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October, 1956
TMENT OF FISHERIES OF CANAD
PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES OF CANADA
CON TEN TS VOL. 9 NO. 4
FEATURES
The Newfoundland Cod Traps 3 Lake Whitefish 8
CANADIAN FISHERIES NEWS
Pacific Salmon Convention to Include Pinks 9 F.R. B. Officers Hold Seminar 10 The Rosefish 11 Fishery Figures for August 12
FISHERIES NEWS FROM ABROAD
The Danish Fishing Industry 14 FAO Director-General 14 French Fisheries - 1955 15 Norway: Export Table, January - June, 1956 16
CURRENT READING 17
COVER PHOTOGRAPH: No "w ate rhaul" here! Newfoundland fishermen dip in a big haul of cod from codtrap set close to rocky headland. A prolific producer, the codtrap accounts for landings in millions of pounds each trapping season.
The contents of TRADE NEWS have not been copyrighted and may be reprinted although refe ence to the source would be appreciated. For further information regarding TRADE NEWS wri to the Director of Information and Educational Service, Department of Fisheries, Ottawa, Canad
evolved 91 gears Ago, Later established at Places Like "Sly Hoots' aid Tull of Rags," 3ew flshilig Devices Are as efficiellt as
The Newfoundland Cod Traps
By MARK RONAYNE
JULY dawn on the rough-hewn east coast of the codtrap idea was borne on the spur of the mo- A Newfoundland awakes to the chatter of swarms ment as the result of an impromptu experiment with of little motor boats fanning widely out to codtrap- a codseine , a forerunner of the trap. And this ing berths bearing such improbable names as "Sly brainchild, 91 years ago, set the stage for a highly Boots", "Inside Toenails", "Blue Madam" and "Butt int e r es ting development involving fishermen of of Rags". Some glide in over traps within hailing Canada, Newfoundland (then a dominion in its own distance of their home port; more find their goal in right) and the Canadian Government. the quiet coves that indent the coast; others have a long haul out to the bleak, lonely headlands, and A typical codseine was a huge wall of mesh, still others go farther asea, to the "sunkers"*, to measuring some 160 feet in length, 60 feet deep in begin their fishing day. the "bunt" (centre section), and tapering off some- what tow a r d s the ends. An important ancillary All of these berths, regardless of location, piece of equipment in fishing the codseine was the have one thing in common. They are prime spots "fish glass", more commonly known today as the for trapping cod, discovered by patient trial and water glass, which was employed in peering under error, and proven up by generations of fishermen. the surface to locate shoals of coda When a school And in many parts of Newfoundland the competition of fish was found, the net was placed in position to for the choicest places to set out a trap -- for, as surround them, and the ends gradually drawn in. with other methods, there are favourites here, too Sometimes a "trouncer" (a length of chain attached -- has long since given rise to the annual trap berth to a rope) was used as a flail underwater to keep drawing at which allocations are equitably made. the fish in the bunt of the net. As the fish were "dried up" they were dipped into the boat. So widespread is the use of the codtrap and so closely intertwined with the latter-day history of FISHERMAN'S GAMBLE the important codfishery, that tracing the time, Codfishing by hook and line had been good place and the person responsible for its origin during the early part of the summer of 1865 for might seem to present insuperable problems. Such, Captain W. H. Whiteley and his crew, but now in h ow eve r, is not the case, according to Captain July, in the waning days of the caplin "scull", the George Whiteley, a prominent figure in the industry fish were glutted and lying on the bottom, too full of for many years. He claims that the idea for the food to bite. It was time, relates Captain George, original codtrap was conceived by his father, Cap- to put the codseine into action. tain V.H., Whiteley, under whose direction the very first one was knitted by hand during a long, hard One Saturday afternoon the crew had suc- winter at Bonne Esperance, a centuries old fishing ceeded in getting the big net around a school of cod centre far up on Quebec's north shore. Like so in the cove, and as Sunday was a complete day of many other important discoveries and inventions, rest from manual chores Captain W. H. Whiteley * Sunken rock or reef. -3- was anxious to land the catch and stow it away as the news spreading of the strange device and a dis- quickly as possible. The big boat had been filled turbing development r e s ulte d. Complaints were stan and sent in, and there was still a large quantity of made that the trap was detrimental to the salmon prin fish in the net, posing a most perplexing problem. fishery and, according to Captain George, repre- sect To "bag" the fish until Monday would be futile as it sentations were made to Ottawa against the use of the would spoil; to fill up the boat and put the seine the machine . As a result, a Canadian cutter ar- ing ashore would expose the twine to severe damage if rived at Bonne E xp e r an c e one day and its com- with Sunday proved to be hot. Another solution was to mander came ashore to forbid further use of the take all the fish that the seine boat would carry, trap. Captain Whiteley could do nothing but comply along with the seine, but he shuddered at the with the order, but on the advice of the commander thought. His crew had worked too hard to catch the (who apparently felt there was some injustice in the codl fish for that. Casting about for a solution, he case) he wrote Ottawa setting out the facts and de .5 finally decided to load up the seine boat and place requesting permission to use the trap. A period of mar the seine in the water with the arms outstretched to waiting ensued, during which there was much cor- ti on the shore and a grapnel attached to the bunt to keep respondence between the parties, but Captain der it in place. Whiteley was eventually rewarded when on August the 15, 1876, he received a license to operate the trap thel Dawn had yet to break on Monday morning and when the Whiteley crew set out for the cove to see The value of this license is reflected in the a v( how the seine had fared over the weekend. They following excerpt from the annual report of the rou found the big net, lying just as it had been set, but Fisheries Officer in command of the Fisheries Pro- dep close to the shore at one end something unexpected tection Steamer "Lady Head" for 1876:- was happening. Under the rope holding this end to "During an excursion which I made on the the rocky shoreline, fish could be seen passing into ing shores of Labrador, for the purpose of satisfying the net, and inside the net itself was a large shoal the myself that the fishery laws were duly observed, I of cod. Working quietly and efficiently, the men ree discovered a trap-net set at Perroquets Island, in hauled in the net in the usual fishing way and loaded smA Bradore Bay, by Captain Quigley, of the schooner up the boats with fifty quintals. wat Garhamel, from Newfoundland. This fishing engine the This was an excellent beginning for the week's being forbidden by law, I seized it and had it taken fishing, but to Captain Whiteley it meant more. For on board the Fisheries' Protection vessel. There were no less than 100 quintals of cod in this net the remainder of the summer, says his son, he COD when confiscated as well as two salmon. It had been wrestled with the problem of designing a machine als set only twenty-four hours, and had already caught that would consistently catch fish while he slept, as me 200 quintals of cod and two salmon. The cost of the the seine had done on that one, unintentional try. abl Summer ran its course, giving way to fall and the fishing apparatus was $800. I returned the net to sea impending freeze-up; with the final trading vessel its owner, who pleaded ignorance of the law, but "ki came a special order of 1,200 pounds of 18-thread fined him $20.00." fra hemp. Then, throughout the long winter the White- anc ley group knitted, night after night and on days too In Newfoundland, too, the codtrap met with att difficulties in its rise to prominence. Innis states stormy for outside work, until at last the contrap- les in "The Cod Fisheries" that: "Large-scale opera- tion was finished. It was shaped like a room, six lof tions involved a catch of poorer cod than those taken fathoms deep, with two sides measuring 15 fathoms the long, the back wall 12 fathoms long and the front by hook and line and also greater difficulties in cur- wall eighteen fathoms long with an opening eighteen ing. From 1888 to 1898 codtraps were prohibited inches wide. on the northeast and the south coasts as a result of me