being done by the Federal Trade Com-
mission, Contracts with nongovernmen-
tal organizations are under considera-
tion or have been let to cover the follow-
ing types of survey work with the indi-
cated organizations: Harwell, Knowles
and Associates, Inc., Coral Gables,
Fla., survey of efficiency of shrimp ves-
sel; First Research Corporation, Inc.,
Miami, Fla., survey of efficiency of
processing plants in the shrimp indus-
try; University of Miami, Coral Gables,
Fla., economic analysis of production
and primary marketing operations inthe
shrimp industry; A. C. Nielsen Co.,
Chicago, Ill., survey of secondary dis-
tributors and retailers of shrimp prod-
ucts to obtain suggestions for improving
marketing conditions,

These proposals are under considera-
tion: First Research Corporation, Inc.,
Miami, Fla., time and motion studies of
shrimp fishing; Northeastern University,
Boston, Mass., economic analysis of
freezing fish at sea in the New England
fisheries; Bureau of the Census, fish
consumption in public eating places (a
questionnaire form has been pretested;
Census Bureau will survey approximate-
ly 4,000 public eating places to deter-
mine the answers to various problems
in marketing fish and shellfish among
these outlets).

COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW

Cost of projects: $143,000 a year.

9. Increased Coverage and More Rap-
tistics: These programs will speed up
the existing procedures in the collection,
tabulation, and publication of fishery sta-
tistics; increase the coverage of inland
fisheries and obtain more detailed sta-
tistics on shrimp in the South Atlantic
and Gulf area for biological and market-
ing uses,

Supervisory personnel have been em-
ployed in Washington to help expedite
compilation and issuance of statistics.
Additional personnel have been employed
in the Mississippi River, South Atlantic,
Eastern Gulf, and Pacific Coast areas,
Employment of personnel required tocom-
plete the Section's staff is proceeding as
rapidly as suitable employees can be lo-
cated,

Bulletins on the domestic production
of canned fishery products, byproducts,
and packaged fish already were released
several months earlier than has been pos-
sible in previous years,

A contract for expediting tabulation of
production data is under consideration
with the State of California.

Arrangements were made for collec-
tion and joint state-Federal publication
of monthly statistics on landings of fish-
ery products in the states of North Car-
olina and Georgia, Release of these data
will begin during the summer,

Full cooperation has been sought and in
most cases received from state fishery
agencies in this program,

Cost of project: $160,000 a year,

10, Study of Improvement of Cold-Stor-
age Statistics: This project will investi-
gate means of improving the collection of
statistics on the freezing and holdings of
fishery products and expedite their issu -
ance in a monthly bulletin which is wide-
ly used by the trade,

To aid the Service the National Fisher-
ies Institute has conducted, without charge,
a preliminary survey to determine the ef-
fectiveness of the present coverage. In-

formation has been obtained on the num-
ber of firms not submitting data ontheir
freezings and holdings. Arrangements
have been made for the temporary em-
ployment of a man who has many years'
experience in the fishing industry, and
is well acquainted with the need for and
use of cold-storage information. He

COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVEIW

Vol. 17, No. 6

will conduct a detailed survey of the col-
lection and publication of fishery cold-
storage information and prepare recom-
mendations for improving the monthly
cold-storage report.

Cost of project: $5,000 for first
year.

OK OR OK

PROGRESS ON BRANCH OF FISHERY BIOLOGY PROJECTS (MAY 1955):

The

status, as of mid-May 1955, of the various Saltonstall-Kennedy Act projects under
way in the Service's Branch of Fishery Biology is as follows:

Research on the Identity of Stocks
of See in the High Seas of the North
Pacific: A senior biologist h has beenen-
gaged to take charge of the sampling pro-
gram on the high seas and ashore, Ar-
rangements have been made with the Jap-
anese Government and fishing companies
for biologists to work aboard the Japa-
nese high-seas fleet in 1955,

Preliminary results from serological
research on the identity of salmon stocks
have been encouraging. Red-cell sam-
ples produced antisera in laboratory ani-
mals which showed differences accord-
ing to geographical origin of the salmon
from which the blood was taken.

Growth patterns of ridges on salmon
scales have also exhibited differences
according to geographical origin of the
fish. Spectroscopic examination of scales
from young salmon fea bismuth distin-
guishes them from fish fed a normal diet,
indicating a method of marking young fish
for subsequent identification when caught
on the high seas,

The research vessel John N. Cobbhas
been readied for experimental fishing,
and fishing gear is being assembled,

A contract was awarded the Fisheries
Research Institute of the University of
Washington for a high-seas tagging pro-
gram, It is understood that theInstitute
has made preliminary arrangements for
charter of a vessel and procurement of
supplies,

A contract has been let to the Univer-
sity of British Columbia for research
leading to identification of salmon runs
by means of scales.

Cost of project: $130,000 for initial

year.

2. Research on the King Crab of the
Bering Sea: All preliminary work for
the 1955 research at sea was accomplish-
ed. Bids were secured for charter of a
vessel, A pattern of stations for experi-
mental crab fishing has been laid out,

Cost of project: $50,000 for initial

year.

3, Research to Develop Methods of
Controlling Oyster Predators and to Im-
prove Efficiency of Seed Collection: The
staffs of the Milford, Conn. ; Annapolis,
Md.; and Pensacola, Fla.; shellfish re-
search laboratories have been increased
by the employment of four biologists and
a statistician in order to provide person-
nel to carry out the project. A contract
was let to a chemical firm to provide sub-
stances for use in developing a drill con-
trol agent.

A contract was awarded the Florida
State University for a survey of predators
on oyster reefs in the Gulf of Mexico.
Also, a contract is being negotiated with
the Texas A. and M. Research Founda-
tion for a survey of the currents near
Pensacola, leading to the determination
of better locations for the attachment and
growth of oyster spat.

Cost of project: $75,000 a year,

4, Atlantic Herring Research--Booth-
bay Harbor, Me.: Available biological
and statistical information concerning
the Atlantic herring is being reviewed and
a report is being prepared in collabora-
tion with Canadian investigators. Knowl-

June 1955

edge to date will be used for design and
conduct of future research,

Samples of herring were obtained from
New Jersey, Rhode Island, Connecticut,
Maine, Massachusetts, and New Bruns-
wick for analysis to detect races or sub-
populations.

The research vessel T. N. Gill was
was assigned to the herring project and
was outfitted for biological and scouting
surveys to determine the annual distri-
bution and abundance of herring and to

obtain samples from offshore areas,

Eight of eleven staff members were
recruited, Cost of project: $74,000
for first year.

5. North Atlantic Trawl Fish Investi-
gations--Woods Hole, Mass.: WHITING:
Mesh selectivity experiments were con-
ducted to determine the mesh size re-
quired to catch whiting of various sizes,
Results show that marketable sizes can
be caught without catching or harming
smaller fish. Methods of aging whiting
are being studied and use of scales ap-
pears to be a promising method,

OCEAN PERCH: Analysis of ocean
perch catch statistics shows that catch
per unit of effort in the Gulf of Maine
for 1954 was 7.4 thousand pounds per
day which is near the average for the
last five years. Methods of ageanalysis
of ocean perch have been perfected. Cur-
rent work is directed towards obtaining
a reliable measure of yearly brood size
through sampling and age analysis.

SEA SCALLOPS: Present knowledge
of scallop biology was reviewed. Equip-
ment, such as an underwater camera,
dredges, and tags, was designed and is
being procured,

The research vessel Albatross III was
dry-docked, equipped, and placed in op-
eration, Three cruises to Georges Bank
and the Gulf of Maine were completed,

Project leaders and staff biologists
for new projects were recruited. Cost
of these projects: $206,000 for first
year,

COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW

6, Atlantic Menhaden--Beaufort, N,. C.:
Headquarters were established at Beau-
fort, N. C. A sampling and age analysis
program was being developedto deter-
mine relative size of year broods. A
series of menhaden larvae, in graduated
sizes, is being collected for use in iden-
tifying later collections. Tows withfine
meshed nets are made biweekly at Indian
River, Del.

Staff partially recruited. Twobiolo-
gists and a statistician of a staff of seven
plus several seasonal aids are to be re-
cruited,

Cost of project: $33,000 for FY 1955.

7. Florida Red-Tide Studies--Fort
Myers, Fla.; and Galveston, Tex,:
Sampling for Gymnodinimum brevis, the
microogranism which causes fish kills,
was increased through use of a float
plane. Trial flights have shown that wa-
ter samples can be easily and quickly
obtained by landing in the inside water,
Red-tide outbreaks will be detected in
early stages by the intensive sampling
and patrol. G. brevis distribution is
now limited to one small area off Ever-
glades, Fla.

The research vessel Kingfish was op-
erated on observational and sampling
cruises during the past year,

Cost of project: $53,000 for first
year.

8. Gulf of Mexico Shrimp Studies--
Galveston, Tex.: Research, by contract,
was under way to develop techniques for
marking shrimp and to identify shrimp
from different areas by anatomical means,
Field and laboratory studies were started
to determine conditions which govern
shrimp survival and development from
the egg to the adult.

Five staff members were added. Ex-

perimental equipment was obtained,

Cost of project: $80,000 for first
year.

9, Pacific Sardines and Related Studies--
La Jolla, Calif.: The research vessel

60 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 6

Black Douglas was placed on operation Cost of project: $125,000 a year.
after being laid up for three years. Sur-

veys indicate that fair numbers of sar- 10. North Pacific Albacore Studies--
dines are spawning in Southern Califor- Honolulu, Hawaii: Four cruises were
nia waters this spring. Last year a re- | conducted in waters north of Hawaii to
lation between spring spawning and the define the distribution and abundance of
fall catch was noted, If the same rela- albacore tuna. Results to date indicate
tion holds this year, the catch of sar- that albacore are located in areas where
dines off Southern California should be currents converge and where the temper-
60, 000 tons or greater. ature change is most rapid from southto

north, Albacore have been caught con-
Research cruises are being continued sistently in these areas but not in com-
in cooperation with the California Depart-| mercial quantities.
ment of Fish and Game and the Scripps
Institution of Oceanography. Cost of project: $234, 000 a year for ves-
sel operation.

U.S. Canned Fish and Byproducts--1954

United States (including Alaska, American Samoa, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico)
production of canned fishery products and byproducts registered healthy advances
in both quantity and value in1954,
according to an annual summary
report (canned fish and byprod-
ucts--1954, C.F.S. No. 1127) re-
leased May 5bytheU.S. Fishand
Wildlife Service.

s ! The 1954 pack of cannedfish-
= near, i ‘ ery products processed in 400
plants in 25 States andin Alaska,
American Samoa, Hawaii, and
Puerto Rico, amounted to 868
tis million pounds and was valued at
Woe hn $331 million to the packers. This
SEES Be anes ee a d6hdis an increase of 10 percent in
quantity and 8 percent in value as compared with the previous year.

Fishery byproducts in 1954 were valued at $82 million, a gain of 10 percent
over 1953.

The 1954 gain in production in canned items can be attributed to increased packs
of tuna, Maine and Pacific sardines, salmon, and the fish packed for pet food.

The pack of tuna and tunalike fishes exceeded that of any other item in both
quantity and value, and amounted to almost 11 million standard cases (214 million
pounds), valued at $142 million. Compared with 1953, this was an increase of over
1 million standard cases in quantity, and almost $16 million in value. The tuna
pack was worth 54 percent more than that of salmon which ranked second in value.
Tuna was packed in seven States, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and (for the first year)
American Samoa,

The pack of canned salmon in 1954 amounted to 4 million standard cases (200
million pounds), valued at $92 million to the canners--an increase of 6 percent in
quantity and 11 percent in value as compared with 1953. The largest pack of sock-
eye salmon in the Puget Sound area since 1913 and an unusually large pack of chum
salmon in southeastern Alaska were responsible for the gain,

June 1955

COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 61

Pacific sardines returned to southern California waters in 1954 after an almost
complete absence during 1952 and 1953, The catch of 133 million pounds was used
to produce a pack of over 1 million standard cases (60 million pounds), compared

with less than 64,000 cases in 1953,

Had there been a market for additional sup-

plies of canned sardines, it is estimated that the pack could have been doubled.

The pack of Maine sardines amounted to almost 3 million standard cases (60
million pounds), valued at $18 million to the packers,

Compared with the previous

! VALUE OF CANNED FISH AND BYPRODUCTS 1934 - 1954 year, this represented an
increase of 5 percent in
CANNED BYPRODUCTS TOTAL quantity and 7 percent in
g $331,026, 000 $81,571,000 $412,597,000| value,
O53. . - 306,873,674 74,371,996 381,245,670
152; . . 305,829,198 67,991,631 373,820,829
1951. 301,210,295 69,313,027 370,523,322 In the byproducts field
1950... 331,335,347 77,188,366 408,523,713} anew record was attained
1949. 295,503,905 78,472,495 373,976,400 ;
1948. 336, 181,000 793,866,000 Ba ee 70no| olen cups oductiony of
1947. . 310,679,000 80,592,000 391,271,000] 296,915 ton of fish meal
aeee 227, 629,000 76,643,000 304,272,000} worth $33 million. This
1945... 152,800,000 58,211,000 211,011,000
1944, 152,914,000 63,299,000 ieee ee ee oe tous
1943... 141,189,000 59,136,000 200,325,000; more than in 1953 and
am 144,997,000 50,897,000 195,894,000} 13,000 tons above the pre-
ome 138, 684,000 56,801,000 195,485,000] .. Feats
1940. . 94,182,000 30,554,000 124’736,000| V10US record production in
1939. 96,627,000 34,039,000 130,666,000, 1936.
1938. 83,446,000 30,576,000 114,022,000
9475087000 3479697000 12975437000 ie eoreiaietieie Ca Tats
a568: 533, Cana) Be chee ak
74,999,000 293520,000 104;519,000/ Yrine-animal oils in the Unit
80,021,000 22,598,000 102,619,000] ed States and Alaska during

gallons, valued at $13 million to the producers.

This

1954 amounted to 22 million

was an increase of 9 percent

in quantity as compared with 1953, but was only 55 percent of the record 1936 pro-

duction when 40 million gallons of oils were produced.

Other important byproducts produced during the year were marine pearl-shell,

oyster-shell, andfresh-water products valued at $16 million.

Byproducts were man-

ufactured in 227 plants in 25 States, Alaska, American Samoa, and Puerto Rico in

1954,

The Service's Branch of Commercial Fisheries has made annual statistical sur-

veys of the domestic production of canned fishery products and byproducts since 1921,
The data collected include statistics on the production and value of each canned com-
modity by can sizes and trade classification.

(a2

U.S. Fish-Stick Production, January-March 1955

United States production of fish sticks continued to rise during the first quarter
of 1955, reaching a total of 18.0 million pounds, according to Fish Stick Report,
January-March (C.F.S. No.
1132), published bythe U. S.
Fish and Wildlife Service
(see table). This was 8.0
million pounds more than was
produced during the same pe-

U.S. Fish-Stick Production, Jan,-Mar, 1955and 1954
Uncooked

riod of 1954 and 2.7 million February 4,9 a3
pounds more than the produc- |March Ge 9 4
tion during the last quarter of ot alee Moen OS On ae ial lb eb Ol

1954,

‘62 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 6

A total of 5.1 million pounds was packed during January, 5.8 million pounds
during February, and 7,1 million pounds during March, The largest amount previ-
ously reported was in October 1954--5.6 million pounds,

During the first quarter of 1955, 86 percent of the fish sticks were precooked,
This was only a slightly smaller proportion than the 87 percent reported during the
entire previous year.

This bulletin, the first in a series is available free from the Division of Infor-
mation, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington 25, D. C.

U. S. Foreign Trade

EDIBLE FISHERY PRODUCTS, FEBRUARY 1955: United States imports of
fresh, frozen, and processed edible fish and shellfish in February 1955 amounted
to 55.4 million pounds (valued at $13.6 million), according to a Department of Com-
merce summary tabulation (see table), This was an increase of 1 percent in quan-
tity but a decrease of 4 percent in value as compared with January imports of 54,9
million pounds (valued at $14.2 million), Compared with a year earlier, February
imports were about the same in quantity but 7 percent less in value.

United States Foreign Trade in Edible Fishery Products, February 1955
with Comparisons

Heb MELO 55 Feb. 1954 Year 1954
Valuel Quantity] Value| Quantity|Value

Fish & shellfish:
fresh, frozen, &
Exports:
Fish & shellfish:
processedl/ only (excluding
ireshvandstrozen) a -meueleas
/ Includes pastes, sauces, clam chowder and juice, and other specialties.

processed— .

Exports of processed edible fish and shellfish (excluding fresh and frozen) in
February 1955 totaled 6.7 million pounds (valued at $1.5 million)--a decrease of 45
percent in quantity and 35 percent in value as compared with January exports of 12.2
million pounds (valued at $2.3 million). February exports were higher by 179 per-
cent in quantity and 88 percent in value as compared with a year earlier, due tolarg-
er exports of California sardines,

Virginia

eries Laboratory and the Chesapeake Bay Institute are conducting a joint investiga-
tion of oyster grounds in the Hampton Roads area. The Virginia Department of High-
ways has employed a construction firm to build a combination bridge and tunnel a-
cross this famous waterway to link the Newport News area with Norfolk.

Two large artificial islands are being built, one on each side of the ship chan-
nel, each to be joined to the adjacent shore by a bridge. Thetunnel, which willcross
the channel from one island to the other, is to be made of precast sections which
will be laid in a dredged trench and covered with sand.

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 63

This bridge-tunnel crosses or adjoins some of the most productive oyster bot-
tom in Virginia, The oystermen have voiced concern that their oysters may be
damaged or their grounds destroyed by deposition of silt during the dredging opera-
tions. The two laboratories are making studies to determine the transport of silt
from the dredging operations, and to investigate the effects, if any, upon the oys-
ters. The results of the work should have far-reaching application in other prob-

lems of a similar nature,
—~—" Fr

Wholesale Prices, April 1955

Increased production and lighter demand for fresh and frozen fish and shellfish
caused a further drop in wholesale prices from March to April. The over-all index
of edible fish and shellfish (fresh, frozen, and canned) in April 1955 was 98,7 per-
cent of the 1947-49 average (see table)--2.0 percent less than in March and 6,6 per-
cent below April 1954,

Lower prices for Western halibut, salmon, and yellow pike at New York in A-
pril 1955 more than offset higher prices for large haddock at Boston and most fresh-

Table 1 - Wolesale Average Prices and Indexes for Edible Fish and Shellfish, April 1955 with Comparisons

Point of Avg, Prices1/ Indexes
Group, Subgroup, and Item Specification Pricing Unit (3) (1947-49=100)

Apr. | Mar. Apr.
1955 | 1955 1955
MAMISHic HELE RSH (eres, rOzen, cc Ganned) |. cu. 5 =< 5» sits: + «elle ite 6 98.7

Riresiicohirozen!Mishery Products: <5). « + 6 ces + « s :

Haddock, lge., offshore, drawn, fresh . . ...
Halibut, West., 20/80 lbs., drsd., fresh or froz, | New York
Salmon, king, lge. & med., drsd., fresh or froz, | New York
Whitefish, L, Superior, drawn, fresh ..... Chicago

Whitefish, L, Erie pound or gill net,rnd., fresh | New York
Lake trout, domestic, No. 1, drawn, fresh. . . | Chicago

Yellow pike, L, Michigan& Huron, rnd.,fresh . |New York

Boston

Processed,Fresh (Fish & Shellfish):. .....

