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April -May, 1963

EPARTMENT IF F I An of (ye, PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES OF CANADA e r co e c

CON TEN TS VOL. 15 NO. 10-11

FEATURES thi M. e v Modern Fishing Vessels and Gear 3 oc The Canadian Cod Fishery and the World Market 7 wi th oc a v lo, hi CANADIAN FISHERIES NEWS

Hon. H. J. Robichaud New Minister of Fisheries 10 ey Canadian Food Conference in Ottawa 10 ur Meeting of Federal-Provincial Atlantic Fisheries Committee 12 th 12 th K.P. Lucas Asst. Director, Pacific Area th J.P. Hennessey Chief of Inspection Branch, Nfld. 12 6 In Fishery Figures for February 13- 14 , in

th of w] CURRENT READING 15 6

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COVER PHOTOGRAPH: Assigned to the Department of Fisheries Cif Barkley Sound sub-district in British Columbia, the "Comox Post, " of one of the Department's fleet of patrol vessels, undergoes trials ha after being re-engined.

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The contents of TRADE NEWS are Crown Copyrighted but may be reprinted in other publications. Ref ere w to the source, however, would be appreciated. For further information with regard to TRADE NEWS w to the Director of the Information and Consumer Service, Department of Fisheries, Ottawa, Can Modern Fishing Vessels and Gear

Electronics, Synthetics, New Propulsion Methods are Revolutionizing World Fishing Industry

The accompanying article was prepared from an address given at Manitoba's Federation of Fishermen Annual Convention in Winnipeg on March 29, 1963, by W. W. Johnson, of the Industrial Development Service of the Department of Fisheries of Canada. Although his talk was mainly about vessels and gear used on the ocean, Mr. Johnson pointed out that many of the new developments could be applied to the freshwater fish- eries of Canada, and expressed the feeling that the f r e s hw ate r fisheries needed diversification through combination fishing. He thought methods could be developed which could produce coarse fish practically and economically as well as premium species.

HERE IS no doubt that the greatest contribution of the vessel. Such a sounder was developed during T to the advancement of the fishing industry since the war for the detection of submarines. This type the war has come from the field of electronics. of equipment, known as asdic and sonar, has been Modern radio telephones are now so compact that successfully introduced into the fishing industry, even comparatively small vessels can talk across particularly in the herring fisheries of Europe. oceans. They allow fishing craft to maintain contact with other vessels which may be on good fishing, Virtually no fish from the largest species to they aid the distressed, and in many ways shorten minute plankton escape detection within the equip- ocean distances. We now feel that someone 50 miles ment's range of a mile or more. The usual practice away is right next door. The fisherman is no is for the vessel to steam full ahead with the asdic longer alone at sea; the radio phone has bolstered scanning a 180 degree arc. Once a shoal is spotted, his morale. the vessel homes, runs up to it andexamines length, breadth, depth and density with the asdic's echo Echo sounders now enable the fisherman to sounding features. 10 examine, in detail, the waters and sea-bed directly 10 under his vessel. He can view schools as w ell as Today asdic and sonar are employed primarily 12 the individual fish themselves. The peculiarities of in such pelagic fisheries as herring seining and mid- the schooling habits of the different species enables water trawling. The great advantage lies in the 12 the fisherman to recognize one shoal from another. fact that one vessel is able to cover vast areas, 12 In some cases, it is even poss ible to identify the considerably reducing searching time. There can 13- 14 individual fish as to species. be little doubt that asdic or sonar will become the future fish finding equipment for all methods of Not only is the depth accurately measured, but fishing. the sea-bed can be examined for rocks, wrecks and other obstructions. The bottom signal also tells Another offshoot from echo sounding that has whether the sea-bed is soft, silty or extremely hard. been a large boon to the advancement of mid-water trawling is the net sounder. The fisherman can, with this mode r n aid, select the species and assess the quantity before This consists of the mounting of a ship's echo setting his gear. He can also keep his gear at the sounder transducer in a float board at the bight on depths most frequented by the fish he seeks. Bottom the trawl s headline. A conductor cable from the obstructions are also a v oide d, eliminating much vessel's echo sounder to the float board carries the damage to fishing gear. Lastly, the echo sounder electronic signals. The net sounder enables one to has proved to be an excellent navigational aid. see the distance the trawl is off bottom, its vertical opening, and any fish which enter or pass under the While the echo sounder has taken the blindness gear. out of fishing, it ha s its limitations in that it only indicates what is directly under the vessel. There Mid-water trawling is still in developmental was a need to see what was ahead and off the sides phases throughout the world and the net sounder is

- 3 - L o r an and De c c a have made it virtually is I impossible to lose fishing gear or position at sea. pla