complaints of fishery exhaustion and of the decline 111, Subsequently this unique machine was set out in prices because of bad curing." In more recent an in the cove but when it failed to produce after the times it was given considerable attention by the the first few days the crew turned to the familiar, big Newfoundland Fisher i e s Development Committee an codseine. However, one man was assigned to watch whose report issued in 1953 dwelt at length on the lee for results, along with tending the salmon nets, and past, present and future status of the codtrap in the ste on July 1 he brought exciting news. The new ma- provincial fisheries. chine was full of fish! It would be extremely difficult, if not utterly ha. For the rest of that season the device con- impossible, to trace the inroads of the codtrap into tra tinued to yield large hauls, and when the cod run the codcatching field, but there is graphic evidence si; e n d e d and the net was t a k en up it had played a that its properties as a prolific producer quickly in prominent part in producing a record catch of two became known. In the Labrador fishery alone the Sh thousand quintals. number of traps increased from 2, 588 in 1891 to an 4,182 in 1901 and ten years later to 6,530. By this wi For three seasons, Captain George states, time, the use of traps was "universal on the Labra- his father continued using the trap, keeping it dor...." And, as its use spread, the codseine quietly to himself, but eventually his success led to gradually vanished from the scene. "lo
-4-
dis- For generations the codtrap has been the main vere standby of thousands of Newfoundland fishermen, mon principally on the east coast and along the eastern re- section of the south shore, and to this day, even in e of the face of fisheries development along other catch- ar - ing lines, the inshore waters are still thickly mined DM.- with mesh when the annual glut of cod is on. the 'ply BASICALLY THE SAME, BUT SIZES VARY der r Down through the years the structure of the the codtrap has remained basically the same as that and described by Captain George Whiteley, although I of many variations are seen in the size. Such varia- Or - tions are dictated by the nature of the conditions un- ain der which the trap is fished, such as the depth of ust the water and the type of coastline. Essentially, p. they all resemble a huge room, complete with floor and door but lacking a roof. In size they range from th e a very rare small one of thirty-five fathoms "on the th e round" to giants of 84 fathoms. Similarly, their Large catch of cod, caught in a trap, is taken into •o depths vary from six fathoms up to 14 fathoms. trap-skiff with dipnets.
Generally speaking, the codtrap when in fish- mesh. The leader hangs from the surface to the he ng order extends from the surface to the bottom, bottom and extends from the shore or "sunker" to ng the walls being s up p o rte d by small cork floats which the trap is moored into the doorway of the I reeved onto the he a d r op e and weighted down by trap. Cod swimming along by the coast thus have in small, leaden balls on the footrope. In some deep their direction diverted into the trap where they are er water areas, however, the traps are sunk, i.e., still free to move around. However, the fish are the "heads" are beneath the water. discouraged from leaving the trap via the doorway by the lay of the front walls which slant inwards at re The building of a codtrap involves not only the door. Thus, as the fish cruise along by the et :onsiderable expense in this day of high costs but walls inside the trap they are shunted away from also a t r e mend o u s amount of labour. All of the the opening. Leaders vary considerably in length, at nesh has to be knitted by hand, involving intermin- from as low as 30 fathoms to as much as 80. Gen- Le ably lcng hours in the net loft during the off-fishing erally, the longer the leader the greater the yield of season, the buoys have to be readied and roped, fish, although circumstances do not always make It 'killicks" (home-made grapnels consisting of stick this possible nor a rigid rule. frames enclosing large stones) made, leads poured and threaded, hundreds of feet of rope cut to size, In the lean years of bygone generations a cod- h attached to the mesh, etc. , not to mention count- trap was regarded as being a very valuable piece of less other operations. But these hours in the net capital equipment for any fisherman to have. Even loft have their pleasant side as the work goes on to in those days prices of twine, rope and other mate- the tune of companionable conversation. rials were relatively high and, of course, they have increased commensurately with the mounting prices I The walls of the trap are made of panels of of other commodities. nesh, somewhat like a panel of wallboard, called 'leaves". Each leaf is 99 meshes wide. The leaves For a trap 60 fathoms on the round and 10 are "scunned" (fastened by twine) together to form fathoms deep, the following estimate of materials the wall. Reason for the leaf construction is that if would be required: 580 pounds of twine for walls, any part of the trap is badly damaged, the entire bottom and leader, 21 coils and 120 fathoms of rope leaf can be tak en out and a new one quickly in- of various sizes, 500 corks, 110 pounds of lead, 14 stalled. anchors, 8 kegs. To these costs must be added the outlay entailed in the knitting of the mesh and the Over the years fishermen in various areas cost of assembling the trap. have developed preferences for different sizes of traps. For example, in Conception Bay the average Mesh sizes in both the trap and the leader size is 60 fathoms on the round by 10 fathoms deep; show little conformity and invariably are consider- in Green Bay it is 60 x 11; along the "Southern ably larger than the minimum legal size of 31 Shore", traps ranging up to 84 fathoms on the round inches. In late years especially there has been a and 16 fathoms deep are commonly used, together tendency towards use of larger mesh because this with smaller ones. makes the trap lighter and easier to haul, it pro- vides less area for "slub" to collect, and it doesn't A most important part of the codtrap is the hold so much tide. In leaders the mesh is some- 'leader", which is simply a wall of fairly large times as large as 10 inches. (Continued on next page) -5- Costs vary considerably not only according to the the size of the trap but also to area as well as fac- sing tors sach as the length of the leader. Traps in the disp 60-fathom class are estimated to range from $1,400 land to $1, 800; those around 84 fathoms may cost as high so h as $3,000. fish ,
The normal wear and tear may account for upwards of $100 a year, although this figure could tive not be said to be representative of all areas. In cula addition, certain integral parts, such as rope, have shoz to be renewed in their entirety about every ten or ead twelve years. Abnormal conditions, such as ical storms, can play havoc with the whole outfit, and of c finally there is always the danger of an unwelcome ti on visitor, such as a basking shark, blundering into the And mesh and practically destroying a wall or more in Nem its frantic efforts to get free. An encounter of this nature has dual bad results in that it not only usu- r. ally results in an expensive repair job but it also Hauling a codtrap in the close to shore waters calls frequently means that the trap is put out of commis- skif for brawny arms and a rugged constitution. sion, often in the height of the trapping season. Ran Thus, to the cost of repairs is added the loss of fool earning power. over the nets had to be removed from the water doe disassembled by sections, spread and dried, and me: Many fishermen use two traps (an occasional stowed neatly away. Throughout the fall he fished met one has three). Some have but one. Quite obvious- with bait and jigger, the good fishing days becom- lati ly, the number of men comprising the trap crew ing fewer and fewer as the blustery winter season depends on the size and amount of gear used. The approached. least, of course, would be one fisherman fishing mo one small trap, and such has occurred although in Last winter there were long trips with horse cyl rare instances. and "slide" over frozen trails and ponds to the fail spruce and fir stands, growing ever more distant sta When traps catch a surplus of fish, it is a as cutting takes its toll, for sticks to repair the Sor common custom for the owner to share with any stage and flakes, timber for a new boat and fire tra hook-and-line fishermen who may be in the area, wood. Many hours were given over to mesh knitting ma the latter repaying his benefactor by helping him and generally overhauling traps, ropes, moorings siz haul the trap and possibly stow away his fish. and buoys.