Fillets, haddock, sml,, skins on, 20-lb, tins . .] Boston g 5 5 88.5] 78.3] 100.4) 95.3

Shrimp, lge. (26-30 count), headless, fresh, . .] New York 5 101.1} 98.0] 91.7} 109.1

Oysters, shucked, standards ,...... . .| Norfolk i 114.4} 117.5 | 120.6} 117.5
Processed, Frozen (Fish & Shellfish): .....

Fillets: Flounder (yellowtail), skinless, 1-1b,

PRGeyee tach eee el ve, sete Se)» (s0ston
Haddock, sml,,skins on, 1-lb. pkg. . . | Boston
Ocean perch, skins on, 1-lb, pkg. . . | Boston
Shrimp, lge. (26-30 count), 5-lb. pkg. . . . . | Chicago

Canned Fishery Products: .... Aare nee eke ela sa tection kee

Salmon, pink, No, 1 tall (16 0z.), 48 can/cs. . Seattle
Tuna, lt, meat, chunk, No. 1/2 tuna (8-1/2 oz.),

ASiCans/(CS pate suis olga sched cea ias enone Los Angeles|case| 12.70 | 12.90
Sardines, Calif,, tom. pack, No, 1 oval (15 oz.),

ASiCdS/ CSal cms seine ieee ine, aie cen | eosiAngelesicase|| #7230)1). 7-30
Sardines, Maine, keyless oil, No. 1/4 drawn

(3-1/4 0z.), 100 cans/ces.. 2... Bee eee ||Newsrorks |fcase|), #72209|"7220

1/Represent average prices for one day (Monday or Tuesday) during the week in which the 15th of the month occurs, These
prices are published as indicators of movement and not necessarily absolute level, Daily Market News Service ‘‘Fishery
Products Reports”’ should be referred to for actual prices.
2/Not available,

64 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol, 17, No. 6

water varieties at New York and Chicago, This accounted for the 7.5-percent de-
cline in the drawn, dressed, or whole finfish subgroup index from March to April

a 1955. Compared with April
1954, all items were consid-
erably lower in April 1955
and the index for the sub-
group was down 10.3 percent,

Fresh haddock fillet
prices rose from March to
April, the first increase for
some months, due to im-
proved demand, Fresh
shrimp prices were alsohigh-
er as production continued
good and demand improved.
Oyster prices were down
slightly from the previous
month because the season
drew to a close at the end of
April. The April 1955 index
for the fresh processed fish
and shellfish subgroup was
1.0-percent higher than

arieial ; March but 5.3 percent below
Boxes of fish stacked up in the shipping and receiving room of a wholesale April 1954,
firm in Chicago’s Fulton Market,

Lower prices for frozen haddock fillets and frozen shrimp caused a 1. 5-per-
cent decline from March to April in the index for frozen processed fish and shell-
fish. Flounder fillets were priced higher in April, while ocean perch fillet prices
remained unchanged, April 1955 prices for frozen processed fish and shellfish
were down 4.1 percent as compared with a year earlier--prices for all items were
lower except flounder fillets which were priced considerably higher.

The only price change from March to April in the canned fishery products sub-
group was a slight drop for tuna; all other items were the same, Canned tuna in-
ventories are reported heavy. Compared with the same month a year earlier, A-
pril prices for tuna and Maine sardines were substantially lower and salmonprices
were significantly higher.

IRISH MOSS

"Trish Moss" is the trade name for the seaweed, Chondrus crispus, which
is used commercially in the manufacture of carageenin. Carageenin is used in
the making of preparedfoods, drugs, andcosmetics, asit has remarkable thick-
ening, suspending, emulsifying, gelling, and stabilizing powers. At present its
most important use is as a stabilizer in chocolate milk. It is also usedin pre-
pared cheeses, ice-cream toppings, saladdressings, syrups, puddings, candies,
etc. Irish moss was originally imported from Europe, but in 1835 was dis-
covered in abundance along the rocky shores of Massachusetts. It is found in
quantity along the Atlantic coast from New Jersey to Newfoundland.

--Sea Secrets, July 20, 1954
The Marine Laboratory, University of Miami,
Coral Gables, Florida.

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 65

International
INTERNATIONAL PERMANENT COMMITTEE ON CANNED FOODS

MEETING AT GOTEBORG, SWEDEN, IN 1954: The 1954 meeting of the Inter-
national Permanent Committee on Canned Foods (CIPC) took place at the Swedish
Institute for Food Preservation Research, Kalleback, Goteborg, Sweden, from Sep-
tember 27-October 25, 1954.

There were some 50 delegates and advisers from Belgium, France, West Ger-
many, Morocco, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United
Kingdom, and observers from Denmark, Norway, the Tin Research Institute, and
the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The program covered a 4-day meeting during which the delegates split up into
standing commissions. These include among others the Scientific Commission,
Commission for Standardization of Cans for Fish, and Commission for the Regula-
tion and Definition of Canned Fish.

Scientific Commission: Under the heading ''Bacteriology,'' research work car-
ried out ina number of member countries on the bacteriology of semipreserved
marinades, on sterilization of spices and on bacteriological definitions of canned
foods, e. g. semipreserved canned hams, was discussed.

Under the heading "Standardization of Analytical Methods,"' the determination
of dry matter in tomato pastes, and of total nitrogen, tin, and small quantities of
SO» in canned foods, was discussed, as well as ways and means of cooperating with
the American Association of Official Agricultural Chemists (AOAC) work of stand-
ardizing analytical methods.

The CIPC has made an "International Survey of the National Legislations on the
Use of Preservatives in Foods.'' This survey will be published in the near future.
A similar survey on the use of artificial coloring in foods has also been made, but
publication will be delayed as many countries are amending their legislation in this
field. Both surveys will be issued in loose-leaf form,

Commission for Standardization of Cans for Fish: A list of 12 sizes (capacity in
mililiters) for round cans ranging from 85 to 1,700 ml. was approved for recom-
mendation to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

In addition to the already standardized rectangular ''Club 125" can, the so-called
1/15 P can was discussed and a standard capacity of 50 ml.t 5% was adopted, anda
length of 97 * 2 mm. and width of 44 t 2 mm. was recommended.

It was decided to give further study to the standardization of the ; Dingley can
and a standard capacity of 118 ml. + 5% was suggested.

Commission for the Regulation and Definition of Canned Fish: In this Commis-
sion, problems of using frozen sardines for subsequent canning were discussed, as

66 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVEIW Vol. 17, No. 6

well as the necessity of standardizing declarations of weight of contents on the labels
of canned fish, the necessity of standardization of the definition of marinades in var-
ious languages, the definitions of tunas, and the use of preservatives in the handling
and processing of fish for subsequent canning.

Commission for the Organization of the Third International Congress on Canned
Foods: This Congress will take place in September 1956 in Italy, in conjunction with
the Canned Foods and Packaging Fair of Parma. The Canning Congress may be held
in Rome or Parma depending on the decision of the host country. A five-day meeting
is planned and the tentative program was established after a lengthy discussion. This
will cover summaries of reports on the CIPC activities, reports on advances in can-
ning technology, sessions on packaging (containers) and machinery methodology of
market investigations, economics of canning, waste and pollution problems, public
health and educational (propaganda) aspects, canned foods and nutrition, and finally,
bacteriological problems and definition of canned foods.

FAO/CIPC Relations: The FAO observer took part in the discussion of the
Scientific Commission and the Commission for the Regulation and Definition of
Canned Fish when FAO/CIPC cooperation was informally discussed. A more formal
discussion had been planned for the final plenary meeting, but had to be postponed
till the next session of the CIPC which is to take place in Paris inthe autumn of 1955.

Nutrition Symposium: Following the CIPC meeting, the Swedish Institute for
Food Preservation Research organized a 3-day symposium on ''Nutritive Aspects
of Preserved Food,'' with over 20 contributors of reports and over 60 participants
from Denmark, France, West Germany, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, United King-
dom, and the United States. The reports, but not the discussions, will probably be
issued in printed form at a later date, reports the January-March FAO Fisheries
Bulletin.

TERRITORIAL WATERS

COMMISSION TO STUDY ICELANDIC-BRITISH FISHING CONFLICT: A solution
to the conflict between Iceland and British fishing interests which has lasted for more
than four years will be sought by the Office of European Economic Cooperation (OEEC),
reports the February 18 International Financial News Survey. A commission will be
appointed consisting of two representatives from the United Kingdom and two from
Iceland, with a neutral chairman,

The origin of the conflict was the extension by Iceland in 1950 of her exclusive
fishery limits. Since the new limits excluded all trawling (Icelandic and foreign) on
certain fishing banks, the trawlers were especially affected. As a reprisal, British
trawling interests boycotted Icelandic trawlers, which have not been able to land
fish in British ports since.

TRADE AGREEMENTS

GATT NINTH SESSION CLOSED MARCH 7: The Ninth Session of the Contract-
ing Parties to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) which convened
in Geneva on October 28, 1954, closed March 7, 1955, the Department of State
announced. Representatives of the contracting parties completed the review of the Gen-
eral Agreement, which began on November 8, and the drafting of:

(1) An agreement establishing an organization for trade cooperation to admin-
ister the GATT and to facilitate consultation and study of matters relating to inter -
national trade;

(2) Amendments of the trade rules contained in the General Agreement;

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 67

(3) Technical amendments of the General Agreement to give effect to the trans-
fer of its organizational provisions to the proposed new organization for trade co-
operation; and

(4) A declaration extending from June 30, 1955, to January 1, 1958, the firm
life of the tariff concessions previously negotiated by the contracting parties which
are an integral part of the General Agreement.

The text of the Agreement on the Organization for Trade Cooperation and the
texts of other documents will be authenticated, and will be open in Geneva for signa-
ture by governments.

The GATT is the principal instrument through which the United States has car-
ried out the provisions and purposes of the Trade Agreements Act. It is a multi-
lateral trade agreement among 34 nations, including practically all major trading
countries accounting for approximately 80 percent of world trade. Negctiations
looking toward the accession of Japan to the GATT are now under way.

United States participation in the review session of the Contracting Parties to
the GATT afforded opportunity to carry out the recommendation of the President's
Commission on Foreign Economic Policy that the organizational provisions of the
GATT be renegotiated with a view to providing an organization to sponsor multi-
lateral trade negotiations, to recommend broad trade policies, and to provide a forum
for consultation regarding trade matters, and that the organizational provisions so
renegotiated be submitted to the Congress for approval. In his message to Congress
on foreign economic policy of March 30, 1954, President Eisenhower signified his
intention to act promptly on these recommendations and to seek to negotiate certain
revisions of the trade rules of the General Agreement to provide a simpler and
stronger instrument.

The decision was made by the contracting parties in October 1953 to convene a
session in the fall of 1954, ''to review the operation of the General Agreement upon
the basis of experience gained since it has been in provisional operation, and in the
light of this review to examine to what extent it would be desirable to amend or sup-
plement existing provisions of the Agreement and what modifications should be made
in arrangements for its administration."

The Contracting Parties agreed to convene the Tenth Session on October 27, 1955,
at Geneva.

Tariff negotiations involving Japan and certain other negotiations with contracting
parties to the GATT convened at Geneva on February 21, 1955.

ok ok ke ok

PUBLIC ADVISERS TO U.S. GATT DELEGATION APPOINTED: The designa-
tion of four public advisers to the United States Delegation at Geneva which conduct-
ed tariff negotiations with Japan and other countries, was announced April 16 by the
State Department.

The United States officials on the negotiating delegation represent nine executive
agencies and departments of the government. It is expected that this delegation will
be materially aided by the broad experience and judgment of the public advisers just
appointed.

The negotiations at Geneva are being conducted between the United States and
Japan, on the one hand, and between the United States and third countries which are
negotiating with the Japanese under the auspices of the General Agreement on Tariffs
and Trade (GATT). Upon conclusion of the negotiations, Japan is expected to become

68 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 6

a full-fledged participant in the General Agreement. At present Japan is participat-
ing on a provisional basis.

The public advisers arrived in Geneva about April 24. They were: R.G. Smith,
executive vice-president in charge of international operations of the Bank of America;
L.F. Whittemore, Chairman of the board of directors of Brown Company, pulp and
paper manufacturers of Berlin, N. H.; A. B. Kline, former President of the Ameri-
can Farm Bureau Federation; B. Seidman, Staff Economist for the American Federa-
tion of Labor.

3K OK OK ok

AGREEMENT ON ORGANIZATION FOR TRADE COOPERATION AND AMEND-
MENTS TOGATT: Assistant Secretary of State Samuel C. Waugh on March 21
signed on behalf of the United States in Geneva, Switzerland, the documents incorpo-
rating the results of the review of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
(GATT). The GATT is an international trade agreement adhered to by 34 countries,
reports a March 21 release from the Department of State.

The most important of the documents is an agreement establishing an Organiza-
tion for Trade Cooperation to administer the GATT. Mr. Waugh's signature of the
Agreement was conditional on Congressional approval of United States membership
in the Organization.

In addition to the Agreement establishing the OTC, Waugh also signed several
protocols amending the trade rules contained in the General Agreement itself. The
Department of State is preparing and plans shortly to publish the texts of the amend-
ments showing their relationship to the GATT.

The Agreement on the Organization for Trade Cooperation is intended primarily
to provide permanent arrangements for the administration of the GATT. The negotia-
tion of the OTC Agreement was a fulfillment of that part of the President's message
to the Congress on March 30, 1954, in which he said the United States would seek
the renegotiation of the GATT's organizational provisions and that he would submit
them to the Congress for its approval.

Under the new arrangements functions formerly exercised jointly by the coun-
tries party to the Agreement, in their informal periodic meetings, would be trans-
ferred to the Organization for Trade Cooperation. In addition, the Organization
would be empowered to sponsor international trade negotiations and to serve as an
intergovernmental forum for the discussion and solution of other questions relating
to international trade. The Organization's structure would include an Assembly,
consisting of all the countries party to the GATT. There would also be an Executive
Committee to which the Assembly would delegate powers to handle problems arising
between sessions of the Assembly. Under the criteria for election to the Executive
Committee, which will consist of 17 members, the United States is assured of a
permanent seat on the Committee.

The establishment of the OTC constitutes recognition by countries representing
more than 80 percent of the world's trade that expansion of international trade re-
quires cooperative international action to remove trade barriers. The creation of
a permanent body to administer the GATT would also make possible the better en-
forcement of the trade rules protecting the more than 50,000 tariff concessions that
have been negotiated and incorporated in the Agreement. The OTC would also facili-
tate settlement of trade disputes which could give rise to international tensions in
the free world.

The Geneva Conference reaffirmed the basic objectives and obligations included
in the GATT, including the principle of nondiscriminations in international trade.

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 69

The general prohibition against the use of quantitative restrictions on imports
was also confirmed.

One of the major achievements of the conference was agreement to extend the
assured life of the tariff concessions beyond June 30, 1955, the present expiration
date. The assured life of the concessions would be extended to December 31, 1957.
Provisions were also written into the Agreement for the future automatic continuance
of the concessions for three-year periods after December 31, 1957. Arrangements
were made to allow in special circumstances the renegotiation of concessions dur -
ing this period.

The Agreement on the Organization for Trade Cooperation provides in part:

The Organization shall administer the General Agreement and generally facili-
tate the operation of that Agreement. Organization shall have the following functions:
(1) Facilitate intergovernmental consultations on questions relating to international
trade; (2) Sponsor international trade negotiations; (3) Study questions of internation-
al trade and commercial policy and, where appropriate, make recommendations
thereon; (4) To collect, analyze, and publish information and statistical data relating
to international trade and commercial policy, due regard being paid to the activities
in this field of other international bodies.

The Assembly shall appoint a Director-General as chief administrative officer
of the Organization. The powers, duties, conditions of service, and term of office
of the Director-General shall conform to regulations approved by the Assembly.
The Director-General shall appoint the members of the staff, and shall fix their
duties and conditions of service in accordance with regulations approved by the As-
sembly.

OK OK OK

DANISH-ARGENTINE AGREEMENT INCLUDES COD: Denmark will ship to
Argentina cod valued at US$15, in the first year of a five-year trade agreement
signed by the two countries in Buenos Aires February 18. No fishery products ship-
ments from Argentine to Denmark are included in the agreement, reports an April6
U.S. Embassy dispatch from Buenos Aires.

OK OK Kk

NORWEGIAN-EAST GERMAN AGREEMENT INCLUDES FISHERY PRODUCTS:
A global compensation agreement for 1955 involving fishery products between Nor-
way and East Germany was recently concluded in Berlin between Norsk Kompensa-
jonsselskap A/S and Deutscher Innen-und Aussenhandel. Substantial increases in
Norwegian exports to East Germany for canned fish and other items are offset by
decreases in fresh and frozen fish and herring meal.

Norwegian export to East Germany in 1955 will include the following fishery
products: fresh winter herring, valued at 7.9 million kroner (US$1.1 million); froz-
en winter herring for March-July delivery, 8.2 million kroner (US$1.2 million);
fresh and frozen fish, delivery from May, 5.7 million kroner (US$0.8 million); salted
herring for March-November delivery, 8.4 million kroner (US$1.2 million); canned
fish for delivery in the 3rd and 4th quarters, 9.7 million kroner (US$1.4 million);
herring meal, 1.5 million kroner (US$0.2 million); mackerel meal, 0.7 millionkroner
(US$98,000); pearlessence, 0.4 million kroner (US$49,000).

No fishery products are included in the agreement for shipment from East
Germany to Norway.

Ok Kk ok

70 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 6

NORWEGIAN-ISRAEL AGREEMENT INCLUDES FISHERY PRODUCTS: A trade
agreement between Norway and Israel for the period May 7, 1955, to May 6, 1956,
was signed in Oslo April 13, and includes Norwegian exports of frozen fish, herring,
and canned fish. Israel will not ship any fishery products to Norway, states anA-
pril 15 U.S. Embassy dispatch from Oslo.