The automatic pilot also has made the task of standing watch easier than driving a car equipped gre with power steering. Course can be set by means the of a dial; to alter course it is necessary only to Thi push either a port or starboard button; release it gea and the ship returns to its original course. This exi maintains far greater accuracy than is possible by fila hand steering. The quartermaster's duties are now on, reduced to sitting in a comfortable chair and watch- is z ing out for traffic. and erl Some countries are now working on the pos- sibility of using computers to control fishing. For example, a vessel equipped for mid-water trawling wa: could have its electronic equipment, engine s and Co] winch controls operated tnrough 2 computer. The Rel asdic would locate the fish and relay the infor- nyl mation to the computer, which, after digesting the gill data, would alter the ship' s heading to direct it to tha the s cho ol. Then, through signals sent to the nyl winches, it would set the gear to the predetermined The author, right, and crew member attach a net depth at the correct trawling speed. Once the trawl sounder to the head-rope of a trawl net. had passed through the school, making a good catch, nat tension sensing devices on the warps would refer to the information to the computer, which in turn would whe probably one of the greatest contributions towards set the winches in motion to haul back the gear. by perfecting such gear. The net sounder will also see ves use in the present bottom trawls in the near future be i SYNTHETIC FIBRES and the results should be interesting. fur suc Probably the second greatest advance in fish- Radar's contribution to fishing is probably the to most appreciated of the many e le c t r oni c aids to eries has been made with the introduction of syn- navigation. It enable s the fisherman to navigate thetic fibres. These synthetics, under trade names such as nylon, orlon, perlon, courlene, gunlene and under nearly all adverse weather conditions which syn drumlene, nave almost universally replaced natural limit visibility. Not only can other fishing vessels as materials in fishing nets and lines. Because syn- in close proximity be ob served, but fishing gear gre thetics are unaffected by marine organisms, there mark buoys can also be located when visibility is for limited. for wo] Radar was, at one time, due to its size, power con requirements and cost, out of r e a c h of the small fishing vessel. It has now become compact and is priced within the reach of the small operator.

Many fishing boats no more than 40 feet in length now enjoy the same privileges of safety, ing confidence and increased fishing time as do their pov much larger counterparts. Die spe Loran and Decca radio signal time measure- lar ment systems are used to pinpoint a vessel's posi- for tion at sea. Loran is a long -range navigational sid system covering vast ocean distances, while Decca usi is more suited to areas adjacent to coast lines. eng These systems nearly eliminate the need for celes- sha tial navigation in long open water voyages. The are a b distance from shore means nothing; a fisherman can 0 pinpoint special grounds, wrecks and rocks with fisl accuracy me asured in terms of yards or feet. A gill-net made of synthetic fibres. Mounted gill- Furthermore, after noting the p o s i ti on , he can nets range in length from 25 to 50 fathoms. return to the exact spot on later voyages. dev