nea. SHORT TIME TO MAKE GOOD Spring was a busy period, with the twine to be "barked", the boats to be caulked and painted and sis The codtrapping season at best is a relatively the engines to be readied. And finally, before a lin short one, averaging not more than six weeks for cent could be realized from this investment of cash most fishermen, and in that limited time the suc- and labour, another couple of days were taken up in cess or failure of the year's efforts is determined. setting out the traps. In this work the fisherman's fox It is at its height during the early weeks of July, coo when the caplin "scull" is waning and squid are just most valuable asset is his knowledge of the ocean floor, for it is vitally necessary to set the trap just striking in on the coast. right in conformity with the ledges, slopes and val- leys if the best returns are to be realized. This Cod swarming into the inshore waters and operation parallels the building of a house, with the running practically up on the beaches, are so nu- frame of ropes first being set out with the anchors merous that, fishermen say, one could "almost walk and buoys in place, and the net attached later. ME across the bay on their backs". At this period, gi\ when the fish are not only "eating the rocks" but The trapping season opens slowly in June, ri\ "chewing on the stage poles", gargantuan catches building up in intensity towards the end of the month the are taken and prodigious feats of work put in. But and overflowing with the heaviest catches during er: just as there are years of feast there may also oc- July. After that it commences to taper off and with tic cur years in which, it seems, there is scarcely a early August the traps are beginning to be taken Un cod's tail to be caught. In seasons such as this, from the water. po extra effort is called for in the subsequenthand-lin- ing and trawling operations if the voyage is to pay. In the old days in all areas -- and still today in; Regardless of results, the work cycle for the in a great many -- the fishermen "made" all their trap fisherman is the same, extending into every own fish... splitting, salting, washing and drying by L. Ca season. When last year's trap fishing season was hand on their own stages and flakes. Nowadays,
-6- the growth of quickfreezing and of salt fish proces- sing plants in a number of districts enables them to The "Barking Pot" dispose of their catch in the fresh state. However, A traditional hallmark of the Newfound- landings during the codtrapping season are usually land fishing scene is the "barking pot" in which so heavy that the plants cannot cope with them, and fishermen concoct an effective brew for the fishermen put this surplus under salt themselves. tanning of their nets. Codtrapping ranks as one of the most produc- These cauldrons vary greatly in size, de- tive fishing methods known to man. For the parti- pending on what is available for the purpose. cular purpose it serves, the exploitation of the vast Their capacities usually range from 45 to 90 shoals of cod which invade Newfoundland waters gallons, although one community boasted a each summer, it is unquestionably a most econom- monster pot which could hold up to 400 gallons ical and practical machine in view of its simplicity and in which an entire codtrap could be im- of operations, its actual cost and that of the opera- mersed. tional equipment it entails, especially the boats. And therein is seen another hallmark of the inshore The following recipe for the barking solu- Newfoundland fishery, the ubiquitous trapskiff. tion is used by one fisherman: "Two barrels of POPULAR CRAFT spruce buds to 70-90 gallons of water, brought to a boil. The entire tops of small spruce Exactly the right boat for the job, the trap- trees with their clusters of buds are also suit- ails skiff has no peer when it comes to hauling a trap. able. To this I would add two to three pounds Ranging in size from 25 to 30 feet, give or take a of soda to cut out the bark more quickly. foot or two, it handles easily, manoeuvres readily, er, does not impose too great a strain on ropes and "If I had two traps to bark I would mix in and mesh, offers excellent convenience for this fishing 50 pounds of cutch (patent bark) with 45 gallons hed method and provides good carrying capacity in re- of my own solution. In some places fishermen ,m- lation to its size. son also add a small quantity of tar to the hot A graduate from the days of sail and oar, water. most boats are "one lungers" (equipped with single "The linnet (twine) is soaked in the bark rse cylinder make-and-break gasoline engines), but a for 24 hours and then spread to dry. The net the fair number have had multiple-cylinder engines in- should not be spread out on a wet day as the ant stalled in recent years and more are following suit. moisture would wash out the bark". the Some fishermen use two motor boats in hauling the .e- trap, along with a dory, punt or "rodney", while ng many have just one. Usually this depends on the fortable as a longliner, but guarantee that any gs size of the gear and the number in the crew. day it's too rough for my boat to go out fishing, The trap-skiff's all-round capabilities were your longliner won't either". be neatly summed up by one veteran fisherman in re- Of course, the trap-skiff is not called on to nd sisting the pleadings of his sons to invest in a long- operate so far offshore as the longliner, which has a line r . more work space, usually greater speed and shelter sh from the elements. In the final analysis, it is a in "Man and boy I've fished in a trap-skiff for case of the best boat for the job, and for hauling a 's forty-five years. She's the best boat for hauling a codtrap, the trap-skiff is a winner, hands down. ✓ an codtrap there is, bar none. She may not be as com- 3t Use of Antibiotics on Fish e The Food and Drug Divisions of the Depart- Technological Station at Vancouver, B. C. He has ment of National Health and Welfare of Canada has found that aureomycin is more effective than any given Canadian fishermen permission to use a de- other antibiotic for the purpose, as nearly all spoil- rivative of the antibiotic aureomycin to preserve age organisms in fish are sensitive to it. the quality of fish at sea. It is the Canadian gov- ernment's first authorization of the use of antibio- The method used is to add tiny amounts of the tics for food preservation, although last year the drug to the ice in which fish are kept on board the United States government approved their use on fishing vessel and during shipment inland. poultry. The owners of the British fish factory ship The main research in adapting antibiotics to "Fairtry" are reported to have placed an order with maintaining the quality of fish was done by Dr. Hugh a ship-building firm in the United Kingdom for two L. A. Tarr of the Fisheries Research Board of more factory trawlers, each 235 feet in length and Canada, who is Acting Di rector of the Board's 47 feet in breadth.