UNITED NATIONS

ROME MEETING ON WORLDWIDE FISHERIES CONSERVATION OPENS: Ex-
perts from countries in many parts of the world gathered at the headquarters of the
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
in Rome, Italy, April 18 for the opening of a 2- to3-week
United Nations conference on ''the conservation of the
living resources of the sea.'' When the conference was
first discussed in the U. N. General Assembly last win-
ter, the narrower word ''fisheries'’ was used, but
this was changed to ''living resources of the sea’
in order to cover the whole broad field of ma-
rine life, ranging from whales to seaweed.

The main purpose of the conference was to examine
all fishery conservation techniques, both national and
international, which have been employed to date, and
then to see how they can be applied in areas where con-
servation is needed but where little or nothing has so far been done.

The conference was opened in the name of Secretary-General Dag Hammarsk-
jold by his special representative for the occasion, Adrian Pelt, Director of the
European Office of the United Nations in Geneva. Pelt emphasized the Secretary-
General's interest in the solution of the problem, and the importance he attaches
to the spread of modern techniques.

Some of the 50 or so governments expected to attend were represented by their
ambassadors in Rome. Others, notably countries with important fishing interests,
sent technical experts.

The urgency of the matters confronting the delegates may be gathered from a
study of the Assembly's proceedings, and a glance at some of the findings made
public by FAO.

The question of fishery conservation was brought to the Assembly by a number
of nations, including such maritime powers as Brazil, Netherlands, United Kingdom,
and the United States. In their request for immediate Assembly consideration, these
countries stressed the need for giving prompt attention to the technical aspects of
the fishery conservation problem without waiting for the U.N. International Law
Commission to complete its work on the legal aspects, a task which the Commission
is undertaking as part of its codification of the law of the high seas and of territorial
waters.

The Commission itself noted the immediacy of the issue when it pointed out in
its most recent report on the subject that existing international law ''provides no
adequate protection of marine fauna against extermination.'' This, it emphasized,
"constitutes a danger to the food supply of the ,world."

After a debate in which stress was laid on the fact that the world's fish catch
was decreasing despite improved modern fishing methods, the Assembly's Legal
Committee agreed to the wish of the requesting countries that a conference be held
in April at FAO's Rome Headquarters. Throughout the debate emphasis was laid
on the fact that the conference was to be of a strictly technical nature which would

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 71

not encroach in any way upon the Law Commission's work in the legal field. Several
speakers expressed the belief that the views of the economic and technical experts
attending the conference would be of great value to the Assembly when it ultimately
considered the draft Articles on Fisheries which the Commission is formulating.

In the current issue of its monthly publication Memo, FAO discusses the situa-
tion in an article entitled ''Plenty of Food in the Waters. ‘ Declaring that ''the world's
water areas, although covering TIEN CRESS three quarters of its surface, are pro-
viding only about one percent of man! s total food supplies and about 10 percent of
his total animal protein supplies," the article says that production from these areas
is limited not by the number of fish to be caught "but merely by limits on man's

present ability to find, catch, and distribute 7

The article stresses that ''many existing fisheries resources are not being ex-
ploited to an extent anywhere near their safe productivity." ''This,"' it continues,
"is particularly the case in inland fish culture under controlled methods. For the
Indo-Pacific region alone, the area of cultivable water is estimated at 37 million
hectares (143,000 square miles), which could give very considerable results.'

Drawing attention to some of the "less commonly exploited food resources,
the article cites such examples as ''zooplanktons which are taken in considerable
quantities in Asian countries for the manufacture of pastes and other fisheries pro-
ducts; or seaweeds which, suitably processed, can yield large quantities of foods
rich in carbohydrates." "It has been estimated, for instance," the article adds,
"that Scotland alone could produce from 70,000 to 110,000 metric tons of carbohy-
drate annually, for human or stock consumption, from seaweeds harvested along
the coastline."

Much of the work of the conference was concerned with different aspects of
FAO's extensive and varied activities on the problem. Also before it were a num-
ber of background papers submitted by scientific and economic experts from many
countries. These papers served as a basis for discussion, and included two by Dr.
Michael Graham, Director of Fishery Research of the United Kingdom's Ministry
of Agriculture and Fisheries.

Dr. Graham makes it clear that the problem is by no means a new one. Recall-
ing some of the early history of fishery conservation efforts, he notes that in the
year 1376 the Commons petitioned the King of England, complaining that ''certain
fishermen for seven years past have subtily contrived an instrument which they
called 'wondyrchoun','' The ''wondyrchoun,"' the petition said, was made like an
oyster dredge with a close net attached. Its ''great andlongiron... runs so heavily
and hardly over the ground when fishing that it destroys the flowers of the land be-
low water there, and also the spat of oysters, mussels, and other fish upon which
the great fish are accustomed to be fed and nourished. By which instrument in
many places the fishermen take such quantity of small fish that they do not know
what to do with them; and that they feed and fat their pigs with them, to the great
damage of the Commons of the Realm and destruction of the fisheries. . ."

International Law Commission

TERRITORIAL WATERS AND FISHERIES ITEMS GET FIRST CONSIDERATION
AT COMMISSION MEETING IN GENEVA: The International Law Commission is ex-
pected to concentrate its efforts on the items regime of the high seas and regime of
the territorial sea at its seventh session which began at the Palais des Nations in
Geneva on Monday,May 2. The session was scheduled to last for about 10 weeks,
according to an April 27 U. N. news release.

The Commission was established by the General Assembly in 1947 to promote
the progressive development of international law and its codification. Its members,

72 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 6

who, serve in their individual capacity as persons of recognized competence in inter-
national law and not as representatives of governments, are elected by the General
Assembly.

The provisional agenda of the seventh session (Doc. A/CN. 4/89) contains eight
items. Listed below, with background notes are those items of interest to the fish-
eries and allied industries.

Regime of the H ign & Seas: The Commission decided to take up this question in
1949 when GE ironge ticesoe P. A. Francois, who is also Secretary-General of the Per-
manent Court of Arbitration at The Hague, was elected special rapporteur for this
matter. He has submitted six reports on the subject (Documents A/CN.4/17, A/CN.
4/42, A/CN.4/51, A/CN.4/60, A/CN.4/69 and A/CN.4/79). On the basis of some of
these the Commission has adopted draft articles on the continental shelf, fisheries,
and the contiguous zone (see document A/2456, chapter III). The sixth report of the
special rapporteur (Doc. A/CN.4/79), which will form the basis of discussion of
this item at the present session, deals with such subjects as the freedom of the high
seas, merchant ships on the high seas, state ships on the high seas, safety of ship-
ping, submarine cables and pipelines, penal jurisdiction in matters of collision on
the high seas, policing of the high seas, sedentary fisheries, and water pollution. It
is also probable that the Commission will again discuss the question of fisheries,
as in the course of its session it will receive the report of the International Tech-
nical Conference on the Conservation of the Living Resources of the Sea which be-
gan at the Food and Agriculture Organization's Rome headquarters on April 18.

Regime of the Territorial Sea: In 1951 the Commission appointed Mr. Francois
rapporteur for this subject. On the basis of his three reports (Doc. A/CN.4/53
A/CN.4/61 and A/CN.4/77) the Commission at its sixth session in 1954 prepared
a draft which was circulated to the members of the United Nations for comments.

A number of governments have submitted their observations (Doc. A/CN.4/90 and
Addenda) and in the light of these observations the draft will be considered again

by the Commission at the seventh session. The question of the breadth of the ter-
ritorial sea was left open in the draft and the governments were asked to assist the
Commission by stating their views on this problem. Several governments have done
so, and it is expected that the Commission will endeavor to formulate concrete pro-
posals concerning this controversial question at the present session. A working
paper containing an analysis of the replies from governments will be submitted in
the course of the session.

Members of the International Law Commission are elected for three-year terms
by the General Assembly. The present membership is as follows: Gilberto Amado,
Brazil; Douglas L. Edmonds, United States; J. P. A. Francois, Netherlands; J. V.
Garcia-Amador, Cuba; Shuhsi Hsu, China; Faris Bey el-Khouri, Syria; S. B. Krylov,
USSR; Radhabinod Pal, India; Carlos Salamanca, Bolivia; A. E. F. Sandstrom, Swe-
den; Georges Scelle, France; Jean Spiropoulos, Greece; Jaroslav Zourek, Czecho-
slovakia.

WHALING

ANTARCTIC CATCH DOWN IN 1954/55: The 1954/55 Antarctic pelagic (open
sea) baleen whaling season, which ended on March 19, 1955, resulted in a provision-
al catch of 15,300 blue-whale units, —/ or somewhat less than the 15,456 units taken
during the 1953/54 season, according to preliminary information available in the
April 11 Foreign Crops and Markets, a Department of Agriculture publication. The
reported catch during the 72-day hunting period was well under the maximum catch
quota of 15,500 units established by international agreement but, being provisional,
may be incomplete .

7/1 blue-whale unit = 1 blue whale, or 2 fin whales, or 2.5 humpback whales, or 6 sei whales. Thus, the actual number of
— whales taken during the season is far greater than the indicated number of units.

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 73

Nineteen factoryships and about 230 catcher boats were engaged in the 1954/55
pelagic operations. Participating countries and the number of factoryships employ-
ed by each were: Norway 9, United Kingdom 3, Japan
3, and the Soviet Union, Netherlands, Union of South
Africa, and Panama 1 each.

Complete data regarding the production of whale

oil from this season's catch are not yet available. How-
ever, it is believed that output by Norwegian and British
South African expeditions was down from the year before.
Total production of whale oil during the 1953/54 Antarctic
season was around 367,000 short tons. Some 25,000tons
of sperm whale oil also was produced during last year's
pelagic operations.

Norway: According to reports from ‘the 9 Norwe-
gian expeditions total production by Norwegian factory-
ships was 665,794 barrels (about 111,000 metric tons) of whale oil, compared with
931,694 barrels (about 155,300 tons) in 1954; and 136,777 barrels (22, 800 tons) of sperm
oil in 1955 as compared with 31,391 barrels (5,200 tons) in 1954. This total pro-
duction was the poorest for the Norwegians since the first postwar season in 1946/47,
points out a March 25 U.S. Embassy dispatch from Oslo.

The value of the 1955 Norwegian whale oil, all of which was sold on forward
contracts at prices ranging from £75-77.5 (US$210-217) per metric ton, has been
estimated at 170 kroner (US$23.8 million) as compared with 211 million kroner
(US$29 .6 million) for last year's production. As this year's sperm-oil production
has not yet been sold, its value has not been estimated.

Norwegian spokesmen have cited the following explanations for the reduced out-
put by the Norwegian expeditions in the season just concluded: (1) with two addition-
al non-Norwegian (one Japanese and one Onassis) expeditions in operation this year
competition for the same number of blue-whale units (15,500) increased; (2) many
of the whales caught by Norwegian expeditions this year were unusually lean and
provided proportionately less whale oil; and (3) unfavorable weather at times hinder -
ed Norwegian whaling.

Japan: The three Japanese fleets reported a total catch of 2,771.6 blue-whale
units, against a target of 2,150. This compares very favorably with an actual catch
of 1,896 blue-whale units for the previous season, when only two fleets operated.
Baleen whale oil obtained totaled 53,555 metric tons as compared to 37,540 tons for
the 1954 expeditions, a March 25 U.S. Embassy dispatch from Tokyo reports.

Ok ok

ANTARCTIC 1954/55 WHALE- AND SPERM-OIL PRODUCTION: Total pro-
duction of whale and sperm oil during the 1954/55 Antarctic season was about
362,690 and 52,830 short tons, respectively, according to preliminary data reported
by the U. S. Embassy at Oslo, Norway. This represents a decrease of nearly 10
percent in whale-oil production when compared with the final 1953/54 figure of
399,665 tons. Sperm-oil production, however, was almost double the 26,990 tons
produced in the previous season.

Pelagic production by the 19 expeditions operating in 1954/55 accounted for
329,720 tons of the whale oil produced and 52,070 tons of the sperm oil. The re-
mainder resulted from South Georgia shore-station operations.

74 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Wo, 17, NOs ©

INTERNATIONAL FAIR OF FISHERY AND ALLIED ACTIVITIES
TO BE HELD IN ITALY

The Fifteenth ''International Fair of Fishery and Allied Activities" will be held
in Ancona, Italy, from July 16-31, 1955. The Fair will include an international
marketing display of technical developments in commercial fisheries; technical
congresses; meetings of fishermen; and events on sport fishing. Further informa-
tion may be obtained from: Segreteria Generale della Fiera Internazionale della

Pesca, Mandracchio, Ancona, Italy.

Aden

STATUS OF FISHERIES: Aden's fishing industry is loosely organized and its
methods are primitive, reports a U. S. Embassy dispatch (April 1) from Aden. The
fish caught are principally tuna, kingfish, caranx, sardines, and anchovies. What
is not consumed is dried and salted for export, the latter running from 2,000-3,000
metric tons a year. The leading markets are still Ceylon, West Germany, and East
Africa. A marketing officer was added to the Colony government in March and a
proposed marketing and purchasing fishery cooperative may be developed. Also,
there is some local business interest in organizing the industry to improve exports.
Recently a United States ship left with a full cargo of dried fish for the United States.

Australia

the finding of Japanese fishing buoys at various places on Australia’s eastern coast,
some newspaper reports (Australian) and comments failed to distinguish between
international law on two very different matters, namely, the sedentary fisheries
and sea-bed resources of the continental shelf and the swimming fisheries outside
territorial waters, points-out the March 1955 Fisheries Newsletter, an Australian
fishery publication. The Australian Minister for Commerce and Agriculture issued
several press statements in the course of which he said:

"There appears to be considerable misunderstanding about the Common-
wealth Fisheries Act 1952-53 which has been confused with the pearl fishing
legislation passed by Parliment also in 1952.

"The Australian Government has shown in its pearl fishing legislation and in
its administration of it, a complete determination to exercise its rights to control
sedentary fishing on the Continental Shelf. Under international law these rights in-
clude the control of the products of the sea bed which of course include pearl oysters.

"The Government, on the other hand, has never sought to exercise control, other
than of Australian nationals, in respect of the swimming fish industry. In its pres-
ent state, international law draws a distinction between the resources of the sea
bed and the control of swimming fish beyond the accepted territorial limits which,
roughly speaking, are three miles off shore. The Fisheries Act lays down the rules
with which Australians must comply in Australian waters outside territorial waters.

"The Commonwealth Government certainly wishes to negotiate agreements to
regulate fishing in waters adjacent to Australia. However, it would be futile to ex-
pect the Japanese to limit their fishing operations on the high seas if we were not

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 75

prepared and ina position to control Australian fishing operations also, so thata
total plan of conservation could be operated. We could put no limit on our own
fishing operations without first passing a law to enable control of them, and that is
one of the reasons why we passed the Fisheries Act in 1952, Australia now has a
basis upon which to negotiate."

2 OK ok kk

TUNA LANDINGS, 1954/55: A large Sydney, Australia, tuna canner reports
that tuna landings this season to December 31, 1954, totaled 1.5 million pounds,
according to the February Fisheries Newsletter, an Australian fishery periodical.

British Honduras

FISHERY PRODUCTS EXPORTS, JANUARY-NOVEMBER 1954: British Honduras
exports of fishery products in January-November 1954 totaled 296,000 pounds, val-

British Honduras Exports of Fishery Products, January-November
1954 and 1953 (Total Exports and Exports to United States)

Product 1954 1953
Quantit Value SEE
1,000 1,000

Fresh, frozen, or live fish:
Total exports
Exports to U.S.

Total exports
Exports to U.S.
piny lobsters, whole:
Total exports
Exports to U.S.
piny lobster tails:
Total exports
Exports to U.S.
onchs:
Total exports
Exports to U.S.
Shrimp:
Total exports
Exports to U.S.
Total all fishery products:
Total exports : 224.4 |84.0
Exports to U.S : i ie ao)

ued at BH$125,000 (US$87,600), compared with exports for the similar period in
1953 totaling 224,000 pounds, valued at BH$84,000 (US$58,600). The United States
received 64 percent of the British Honduras fish and shellfish exports in the first
11 months of 1954 as compared with 79 percent in the same period a year earlier
(see table). Spiny lobsters comprised the bulk of these exports, and a large in-
crease in shipments of whole spiny lobsters in 1954 accounted for the increase in
total fishery products exports from British Honduras.

paw

76 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 6

British Guiana

FISHING INDUSTRY, 1953: Almost 6 million pounds of fish with an estimated
value of US$1.4 million, were caught in 1953 in the waters of the seacoast and of
the estuaries of British Guiana's major rivers, a U.S. consular dispatch (April 12)
from Port of Spain reports. Although some deep-sea fishing is done off of British
Guiana, most of the Colony's fish is caught in the relatively shallow, muddy waters
along its 300-mile coastline.

Fishing activities include shrimping. A dried-shrimp and shrimp-meal factory
is in operation.

During 1954 the British Guiana Credit Corporation made loans totaling about
US$ 28,000 for development of the fishing industry.

Cuba

TUNA CAUGHT BY EXPLORATORY VESSEL FISHING IN CUBAN WATERS:
A total of 5,100 pounds of tuna was caught by the Cuban vessel Cubamar Ie

Fig. 1 -Bait in the live-bait tank of the Cubamar II Fig. 2 - A boat leaving the Cubamar Il to load up with bait.

during a 5-day exploratory fishing cruise which began July 25,1954. Only 3 hours and
10 minutes were required to catch the amount of tuna indicated. The average
weight of the fish was 3 pounds each,
and the catch consisted of 60 percent
oceanic bonito or skipjack tuna (Kat-
suwonus pelamis) and 40 percent al-

bacore (Germo alalunga).

A crew of eight fishermen used
"manjua'’ (Jenkinsia lamprotaenia) as
live bait and pgles and lines for catch-
ing the tuna. The vessel fished 3 to
15 miles offshore, from Santa Cruz
del Norte to Justias, between 82-84

. W. longitude. The best fishing seem-
< & ed to be encountered nearest to the
as approximate location of the Gulf Stream.

mee

Fig. 3 -Pole-and-line fishing for tuna from Cubamar II.

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW lat

Fig, 5 - Crew having lunch aboard the exploratory
fishing vessel Cubamar II.

Weather conditions during the cruise were
clear, the sea was smooth, and there was a
light breeze NE. to SE. Fishing conditions
were good. The vessel was equipped with Jap-

Fig, 4 - Part of the catch of tuna made by anese-type bait wells.
the Cuban exploratory fishing vessel dur-
ing a 5-day cruise.