- 4 - ally is not the deterioration of gear that formerly took place with natural fibres. k of The biggest gains of all, however, are the aped greater strength and abrasion qualities that syn- ans thetics have over organic twine s of equal gauge. .y to This has made possible the development of new e it gear and has greatly inc reased the efficiency of This existing equipment. The introduction of the multi- by filament nylon gill-net has revolutionized the salm- now on, cod and other gill-net fisheries. The nylon net tch- is a far "fishier" net because the twine is much finer and yet stronger than the natural materials form- erly used. ?os- For When the n e a r l y invisible monofilament net ding was introduced, it w a s so effective in the British and Columbia salmon fishery that its use was banned. The Reports indicated that it out-fished multi-filament for- nylon three to one. It was introduced to the cod the gill-net fishery last year, and early indications were that its performance exceeded that of multi-filament it to Multi-purpose fishing boat, for gill-netting, trolling ) the nylon nets. and shrimp fishing, on the Pacific coast. ine d rawl Mid-water trawls that were constructed of natural fibres were so heavy that it took two vessels tch, ers, they have not been generally accepted as to spread and tow one of them. The same nets, efer yet. ould when made of finer gauge nylon twines, are spread by otter boards and one can be towed by a single Stern ramp trawling, with processing at sea, vessel with power to spare. Monotilament i s now is probably the most significant development since being tested in mid-water t r a w 1 gear and may the war. This type of trawler was pioneered by the further increase this gear's efficiency. Today's Christian Salve son Company of Leith, Scotland, and successful mid-water trawls owe their development ish- was an entirely new concept which called for many to synthetics. 3yn- departures from the conventional side trawler. me s The entire catch was hauled up a stern ramp, simi- In the field of otter trawling, multi-filament and lar to that of a whaling factory ship, and dumped synthetics have greatly increased catching efficiency aral into fish bins below deck. From the bins the fish as well as having reduced time lost in repairs. The ;yn- went down processing lines and came out as fillets great strength of synthetics hass allowed the Cali- iere which were quick frozen and stored in the hold ready fornians to develop the world's largest purse seines for the consumer. The method created wide interest for taking tuna . These methods are attracting and has been adopted by several other fishing worldwide attention and the me thod will no doubt nations. continue to grow at a rapid rate. The most recent development has been that of MODERN MARINE PROPULSION ENGINE the world's largest purse seiners, the tuna seiners. These are mostly conversions from former bait The general trend in all segments of the fish- fishing boats. However, new vessels have been ing industry, from the large trawler to the inshore and are being built specifically for this method. powered dory, has been towards diesel power. Their success has been so great that there is little Diesel engine s of the compact me dium and high doubt they will be used throughout the world. speed type seem to be gaining in popularity even in large trawlers. These engines have much to offer, The trend e v e r y w he r e today seems to be for example: engine room size is cut, giving con- increasingly towards combination fishing vessels. siderably more h old space; diesel electric drives The old idea of building vessels expressly for one using multi-engines give great flexibility; multi- purpose seems to be passing. The fishing vessel engines driving through reduction gear to a single operator, like any good businessman, is seeking shaft give great reliability; repairs of such engines diversification to e n s u r e a better and more con- are simple and fast; where multi-engines are used, sistent return for his investment. a breakdown of one will not stop the vessel, so that fishing may go on while repairs are being made. In design, most modern vessels have styles much the same as automobiles. Generally speaking, Although gas turbine engines are fast being vessels built today are more r a k i s h and stream- developed, and have be en installed in a few trawl- lined, they have la rger perpendiculars than their British Columbia purse seiner equipped with a Puretic power block. The crew is "drying up" the "bunt" of the net, preparatory to brailing the salmon from the seine. predecessors of the same length, the y are higher on deck for stacking. The Puretic block made it powered and thus faster , and they have accomo- possible to develop large purse seines which can be dations to support crew morale on long voyages. handled with speed and ease. It has revolutionized purse seine fishing all over the world. By and large, steel and aluminum seem to be gaining steadily as the most popular material for The trend towards combination fishing, espe- fishing vessel construction. Few vessels of any cially in the Pacific region of Canada and the United size are today built of wood, although wood is still States, necessitated the development of a winch much in use in many countries f or boats under 70 suited to at least three methods of fishing. These feet in length. Fibre g la s s and plastic are still methods were purse seining, long lining and trawl- pretty well used in only small fishing craft. Prob- ing. Such a winch was designed and built in the ably the best examples are the salmon gill-netters of State of Washington nearly 20 years ago. This British Columbia. The cost of building individual winch allowed the quick conversion from one fishery boats is quite high, because it is necessary to con- to the next without the need of changing winches. As struct moulds. It is only when a number of boats a result, many vessels on the Pacific coast of can be built from the same mould that costs can Canada and the United States are now equipped with be cut enough to allow competition with other these winches. The combination winch is gradually materials. The evolution of the various new types being recognized throughout the world and its use of vessels and gear has caused the development of will, no doubt, spread to other nations. much new deck machinery . The most notable achievement was the power block which was invented in 1953 by Mario Puretic, an American fisherman, It is of interest to note that these winches to haul large purse seines. Mr. Puretic's power were probably the first in the world's fishing in- block was just a large power d r iven sheave which dustry to incorporate such modern features as roller was hung from the end of a vessel's boom. The net bearings, individual power spooling, air actuated is passed through the block over the revolving clutches, remote control and highpressure hydraulic sheave, which pulls the net and drops it to the crew drive s.

-6- The Canadian Cod fishery and the World Market

By MARY HATHEWAY

N SPITE of mid-year stresses and adjustments, per year is, however, processed in various coun- I Canadian business in 1962 showed the best pro- tries for export. It produces between four and five duction gain in six years: about eight per cent in million tons of products with a value estimated at value and just under seven per cent in physical between 12 and 13 hundred million dollars. This is volume. After a year and a half of strong expan- the annual supply on the world fish market. sion, there was a levelling off last summer and fall, but no decline, and the year ended in an atmos- More than 100 nations contribute to the total phere of confidence with imports decreasing, but, in terms of value of shipment s , 16 fishing exports expanding, inventories at conservative countries provide three-quarters of it and half of levels and many industries in an improved position. their contribution comes f r o m only three of them: Japan, Norway and Canada. Exports of Japan's These conditions were reflected in the fisher- fishing industry in 1961 were valued at $188 million, ies, which are not a major industry in relation to Norway's at $139 million, Canada's at $137 million. the Canadian economy as a whole but are of great (This latter figure, inserted here to make possible a and sometimes crucial importance locally. On the comparison with other countries, is somewhat less Atlantic coast the landed value of the catch, the comprehensive than the figure publi s he d by the marketed value of products and the value of export Canadian government for the same year, which was trade all were at higher levels than have ever been $143 million and included, for instance, the export reached before. value of seal skins.)