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Lake Whitefish
is low. A full grown individual deposits from 10,00 0 to 75,000 eggs, depending on the fish's size. Th e Northwest Territories, Manitoba, Ontario and Sask atchewan are the main Canadian producers of white fish. Commercial fishing for whitefish was under ALF A DOZEN or so varieties of whitefish taken at Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Terri H have been recorded from Canadian inland wa- tories for the first time in 1945. ters but the common whitefish or lake whitefish is the only one of commercial importance in Canada's Gill-netting is the chief method used in fish fisheries. It is found in Manitoba, Ontario and ing f or whitefish, although stationary pound-net Saskatchewan. Large landings are also made from and trap -nets are also used in some areas. I n Alberta waters andfrom Great Slave Lake, N. W. T. areas where winter fishing is done, and in th e Some catches are taken by the fishermen of Quebec, Prairie Provinces, the bigger part of the whitefis h New Brunswick and the Yukon Territory. The catch is usually taken in the winter season, the gill whitefish belongs to the family "Coregonidae," sub- nets being set under the ice. The hook-and-lin e order "Salmonoidea," and thus is related to At- method of fishing for them is followed in commer lantic and Pacific salmon, speckled and rainbow cial operations in Lake Simcoe, Ontario. trout, tullibee, ciscoes or lake herring, and sev- eral other fish. Virtually all of the whitefish marketed by Canadian fishermen is sold in the fresh and frozen In colouring the whitefish is olivaceous on the forms, though small quantities are smoked. The upper part of the body, with whiteish sides and un- catch is sold in Canada and the United States, most der portions. The lower fins may be dusky. The of it in the latter country. tail fin is deeply forked. Head and mouth are com- paratively small, the scales large. The mouth is The fishery resources of the Great Lakes are sub-terminal, distinguishing it from other mem- now under joint scientific investigation by Canada bers of the family. Some adult whitefish have a and the United States. This investigation, and an fleshy bump at the shoulders. So far as weight and augmented programme to rid the lakes of the pre- body measurements are concerned, it is not pos- datory sea lamprey, are the responsibility of the mo . sible to give exact averages for any species of fish international Great Lakes Fishery Commission, Jua but the mature white fish averages 18 inches in which held its organizational meeting in Ottawa last Coz length and weighs about 21 pounds. This size makes April. twc up 75 per cent or more of the catch. are The Commission, a non-regulatory body, wi 1 The whitefish lives upon minute mollusks and make recommendations, based on the findings of crustaceans and other small aquatic creatures. Its research, to the governments involved on both side cor summer habitat is the deeper, colder parts of the of the border, with the object of making possible a mo lakes, from which they move into more shallow wa- maximum sustained productivity in the fisheries of the ter at spawning time. The spawning time varies the lakes. mi; somewhat in different years depending on the con- da) ditions of the weather and also with respect to the The sea lamprey has virtually wiped out Oct locality. S pawning begins in the latter part of stocks of some commercially valuable fish in two of October and continues into the first week of Decem- the lakes and has threatened the stocks in others ber. In Great Slave Lake it may continue into Janu- Its c hi e f victim appears to be the lake trout tail Catches of whitefish in all five of the Great Lakes ary in some areas. SUE have been low, but it is not known as yet exactly how pre Whitefish generally reach maturity in the much of the blame for this can be placed on the Ca] third and fourth year. They mature in the eighth lamprey, as whitefish populations are particularly vid year in lakes where the average water temperature subject to random fluctuations. yr the
-8- • Canadian Fisheries News
Pacific Salmon Convention to Include Pinks
000 The sk- te- er- ri-
sh- ets In the ish 11- Lne r-
by en he )st
re Delegates and Advisors at the Pink Salmon Conference in Ottawa. da an e - Canadian and United States delegates late this The International Pacific Salmon Fisheries he month drafted a protocol to place pink salmon in the Commission which was established in 1937 consists Juan de Fuca - Fraser River Area of the Pacific of three representatives each from Canada and the st Coast under joint management in the same way the United States. It has had responsibility for the in- two countries control the sockeye salmon of that vestigation and management of the sockeye salmon area. of the Fraser River system. Its work has been out- 11 standing. of Agreement on the means of co-ordinating the conservation programme for pink and sockeye sal- The agreement will provide for division of the a mon in the designated area under the authority of catch and will increase the size of the Commis- Df the International Pacific Salmon Fisheries Com- sion's Advisory Committee by adding one member mission was reached by the two countries at a four- from each country in order to give broader repre- day conference held in Ottawa from October 22 to sentation from the industry. Lt October 25. The agreement also provides for a co- The commission's objective would be to main- ordinated investigation by research agencies of the tain the pink salmon stocks at the level of maximum two governments and by the commission, of pink sustainable productivity and to ensure insofar as salmon stocks which enter the waters described in or practicable an equal division of the catch of pinks by the convention. It calls for a meeting in the seventh e Canadian and U.S. fishermen. The agreement pro- year after entry into force to review the results of y vides that the commission may begin regulation of this investigation and to determine what future ar- the fishery immediately after entering into force. rangements concerning pink salmon conservation sem might be desirable. The agreement has been re- the Fisheries Research Board of Canada, Ottawa; of ti ferred to the two governments for signature. Dr. A.L. Pr itc hard, Department of Fisheries, Ottawa; A. J. Whitmore and Blake Campbell, De- The conference also took note of the serious partment of Fisheries, Vancouver, B.C.; Dr. H. threat which offshore net fishing poses to the con- A.W.H. Needler and Dr. Ferris Neave, Fisheries Kas servation of both pink and sockeye salmon stocks R e s e a r c h Board of Canada, Nanaimo, B.C.; T. pre' and adopted a resolution calling this matter to the LeM. Carter and Miss S. Barriere, Department of cusf. attention of the governments and recommending im- External Affairs, Ottawa; R. Nelson, Nelson subj mediate action on their parts to solve the problem. Brothers Fisheries, Limited, Vancouver, B.C.; Rep John M. Buchanan, Chairman of the Fisheries As- Con The conference was attended by representa- sociation of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., and tives of the governments of both countries, as well and D.F. Miller also of the Fisheries Association part as by representatives of fishermen's unions, fish of British Columbia; Homer Stevens, United Fish- men processors and vessel owners from British Colum- ermen and Allied Workers' Union, Prince Rupert, disc bia and the State of Washington. B.C.; Robert Clifton, Native Brotherhood of British ern( Columbia, Vancouver, B. C.; T. Sorenson, Prince George R. Clark, Deputy Minister of Fisher- trol Rupert Co-operative Association and C. Clarke, ies of Canada, who headed the Canadian delegation, Sup( British Columbia Fishing Vessel Owners' Associa- was chairman of