--Jose A. Ojeda, Master and Fishing Gear Technologist,
Asociacion de Credito Pesquero, 'Felipe Poey, '
Afiladoal Banco de Fomento Agricola e Industrial

de Cuba, Havana, Cuba

Costa Rica

VIEWS ON 200-MILE TERRITORIAL WATERS ZONE: The Costa Rican For-
eign Minister ina press conference April [6, during a brief visit to Quito, Ecua-
dor (El Comercio, April 17), discussed the declaration of Santiago in which Ecua-
dor, Peru, and Chile claimed jurisdiction over a 200-mile maritime zone, an April
20 U. S. Embassy dispatch from Quito states. A summary of his comments follows:

"Nations should protect their fisheries resources which are the product of
territorial wealth. This problem affects not only the three nations mentioned but
the entire continent, and Costa Rica's attitude on this question has already been
made clear. CostaRicatherefore has deemed it convenient to propose:

"1. That all the nations of America adhere to the Santiago Charter;

"2. To include this document in the problem of defense in the face of a possible
extra-continental interference;

"3. To deposit this international document in the Pan American Union, open
to the adherence of the other nations, and;

"4, To create an international policy, which at the same time that it guarantees
free commercial navigation would protect the sovereignty of nations against illegal

fishing and pirates."

78 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 6

Denmark

EXPORTS OF FISHERY PRODUCTS FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION TO UNITED
STATES, 1954: The value of Danish exports of fishery products for human con-
sumption to the United States in 1954 was 12.6 million kroner (US$1.8 million) as
compared with 13.0 million kroner (US$1.9 million) in 1953, reports the April 4
Foreign Commerce Weekly, a Department of Commerce publication. The principal
item was fresh frozen brook trout, valued at 5.8 million kroner (US$0.8 million) in
1954 and 5.4 million kroner (US$0.8 million) in 1953 . Cod exports were valued at
1.6 million kroner (US$0.2 million) in 1954--none in 1953. Frozen cod fillets ex-
ports rose from 0.4 million kroner (US$58,000) in 1953 to 1.0 million kroner
(US$145,000) in 1954 because of the demand from United States fish-stick proc-
essors; flounder fillet exports increased from 0.8 million kroner (US$115,000)
to 1.0 million kroner (US$145,000).

Danish canned lobster exports to the United States increased notably, from 0.3
million kroner (US$43,000) in 1953 to 1.0 million kroner (US$145,000) in 1954 while
other canned fish, including brisling sardines, rose from 2.5 million kroner
(US$360,000) to 2.8 million kroner (US$400,000).

SKI kK 3K OK OK

FISHERY PRODUCTS EXPORTS, 1954: Denmark exported fishery products
worth about 225 million kroner (US$33 million) in 1954 against shipments worth
about 203 million kroner (US$29 million) in 1953. Exports of fish meal were valued
at 26 million kroner (US$3.8 million) against only 14 million kroner (US$2.0 million)
in 1953. Fish-oil exports were worth 11 million kroner (US$1.6 million) against
9.5 million kroner (US$1.4 million) in 1953. These increases were due to higher
prices caused by good demand, as the actual volume of exports declined 0.5 percent
to 129,000 metric tons.

Great Britain was the largest buyer of Danish fishery products in 1954, purchas-
ing 49 million kroner (US$7.1 million) worth. West Germany took fishery products
valued at 25 million kroner (US$3.6 million) and Italy 23 million kroner (US$3.3
million).

The United States ranked fourth, receiving Danish fishery products and by-
products valued at 22.3 million kroner (US$3.2 million). Other major markets for
Danish fishery products were Sweden 21 million kroner (US$3.0 million), the
Netherlands 14 million kroner (US$2.0 million), and Brazil 11 million kroner (US$1.6
million). Australia also appeared as a new outlet for Danish exports; shipments to
that country in 1954 totaled 2.5 million kroner (US$360,000), and it was hoped that
this would be considerably increased in 1954, reports the February 11 issue of The
Fishing News, a British fishery magazine. ri

Formosa (Taiwan)

FISHERIES PRODUCTION AND TRENDS, 1954: Formosan fisheries produc-
tion in 1954 amounted to 152,500 metric tons, 17 percent more than the 130,600 tons
produced in 1953 and 82 percent greater than the 1950 production of 84,000 tons (see
table), according to a report from the Assistant Director for Industry, FOA Mission
to China. The coastal fisheries supplied more than one-half the total production
each year, and the next in importance was the production from fish culture in fresh-
and salt-water ponds.

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 79

All Formosan coastal fisheries and fish-culture stations are in private hands.
Two Government fishing enterprises operate in the deep-sea fisheries, the remain-
der are privately controlled. The
number of private operators in the
deep-sea fisheries is unknown but
it is considered to be large.

The total Formosan fisheries
catch increased sharply in May and
June 1954 due to good weather dur-
ing the normal peak season; also,
large schools of bonito, anchovy,
horse mackerel, and flying fish
came near the coasts, especially
near the Pescadores Islands. An
increase in the number of inshore
fishing vessels operating, and an
increased catch from fish ponds due
to dry weather in southern Taiwain
also contributed to the good catch
in May and June.

Pulling in the ‘‘bag”’ of a beach-seine net which holds the catch, This The deep-sea catch increased
is a popular style of fishing in small communities of Taiwan. Men sharply in April 1954 due primarily
and women, old and young, join hands to pull in the net. to the greater number of trips and

vessels in operation. The typhoon
season in July and August decreased deep-sea fishing. After September the deep-
sea catch increased again due to more vessels and more trips and a higher catch
per vessel owing to good weather.

The coastal fisheries catch decreased after September due to bad weather in
northern Taiwan.

Production from fish ponds after May remained high because of a good market
and the peak in the milkfish production season.

Deep-sea fishing includes fishing on the high seas by otter trawlers or bull
trawlers of at least 50
tons on voyages which
last anaverage of 10 days.

Formosan Fisheries Production, 1954 with Comparisons

Fisheries

Deep-sea fisheries:

talfishing in-
Government vessels . Const Shue

cludes fishing on small
motor trawlers usually
at sea for an average of
24 hours and a maximum
of 3 days, and nonpower -
ed boats such as sampans and bamboo rafts which operate near the coast.

Private vessels ..
Coastal fisheries ..

As of December 31, 1954, there were 2,448 fishing vessels with a total tonnage
of 36,558 gross tons (72,654 hp.) as compared with 2,084 vessels with a total tonnage
of 29,434 gross tons (56,722 hp.) as of December 31, 1953.

Taiwan Fisheries Bureau of the Provincial Department of Agriculture and For-
estry set a 1955 production goal for fisheries of 160,000 metric tons, since about 20
new 80-100 sgross-ton bull trawlers will participate in deep-sea fishing, and about
250-300 new small vessels totaling 2,500 gross tons and a number of motorized
Sampans and bamboo rafts will join the coastal fishing fleet. Further, Tilapia cul-
ture in rice paddies will be increased with the encouragement of the Provincial De-
partment of Agriculture and Forestry.

80 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 6

It was reported that Formosa and Japan would soon conclude anagreement for joint
tuna fishing experiments, anApril 28 U.S.Embassy dispatchfrom Taipeireports. Se-
lected Chinese fishermen willaccompa- ae 4
ny Japanese fishermen to the South China
Seas, Indian Ocean, and other areas in
the Pacific. The twonations are also
discussing plans for joint mackerel fish-
ing in Formosan waters.

The Formosan Government has de -
cided to expand the fisheries as a means
of increasing food supplies and improv-
ing the diet. The Economic Stabiliza-
tion Board concluded that the industry,
particularly tuna fishing, has to be ex-
panded from its present area of opera-
tions of 40,000 square miles to 3,000,000
square miles. The Board decidedtorec-
ommend approval of a plantoconstruct ; .
four 350-ton fishing vessels in Japan U, S.-built trawlers in port of Keelung.
at an over-all cost of NT$8.6 million (US$0.8 million). It was estimated that a bal-
anced diet would include 211,000 metric tons of fishery products. The 1956 catch, it
is estimated, will be only 170,000 tons.

The Formosan imports of fishery products in 1954 were valuedat US$4.6 million,
all of which was financed by the Formosan Government.

French Morocco

FISHERY PRODUCTS EXPORTS, AND BYPRODUCTS EXPORTS, 1954 and
1955: Exports of canned fish declined in value from 8.4 billion francs (US$24
million) in 1954
ishery Products and Byproducts because of an un-
Exports, 1954 and 1953 satisfactory fish-
ing season, re-
ports an April 5
U.S.consular dis-
patch from Casa-
Fresh, dried, salted blanca. The ex-
and smoked port value of fish
mealand bone meal
in 1954 also dropped
below 1953.

French West Africa

FISHERY TRENDS: There appear tobe great potentialities for fishing off the coast
of French West Africa from Mauritania to French Guinea as wellas inthe Niger River,
states a February 2 U.S. consular dispatch from Dakar. Commercialization of ocean
fishing started during World War II. The ten-year development planhas as one of its ob-
jectives to increase the tonnage of fish taken. Although productionhas been estimated at
about 4,000 to5,000 metric tons per year, the potential is estimated at approximately
30,000 tons. Inthis connection, there now exists a huge freezing plant in Dakar whichis

being used in part for freezing tuna taken off the coast.
S=_SSSSSS===~

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 81

German Federal Republic

NEW FISH-MEAL DRYING PROCESS DEVELOPED: A Bremerhaven, West Ger-
many, firm (Schlotterhose & Co .)has recently developed and constructed an entirely new

fish-meal drying process. It is calledthe Circulation High-Speed Drier, reports Inter -

The idea on which the process is based andfor which patent applications have been
filed is as follows:

The material tobe dried is fed--raw or cooked--intoa modern blowing mill, which
ispatented. This takes place inan atmosphere of hot circulating drying gas principally
consisting of vapor, and during the process the material is minced and dried possibly
under fermentation by the influence of heat, whereafter it is immediately cooled down.

It is consequently a rapid-drying process which increases the capacity of the individ-
ualdevices. By admitting greater quantities of heat and accelerating the circulating gas
flow, the capacity may be increased considerably.

The fish meal leaving the plant ready for storage is in no respect inferior in
quality as compared with fish meal produced in the ordinary steam-jacket plants;
on the contrary it possesses various advantages.

When producing lean fish meal or if fish is being dried without extraction of oil, a
boiler will not be required for the new plant.

The same is the case when working with fatty offal if the fish is allowed toferment
prior to the drying process by means of the exhaust gases principally consisting of vapor,
and if sufficient heat is present, whereafter stickwater and oil is extracted by squeezing.

For thermo-technicalreasons the stickwater is concentrated ina vacuum-stage
vaporizer, whereafter the concentrate together with the squeezed fish is fed into the Sch-
lotterhose Circulation Drier and is dried inthis device. Consequently all devices for
further drying the stickwater concentrate, for instance roll driers, etc., conveyors and
grinders are superfluous.

Surprising is the high thermo-technical efficiency of the process. By using
fuel oil, a twelvefold evaporation figure may be obtained in a medium-sized plant.
Consequently the fuel costs are far lower as compared with those of the steam-
jacket plant and amount only to about one-third of the usual costs. The same thing
applies to the drying of stickwater concentrate.

The initial expenditure and the space required for the new plant are extremely
moderate. Also plants with greater capacities may therefore be installed in fishing
vessels, where a minimum of space is available.

eK OK Ok Ok
PROCESSED FISHERY PRODUCTS r
P t
PRODUCTION, 1954: The production Bean Gale UlgL HOSE eG

of processed fish and shellfish prod-
ucts in West Germany during 1954
totaled 175,788 metric tons, and man-
ufacture of fishery byproducts amount-
ed to 97,058 tons of fish meal and oil
(see table). Marinated fish and canned
fish were the leading fishery products
processed for food, reports an April 5
U.S. Embassy dispatch from Bonn.

2K ok ok ok

CANNED FISH IMPORTS AND EX- yO eee
PORTS, JANUARY-JUNE 1954; Total = freetype ae

West German imports of canned fish

Smoked fish
Salted fish

82 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 6

inthe first six months of 1954 amounted to 6,905 metric tons, according toan October 18
U.S.consular dispatch from Bremen(table 1). In 1953 canned fish imports totaled 14,793
tons, and in 1952 the total was 9,523 tons. Sardines and pilchards comprise the bulk of
West Germanimports; Portugaland French Morocco were the principal suppliers.

Exports of canned fish from West Germany in January-June 1954 totaled 2,648 met-
ric tons (table 2). Inthe 12 months of 1953 West German canned fish exports totaled 3,999
tons while in 1952 the total was 1,691 tons. The principal canned fish export item was her -
ring which comprised approximately one-half of the total . Miscellaneous canned fish
(coalfish or pollock, anchovies, sprats, etc.) and sardines and pilchard were the other
items. West German canned fish is shippedto countries inall parts of the world.

Canned Mackerel: West German foreign trade incanned mackerel with the United
States was practically nonexistent until March 1954. It was reported, however, thatas
aresult of a drop inthe pilchard catch in the United States, a sudden demand developed

Table 1 - West German Imports of Canned F ish, January-June 1954 with Comparisons
all
Jan.-June 1954 Year 1953 Year 1952

Item & Country

Quantity Value Quantity Value Quantity Value

Metric Tons|DM1,000 Seb 000 Mestie Tons|DM1,000 Metric Tons| DM1,000}US$1,000

Sardines and Pilchards:

Yugoslavia 634.3 249 330.0 594 141 PP)
Portugal 4,070.7 8,696] 2,069 8,109.4 | 17,135 4,078} 7,091.2
French Morocco 1,789.8 639 5,634.5 9,541 2,271

Other Countries ee 30

Total sardines and

pilchards 6,502.0 12,451) 2,962 | 14,084,0 | 27,300 6,497 | 8,963.9
Herring:
Norway 46.6 108 25 130.5 315 75 68.1
Sweden 12.1 36 9 35.6 107 25 36.3
United States 1.6 4 il A 1 1/ 9.7
Australia 2 > = - - - 34.0
Other Countries 2 5 = 1.5 4 1 7.3
Total herring 60.3 148 35 168.0 427 101 155.4
Loa 342.9 $2 2/ 541.4 2/ 127 403.3
Grand Total 6,905.2 | 2/ 2/ | 14,793.4 2/ 2/ | 9,522.6

1/Less than US$500,
2/Not available,

for canned mackereland similar products, particularly inthe southern part of the United
States. According toa reliable trade source, from March to October 1954 West Germany
exported to the United States a total of about 27,000 cases (48 15-o0z.cans) of mackerel.
No information could be obtained as to the value of these exports.

Quoting the same informant, West German export companies have lately been en-
countering growing difficulties inthe marketing of their products inthe United States.
It appears that the type of mackerel caught off European coasts is rather large. Packing
into 15-ounce cans as required by the United States buyers is possible only by cutting the
fish down tothe required size, a practice which was not wellreceived by customers. Fur-
ther, mackerel caught by German deep-sea trawlers is landed only after a few days.
Their quality does not compare favorably with Japanese and South African mackerel
which is reportedly smaller and caught by inshore fishing boats landing their catches
daily. As aconsequence, it was reported, the stiffest competition inthe U.S.market
comes from these two countries, although the Netherlands and Denmark have also lately
beenrather successful in promoting their sales of canned mackerel inthe United States,
in spite of the same difficulties as encountered by West German exporters.

During the past few years West Germany has been importing rather large quantities
of fresh mackerel. The bulk of these imports came from Denmark, smaller supplies from

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 83

Sweden. Exports of fresh mackerel were negligible; they didnot exceed 30 tons per year.
Fish traders estimate that about 70 percent of all imported fresh mackerel is re-export-
edcanned. Besides exports of canned mackerel to the United States in 1954, West Ger-
many has been exporting this commodity for several years to Mediterranean coun-
tries, but no exact figures on these exports are available.

Canned Sardines and Pilchards: The main emphasis of West Germany's for-
eign trade in sardines and pilchards is definitely on imports. During the past three
years between 91 and 94 percent of all West German imports of canned fish con-
sisted of sardines and pilchards, the bulk purchased from Portugal and French Mo-
rocco. Since about the start of 1953, Yugoslavia has been rapidly increasing its exports
of this commodity to West Germany and in the first half of 1954 it supplied little less than
10 percent of allsardines as compared with only 2 to3 percent in1953. Notransactions
inthis commodity with the United States have ever beenrecorded, according to the West
German Bureau of Statistics.

Table 2 - West German Exports of Canned Fish, January-June 1954 with Comparisons

Jan,-June 1954 Year 1953 Year 1952

Item & Country

Metric Tons|DM1,000}US$1,000| Metric Tons|DM1,000|US$1,000|Metric Tons|DM1,000}US$1,000
Sardines and Pilchards: |~ | | gl ae ale RE ic aha
Belgian Congo
| Austria
Other Countries

. Total sardines and
| pilchards

Saar Territory
Greece
Switzerland
United States
Great Britain
Austria

Egypt

New Guinea
Australia

Other Countries

1/Less than US$500,
2/Not available,

Exports of sardines and pilchards fluctuated between .3 and .6 percent of total
exports during the years 1952 through June 1954,

Canned Herring West German ex-
ports of canned herring outweigh im-
ports by far. Since 1952 the exports
of canned herring have represented be-
tween 54 and 58 percent of all canned
fish exports, while imports have fluc-
tuated between 1 and 1.6 percent. With
the growing importance of other coun- ‘hee ree eee Lo
tries as buyers of West German canned ibis ad sate Bie
herring, the percentage of U.S. purchases had dropped greatly in the past few years,
as evidenced by table 3.

able 3 - West German Exports of
Canned Herring to the United States

Period Volume
Metric

_Tons_
65.3

an. -June 1954

84 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 6

Greenland

GOOD WINTER FISHING FOR WOLFFISH: Fishing for wolffish (ocean catfish)
in Greenland waters was very good during the past winter, according to a report by
a biologist ina Danish fishery periodical

ee Vestjysk Fiskeritidende. He states that
the young of wolffish have become more
abundant in Greenland waters inrecent
years. It was hoped, therefore, that the
good fishing would continue. At Sukkertop-
penand Holsteinborg the fishery continues
all year but farther north only a summer
fishery can be conducted. At Sukkertoppen
the abundance of wolffish has been greater than ever before so that line fishermenhave
beenexceptionally busy. The catch is filleted and frozen for the United States market,
reports Fiskets Gang (March 10, 1955), a Norwegian fishery magazine.

Japan

FISHERY AND MARINE PRODUCTS
CATCH, 1954: Total production of fish-
ery and marine products by Japan in 1954
amounted to 9.3 billion pounds (see table),
according to estimates supplied by the Jap-
anese Fisheries Agency to the U.S. Em-
bassy at Tokyo (April). Fish products com-
prised the bulk of the catch--75 percent;
followed by other marine products, 15 per-
cent; and shellfish and seaweed products,
each 5 percent.

Japanese Catch of Fishery and
Marine Products, 1954

Millions of Lbs.

oO. Of OO 90 0

CANNED FISH PRODUC-
TION S4 Renew torallitesint
mated Japanese canned fish
pack in 1954 amounted to 7
million cases (see table), ac-
cording to an April 1 U. S.
Embassy dispatch from Tokyo.
The major portion of the pro-
duction consisted of tuna and
tunalike fish--2,388 cases or
34 percent of the total. The
remainder was made up of
various species: Pike, sardines,
salmon, crab, and miscellan-

Pio noneneage alte, 48
is, CaRbeoMign meee 96 8-oz. cans
Tuna in brine .. |48 7-oz. cans
oie, jim Gill | Go dl Mas ae m
Bonito in brine
hBOvanleo) ta) Orll 4 o 5 4
Sardines in
tomato sauce. . .|/48 15-o0z. cans
Sardines, boiled. .|'' '' "' Mm
Pike in tomato

Sale C mass caress a 96 8-oz. cans eous items.
Pike, boiled. .... ieee MY m"
Other Various sizes of mk OK ok Ok OK

5700 90°00 DO 0

cans and cases
OUTLOOK FOR 1955 FISH-
~ ERIES PRODUCTION AND EX-
PORTS: Increased catches of salmon and crab are anticipated because it seems that
Japanese vessels will now be able to fish closer to U.S.S.R. waters. The Antarc-
tic whaling expeditions have closed their season with a catch of 2,771 blue-whale
units as compared to 1,896 units in 1954. A production of about 53,000 metric tons

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 85

of whale oil will be available for export at a price in the vicinity of US$165 a ton
without benefit of a sugar-link subsidy.

Unofficial estimates by various segments of the fishing industry on total ex-
ports of principal fish and fish products to all destinations in 1955 are shown in
the table. These figures repre-
sent only guesses or hopes as to
the amount of export movement.

Japanese Exports of Principal Fish
and Fish Products, 1955

i etric tons
Tuna and bonito, canned| Cases

The figure for frozen tuna
and bonito implies a 12-percent

increase, and will depend farge-poOn. eee OR Cases
Hyeupon the state ‘of the United (P2™C nes, Canne LHeee
albayCamMnec.s set. ears Cases

States market which is present- ——
ly weak. The salmon exports will be contingent upon the renewal or extension
of the Japanese-United Kingdom trade agreement, as canned salmon is sold
chiefly to the sterling areas. The increased export hoped for in canned tuna
and bonito also assumes about a 7-percent increase in the United States mar-
ket, which is understood to have a large stock on hand. The United States fig-
ure may therefore not be reached. The crab export is planned on the basis of
300,000 cases to the United Kingdom and 200,000 to the United States. The
former again is dependent upon trade relations with the United Kingdom; the
latter is approximately the amount taken by the United States in 1953 but is
substantially above the 1954 figure.

Considering all factors, Japan's exports of aquatic products, including both
fish and other marine products, should be in the neighborhood of US$120 million
for the calendar year 1955, or about a 20-percent increase over 1954, an April 1
U.S. Embassy dispatch from Tokyo reports.

OK OK ek

PEARL OYSTER CULTIVATION IN INLAND SEA SUCCESSFUL: Cultivation
of pearls off the southern tip of Awaji Island, first attempted in 1951, has passed
the experimental stage and is now said to be a commercially sound operation, a
February 15 U.S. consular dispatch from Kobe reports. The Inland Sea has not
heretofore been considered suitable for pearl culture and the Awaji grounds are
the first within the Sea to be successfully developed. In 1954, 130,000 first-grade
pearls from Awaji were displayed at the Pearl Center in Kobe.

Plans for 1955 call for sinking 200,000 mother oysters. This number will be
increased annually until a goal of one million per year is reached.

Mexico

MERIDA FROZEN SHRIMP EXPORTS, OCTOBER-DECEMBER 1954: Frozen
shrimp exports from the Merida District of Mexico (all to the United States) total-
ed about 1,925 metric tons in October-December 1954, almost 27 percent more than
the 1,520 tons of the previous quarter, a March 1 U.S. consular dispatch from Meri-
da reports.

Prices for 15-20 count frozen shrimp (heads off) delivered in Brownsville, Tex.,
each month April through December for the past four years were as follows:

86 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Wolls 17/, INO. @

Conditions during the last quarter of 1954

continued to improve onthe basis that the catch

POMC was sold at a profit over operating costs. How-
Apr. 58 80 Dv 53 | ever, many outfits in Ciudad del Carmen, the
May 62 90 56 54 | center of the industry, are still in difficulties
June 595 90 58 57 | as the result of overexpansion based upon the
July 57 80 60 60 | abnormally high prices of 1953.
Aug. 538 75 62 58
Sept. 52 67 62 55 During the October-December 1954 period
Oct. 49 66 62 50 | the export cost to Brownsville was reduced
Nov. 49 66 62 53 | from 16 to 14 U.S.cents a pound. This re-
Deck 52 68 65 53 | duction was made possible by decreased freight

rates, operating costs, and export taxes. These
lowered operating costs have gone far to offset the lower prices of the current year.

Merida frozen shrimp exports from Ciudad del Carmen and Campeche (all to
the United States) in the 12 months of 1954 totaled 12.3 million pounds as compared
with 9.7 million pounds in 1953 from Ciudad del Carmen only.

Ce
ed
Netherlands
FISHING FLEET, 1955: The Netherlands fishing fleet on January 1, 1955,

consisted of 2,509 vessels of 87,913 gross tons (see table), according toa U.S.
consular dispatch of April 1.

Netherlands Fishing Fleet, Januar

0. 0

Type of Vessel Vessels

Motor trawlers 500 hp. and over
Motor lugger’s and small trawlers
Motor cutters

Other motor vessels 7 tons and over
Motor vessels less than 7 tons

3 OK OK OK OK

SCHOOL FOR FISHERMEN: In the Netherlands ever-growing attention is be-
ing paid to the training and education of fishermen. A fishing school recently open-
ed by the Minister for
Agriculture, Fisheries
and Food offers astrik-
ing example.

Inhis opening speech
the Minister pointed to
the growing need for a
thorough training be-
cause constant techni-

Typical steam trawler used by fishermen of the Netherlands, cal development imposes
higher demands on the

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 87

crews of fishing vessels. These demands are not confined to nautical knowledge but also
hold good for the handling of fish and fishery products. It is essential that they should
know their jobs thoroughly. The home and export markets demand fish of superior qual-
ity. Ingeneralit canbe said that the fisheries are developing more and more intoa ration-
alindustry, which must supply high-quality products at the lowest possible prices. All-
around training is essentialtoreach efficiency.

The fishing port of Katwijk is proud of this school which supplies a long-felt need. A
total of 385 young and adult fishermen are attending the various day andevening classes.
The interest shown is so overwhelming that accommodations have already become in-
adequate, reports the February issue of Holland Fish Trade, a Netherlands fisheries
magazine.

Norway

NEW HERRING PRESS: A new andrevolutionary herring press, embodyinga prin-
ciple different from that used in the usual screw press, is being tested ina Haugensund,
Norway, herring oilandmealplant, according toareport inFiskaren (February 16),a
Norwegian fishery periodical. The inventor of the press, Knut @. Dahl, anengineer with
A/S Myrens verksted in Oslo, is seeking patents in Norway and other countries. The press
willbe ready for delivery inthe 1955/56 herring season.

Oiland water are expressed by the press ina double actionas the pressure increases
and the press cake can be kept much thinner thanin the present presses. The pressure in
the press alsocan be adjusted according tothe type of raw material while it is in full op-
eration. The new press uses only one-half the power and one-third the space required by
present presses and weighs only one-halfas much. Operating costs andthe price of the
equipment alsoare reported tobe appreciably less.

* ok ok ok Ok

FISH-FLOUR PLANT BEING BUILT: A plant is being built at Stamsund in North
Norway by A/S Sea Foods to process fish waste into non-fattening, albumin-rich flour
suitable for human consumption, based on a United States patent, reports an April 14
bulletin from the Norwegian Information Service.

Kk Kk

ARCTIC SEAL PRODUCTION, 1954: Norwegian sealing operations in 1954 re-
sulted in a total catch of 259,194 animals from which about 5,760 short tons of blub-
ber was obtained, according to the U.S. Embassy at Oslo. This is a 51-percent in-
crease as compared with the 1953 output of 3,810 tons but under the 1952 and 1951
production of 6,560 and 9,300 tons, respectively.

Norwegian sealing expeditions operate inthe spring and summer infive areas of the
Arctic. Most of the sealing is conducted in international waters inthe area of drift ice
known as the Western Icefields located east of Greenland and north of Iceland.

In additionto sealing, Norwegian vessels engaged in Greenland shark fishing which
yielded 226 tons of shark oil, or less than half the quantity produced in1953.

Oe
Pakistan

FROZEN FISH EXEMPT FROM EXPORT TAX: Processed frozen fish is exempt
from all Pakistan customs duties when exported effective March 4, 1955, according
to a March 31 U.S. Embassy dispatch from Karachi.

838 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 6

The exemption is an example of the planning and efforts of certain officials
of the Ministries of Finance, Commerce and Industries to utilize better the coun-
try's natural resources, and to build up foreign exchange receipts from hitherto
untapped sources. Up to the present exports of fresh frozen processed fish have
been insignificant, and without doubt they would have remained so if this tax of Rs.
5 per maund (1.8 U.S. cents per pound) had not been removed.

Fresh-frozen processed fish were included in the Export Tariff Schedule
under the classification of ''Fresh Fish,'' there being no distinction between fresh
fish in the natural state and merely iced for export, and frozen and processed fish
for export.

A fisheries firm in Pakistan in which there is a substantial share of United
States private capital, found it could not compete in world markets if an export tax
of Rs. 5 per maund (1.8 U.S. cents per pound) was assessed. One of the company's
primary objectives was to export a large share of its catch after it had been proc-
essed and frozen.

Officials of the company visited officials in several Government of Pakistan
ministries and explained the position and predicament of the firm. Emphasis was
placed on the fact that there would be no income to the government if the tax were
retained and the prospects for a new source for foreign exchange were nonexistent.
If the tax were removed, however, there were good prospects that a substantial new
exchange earner would be found, and that a modern fish-catching and processing
industry would, in all probability, be built up over a period of years.

2 ok ok ok ok

FOA ‘TO FINANCE FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT PROJECT: A project agree-
ment with Pakistan calling for an expenditure of US$88,000 for fisheries develop-
ment in West Pakistan was reported April 19 by the U. S. Foreign Operations Ad-
ministration. The funds will be used to purchase gear and equipment for two ex-
ploratory fishing vessels previously acquired, equipment for a survey of inland
waterways, and equipment for refrigeration rooms and display cabinets to improve
fish marketing methods.

A2S—

Panama

FIRST FISH-MEAL AND OIL PLANT OPENED: Panama's first fish-meal and
oil plant was formally inaugurated on February 18, 1955, reports the U.S. Embassy
at Panama. The plant is located at Puerto Caimito in the District of Chorrera. The
factory will produce and export fish meal for use as fertilizer, chicken and animal
feed, and fish oils and fats for the preparation of oils, paints, varnishes, glycerine,
and the manufacture of soap and candles.

The plant equipment, with its electric power generating unit, is of United States
manufacture and was acquired at a total cost of US$250,000. It is installed in a floor
area of about 16,000 square feet, and has a processing capacity of approximately 15
short tons of raw material per hour. Although the firm owns a small fishing fleet,
the management has announced that the company will buy all quantities of fish offer -
ed for sale. When the plant is in full operating capacity (24 hours per day), it will
require a total complement of 150 employees. In the packing of the finished products,
the company plans to use locally-manufactured 100-pound jute bags with a special

impermeable lining.
CEG

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 89

Peru

PERMISSION GRANTED TO THREE U.S. VESSELS TO FISH WITHIN 200-
MILE TERRITORIAL WATERS ZONE: The Peruvian Government has given author-
ization to a Peruvian firm to allow three United States flag fishing vessels to oper-
ate within the Peruvian 200-mile territorial waters claimed by them. The Govern-
ment newspaper La Nacion (March 10) claims: ''Peru's 200-mile limit has again
been confirmed and its basis on sound jurisprudence ratified,'' according to a March
12 U.S. Embassy dispatch from Lima.

The Peruvian newspaper continues: ''Within this limit it is not permissible to
fish, hunt whales, nor carry on any industry based on fish without obtaining previous
permission--such as this corporation has done--under penalty of fine, requisition-
ing of the fish illegally taken, or capture of the ships,'' as happened in 1954 in the
case of the Onassis fleet and, more recently, in the case of ships belonging to North
American industry.

The authorization is contained in Ministerial Resolution No. 478 of March 9,
1955, and provides that the fish caught by these vessels will be considered nation-
alized (Peruvian) and there will be paid as an export tax US$8 per ton of fish.

The authorization is valid for one year and contains a number of other stringent
provisions as follows:

The newspaper continued: ‘'The full existence of the Peruvian thesis, confirm -
ed and converted into actual law in the Lima Meeting of 1954 with Chile, Ecuador,
and Peru, during the Second Conference on the Exploitation and Conservation of the
Maritime Resources of the South Pacific, requires as a prerequisite the respect of
the 200-mile limit as established by these three countries as their territorial waters.

"This limit nevertheless does not signify any obstacles for foreign ships pass-
ing through this zone and carrying on fishing. But national sovereignty and the future
legitimate conservation of fish resources requires that the volume of this industry be
known, especially when it is foreign. For this a permission is necessary just as
happened in the case of the Corporacion del Pacifico Sur, S. A.; such permission
was granted without the slightest difficulty after previous consultation with the Fish-
ing and Hunting Section of the Ministry of Agriculture, the Peruvian Section of the
Permanent Commission of the Conference for the Exploitation and Conservation of
the Maritime Resources of the South Pacific, and the Port Captains Office, and after
having considered the opinion of the Chief of Staff of the Navy.

"| .2. The boats referred to will have to arrive and leave from the port of
Talara in order to comply with the maritime controls and fiscal regulations.

"3, The fishing that might have been done in the high seas, outside of the 200
miles, before entering the Peruvian jurisdiction, shall be duly controlled on arrival
of the ships at Talara and taken into consideration in order to make deductions re-
garding the payment of the respective fees;

"4. The fish obtained through the above-mentioned vessels will be considered
nationalized and there will be paid as an export tax eight dollars ($8, American
money) per ton of fish.

"5. The company will embark in the above-mentioned ships, furnishing lodging
and food, any person who is named by the Fishing and Hunting Section, the Ministry
of Finance, the Administration of Port Captains, or the Office of Port Captains in
order to undertake the technical and customs control of fishing while the boats are
operating.

90 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 6

"6. The bait that is used for fishing shall be obtained by each ship itself and
the sale or transfer to other boats is prohibited.

"7 Absolutely forbidden is fishing for anchovy, machete, and sardines for in-
dustrial purposes.

"8. Forbidden to these boats is the transfer of fish to any other boat ofa foreign
flag already on the high sea or in port, except when it is a matter of exportation of
the product, in which case the transfer will be effected but only in port with the super -
vision of the maritime and customs authorities;

"9, At the port of destination the company should obtain a certificate from the
Port Authority or Customs regarding the quantity of fish unloaded and should deliver
it to the nearest Peruvian Consul in order that it may be transmitted to the Ministry
of Finance.

"10. The present authorization involves the use of the port facilities, provisions,
fuel, etc., that the above-mentioned boats would need during the time of the present
authorization.

"11. The company remains obligated to comply with the other conditions express-
ed in the request of the Executive Director of the Corporacion del Pacifico Sur,
S.A., dated January 17, 1955.

"12. All the activities of fishing by these boats shall be subject to the control of
the Office of Fishing and Hunting which will indicate the limitations and the time
when fishing is forbidden and dictate the technical activities that it deems most con-
venient for the purpose of the preservation of the fishing resources.

13. The company as well as the owners of the ship assume full responsibility
for the infractions that are commited of laws and national regulations and, as a
guarantee, will deposit in the Office of the Port Captains at Talara the documenta-
tion of same (the ships), receiving in exchange a copy of the present Ministerial
Resolution authorizing them to operate in Peruvian waters.

"14, Neither the company nor the owners of vessels will have the right to make
any claims from the national or foreign authorities in case of non-compliance with
the contract by either party.

"15, This authorization is valid for a period of one year from the date of the
present resolution, and can be extended by previous notification to the permanent
commission within a time of 30 days of expiration... ."

Spain

VIGO FISHERIES TRENDS, FEBRUARY 1955: Fishing: February is the poorest
month of the year for the Vigo fishing industry, and the volume of catches entered
through the port during the month declined, a March 15 U.S. consular dispatch from
Vigo reports. Nonetheless, landings were slightly larger than in the same month of
the preceding year. Smaller catches by the long-range fleet off Ireland and the be-
ginning of the closed season for sardine fishing, as well as rough weather and the
continued absence of part of the fleet operating from southern ports, all formed part
of the normal February fishing picture.

Fish Canning: Canneries in the Vigo area purchased 131,000 pounds of fish dur -
ing February 1955--1.8 percent of the total catches entered through the Vigo fish

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 91

exchange. This compares to 292,000 pounds or about 3.5 percent of the catch in the
previous month, and 202,000 pounds or about 3.4 percent in February 1954.

The decline in the volume of fish purchased by the canneries in February was
principally due to the scarcity of varieties suitable for canning. The bulk of the pur-
chases consisted of ‘'castaneta'' (brama-raii) and small quantities of anchovies.

<p:
Spanish Morocco

FOREIGN TRADE IN FISHERY PRODUCTS, 1953 AND JANUARY-MARCH 1954:
Spanish Morocco (not including Ceuta and Melilla) imports of fishery products in the first
quarter of 1954 totaled 557 metric tons, valued at 1 .0 million pesetas (US$ 23,700); and
for the year 1953 amounted to 1,601 tons, valued at 3.6 million pesetas (US$83,500), re-
ports anApril11, 1955, U.S. Legation dispatch from Tangiers.

Exports of fishery products from Spanish Morocco during January-March 1954
totaled 684 metric tons, valued at 9.7 million pesetas (US$223,000); and the total for the
12 months of 1953 amounted to 3,398 tons, valued at 37 .3 million pesetas (US$ 860,000).

Trinidad and Tobago (British West Indies)

FISHERIES TRENDS, 1954: The fishing industry of Trinidad and Tobago suffers
from supply fluctuations; fresh fish are generally more scarce and expensive dur-
ing the dry season than in the rainy season. The seasonal variations in catch are
illustrated by the delivery of 705,000 pounds of fish to Port of Spain, the Colony's prin-
cipal market, inthe first quarter of 1954 and 1,307,000 pounds inthe third quarter .

Practically all the fish caught is consumed in Trinidad and Tobago. Only 60,000
pounds of locally-caught fish, fresh or lightly preserved, were exported in 1954.

The Government maintains a fish farm where experiments are carried out in
the breeding of fresh-water fish, a March 25 U.S. consular dispatch from Port of
Spain reports.

WO. Ee.