the conference, and the head of the of w tion, Vancouver, B.C. United States delegation, Dr. W. C. Herrington of to -II the Department of State , Washington, was vice- Loyd Royal of the International Pacific Salmon chairman. Fisheries Commission, New Westminster, B. C., was present as technical consultant to the con- Fisheries Minister James Sinclair, who wel- Ti ference. comed the delegates to the conference, said that the discussions represented another step forward in the the unique joint actions of Canada and the United States fish in controlling fisheries. He referred to the Halibut F.R.B. Officers Hold Seminar the Treaty of 1923 and the subsequent treaty concern- to 2 ing sockeye salmon as examples. docl Eur The head of the United States delegation, Dr. the Herrington, said that Canada and the United States bee] had many common fishery resources, and that the two countries had pioneered work in fisheries con- servation. Strz kno, Japan, a member with Canada and the United Uni] States of the International North Pacific Fisheries rec, Convention, was represented at the plenary sessions of the present conference by an observer, T. Wada, First Secretary of the Japanese Embassy in Ottawa. pea per Present at the discussions from the United fen States were Dr. Herrington; Arnie J. Suomela, As- whi sociate Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Serv- had ice; Adolph Dubs, Second Secretary, United States to t Embassy, Ottawa; Warren F. Looney, U.S. Depart- bod ment of State; Willian M. Terry, U. S. Fish and pro Wildlife Service; John S. Wilkinson, Puget Sound Field stations of the Fisheries Research is t Canners' Association; Carl A. Nelson, Puget Sound Board of Canada from coast to coast were repre- actl Gillnetters' Association; J.M. Anderson, Washing- sented at a seminar held in Ottawa October 3-6 for jaw ton State Reef Net Owners' Association; J.F. Re- executive assistants to the directors of the various panich, Puget Sound Fish and C anning Industry; stations. Shown in the photo are: (back row, left to Robert J. Schoettler, Washington State Department right), J. W. Kilpatrick, Technological Station, incl of Fisheries; Milo C. Bell, Washington State De- Vancouver; W. D. Cossaboom, Technological Sta- live partment of Fisheries; Richard Van Cleve, Univer- tion, Halifax; R. Dube, Technological Station, Grand Wht sity of Washington School of Fisheries and Edward River; R.S. Williams, Biological Station, Winnipeg; of t W. Allen, Attorney, Seattle, Washington. J.A. Rogers, Biological Station, St. Andrews; O.E. life Wheeler, Biological Station, St. John's; G.F. Hart, as Canadians attending the conference were: Mr. Biological Station, Nanaimo, (front row, 1. to r.). rat' Clark; S. V. Ozere, Assistant Deputy Minister of L. M. Morin, Dr. J. L. Kask, H. A. Wils on and sci( Fisheries, Ottawa; Dr. W.M. Sprules, Department O.C. Young, all of Ottawa, and Miss L.G. Mc- cre of Fisheries, Ottawa; Dr. J.L. Kask, Chairman of Mullon, Arctic unit, Montreal. Also attending the
- 1 0- not mature until around 10 years, when it averages tawa; seminar but not shown in the photo was E. J. Irwin about three-quarters of a pound and measures 11 ries, of the Biological Station at Sault Ste. Marie. inches from tip to tail. One of the largest redfish De- takenfrom Canadian waters in recent years weighed Dr. The seminar was under the leadership of H. A. Wilson, Executive Assistant to Dr. J. L. 5 pounds 11 ounces and was 22 inches long. !ries Kask, Chairman of the Board, and featured a com- ; T. prehensive syllabus. Together with the general dis- Generally speaking, redfish takenfrom waters nt of cussions on various topics, papers on a number of near the coast are smaller than those taken from is on subjects were presented by some of the field staff. the deep, offshore waters and northern members of .C.; Representatives of the Treasur y Board staff, the the species are larger than southern members. Al- As - Comptroller of the Treasury, the Auditor General though it is not truly an Arctic fish, it prefers cold C. , and the Superannuation Branch, as well as the De- water, ranging from 35 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit, Ltion partment's Chief Purchasing Agent and the Depart- both winter and summer. During the summer when ish- mental Solicitor attended various sessions and lead the water warms up, it seeks the depths. In the e rt, discussions on the functions of Parliament, the Gov- winter time it may come into shallower areas. tish ernor in Council and Treasury Board, the Comp- ince troller of the Treasury, the Auditor General, the KNOWN FISHING AREAS ke, Superannuation Act, Purchasing and Contracts, all Fishermen catch redfish during the day. Ac- cia- of which matters were of direct or indirect interest cording to reports, biggest hauls are taken from to the staff from the field. water which is 100 fathoms or more in depth. The bulk of the known western Atlantic stocks lie off our non own Canadian shores. Travelling from south to C., north, some of the well known fishing grounds are: Dn- The Rosefish the Gulf of Maine, the deep channel known as the Gully off eastern Nova Scotia, the deep waters of In the cold, deep waters of the north Atlantic, the gulf of St. Lawrence and the Grand Bank. From there are hordes of diminutive, flame-coloured time to time, new fishing grounds are discovered. fish, known in international circles as redfish. On In recent years fishermen from Newfoundland ob- the European side of the Atlantic they are referred tained large catches of redfish in 160 to 200 fathoms to as the commercial red fish or the Norway had- of water off the north eastern corner of the Grand dock. For centuries they have been popular with Bank. One trawler caught three-quarters of a mil- Europeans as a food. On this side of the Atlantic lion pounds as a result of three short trips to this they are plentiful and their popularity as a food has area. been on the upward swing for more than 15 years.
Commercially, redfish were of little value Caught by fishermen as far north as the Davis on this continent before 1935. True, they were Strait and as far south as New Jersey, they are taken incidentally by trawlers fishing for cod and known in Canada as rosefish or ocean perch. In the haddock but they were usually returned to the sea. United States, however, the name ocean perch in Their spiny bodies demanded much care in handling recent years has been chosen for trade purposes. and fishermen considered it not worth their while to dress them. A ferocious looking little fish, in general ap- pearance the r e df i sh resembles the fresh-water perch. Its body colouring, however, is quite dif- Early in the 1930's the catches of haddock be- ferent, varying from a vivid orange to a flame-red gan to fall off, and coupled with a growing demand which contrasts strikingly with the large, black, on the part of the general public for more fillets the haddock-like eyes. Its head is large in proportion industry began to experiment with filleting redfish. to the body and is armed with bony spines. The With modern technological advances, this was not body like that of the perch is short, tapering and now a difficult procedure. In the United States, a protected by hard spiny fins. The lower jaw, which marketing trial was undertaken. Some ocean perch is underslung, has a bony knob at its tip which ex- fillets were packaged in cellophane, quick frozen and shipped to inland markets. People liked them or actly fits into a corresponding notch on the upper because of their mild, agreeable flavour which is Ls jaw. not unlike trout, and a brisk demand grew for ocean The redfish starts life about a quarter of an perch fillets. inch long and all eyes. During the early weeks it Most of the ocean perch fillets are marketed d lives near the surface and drifts with the current. When about an inch long, it descends to the bottom in the frozen state, but occasionally the fresh fillets of the ocean where it spends the greater part of its may be obtained. The fillets are easily identified life. Like the cod and the haddock it is a type known by their thin, mottled, reddish skin. There are as groundfish, seeking its food from the ocean floor usually about 8 fillets to the pound. They are no rather than from the surface waters. Fisheries trouble to prepare and may be cooked and served in scientists have found that it grows very slowly, in- the same manner as cod or haddock fillets. When creasing in length only about an inch a year. It is cooked, the meat is white, flaky and most delicious. Fishery Figures For August SEAFISH: LANDED WEIGHT AND LANDED VALUE Jan. - Aug. 1955 Jan. - Aug. 1956 '000 lbs $'000 '000 lbs $'000
CANADA - Total 1,224,340 54,790 1,507,188 66,079
ATLANTIC COAST - Total 977,888 36,830 1,018,974 39,854 Cod 449,706 11,048 488,281 11,849 Haddock 95,463 3,116 122,866 3,877 Pollock, Hake & Cusk 43,099 691 43,726 773 Rosefish 25,949 594 34,905 759 Halibut 3,523 739 4,803 1,095 Plaice & Other Flatfish 61,633 1,978 50,116 1,572 Herring 147,285 1,260 113,011 1,119 Sardines 8,113 189 23,683 537 Mackerel 17,509 609 15,196 514 Swordfish 4,026 929 3,408 929 Salmon 2,597 868 2,600 945 Smelts 4,220 451 2,359 271 Alewives 17,681 157 16,142 155 Other Fish 38,788 401 39,478 406 Lobsters 40,064 12,814 41,814 13,895 Clams & Quahaugs 7,940 336 6,817 352 Other Shellfish 10,292 650 9,769 806
PACIFIC COAST - Total 246,452 17,960 488,214 26,225 Pacific Cod 6,416 417 7,491 511 Halibut 18,781 2,443 19,422 4,193 Soles & Other Flatfish 5,604 261 6,840 306 Herring 118,171 1,506 352,953 5,038 Salmon 80,601 12,414 81,284 15,218 Other Fish 3,909 105 8,956 234 Shellfish 12,970 814 11,268 725
BY PROVINCES British Columbia 246,452 17,960 488,214 26,225 Nova Scotia 302,765 16,681 308,661 17,438 New Brunswick 111,242 4,313 125,536 5,401 Prince Edward Island 26,084 2,555 28,831 2,958 Quebec 99,980 2,268 99,579 2,894 Newfoundland 437,817 11,013 456,367 11,163
PROCESSING OF ATLANTIC FISH PRICES PER CWT. PAID TO FISHERMEN In Per Cent of Total Catch (Jan. - Aug. 1956) (Week ending Aug. 18th) 1955 1956 $ $ Fr or Fz Fr or Fz Non- Halifax Fillets Wh or Dr Cured Canned Food Cod Steak 3.50 3.50 Market Cod 3.25 3.25 Cod 32 2 66 Haddock 4.00 5.50 Haddock 93 4 1 2 Plaice 3.00 3.25 Pollock, etc. 7 14 70 9 Yarmouth Rosefish 98 2 Haddock 4.00 5.00 Halibut 7 93 Black's Harbour Plaice & Sardines 2.50 2.00 Other Flatfish 92 3 2 3 St. John's. Nfld. Herring - 15 41 3 40 Cod 2.00-2.25 1.75-2.00 Sardines 5 94 1 Haddock 3.00 Mackerel 1 40 32 3 24 Rosefish 2.00 2.00 Shell Meat Vancouver Ling Cod 9.00 8.50-10.00 Lobsters 55 18 26 1 Gray Cod 5.00 6.00 Clams 14 50 35 1 Soles 8.00 7.00-9.00 Oysters 85 15 Salmon, Redspring 38.00 37.00-50.00
-12- Fishery Figures For August
MID-MONTH WHOLESALE PRICES, AUG. , 1956 CANADIAN EXPORTS OF FISHERY PRODUCTS
Montreal Toronto Winnipeg Value In Thousands Of Dollars To End Of July
1955 1956
Fresh Cod Fillets lb .258 .283 - Total Exports 69,120 72,457 Fresh Haddock Fillets lb . 350 .377 - Kippered Herring lb .248 .259 .277 By Markets: Frzn. Halibut, Dr. lb .426 .406 .397 United States 50,283 55,674 Frzn. Salmon, Coho, Dr. lb . 620 .589 .563 Caribbean Area 10,035 10,188 Fresh Whitefish lb . 370 .306 Europe 5,948 4,416 Lobster,Fancy case 35.635 36.452 39.275 Other Countries 2,854 2,179 Sardines, Smoked case 8.751 8.650 9. 140 Sockeye, Salmon A case 21.322 21.068 21.420 By Forms:
Fresh and Frozen 41,881 43,448 STOCKS AS AT END OF AUGUST Whole or Dressed 13,741 14,143 1955 1956 Salmon, Pacific 2,471 1,832 Halibut, Pacific 1,936 1,782 ('000 lbs) ('000 lbs) Cod, Haddock, Pollock 257 367 428 TOTAL - Frozen Fish, Canada 54,897 67,192 Swordfish 297 2,006 Frozen - Fresh Sea Fish - Total 45,935 42,951 Other Seafish 1,790 3,286 Halibut Pacific, Dressed & Whitefish 3,226 1,843 Steaks 10,491 6,386 Pickerel 1,616 2,599 Groundfish Fillets & Blocks 20,445 21,000 Other Freshwater Fish 2,148 Herring 1,268 758 15,018 15,894 Salmon Pacific, Dressed & Fillets Steaks 5,568 7,162 Cod, Atlantic 4,640 4,319 4,160 4,426 Other 8,163 7,645 Haddock Rosefish, Hake, Pollock 661 929 Frozen - Fresh Inland Fish - Total 6,435 6,745 etc. 2,288 2,482 Whitefish, Dressed 2,193 1,483 Flatfish 1,714 1,993 Tullibee, round or Dressed 199 107 Pickerel 1,555 1,745 Pickerel, Filleted 850 608 Other 13,122 13,411 Other 3,193 4,547 Shellfish Lobster (live, meat) 12,219 12,570 841 Frozen - Smoked Fish - Total 2,527 2,469 Other 903 Cod and Haddock, Atlantic 1,378 1,490 12,638 11,615 Other 1,149 979 Cured 1,004 Frozen for Bait and Animal Feed 15,027 Smoked 754 Herring 474 684 320 Salted and Pickled Fish, Atl. Coast Other 280 10,336 8,939 Wet- Salted - Total 25,736 46,191 Salted, Wet or Dried 9,168 7,687 Cod 21,791 39,105 Cod 1,168 1,252 Other 3,945 7,086 Other 1,548 1,672 Dried - Total 7,182 10,837 Pickled 801 Cod 6,785 10,337 Herring 326 483 Other 397 500 Mackerel Other 421 372 8,087 Boneless - Total 404 800 Canned 7,979 5,740 5,243 Cod 388 779 Salmon, Pacific 917 1,257 Other 16 21 Sardines Lobster 1,070 1,392 195 Pickled - Total (barrels) 34,376 26,220 Other 252 9,307 Herring 2,516 7,093 Miscellaneous 6,622 Mackerel 8,389 5,896 Meal 3,761 6,004 Alewives it 23,471 13,231 Oil 1,188 1,708 Bloaters (18 lb. boxes) 242,953 224,107 Other 1,673 1,595 con] stai Fisheries News From Abro tern pre , mer The Danish Fishing Industry carp to ti In the year 1955 the total number of fishermen In addition to the fish caught by Danish fis her- in Denmark , permanently and occasionally em- men and landed in Danish ports, landings rom Swedish vessels in Danish ports during 195 5 a- ployed, was 17,075, compared with 17,112 in 1954. Dir , The number of those permanently employed was mounted to about 28.5 million kilograms with bout 11.2 million crowns. The greater part of this c : atch 12,429. was herring. At the end of 1955 the fishing fleet consisted of about 13,887 vessels, not counting 37 craft used In 1955 the total exports of fish, crustac eans for the transportation of fish. Of the total 7,808 and molluscs, both fresh and processed, amot nted of were equipped with motors; 10 were above 50 gross to about 153 million kilograms, worth about 273 tha; tons; 1,337 were between 15 and 50 gross tons; million crowns, compared with about 137 mi Ilion or d 2,231 were between five and 15 tons, and the re- kilograms and 237 million crowns in 1954. The cat maining boats were all below five tons. 1955 exports of processed goods including fish meal pro and oil amounted to 60 million kilograms, wor th 93 ma - The total value of the fishing fleet is estimated million crowns, compared with 52 million kilogi ams cen at 172.8 million Danish crowns*, and the value of and 80 milli on crowns in 1954. Out of the 1955 the the fishing gear and sheds at about 77.4 million totals canned goods accounted for about 16 mi llion dove crowns, while salted products made from he ring of 1 crowns. and codfish accounted for 17 million crowns; fish- meal and oil for 56 million crowns. VOLUME, VALUE SHOW INCREASE she In1955 the total catch of fish and crustaceans, The total Danish imports of fish, crustaceans thr made by Danish fishermen, was about 391 kilo- and molluscs, both fresh and processed, amounted ave grams** with a value of about 228 million Danish to 67 million kilograms in 1955, worth 73 million Ian crowns. This was an increase in volume of 60 mil- crowns, compared with 65 million kilograms andd 73 coc lion kilograms and in value of 28 million crowns, milli on crowns in 1954. Out of this total fresh compared with the previous year. In addition to the products accounted for 30 million kilograms worth catch of fish and crustaceans, 23 million kilograms 18 million crowns in 1955 compared with 23 million por of molluscs