FACTORYSHIP FISH CANNERY COMPLETED INEAST GERMANY: The Pushkin,
first of 24 factor yship fish canneries whicha Shipyard in Kiel, East Germany, is building
for the Soviet Union, has been completed, according to the April 6 Journal of Commerce.
In addition to the ordinary trial runs, the Pushkin will undertake a 13-week trip witha
German crew tothe Barent Sea. This extensive cruise is necessary because the fishing
equipment as wellas the cannery installations are mainly new constructions which have
toundergomany tests. After the trial runs the Pushkin will be handled over to the Sudo
Import Co., in Moscow.

The second of these vessels willbe completed soon, and later on the floating canner -
ies are to be delivered at the rate of one every three weeks.

——

Venezuela

FISH CANNERS FACING CRISIS: Competition among Venezuelan fish canners
has forced Tow prices and added to the retailers profit; to remain solvent the canners

92 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Wolk, WG, INO. 2

have been forced to lower the quality of their pack, an April 5 U.S. Embassy dis-
patch from Caracas states.

The Caracas press (El Universal, April 5, 1955) under the heading ''Fish Can-
ning Industry Needs a Complete Reorganization" tells the story:

‘In consequence the auality is inferior to that of three years ago, for which rea-
son it is difficult, if not impossible, for this product of Venezuela to capture a perm-
anent international market.

"But before going to the Government the industry must be put on a sane basis,
the market must be moralized, ruinous competitive pricing must be abandoned, and
the quality of the product, today plenty deficient, must be improved."

The canners believe the first move is to stabilize the local market and end the
ruinous competition. If this does not make fish canning profitable, then Government
action should be requested. The canners suggest this action should be protection,
but some protection already exists.

The high cost of canned fish is due to the cost of cans which represents 54 per-
cent of the total costs, and oil 23 percent; and the fact that during the war the in-
dustry grew careless of costs. The canners believe that the Government should
finance the next pack, thus enabling them to operate at better than 26 percent of
capacity. They point out that if the Government will finance the pack there will be
no need for the fish dollar.

A report indicated a representative of the Venezuelan Foreign Office had suc-
ceeded in interesting British buyers in Venezuelan canned sardines, according to
El Nacional of March 15. This report stated that negotiations were in progress for
the sale of 60,000 cases, and if this negotiation was satisfactory the same purchaser
would buy 50,000 additional cases.

At the same time the representative informed the canners they must reduce
their costs and prices. He stated that several canners were marginal producers
and will fail unless they adopt adequate methods for reducing costs. ''The situation
today is characterized by large production, prices that do not cover costs, and
strong competition in the national market," he said.

The solution as seen by that representative is in reducing costs by better or-
ganization, a March 15 U.S. Embassy dispatch from Caracas points out.

On April 13 the canners reported that the sale of Venezuelan canned sardines
to Great Britain has fallen through because although fish quality was satisfactory
the price was not, according to an April 22, U.S. Embassy dispatch from Caracas.
The canners mourn the loss of a sale of 2,000 metric tons of fish and see no possi-
bility of selling to Britain.

June 1955

Department of the Interior
FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

ALASKA ACTIVITIES REORGANIZED:

reorganization of the Alaska activi-
ties of the Fish and Wildlife Service was
announced by Secretary of the Interior
McKay on May 20. Under this reorgan-
ization, Alaska activities will be divided
into two major fields: (1) Management
of the commercial fisheries; and (2) ad-
ministration of the wildlife and game-
fish resources.

In commenting on this realignment
which will separate commercial fishing
activities from sport fishery and wildlife
management, Secretary McKay said:
"This organizational approach reflects
the nature and importance of the com-
mercial fisheries functions and the u-
nique responsibilities of the Service in
Alaska but it does not represent any de-
parture from regional organization in
the continental United States under which
all functions are responsible to a single
field director."

The salmon fisheries--the Territory's
most important industry--suffered a
sharp decline during the past 10 years in
some parts of Alaska and a vigorous res-
toration program was inaugurated last
year by Service Director Farley. To put
this program into operation, a special
commercial fisheries administrator was
appointed and the fisheries were managed
apart from the regional office organiza-
tion, resulting in greatly improved man-
agement of the resource. The new reor-
ganization will formalize on a somewhat
amplified basis the operating situation
that prevailed in 1954 and will provide
more direct lines of authority in the con-
tinuation of this salmon program.

Research on the Alaska commercial
fisheries, which at present is being

COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW

FEDERAL }
ACTIONS

handled by the Seattle laboratory under
the direct supervision of the Washington
office, will be included inthe commercial
fisheries organization sothat allfunctions
concerned with the management of the com-
mercial fisheries of the Territory willbe
handled by a single field organization.

Both the commercial fisheries and the
wildlife units will have their own enforce-
ment staffs, but personnel, equipment, and
facilities will be shifted between the two
organizations as seasonal and program
demands require. One central unit inthe
Juneau headquarters office will provide
fiscal, personnel, and other administra-
tive services to both organizations.

Donald L. McKernan has been named
as Administrator of Alaska Commercial
Fisheries. McKernan has been Assistant
Director of the Service's Pacific Oceanic
Fishery Investigations in Honolulu, Hawaii,
for the past three years. Prior to that he
served as Director of Research for the
Oregon Fish Commission for six years.
He also has had extensive experience in
fishery research and administration with
the Washington State Department of Fish-
eries where he directed research on the
shellfish resources of the State.

In 1950, McKernan spent four months
in Japan as a visiting fishery expert at
the request of the Department of the Army.
He is a graduate of the University of Wash-
ington and has compieted more thantwo
years of graduate work at that institution.
He is the author of a number of publica-
tions on salmon and other Pacific Coast
fisheries.

McKernan is expected to report to his
new post in Juneau some time in June. In
the meantime, Seton H. Thompson, Chief
of the Service's Branch of Alaska Fisher -
ies, at Washington, D.C., who is now in
Alaska, will begin the implementation of
the new set-up.

Clarence J. Rhode, presently Region-
alDirector of the Service in Alaska, will
head the wildlife management unit with
the title of Administrator, Alaska Wild-
life Resources. Rhode willcontinueasa
member and Executive Officer of the Alas-
ka Game Commission.

Rhode has been with the Service con-
tinuously since July 1935 except for a
Three-year period from 1944-47 whenhe
did wartime workasa civilian pilot. He
was appointed Regional Director for Alas -
ka inApril1948. InDecember 1952 he
received the Department of the Interior's
highest honor, a Distinguished Service
Award.

kk KOK

DAY RETIRES FROM
FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE:

ert M.Day, Assistant to the Director
of the Fishand Wildlife Service, will re-
tire on June 30 after
36 years of Federal
service, Acting Sec-
retary of the Interior
Davis announced
May 27. Day, who
was Director of the
Service from 1946-
1953, is joining the
Arctic Institute of
North America
where he will di-
rect a fact-finding
study of migratory waterfowl.

Albert M. Day

First employed by the former Bureau
of Biological Survey in 1919 as atempora-
ryfieldassistant in Wyoming, Dayhas
since been continuously connected with
the Biological Survey and its successor
agency, the Fishand Wildlife Service, ex-

cept for a year's leave for graduate studies.

In December 1950, inadditionto his
duties as Director of the Fish and Wildlife
Service, Day was appointedas Adminis-
trator of the Defense Fisheries Adminis-
tration.

From 1947 to1953, Day servedas one
of the United States Commissioners on
the International Pacific Salmon Fisheries
Commission. He isa member of practi-
cally every scientific organization in both
the fisheries and wildlife field.

COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW

Vol. 17, No. 6

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF
LEASE SALE AT NEW ORLEANS:

A third Sale of oiland gas leases inthe
Outer Continental Shelf of the Gulf of Mex-
ico was scheduled for 10a.m.(C.S.T.)

July 12, 1955, in New Orleans, La., Secreta-
ry of the Interior McKay announced May 13.

The sale willembrace 674,000 acres of
submer ged lands off both Louisiana and Tex-
as extending to waters as far as 60 miles
from shore and 100 feet deep. The bulk of
the lands advertised--458,000 acres--are
off Louisiana. Most of the 595,000 acres of
lands nominated by the oiland gas industry
on March 25 are included in the advertised
lands.

Intwo previous sales, 487,000 acres of
oiland gas lands and 25,000 acres of sulphur
lands leased onthe Texas and Louisiana
Outer C ontinental Shelf have br ought the
Federal Government $142 million.

Cadastral engineers of the Bureau of
Land Management have mapped 12 million
acres off Louisiana and 8 millionacres off
Texas as potentially leasable areas of the
Outer Continental Shelf. Areas leasedin
the first two sales constitute less than three
percent of the potentially leasable acreage
on the Outter Continental Shelf off Texas
and Louisiana.

Secretary McKay has described the
opening of the Outer Continental Shelf for
large-scale development as providing an-
other strong link in this country's chain of

national Petroleum security.

Eighty-Fourth Congress
(First Session)
MAY 1955

Listed below are public bills andres-
olutions introduced andreferred to com-
mitties or passed by the Eighty-Fourth
Congress (First Session) and signed by the
President that directly or indirectly affect
the fisheries andalliedindustries. Public
bills and resolutions are shown in this sec-
tion when introduced and, if passed, when
signed by the President; but also shown
from month to month are the more pertinent

June 1955

reports, hearings, or chamber actions
on some bills.

ALASKAN STATEHOOD: H, R, 6178 (Saylor), introduced
May 11, A bill to enable the people of Alaska to form a con-
stitution and State government and to be admitted into the
Union on an equal footing with the Original States; to the
Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs,

ALASKAN=-HAWAIIAN STATEHOOD: On May 10 by a rec-
ord vote of 218 yeas to 170 nays, the House recommited
H, R, 2535, the Alaskan-Hawaiian statehood bill,

GREAT LAKES FISHERIES CONVENTION: The Senate
Committee on Foreign Relations on May 17, in executive
session, ordered favorably reported Convention on Great
Lakes Fisheries between U. S, and Canada, Prior to this
action, the subcommittee ordered this Convention favor-
ably reported to the full committee,

HAWAIIAN STATEHOOD: H, R 6177 (Saylor), introduced
May 11, A bill to enable the people of Hawaii to form a con-
stitution and State government and to be admitted into the
Union on an equal footing with the Original States; to the
Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs,

INTERIOR DEPARTMENT APPROPRIATIONS: The Sen-
ate Committee on Appropriations on May 2, in executive
session, ordered favorably reported to the Senate with amend-
ments H, R, 5085, appropriations for fiscal year 1956 for the
Department of Interior and related agencies (including the
Fish and Wildlife Service), As approved, the bill would pro-
vide total funds of $327,987,088, an increase of $30,061,542
over the House-passed figure of $297,925,546 (S, Rept. 261),
Under ‘‘Investigation of Resources,’’ which includes the
Branches of Commercial Fisheries and Fisheries Biology,
the Committee recommended an appropriation of $4,187,000.

The Senate passed on May 5, with committee amendments
H, R, 5085, Senate insisted on its amendment and asked for
a conference, Conferees were appointed, Some of the in-
creases recommended by the Senate Committee over House-
approved appropriations were; (1) $200,000 additional to
provide a total of $350,000 for sea-lamprey research:

(2) $5,000 to provide for operation at 100 percent capacity
at the Frankfort Fish Cultural Station; (3) $20,000 for the
propagation of fresh-water mussels,

The House Committee on Interior Department Appropria-
tions on May 9 disagreed to Senate amendments to HR,
5085, and agreed to a conference requested by the Senate;
and appointed conferees.

MARKETING FACILITIES IMPROVEMENTS: H, R, 6220
(Sikes), introduced May 12, A bill to encourage the improve-
ment and development of marketing facilities for handling
perishable agricultural commodities; to the Committee on
Agriculture,

MINUMUM WAGE INCREASE: H, R, 5968 (Metcalf), in-
troduced May 3, A bill to amend the Fair Labor Standards

COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW

Act of 1938 so as to increase the minimum wage from 75
cents to $1,25; to the Committee on Education and Labor,

Also H.
H, R, 5968,

H, R, 6505 (Fino), introduced May 26, similar to

NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION: S. . 1924 (Carlson)
introduced May 11. A bill to establish a commission on the
conservation, development, and use of renewable natural
resources; to the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs,

Also H, R, 6163 (Hope), simiiar to S, 1924,

TRADE AGREEMENTS: The Senate on May 4 passed with
amendments H, R, 1 to extend the authority of the President
to enter into trade ag agreements, after taking actions on amend-
ments submitted as follows:

Adopted: Morse amendment providing that evidence of
serious injury or threat thereof to a readily determinable
segment of a producing organization shall be considered
evidence of such injury or threat to the domestic industry
producing like or competitive products; and

Rejected; Malone amendment (in the nature of a substitute
for the bill) authorizing FTC to operate trade agreements
program and to provide for periodic adjustment of import
duties based on competition between U, S, and foreign-made
products; Humphrey amendment to establish a trade adjust-
ment board, the function of which would be avoidance or easing
of economic losses to communities, industries, and individuals
suffered through operation of trade agreements program;
Douglas amendment to repeal peril point section of the bill;
O’Mahoney amendment holding in abeyance any future trade
agreement until Congress has specifically approved it; Morse
amendment providing that no future trade agreement shall
take effect until expiration of 90 days of continuous session
of Congress following its transmittal to Congress, nor shall
take effect if during such 90 days of session either House of
Congress shall disapprove such trade agreement; Morse
amendment providing that after Tariff Commission makes
recommendation and President transmits to Congress his
reasons for not taking action thereon, the Congress may
within 90 days of continuous session thereafter pass a
concurrent resolution favoring the Commission’s recom-
mendations and the President shall then put them into effect;
Douglas amendment to eliminate sections 5 and 6 of the bill,
providing for Trade Commission findings in Federal Register,
and providing that increased imports shall be considered as
cause or threat of serious injury to a domestic producer of
like or directly competitive products when Tariff Commission
finds that such increased imports have contributed materially
to serious injury or threat thereof to such industry; Malone
amendment limiting life of extension to June 30, 1956, instead
of 1958; and Malone amendment limiting scope of trade agree-
ments to those with nations in Western Hemisphere.

Senate insisted on its amendments to the bill, requested
conference with House, and appointed conferees,

The House on May 5 disagreed to Senate amendments to
H, R, 1, and agreed to a conference requested by the Senate.
Conferees were appointed,

Vol. 17, No. 6

COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW

FISHERY
INDICATORS

aa Rececennsseeresarsooroenunenanemwnnven nee =

CHART I - FISHERY LANDINGS for SELECTED STATES

In Millions of Pounds

[Legend: |
1955
Se 1954

MASSACHUSETTS

CUMULATIVE DATA

3 mgs. 1955 - 18.1
3 5 1954 - 18.4

12 1954 - 283.9

1955 - 38.0
1954 - 38.5
1954 - 492.2

Qs .

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

FLORIDA LOUISIANAL/

CUMULATIVE DATA CUMULATIVE DATA
2 MQs. 1955 -
Zieh 54a
12

S mgs. 1955 - 20.7
=) 1954 - 22.8

12." 1954 - 68.5

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

NEW JERSEY
TU Visa paale

-——

CUMULATIVE DATA

3 MQS. 1955 -
E20 <} a 1954 -
1954

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

CALIFORNIA2/

CUMULATIVE DATA

4 mgs. 1955 - 137.5
4, 1954 - 129.1

12 1954 - 641.9

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

2/ONLY PARTIAL--INCLUDING PRODUCTION OF MAJOR FISHERIES AND MARKET FISH
LANDINGS AT PRINCIPAL PORTS.

CUMULATIVE DATA

3 MQS. 1955 -
3 Rs 1954 -

12 1954 - 133.8

13.4
11.4

JAN FEB

CUMULATIVE DATA

4 mgs. 1955 -

40 1954
12 1954 - 42.4

MAR_APR_MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC

9.0
- 12.7

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 97

CHART 2 - LANDINGS for SELECTED FISHERIES

In Millions of Pounds

HADDOCK

: OCEAN PERCH
(Maine and Massachusetts)

(Maine and Massachusetts)

CUMULATIVE DATA
mgs. 1955 -

1954 - .
1954 - 135.2

S. 1955 - 13.9
1954 12.8
1954 - 181.4

JUAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV UEC

Milli
= In Millions of

1 SHRIMP WHITING
(Gulf States=/ including Florida West Coast) (Maine and Massachusetts)

CUMULATIVE DATA

. 1954 - 183.5

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC v NOV DEC
T/LA. & ALA. DATA BASED ON LANDINGS AT PRINCIPAL PORTS AND ARE NOT

COMPLETE. In Thousands of Tons

MEN HADEN PACIFIC AND JACK MACKEREL
(East and Gulf Coasts (California)

4 mgs. 1955 -
ws 1954 -

LLL

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

PILCHARD /

(California)

CUMULATIVE DATA

1954/55 SEASON,
AUG,-APR. - 67.)
1953/54 SEASON,
AUG.-APR. - 2.6
1953/54 SEASON,
TOTAL AUG,-JULY -

4 mgs. 1955 -
4 a 1954 -
12 1954 - 203.9

2.6

Legend:

1955/56
1954/55

UAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC
1/ RECEIPTS BY CALIFORNIA CANNERIES, INCLUDING IMPORTS.

AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC

98 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol, 17, No. 6

CHART 3 - COLD-STORAGE HOLDINGS and FREEZINGS
of FISHERY PRODUCTS +

In Millions of Pounds

Legend:
1955/56
—— 1954/55

U. S, & ALASKA HOLDINGS

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

U. S. & ALASKA FREEZINGS

CUMULATIVE DATA

4 QS. 1955 - 65.3
4 1954 - 44,8
12 1954 - 302.7

JUAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC

NEW ENGLAND HOLDINGS= MIDDLE & SOUTH ATLANTIC HOLDINGS2/

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC
1/MAINE, MASSACHUSETTS, RHODE ISLAND, AND CONNECTICUT.

2/ALL EAST COAST STATES FROM N.Y. SOUTH.

MIDDLE WEST HOLDINGS?/

44,
40
36
32
28
24 ——
20
0

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC
B/OH10, IND., ILL., MICH., WIS., MINN., IOWA, MO., N. DAK., NEBR., & KANS.

CALIFORNIA HOLDINGS

WASHINGTON, OREGON, AND ALASKA HOLDINGS

56
43
40
32
24
16

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

*Excludes saltec, cured, and smoked products.

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 99

CHART 4 - RECEIPTS and COLD-STORAGE HOLDINGS of FISHERY
PRODUCTS at PRINCIPAL DISTRIBUTION CENTERS

In Millions of Pound

RECEIPTS!1/ AT WHOLESALE SALT-WATER MARKET
(FRESH AND FROZEN)

CUMULATIVE DATA

COLD-STORAGE HOLDINGS 2/

- 68.8
- 67.2
- 164.5

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV_DEC
V/\NCLUDE TRUCK AND RAIL IMPORTS FROM CANADA AND DIRECT VESSEL LANDINGS 2/as REPORTED Bry PLANTS IN METROPOLITAN AREA.
AT NEW YORK CITY.