and starfish were landed. Danish fish kilograms and 14 million crowns in 1954. The im- at farms produced 418 million Kilograms of trout in ports of processed products amounted to 37 million of their ponds, valued at 22 million crowns. kilograms worth 55 million crowns in 1955 com- p01 pared with 42 million kilograms and 59 million out All told, Danish fisheries produced 418 mil- crowns the previous year. Out of the 1955 total lan lion kilograms in 1955, evaluated at 251 million canned goods accounted for three million crowns, p0] crowns. This compared with 352 million kilograms salted herring and codfish for eight million crowns, bui and 221 million crowns in 1954. The values quoted fishmeal and oil for 14 million crowns and whale oil oy; are the amounts paid to the fishermen. and other products for 30 million crowns. * The Danish crown is valued at approximately 14 The landings of fish were made up chiefly of cents, Canadian. gai plaice, cod , herring, sprat and mackerel. Prac- ** A kilogram is 2.205 pounds. se; tically the entire catch was taken in waters sur- po' rounding Denmark. Only one vessel made three (ui trips to Icelandic waters; no trips were made to the FAO Director-General Barents Sea. No Danish craft visited Greenland Shri B.R. Sen, Ambassador of India to Japan, waters in 1955. Test fishing for herring for salt- was elected Director-General of the Food and Agri- ing, which was begun in 1954 in waters north of the culture Organization (FAO) on September 20, after Faroe Islands, was continued in 1955. two ballots by the 74 member nations failed to pro- wh duce a majority September 18. er It was estimated that the volume of freshwater m( fish from inland lakes and rivers was about one Before the vote was taken, the United tates wa million kilograms and the value about one million nominee, John H. Davis, Director of Progra mme pe crowns. The value of oyster dredging, which be- in Agriculture and Business at Harvard Unive rsity longs to the Danish state and takes place only on Graduate School of Business Administration , an- one location, Lime Fjord, is not included in the re- nounced that he had withdrawn from the race. be port on Danish fisheries from which these figures at are taken. However, in the 1955-56 season about Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Earl Butz, ofi 2.7 million oysters were taken. who is the United States representative at the FAO M4
-14- conference, said that the United States would ab- The 1955 season produced 69,200 tons of stain from voting in the third ballot, and that no at- green salt cod, compared with 65,000 tons the pre- tempt would be made to influence those who had vious year; 1,643 tons of this were landed at Portu- previously voted for Davis. He said his govern- guese ports. In addition the fleet brought back ment had the fullest confidence in the remaining 2,805 tons of cod liver oil and 660 tons of frozen candidates, and pledged full United States support cod fillets. At the leading ports, the proportion of to the new Director-General. size was roughly as follows: small 70 per cent, ;her- medium 21 per cent, large four per cent and pollock from Ambassador Sen will take office as FAO's 2.5 per cent. i5 a- Director-General in about two months. ibout The estimated landed value of the fish was :atch 4.8 billion francs ($13.7 million), at an average French Fisheries - 1955 price of 90 francs per kilo, plus 250 million francs for the oil and 85 million for the frozen fillets. eans French fisheries in 1955 showed a total catch This may be compared with a landed value of 4.6 Lilted of 523,740 tons, which was four per cent higher billion francs in 1954 and 4.0 billion in 1953. 273 than the previous year and ahead of the former rec- Ilion ord of 511,790 tons reached in 1953. The fresh fish With higher production, a greater effort was The catch at 324,955 tons was three per cent higher and required to place the additional quantities, as home neal production from the Grand Banks fleet at approxi- consumption remains stable at slightly under 30,000 h 93 mately 70,000 tons showed a gain of about eight per tons. A total of 35,800 tons was exported during ams cent. With most categories showing decided gains, the year ended April 7, 1956. Over half, 19,000 1955 the overall production of fresh fish was influenced tons went to Italy as compared with 15,000 tons the downwards to below the 1953 level by the poor catch previous year; Italy is considered the most remun- ring of herring and sardine, the lowest since 1948. erative market due to proximity and price levels. ish- Sales to Greece at 1,450 tons were only half the The estimated value of the catch, including 1954 figure, and to the Caribbean at 2,700 tons were shellfish, was 52.8 billion francs ($150 million) or somewhat lower. Shipments to the Overseas Terri- ans three billion higher than the previous year. The tories at 11,500 tons were a little higher than is ited average price for fresh fish (102.7 francs per kilo normally forecast (10, 000 tons). Lion landed) shows a slight weakening whereas prices for 1 73 cod strengthened during the season. During 1955, the cod industry took steps to- esh wards s t r e n g thening its competitive position firth B oulogne , on the Channel, retains its pre- abroad. Because foreign demand had been strong, .ion ponderance amongst fresh fish ports with landings prices for green cod had been bid up unduly, which m- at 118,852 tons, nearly a third of the national total gave outfitters and vessel owners a remunerative ion of 325,000. The next three ports in order of im- season but cut the profit margins of exporters. To m- portance, Lorient, Concarneau and Douarnenez, are help this latter group and keep the industry com- ion out of the Breton Peninsula, and between them petitive, a private export fund was established on dal landed 103,690 tons of fresh fish. The remaining the basis of five francs per kilo on fish landed. In is, ports showed landings under 20,000 tons of fresh addition, discussions were begun on some type of is, but some are of importance for dried fish(Fecamp), trade export board to avoid undercutting amongst oil oysters (Arcachon) etc. French exporters, but no decision was reached until well into 1956. 14 Ports for year-round fishing all register gains over last year, whereas those which rely on The cod fleet r e c e iv e d two new, modern seasonal fishing continue to decline in volume. The trawlers for the 1956 season, which should insure ports showing the chief increases were La Rochelle increasing output for French driers. (up 24 per cent), Dieppe (up 13 per cent) and Lorient (up 11 per cent). n, -i- Production from seasonal fisheries (herring, For the first time German trawlers have par- er mackerel, sardine and tuna) totalled 125,550 tons ticipated in the salt cod fishery around Greenland. o- which is almost 10,000 tons below the 1948-54 av- In Bremerhaven a total of 1,365 tons of cod salted erage. The catch of mackerel and tuna showed at sea was landed and exported to Italy, while in moderate gains but the herring catch at 60,340 tons Kiel one t r aw le r landed 245 tons for export to es was 10 per cent lower and sardine at 16,380 tons 30 southeastern European countries. From the end of ne per cent lower than the 1948-54 average. April to the beginning of August three modern Bre- ty merhaven motor trawlers each carried out two 44- The catch from year-round fisheries cannot day trips to Greenland. The Kiel-trawler undertook be accurately assessed, but the trade estimates it one journey only. The vessels, being equipped with at 194,700 tons in 1956. The bulk of this is taken fish meal processing plants, could also take home a z, off the Atlantic seaboard and only 6,300 tons in the considerable quantity of fish meal. The trawlers .0 Mediterranean. hired Faroese salting crews.