RECEIPTS AT WHOLESALE MARKET
(FRESH AND FROZEN) CHICAGO

CUMULATIVE DATA

COLD-STORAGE HOLDINGS

3 mgs. 1955 - 28.6
1954 - 27.7
1954 - 116.6

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

SEATTLE BOSTON

WHOLESALE MARKET RECEIPTS, LANDINGS,
& IMPORTS (FRESH & FROZEN)

COLD-STORAGE HOLDINGS

CUMULATIVE DATA

S mgs. 1955 - 30.6
5 4 1954 - 30.5

12 1954 - 109.0

FISH OIL
(In Millions of Gallons)

FISH MEAL
(In Thousands of Tons)

CUMULATIVE DATA

4 mgs. 1955 - 11.2
4, 1954- 15,3
1954 - 231.4

0 ~ =
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC

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

100 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 17, No. 6

Tee et phe: ||

CHART 6- CANNED PACKS of SELECTED FISHERY PRODUCTS

In Thousands of Standard Cases

Legend:

TUNA AND TUNA-LIKE FISH - CALIFORNIA 1955 MACKEREL?! ~ CALIFORNIA
CUMULATIVE DATA 1954 CUMULATIVE DATA

4 QS. 1955 - 2,183.9
1954 - 2)419.7
1954 - 9)281.4

4 MQS. 1955 - 57.2
4 | 1954 - 29.8
12 1954 - 365.6

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

0
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC

ANCHOVIES - CALIFORNIA

CUMULATIVE DATA

4 mgs. 1955 - 371.9
4 | 1954 - 211.4

12 1954 - 655.2

0 0 i
JUAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC

STANDARD CASES

No. Cans Can Designation Net Wet.

Variety
SARDINES ....... 100

; drawn 34 oz.

SHRIMP oie ieisicleieie 48 os oz.

ICU As ieictereleleistsiefe 48 No, } tuna oz.

48 No, 1 oval oz.

48 1-pound tall oz.

ANCHOVIES..... 48 2 1b. oz.

tt)
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC
1/ INCLUDING SEA HERRING.

SARDINES - CALIFORNIA Legend: SHRIMP - GULF STATES
1955/56

CUMULATIVE DATA

1954/55
1954/55 SEASON,

- AUG.-JAN.
1953/54 SEASON,
AUG.-JAN.

- 1,391.9

1953/54 SEASON,
TOTAL AUG,-JULY -

v AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB

MAR_APR_ MAY JUNE JULY

CUMULATIVE DATA

1954/55 SEASON,
AUG. -MAY

1953/54 SEASON,
AUG. -MAY

1953/54 SEASON,
TOTAL AUG,-JULY

AUG SEPT OCT NOV_DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY

June 1955 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 101

GROUNDFISH (INCLUDING OCEAN PERCH) FILLETS,
FRESH & FROZEN
CUMULATIVE DATA
5 MQs. 1955 -

Soe 1954 =
12 1954 - 135.6

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

SHRIMP, FRESH & FROZEN, FROM MEXICO

CUMULATIVE DATA

» 1955 - 10.6
1954 - 11.7
1954 - 34.9

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

TUNA, FRESH & FROZEN

CUMULATIVE DATA

4 mgs. 1955 - 50.4
2a gS: ose = S0L7
1954 - 123.9

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

U.S. IMPORTS OF CANNED TUNA AND TUNA-LIKE FISH
(IN OIL AND IN BRINE)

CUMULATIVE DATA

4 mgs. 1955 - 16.5
eer 1954 - 21,3

12 1954 - 47.0
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC

CHART 7- U.S. FISHERY PRODUCTS IMPORTS

FILLETS & STEAKS OTHER THAN GROUNDFISH
FRESH & FROZEN

CUMULATIVE DATA

4 mgs. 1955 - 15.6
4 cf 1954 - 14,0
12 1954 - 47.9

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

LOBSTER & SPINY LOBSTER, FRESH & FROZEN

CUMULATIVE DATA

4 mgs. 1955 - 13.1
4 ve 1954
12 1954

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

SEA HERRING, FRESH, THROUGH MAINE PORTS

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

CANNED SARDINES
(IN OIL AND NOT IN OIL) : z
CUMULATIVE DATA
4 mgs. 1955 - 6.8
4 1954 - 15,5

12 1954 - 35,0

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

102

COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW

Vol. 17, No. 6

aT REG
os

-S-

FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

PUBLICATIONS

THESE PROCESSED PUBLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE FREE FROM

THE DIVISION OF INFORMATION, U. So
ICE, WASHINGTON 25, D. C.

FISH AND WILDLIFE SERV-
TYPES OF PUBLICATIONS ARE DESIG-

NATED AS FOLLOWS:

CFS -

FL.

CURRENT FISHERY STATISTICS OF THE UNITED STATES

AND ALASKA.

FISHERY LEAFLETS.

RECENT =

oP A ee + Als eee == 7s" *-

420-2 p coaaa-

Se a Seiad A we 062

processed, April 1955. (Available free from
the Market News Service, U. S. Fish and Wild-
life Service, 18 South King St., Hampton, Va.)
An analysis of the production of fish and shell-
fish in selected areas of Virginia, Maryland,
and North Carolina during 1953 is presented in
the first part of this report. The author dis-
cusses landings in the areas covered, produc-
tion of the principal species: scup or porgy,
sea bass, croaker, sea trout, spot, shad, oys-
ters, crab meat, and shrimp. Information on
the menhaden fishery is also presented--in-

SEP. - SEPARATES (REPRINTS) FROM COMMERCIAL FISHERIES
REVIEW. cludes receipts reported by Virginia and North
Carolina fish meal and oil plants by months for
Number Title 1953 and 1952. Statistical tables make up the
CFS-1085 - Frozen Fish Report, Annual 1954, 14 pp. second part of the report--show production of
CFS-1091 - Florida Landings, December 1954, 6pp. fish and shellfish species for each area by
CFS-1107 - Massachusetts Landings, December months, shrimp landings in selected North Car-
1954, 8 pp. olina ports by months, and total production by
CFS-1110 - Rhode Island Landings, November 1954, species for all areas covered. The areas cover-
4 pp. ed in this report include: Atlantic, Beaufort,
CFS-1111 - Rhode Island Landings, December and Morehead City, N. C.; Norfolk, Portsmouth,
1954, 4 pp. Messick, Poquoson, Seaford, Yorktown, New-
CFS-1115 - FrozenFish Report, February 1955,8 pp. port News, Hampton, Lancaster County, Cape
CFS-1120 - Rhode Island Landings, January 1955, Charles, Oyster, Willis Wharf, and Wachapre-
4 pp. gue, Va.; Ocean City, Cambridge, and Cris-
CFS-1121 - Fish Meal and Oil, February 1955, field, Md. In addition, shrimp landings are re-
2 pp. ported for Beaufort, Morehead City, Pamlico
CFS-1123 - Texas Landings, February 1955, 3 pp. County, Atlantic, and Southport, N. C.
CFS-1124 - Mississippi Landings, December 1954,
2 pp.
CFS-1125 - Mississippi Landings, January 1955, MISCELLANEOUS
2 pp.
CFS-1127 - Canned Fish & Byproducts, 1954 An- PUBLICATIONS

nual Summary, 20 pp

THESE PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT AVAJLABLE FROM THE FISH AND
WILDLIFE SERVICE, BUT USUALLY MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE OR-
GANJZATE FON ISSUING | THEM. CORRESPONDENCE REGARDING PUBLICA -
TIONS THAT FOLLOW SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE RESPECTIVE OR-

DATA ON PRICES, IF READ-

CFS-1129 - Packaged Fish, 1954 Annual Summary,

4 pp.
CFS-1130 - Rhode Island Landings, February 1955,
4 pp.
CFS-1131 - Maine Landings, February 1955, 4 pp.
FL -336x - Quarterly Outlook for Marketing Fish-
ery Products, April-June 1955, 32 pp.
FL -190 - Turtle Trapping, by Branch of Game-
fish and Hatcheries, 8 pp., illus.,
processed, August 1951,

GANIZATION OR PUBLISHER MENTIONED,
ILy AVAILABLE, ARE SHOWN.

Arsberetning fra Fiskeriministeriets Forsogslab-
oratorium for 1954 (Annual Report to the Danish
Fishing Industry), 32 pp., illus., printed, in
Danish with English translation of the main ex-
perimental results. Fiskeriministeriets For-
sogslaboratorium, Kobenhavn, Denmark, 1955.
Describes the results of the following experi-
ments: fat determination in herring and sand
eels; determination of the nutritional value of
fish for fur-animal feed; chilling | of fish; cool-
ing rate during icing; icing with ''sea water"
ice; combination of icing and chemical preserva-
tion of fish; smoked salmon substitutes; freez-
ing shrimp; freezing gar-pike; frozen fish fillets;
packaging frozen fillets; bacteriological investi-
gations; keeping quality of gaffelbidder and other
similar products; effect of various acids in
sauces; new recipes for gaffelbidder sauce; cav-

Sep. No. 400 - The Pound-Net Fishery in Virgin-
ia--Part 1 - History, Gear De-
scription, and Catch.

Sep. No. 401 - Determination of Oil in Fish Meal,

THE FOLLOWING SERVICE PUBLICATION IS AVAILABLE ONLY
FROM THE SPECIFIC OFFICE MENTIONED:

Production of Fishery Products in Selected Areas
of Virginia, Maryland, and North Carolina (As
Reported to Hampton Fishery Market News Of-
fice), 1953, by Lester A. Keilman, 18 pp.,

June 1955

COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 103

THESE PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FROM THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, BUT USUALLY MAY

BE OBTAINED FROM THE ORGANIZATIONS |SSUING THEM,

iar; calculation of autoclave timing; research
on cans; and fish silage.

1954, 10 pp., illus., processed, Canadian De-
partment of Fisheries, Vancouver, B. C.,
April 7, 1955. A summary of fisheries statis-
tics of British Columbia containing graphs and
tables covering quantities and value of the most
important species of fish for 1954; landed and
marketed value of fish and fishery products for
1940-54; landings and manufactured products
marketed in British Columbia for 1954; salmon
pack; inventory of boats (10 tons and over) 1954;
inventory of boats (less than 10 tons) 1954; quan-
tity and value of gear used in the primary fish-
eries, 1954,

Canada's Atlantic Salmon, by F. H. Wooding, 23

pp., illus., printed, 25 Canadian cents. (Also
in Canadian Geographical Journal, October 1954.)
Department of Fisheries, Ottawa, Canada, No-
vember 1954, The purpose of this booklet is to
tell as clearly as possible as much of the Atlan-
tic salmon story as is known so that the public
will understand and support the conservation
measures for the protection of this valuable re-
source, This beautifully illustrated booklet de-
scribes the early history of the Atlantic salmon,
its life cycle, the commercial fishery, the sports
fishery, and the future of the resource.

Dugan, Circular 84, 35 pp., illus., printed.
West Virginia University, Agricultural Experi-
ment Station, College of Agriculture, Forestry,
and Home Economics, Morgantown, W. Va.,
April 1952, Farm fish ponds have found a per-

of each section by the experts who attended one
or both sessions of the Congress. A table of
contents and subject index adds to the referenc
value. Subjects cover the entire field of fishing-
vessel design, construction, outfitting, opera-
tion and maintenance, divided into four main
parts (1) Boat Types, (2) Naval Architecture,

(3) Engineering, and (4) Factoryships. Over
600 illustrations of vessels from Norway to Bom-
bay and ranging in size from small beach land-
ing craft to large factoryships and whale catch-
ers are included. Research vessels, trawlers,
tank-testing techniques, safety at sea, Diesel
versus semi-Diesel or steam engines, propel-
lers, deck gear, freezing-fish-at-sea, floating
canneries, and numerous other aspects of ves-
sel construction and operation are discussed,
The book contains a wealth of data in tabular
and illustrative form on nearly every major type
of fishing craft, Papers present the viewpoints
of owners, operators, designers, engineers, and
and fishery researchers, In the discussions the
reader will find many conflicting statements and
opinions, reflecting the controversial and stimu-
lating nature of meetings which bring together
experts from all parts of the globe, Of unques-
tionable value is the fact that the book presents
up-to-date material, It is not all-inclusive in
its coverage of the subject and is not intendedas
a textbook on naval architecture, Probably its
greatest value will be as a ready reference
source for almost any phase of fishing vessel
construction and operation, The list of contri-
butors and the references cited will be especial-
ly useful to students and researchers,

--D. E. Powell

manent place in the agriculture of West Virginia. | Food and Game Fishes of the Texas Coast, by Pa-

There are now about 3,000 farm ponds in the
State. They make up about 1, 200 acres of wa-
ter surface. Most of them have been built dur-
ing the last 10 years and new ones are being con-
structed each year. Nearly all of these ponds
are suited to the production of fish. Since im-
pounded water can be made far more productive
than natural streams, the ponds represent a sig-
nificant addition to both food and sport in West
Virginia. A poorly-managed pond, however,
will yield only a small fraction of the fish that
can be produced under proper management, The
purpose of this circular is to aid present and
future pond owners increase the value and pro-
ductivity of their ponds by use of a few simple
techniques that have been tested under West
Virginia conditions and found to give good re-
sults,

Fishing Boats of the World, edited by Jan-Olof

Traung, 579 pp., illus., printed, $12.50. Pub-
lished by The Fishing News, Arthur J. Heighway
Publications Ltd., Ludgate House, FleetStreet,
London,-E. C. 4, England, 1955. This com-
prehensive volume, published in cooperation with
the Food and Agriculture Organization of the U-
nited Nations, contains material from 70 papers
which were presented at the FAO International
Fishing Boat Congress held in Paris and Miami
in 1953. In addition to the papers, which are
amply illustrated, there is included a discussion

tricia Pew and the Staff of the Marine Labora-
tory, Bulletin No. 33, Series No, IV, Marine
Laboratory, 68 pp., illus., printed. Texas
Game and Fish Commission, Austin, Texas,
November 1954, This bulletin, the fourth of an
educational series, makes available information
on the marine food and game fishes of Texas.

In general, Texas marine fishes may be divided
into three groups. The first is the littoral fishes
such as trout, red drum (redfish), and drum
which inhabit the bays and near-shore waters of
the Gulf. The second group is made up of fish
inhabiting the open waters of the Gulf, and in-
cludes Spanish mackerel, cero, sailfish, and
other similar fishes. These are known as pe-
lagic fishes. The third is composed of reef fish-
es, like red snapper, the groupers, and jewfish-
es. This bulletin describes the food of animals
in the sea and illustrates a typical food cycle.

It describes methods of identifying a fish and
shows a diagram with terms used to designate
the anatomical parts of a fish, In the descrip-
tions of the various fish are listed both the scien-
tific and some of the common names of eachfish,
together with the range, size, habits and food,
color, and uses.

(india) Annual Administration Report of the Depart-

ment of Fisheries, Bombay State, for the Year
1953-54, 64 pp., illus., printed. Government
Book Depot, Charni Road Gardens, Bombay 4,

104

THESE PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FRM

BE OBTAINED FROM THE ORGANI ZATIONS JSSUING THEM

India, 1954. Reports on the marine fisheries,
fish-curing yards, fisheries schools, socio-
economic work, fresh-water fisheries, and
technological studies. Statistics are also in-
cluded on the different varieties and quantities
of fish landed in 1953/54.

"Man and the Columbia's Salmon,"' by Anthony Net-
boy, article, Nature Magazine, vol. 48, no. 1,
January 1955, pp. 34-37, 52, illus., printed.
The American Nature Association, 1214 16th
St. NW., Washington 6, D. C.

(New York) F rty-Third Annual Report of the Con-

for the Year 1953, Legislative Document (1954)
No. 47, 382 pp. villus. , printed. New York
State Conservation Department, Albany, N. Y.
This report gives details of the accomplishments
of all branches of the Conservation Department
during 1953, which includes the Division of Fish
and Game. This Division manages the wildlife
resources of the State. It includes a discussion
of pollution investigations, and a section on fish
culture. A section on inland fisheries includes
discussions of the commercial fisheries for 1952
in the Hudson River, Lake Erie, and Lake On-
tario; andcarp and other coarse fish. A sec-
tion on marine fisheries gives statistics of shell-
fish lands and various licenses, and statistics
of unlicensed fishing vessels by gear for the
year 1952, The Division of Fish and Game en-
forces all laws relating to fish and game through
a game protective force of 189 men in the field;
it issues all hunting, trapping, and fishing
licenses, including those for commercial
fisheries and shellfisheries; it operates 23
game management areas; manages 811 miles of
public fishing streams in addition to the waters
on State-owned lands in the Adirondack and -Cat-
skill Forest Preserves; operates 20 fish hatch-
eries and 6 game farms for the production offish
and game for stocking in the State; carries on
necessary fish and wildlife research; and con-
ducts an expanding habitat and stream improve-
ment program. The Division also administers
cooperative Federal Aid programs for wildlife
under the Pittman-Robertson Act, and for fish-
eries under the Dingell-Johnson Act.

Notices Regarding Negotiations with Switzerland
(Supplemental Notices Regarding Negotiations
Involving Japan Initially Announced in November
1954), 22 pp., processed. Interdepartmental
Trade Agreements Organization, U. S. Tariff
Commission Building, Washington 25, D. C.

"Observations on the Incidence of Dermocystidium
marinum Infection in Oysters of Apalachicola
Bay, Florida, '' by C. E. Dawson, article, The
Texas Journal of Science, vol. VII, no. 1,
March 1955, pp. 47-56, illus., printed, single
copies $1.25, Texas Academy of Science, Uni-
versity Station, Austin, Tex.

The Occurrence of Oily Pilchards in New South
_ Wales Waters, by M. Blackburn and R. Downie,
Division of Fisheries Technical Paper No. 3,
11 pp., illus., printed. Commonwealth Scien-
tific and Industrial Research Organization, Mel-

COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW

Wols U7, INO; @

HE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, BUT USUALLY MAY

bourne, Australia, 1955. Efforts were made to
check a hypothesis that pilchards are abundant
below the surface and sufficiently fat to be pro-
fitably reduced into oil and fish meal in the sum-
mer months on the coast of New South Wales.
Results obtained in January 1954 in the Port
Stephens-Newcastle area were highly satisfac-
tory. Although shoals were not seen at the sur-
face they were readily detected in abundance by
echo-sounding, and all samples taken by drift
net consisted of fat fish. Oil content ranged
from 11 to 17 percent by weight of raw fish(com-
pared with 5 percent or less in the same region
in winter), which would permit profitable reduc-
tion if sufficiently large and regular catches
could be made,

ment of Natural Resources (for the fiscal year
ending June 30, 1953), 261 pp., illus., printed.
Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio
Departments Building, Columbus 15, Ohio. This
publication contains the annual reports of the
various divisions of the Ohio Department of Nat-
ural Resources for 1952/53, The Division of
Wildlife report discusses, among other items,
the work of the Fish Management Section which
is divided into four phases: (1) improvements
for better fishing; (2) management; (3) invento-
ries to keep abreast of current conditions; and
(4) fact finding. It also contains a brief discus-
sion of commercial fishing in Ohio waters of
Lake Erie.