-15- Norway
EXPORTS OF PRINCIPAL FISHERY PRODUCTS
January - June, 1956 For comparative table see "Trade News", October, 1955 Quantities in Thousands of Pounds Value in Thousands of Kroner
TOTAL CANNED FISH DESTINATION EXPORTS MAINLY COD HERRING FISH MEAL OILS
Value Quan. Fresh Fro- Dry Wet Stock- Fro- Medi- Other zen Salted Salted fish Fresh zen Salted cinal
th. kr . th.lb th.lb th.lb th.lb th.lb th.lb th.lb th.lb th.lb th.lb th.lb th.lb th.lb
Canada 2,543 1,382 - - - - - 249 919 - 214 -
U.S.A. 38,292 36,292 - 2,858 Z51 46 44 - 5,618 9,654 16,081 964 776
Other Western Hemisphere
Brazil 47,910 27,115 - 2 6,996 - - - - - 119 - Cuba 7,221 3,865 - 3,865 ------Mexico 1,178 886 - 284 - - - 97 505 Neth. West Indies 317 187 - 187 - - - - - Peru 169 77 - - 53 - - - - - 24 - Venezuela 1,497 763 - 763 ------
Europe Austria 2,929 5,075 - 1,206 - 273 3,327 84 185 Belgium 8,845 15,007 1,047 - 104 1,003 1,625 - 765 10,238 35 190 Czechoslovakia 10,412 27,547 - 549 - 7,940 16,718 - 1,588 - 752 - Denmark 2,727 5,264 13 - - - 448 137 4,633 - 33 Finland 465 739 - - 624 - 115 - France 16,201 30,603 4,622 110 - - 2,364 2,679 2,132 783 17,459 2 452 Germany (East) 23,051 76,655 1,433 640 - 34,737 22,822 14,542 2,481 - - - Germany (West) 32,294 100,595 110 2,412 - 46 57,859 11,378 2,820 595 23,170 752 1,453 Italy 15,106 12,430 1,050 1,010 18 909 3,334 - - 82 5,318 37 672 Netherlands 19,613 36,906 326 675 - 9 137 3,416 1,603 236 68 29,673 357 406 Poland 4,537 14,298 - - - - 10,873 2,761 - - 664 Portugal 18,087 15,867 - 15,867 - - - - Eire 796 441 - - - 441 - - Romania 521 1,824 - - - 1,824 - - - - Spain 10,128 6,906 - 6,827 - - 79 - Sweden 19,026 24,613 3,479 3,487 - 1,669 2 1,206 - 5,239 135 9,228 - 168 Switzerland 4,290 6,986 - 1,180 - - - - 5,773 33 - United Kingdom 69,825 112,459 10,728 1,283 - - - 19,221 7,153 - 5,521 68,407 - 146 U.S.S.R. 45,102 128,516 - 4,414 - 10,637 113,465 - -
Other Countries
Australia 5,567 3,072 - - - - - 3,072 - - - New Zealand 664 337 - - 337 - - - Liberia 468 291 - - - 291 ------Fr. Equat. Africa 3,167 2,048 - - 1,594 - 454 - Br. West Africa 37,701 21,463 - - - 21,031 - - 432 - - - Portuguese Africa 3,172 1,773 1,773 - - - - U. of South Africa 6,499 3,568 ------3,568 - - Egypt 602 386 - 386 ------Israel 498 1,271 - 168 - - - - 1,103 - - - - Turkey 24 20 - - - - - 20 - Indonesia 57 53 ------53 -
Countries not Noted above 13,620 17,470 44 764 891 103 316 827 3,470 1,493 1,646 3,703 902 3,311
TOTAL Jan. -June/56 475,121 745,050 22,852 20,756 58,161 2,736 26,899 128,573 91,885 149,900 32,678 197,010 4,639 8,961
TOTAL Jan. -June/55 460,029 768,562 21,280 23,585 48,728 35 17,475 149,219 95,389 156,637 30,491 217,045 4,072 4,606
NOTE: - Not included 'n this table are 5,213 thousand pounds of Salted Cod Roe valued at 3,281 thousand kroner exported during the first six months of 1955, and 2,827 thousand pounds of the same product valued at 1,415 thousand kroner for the comparable period in 1956.
-16- Current Reading
The Work of FAO 1954-55," (Food and Agri- ter and consultation with experts from various parts culture Organization of the United Nations, Rome). of the world has continued.
The section of this report devoted to fisheries The assembly of information on government shows an increase in the work of the Fisheries Di- f i she r y administration, fishermen's co-operative vision of FAO under both the Regular and Expanded organizations, financial assistance schemes, and Technical Assistance Programmes. Among its ac- other aspects of this subject, has continued and this complishments were the Fish Marketing Training information is available to member governments. Centre, held in Hong Kong during July and August, The report states that recent international discus- 1954, the second Latin American Fisheries Train- sions concerning marine fisheries resources have ing Centre, held in Mexico City from October to shown the need for more information on the eco- December, 1954, the publication of an enlarged and nomic and social aspects of sea fisheries. lb th. lb more comprehensive "Yearbook of Fishery Statis- 14 tics 1952-53," the publication of a 650-page book, "Fishing Boats of the World," the compilation of "British Columbia Atlas of Resources," (The 64 776 the first "FAO Fishing Boat Tank Test Catalogue," British Columbia Natural Resources Conference and the development of a programme to increase 1956. $10.00). substantially the circulation of the Division's two periodicals, "FAO Fisheries Bulletin" and "World Maps, photographs and text have been magni- L9 Fisheries Abstracts." ficently combined in this atlas, which is described '7 505 as unique in North America, presenting, as it does, Work onthe survey of living aquatic resources in colour map form and in associated descriptions A was pressed forward under the period reviewed, and illustrations, the story of an entire province, and so was the task of bringing about international its people and their resources. improvements in the standards of methods of fish- 4 185 ery statistics. Another volume of practical signi- The British Columbia Natural Resources Con- 5 190 2 ficance, now prepared for publication, is an anno- ference was originated in 1948 to co-ordinate the 33 tated selected bibliography on fishing gear and interests of all industrial, university, government 5 methods. and private agencies that are interested in the con- 452 servation of natural resources. The preparation of 1 , 453 A series of fisheries papers, selected from this atlas was a two-year job, shared by the exec- 672 existing or new FAO material on a basis of prac- utives of the eighth and ninth conferences, and is a 406 tical use and continuing demand over a period of splendid achievement. 664 years, is in preparation. Twenty titles have so far been considered, of which seven have been issued Most of the maps are 20 by 13 inches. Those in the new series. in Part One of the book show the geographical char- acteristics, divided into physical and human ele - 168 Under the Expanded Technical Assistance ments. Part Two is devoted to resource use, and 146 Programme, more than sixty expertposts and thirty covers agriculture, fisheries, forestry, mining, fellowships were established in the first half of energy, recreation, water, wild life, manufactur- 1955. Reports on projects were submitted to more ing and transportation. The maps in this section than thirty-five governments. These reports cover portray essentially two types of information. First a wide diversity of work, ranging from the organiz- there is the areal extent of the subject concerned, ation of fishery services to demonstrating to indi- while the second type of information is quantitative vidual fishermen the benefits of mechanization and and expressed in appropriate units (weight, area, the use of improved fishing gear and techniques. A value, etc.) the relative importance of the various noticeable feature in the development of ETAP ac- items concerned. tivities has been the emergence of integrated pro- grammes of development, in which work has pro- Part Three of the atlas contains a series of gressed from a basic survey of resources to the in- maps showing, as of 1956, the extent, scale and troduction of new or improved fishing boats, gear, type of official map coverage for British Columbia. equipment, fishing techniques and the organization Also indicated is the up-to-date air photo coverage 3, 311 of marketing schemes for increased fish consump- of the province. These indices contain all the in- tion. formation required for ordering maps and air pho- 8, 961 tographs. The last map, the gasetteer, lists the
4, 606 In order to compile and analyze information names and shows the locations of all the land and on the living aquatic resources of the world, the water features lying within British Columbia that ix Fisheries Biology Branch is establishing a uniform are referred to in the atlas, but it may also function terminology and classification of the subject mat- as an abridged gasetteer of the province.
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T HAT MIGHT be a tough one to answer off- can be obtained in smoked, dried, pickled, hand, but no matter how many there are, if canned or frozen form, according to the you are selling kilos or quintals of Canadian market need. fish, there's a good profit for you. Whether your business be import or export, Canadian fish is welcome in many markets. investigate the profit possibilities in Cana- It can be shipped in the form best suited for dian fish products. There is a Canadian Gov- the local taste and climate, for there ernment trade commissioner near you are more than 60 varieties of Cana- who will be glad to refer your enquir- dian fish and shellfish, many of which ies to the proper sources.
DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES OTTAWA • CANADA
HON. JAMES SINCLAIR, M.P. MINISTER • GEORGE R. CLARK, DEPUTY MINISTER