Public Notice of Investigations and Hearings, under
~ Section 3 of the Trade Agreements Act of 1951,
as Amended, and Section 332 of the Tariff Act
of 1930, as follows: Investigation No. 2--Sup-
plement A - Proposed Trade Agreement Nego-
tiations with Japan and Other Countries; andIn-
vestigation No. 3--Proposed Trade Agreement
Negotiations with Switzerland; 15 pp., processed.
United States Tariff Commission, Washington
25, D. C., February 21, 1955.

Records of Fishes in the John N. Lowe Collection

from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, by Wil-
liam Ralph Taylor, Miscellaneous Publications
No. 87, 52 pp., illus., printed. Museum of
Zoology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor,
Mich., November 9, 1954.

Report on Preliminary Studies of Pollution in Bis-

cayne ie Bay to Federal Secur Security Agency, Agency, Public
Health Service, National Institute of Health

(Under Grant E-510), by Hilary B. Moore, Ilmo
Hela, Ernest S. Reynolds, J. Kneeland McNulty,
Sigmund Miller, and Clarence A. Carpenter, Jr.,
Progress Report 55-3, 81 pp., illus., process-
ed. The Marine Laboratory, University of Mi-
mi, Coral Gables, Fla., January 1955,

Tariff Simplification Study (Interim Report To The
President And To The Chairmen Of The Com-
mittee On Finance Of The Senate And Of The
Committee On Ways And Means Of The House
Pursuant To Section 101(d) Of The Customs
Simplification Act Of 1954), 74 pp., processed.
U.S. Tariff Commission, Washington 25, D. C.
March 15, 1955,

June 1955

COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 105

THESE PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT AVAILASLE FROM THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, BUT USUALLY MAY

BE OBTAINED FROM THE ORGANIZATIONS |SSUING THEM.

Immediately after the approval of the Customs
Simplification Act of 1954, the Tariff Commis-
sion initiated the study provided for in section
101 thereof and gave wide distribution to a re-
lease inviting importers, domestic producers,
customs brokers, and other interested parties
to submit any suggestions which in their opinion
were pertinent to the purposes of the study. The
suggestions which have been received are being
analyzed, but treatment at length with specific
suggestions is not undertaken in the interim re-
port, The report is confined to a treatment of
the more fundamental problems underlying a
simplification of the tariff schedules, the prin-
ciples to be followed by the Commission in form-
ulating the proposed revision of the tariff sched-
ules, and methods for putting the proposed re-
vision into force and effect.

Ten Years of United Nations Publications, 1945 to
1955, issued by the United Nations Department
of Public Information, 271 pp., printed. Obtain-
able from all UN sales agents at 50 U. S. cents
a copy (2s. sterling, 1.20 Swiss francs) or equi-
valent in other currency, United States agents:
International Documents Service, Columbia Uni-
versity Press, 2960 Broadway, New York 27,
N.Y. This is a special reference volume de-
scribing all United Nations publications which
have appeared since 1945 to help mark the tenth
anniversary of the opening of the San Francisco
conference which drafted the UN Charter. It
catalogues and briefly describes all UN publica-
tions and official records made available to the
public over the last ten years, Its 2, 252 publi-
cations range in price from the 10-cent (U.S)
pocket edition of the United Nations Charter to
the Yearbook of the United Nations at US$12.50.
These are among the 108 general publications
issued by the Department of Public Information
to report the work of the United Nations.

Sixteen other categories of specialized studies
and reports describe 232 titles in the field of
economics, trade, finance, and statistics (in-
cluding economy of Europe, Latin America,
Asia and the Far East, and technical assistance);
97 titles dealing with social questions; 136 in the
international law and treaty series; 33 demograph

ic studies; and 27 studies on trusteeship and non-
self-governing territories, Other categories in-
clude transportation,

Also included are all official records of the
United Nations which can be purchased in final
printed form by the public; information concern-
ing League of Nations publications; documents of
the San Francisco Conference and the London
meetings of the UN Preparatory Commission;
mimeographed documents; visual material; and
special information services relating to films,
radio, andtelevision. The publications of the
specialized agencies are not included.

Thirteenth Annual Meeting of the Atlantic States

Marine Fisheries Commission, PartI, 72 pp.,
illus., processed, limited distribution. Atlan-
tic States Marine Fisheries Commission, Mt.
Vernon, N. Y. PartI presents the minutes of
three general sessions; joint meeting of the
North Atlantic and South Atlantic Sections; sec-
tion meetings of the North Atlantic, Middle At-
lantic, Chesapeake Bay, and South Atlantic Sec-
tions; report of the Secretary-Treasurer; and
report of the Auditor. Part II, 146 pp., is
bound separately and contains legal, biological,
and technological appendices.

Tide Tables, East Coast, North and South America

(including Greenland) for the Year 1956, Serial
No. 780, 276 pp., illus., printed, 50 cents.
Coast and Geodetic Survey, U. S. Department

of Commerce, Washington 25, D. C.

(Union of South Africa) Twenty-fourth Annual Re-

port of the Division of Fisheries, Department

of Commerce and Industries (For the Period

Ist January, 1952--3l1st March, 1953), by Dr.

J. M. Marchand, 199 pp., printed. (Reprint
from Commerce & Industry, September 1954.)
The Government Printer, Pretoria, South Africa,
1954, A review of the deep-sea and inshore fish-
eries of South Africa, with special reference to
trawling; whaling; and the pilchard, rock lobster,
and line fisheries. Contains also chapters on
research at sea and ashore, fishing harbors,

and the pilchard research program,

Editorial Assistant--Ruth V. Keefe

Illustrator--Gustaf T. Sundstrom

Compositors--Jean Zalevsky, Alma Greene, and Helen Joswick

OK OK OK 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 photgraphers are unknown.

Cover--Harvey Bullis; p. 14--Osgood R. Smith; pp. 17, 19, 20, 21--
Exploratory Fishing and Gear Development Section Staff at East
Boston, Mass.; pp. 22 and 64--J. Pileggi; p. 49--G. T. Sundstrom;
pp. 76 and 77--Jose A. Ojeda; pp. 79 and 80--FAO Mutual Security

Mission to China.

106 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW

Wools itis INO,

United States Clarifies “Fair Value”

New regulations recently issued by the U.S. Treasury
define more carefully “fair value” as applied to imported
merchandise when the question of dumping is at stake.

R. G. C. SMITH, Commercial Counsellor, Washington.

FOR SOME TIME uncertainty has prevailed over the
correct definition of “fair value” when it is used to
ascertain whether or not the price at which goods are
offered for sale in the United States is below the value
of the goods in the country of origin—and therefore
constitutes dumping. In general, the tendency has
been to accept the value used for customs appraisal,
although this value might be considerably higher than
the actual sale price to the United States, and to con-

1 sider that this does not constitute dumping in the
usually accepted definition of that term. Furthermore,
it had become apparent that the existing regulations
were intricate, time-consuming, and often gave a mis-
leading price comparison.

To clarify this issue, the Treasury first took admini-
strative action in June of 1954 and published proposed
amendments to the regulations, inviting comments and
suggestions for improvements from industry and from
traders. As a result of the replies received, the Treasury
last November issued proposed amendments. But
before adopting the changes, it again invited comment.
Regulations have now been issued that are substan-
tially the same as those published in November.

Methods of Determining Values

The new regulations are important because they clarify
the methods of establishing whether or not dumping is
taking place and also remove some of the anomalies
of the previous methods of assessing values when con-
sidering anti-dumping action. The amendment clearly
defines fair value-as applied to imported merchandise
and goes on to illustrate the application of the defini-
tion by giving a number of examples.

The usual test for determining dumping will be whether
or not imported goods are sold at prices less than the
fair value. The fair value is defined as the price at
which the goods are sold for consumption in the coun-
try of origin on or about the time of purchase. Where
this.cannot be established, or if the sales in the home
market are of little significance, other critera are used.
These are, in order of consideration:

@ Prices charged on exports to other countries.

@ Prices of other foreign producers or sellers in the
same country.

JuNE 11, 1955

What is particularly significant about the new regula-
tions is that in calculating fair value various con-
siderations may be taken into account. Reasonable
allowance, for instance, may be made for differences
in quantities and circumstances of sale. Furthermore,
if no actual sales take place in the home market, offer- |
ing priges may be accepted. Should sales prices other-
wise vary, the established fair value will take into
account the price at which the preponderance of the
merchandise is sold, weighted average of prices, or
other reasonable critera.

Some Examples

This means that, should a foreign firm have a domestic
price structure that provides for prices that differ
according to the class of customer, it may apply the
same pricing policy to its exports to the United States
without danger of running foul of the anti-dumping
laws. In general, the amendments make it possible
for foreign firms to deal in the United States market
using the same pricing policies as they use on the home
market. Or they may even offer lower prices for export
if there are conventional and satisfactory reasons for
doing so—such as greater volume per individual sale
than is customary on the home market. The amend-
ments also make it possible to apply export prices
(without danger of anti-dumping action) to their sales
in the United States, even if these prices are lower than
the domestic price—as long as sales in the domestic
market are relatively small in relation to total sales
(i.e., domestic plus all exports).

It should be emphasized that these important changes
and clarification of valuation for anti-dumping purposes
in no way alter or affect the valuation for duty pur-
poses. The procedure for calculating values for assess-
ment of duties remains unchanged and there may be
wide divergence between the values used for each
purpose. As the Treasury forecast on several occasions,
a bill was introduced into Congress on May 6, 1955,
designed to amend the methods of arriving at value for
duty purposes. It remains to be seen, however, whether
this bill will pass both Houses of Congress. In the
past, similar bills have been introduced and have failed
to pass the Senate. @

--(Canada) Foreign Trade, June 11, 1955.

June 1955

COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW

CONTENTS, CONTINUED

TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS (Contd,):
U.S. Foreign Trade:
Edible Fishery Products, February 1955 ....
Virginia:
Oyster Grounds aie in Hampton Roads
Wholesale Prices, re 1955.
IMO RIE A 4 oligos ced oo olod
International:
International Permanent Committee on Canned
Foods:
Meeting at Goteborg, Sweden, in 1954 .....
Territorial Waters:
Commission to Study Icelandic-British Fishing
Gontlict fisteyeva © siren
Trade Agreements:
GATT Ninth Session Closed March 7 ,
Public Advisers to U. S, GATT Delegation Ap-
[oneal A Reena Ra Ore OEIC OC OOOICt: NOT
Agreement on Organization ‘for Trade: Coop-
eration and Amendments toGATT ......
Danish-Argentine Agreement Includes Cod .
Norwegian-East German Agreement Includes
Fishery Products ,.......
Norwegian-Israel Agreement Includes Fishery
EZEXMAUCES petenia vee Soyle faire clyai Sirota voheuen one veuel/e ro)
United Nations:
Rome Meeting on Worldwide Fisheries Conser-
VERS WOM=T SIS Goicig Sogo 0 COO OOD O.8
International Law Commission:
Territorial Waters and Fisheries Items Get
First Consideration at Commission in Geneva
Whaling:
Antarctic Catch Down in 1954/55 ........
Antarctic 1954/55 Whale- andSperm-Oil Pro-
diction’ ..... «+
International Fair of Fishery and “Allied Activ-
ities to be Held in Italy ...
Aden:
Status of Fisheries.....
Australia:
Views on Territorial Waters and Continental
Tuna Landings, 1954/ 55
British Honduras:
Fishery Products Exports, January-November
MOBS Voiviciele
British Guiana:
Fishing Industry, 1953
Cuba;
Tuna Caught by Exploratory Vessel Fishing in
Cuban’ Waters: 6. 320s
Costa Rica:
Views on 200-Mile Territorial Waters Zone ..
Denmark;
Exports of Fishery Products for Human Con-
sumption to United States, 1954 .........
Fishery Products Exports, 1954 ..........
Formosa (Taiwan):
Fisheries Production and Trends, 1954 .....
French Morocco:
Fishery Products and Byproducts Exports,
1954 and 1953 .
French West Africa:
Fishery Trends ....... anja donee
German Federal Republic:
New Fish-Meal Drying Process Developed .,
Processed Fishery Products Production, 1954

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Page
FOREIGN (Contd.):
German Federal Republic (Contd,):
62 Canned Fish Imports and Exports, January-
IMIS = Gigi aU Coe ae OOOO DOD ooo
62 Greenland:
63 Good Winter Fishing for Wolffish .........
65 Japan:
Fishery and Marine Products Catch, 1954....
Canned Fish Production, 1954 ...........
Outlook for 1955 Fisheries Production and Ex-
65 POLES Me nhev cheneievoel cperstoistelersrekeesin cueile laiens
Pearl Oyster Cultivation in InlandSea Successful
Mexico:
66 Merida Frozen Shrimp Exports, October-De-
GEMDELIL ODA ei ei'sile a reliere) ens sietatsiiats te) euale ats
66 Netherlands;
PSHINGI LCST EGOS) ois, ic sene ete talevencherstonere
67 SchooliforFishermen <4 2... ec slsiees ene
Norway:
68 Ne WiHeErMnguPreSS) (syecalers: elses ene sade) © o1
69 Fish-Flour Plant Being Built ...... Aeneas
Arctic'seal Production, 1954 . . wn. ese wee
69 Pakistan:
Frozen FishExemptfrom Export Tax ......
70 FOA to Finance Fisheries Development Project
Panama:
First Fish-Meal and Oil Plant Opened ......
70 Peru:
Permission Granted to Three U, S, Vessels to
Fish within 200-Mile Territorial Waters Zone
71 Spain:
Vigo Fisheries Trends, February 1955 .....
72 Spanish Morocco:
Foreign Trade in Fishery Products, 1953 and
73 antary=Narchinl O54 sevornctelcleleteteie s) sleveleis
Trinidad and Tobago (British West Indies):
74 Rasheries prendss) 1954622 <-o ve woo! shares c's
U.S. S. R.:
14 Factoryship Fish Cannery Completed in East
GERMIAUY oiere1m eine see) .e ala ale, 6 5e).u/n= ears °
Venezuela:
74 Fish Canners Facing Crisis .........-- we
ub) REDERATVAGINONS sas cieicelevel= s/s sal cue) a ole ni
Department of the Interior:
Fish and Wildlife Service:
15 Alaska Activities Reorganized ..........
Day Retires from Fish and Wildlife Service:
16 Bureau of Land Management:
Outer Continental Shelf Lease Sale at New
GMIEANS iene, ia a0 nis ev elie) ns) ee ae oalaith
76 Eighty-Fourth Congress (Fi irst Session), May 1955
FISHERY INDICATORS: ......0ccncccccsces
Ht! Chart 1 - Fishery Landings for Selected States .
Chart 2 - Landings for Selected Fisheries ....
Chart 3 - Cold-Storage Holdings and Freezings of
78 ISHEry* PYOGUCtS aiosete acc © 00's cieclol a cusierecs
78 Chart 4 - Receipts and Cold-Storage Holdings of
Fishery Products at Principal DistributionCenters
78 Chart 5 - Fish Meal and Oil Production - U, S,
ANGPALASKAWE letaieveie oials!elaietate sievellei~ elle relele
Chart 6 - Canned Packs of Selected F isheny
80 APOCIICES Wee), clistatiatie sc, eiei/etoleicto! elielatette le} stelinrs
Chart 7 - U. s. Fishery Products JINPOLtS! Ware ee
80 RECENT FISHERY PUBLICATIONS: .........
Fish and Wildlife Service Publications.......
81 Miscellaneous Publications ........2-.2e.6
81
—j OO

INT.—DUP. SEC., WASH., D.Cga2667

107

WMA

3 9088 01018 1782

THE CHESAPEAKE BAY CRAB INDUSTRY

The Chesapeake Bay Crab Industry, Fishery Leaflet 358 (Revised), brings
up-to-date the story of the crab industry of Chesapeake Bay. It describes the
various types of gear used in capturing the crabs; and the methods used in mar-
keting, picking, and processing.

The 4,000 square miles of the Chesapeake Bay and tidal tributaries, from the
James River to Pocomoke Sound and beyond, form one of the great blue-crab nurs-
eries of the world, Here the blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) feeds, breeds, and
matures, providing ahighly marketable commodity for thousands of Maryland and
Virginia crabbers, and a highly palatable food for Americans.

Whole blue crabs appear in the market in two principal forms, hardand soft.
The hardcrab contains delicious meat, but for the uninitiated it is difficult toex-
tract. Therefore, it is usually
sold picked out and gradedin 1-
pound containers, prepared in
shore plants by professional
pickers. The soft crab, as its
name implies, is free from the
hard shell. It is shipped alive
in special protective packing.
A third form may be mention-
: edinpassing,peelers,'' These
=. are hard crabs preparing to
Yin molt, or shed their shells in
. course of growth. Incommercial
records they areclassed with soft
crabs. They are used by hook-

and-line fishermen for bait.

sos
y

Vie

The perishability of crab
Crab Pot, Invented in 1938, the crab pot now produces the bulk of the meathas long been a problem of
blue-crab catch in the Chesapeake Bay. An estimated 85,000 pots the industry. Most freezing and
were operated in the Bay during 1952. holding techniques fall short of
preserving quality intact. In 1951 a patent was granted to a Maryland packer for
what might be called apasteurization process. Under it crab meat has been suc-
cessfully held in cold storage for comparatively long periods. Whenimproved
preservation methods become general the industry may achieve the stability it
sorely needs. Under present conditions crabs that sell for $3, or less, per 100-
pound barrel in July may bring $20, or more, in February.

A recent count lists about 200 firms in the Chesapeake area, whose operations
range from a two-man outfit shipping perhaps 10,000 soft crabs a season, up to
picking houses producing 100,000 pounds of meat during the calendar year. The
total gross income of the enterprises will hover around $6 million during a fair
year.

Ordinarily about 4,000 persons find seasonal employment in catching and
transporting crabs in tne Chesapeake area. Processing and handling furnish oc-
cupation to about 1,000 more, most of them the year round.

Predicating no greater natural supply than is available in a normal year, the
industry would be capable of considerable growth if practical means could be de-
vised (1) toapply mass-production techniques to processing and(2) to combat more
successfully the extreme perishability of the crabs themselves. These problems
are under constant study by State and Federal agencies.

Free copies of Fishery Leaflet 358 are available from the Division of Informa-
tion, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington 25, D. C.

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