The most important pr o duct of the Atlantic In several respects Canada's position is sector of the industry is frozen groundfish fillets. unique. The most productive fishing grounds in the This output has increased steadily in both volume world are on her Atlantic doorstep; some of the most and value for more than a decade, a major factor in valuable on her Pacific coast; and within her borders its more recent growth be in g manufacture of fish she has greater expanses of fresh water than any blocks. About half the Canadian production of other nation in the world. Love of the sea and a long frozen groundfish is cod. Flounders, haddock and tradition of fishing skills have been handed down redfish are the main constituents of the other half. for generations among her coastal peoples. And In 1962 the output of these products reached the new she now has an advanced technology, although still a high level of 166 million pounds. small population: hence a large surplus from her two-billion-pound annual catch and ample facilities As 70 per cent of all their v a r i e d output is to process it for foreign shipment. shipped abroad, the Canadian fisheries constitute an export industry. They are at the me r c y of price, Freezers, canneries, reduction plant s and import and exchange controls in foreign countries salting plants in the variou s exporting countries and the only countervailing influence they can bring turn out the products supplied to the world market. to bear is the high quality of their products. In the course of a year these products include about half a million tons of salted and pickled fish, which CANADIAN FISH IN WORLD TRADE accounts for perhaps 13 per cent of the total dollar volume. Bulky but relatively low-priced, about two Figures recently released by the Food and million tons of fish meal and oil contributes approx- Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in- imately 17 per cent. Highest in unit prices but not dicate that the world's yearly fish catch now exceeds greatly in excess of half a million tons, canned fiAli 41 million me t r i c tons. Some of it is landed in accounts for about thirty per cent, while the chilled countries which have no organized processing in- or frozen fish and shellfish from the freezing plants, dustry and much of it in populous nations which have in shipments totalling about 1.3 million tons, earns no surplus fish remaining after the needs of their fully 40 per cent of the total value of the world own people have been met. About 12 million tons fishing industry's international trade.

- 7 - By far the greatest buyer is the United States. much as Canada in terms of dollar volume, Norway Although three-quarters of its fish needs are sup- only half as much. plied by its own industry, the import purchases of this country account for near ly 30 per cent of the While cod accounts for more than half the out- value of all international fish trade. It more than put of Canada's f r oz en groundfish industry, it is doubles the buying of the United Kingdom, which also, and much more exclusively, the basis of the stands in second place. Canadian salting industry. The latter utilizes about 53 per cent of the cod catch and its export shipments Two-thirds of the American import demand is reach an annual value of some $18 million. Major for fresh and frozen fish and shellfish . This is destinations in this case are in the Caribbean area, required not only by consumers but by the domestic which is the market for about eleven per cent of the processing industry: shrimp and tuna for the can- Canadian fisheries' total export trade. neries, blocks of groundfish fillets for the fish stick plants, whitefish for the gefilte fish trade. Major consumer items are groundfish fillets and steaks; CANADIAN CATCH OF ATLANTIC GROUNDFISH lobsters; and dressed fish such as halibut, salmon, whitefish and swordfish. The Canadian catch of Atlantic groundfish in 1962 totalled 963 million pounds and included 586 Again Canada's position is unique. Her fleets millionpounds of cod, 114 million pounds of haddock, fish in cold waters, which produce the crisp-fleshed 104 million pounds of small flatfishes (mainly witch species most wanted in the freezing industry. She flounders and plaice), 61 million pounds of pollock, shares a long boundary line with the United States, about the same quantity of redfish, and smaller the greatest market for these products. While the amounts of hake, halibut, cusk and catfish. bulk of this traffic is in refrigerated rail transport, the most notable expansion at present is in the The cod catch accredited to Canada more than amount of fish moved across the Canada-United doubled when Newfoundland joined the Dominion in States b or de r by road. A refrigerated truck can 1949. The figure 1 i s te d for 1948 was 256 million pick up frozen fish at a Canadian processing plant pounds landed in the three Maritime Provinces and and carry it direct to a supermarket warehouse in in coastal areas of Quebec. Since then it has been the United States. Canada's recent rapid industrial listed in the vicinity of 600 million pounds, with a expansion northward has hastened this development. high of 654 million in 1956. Last year 440 of the 586 Many fish processing plants are no w in operation million pounds of cod w a s landed in Newfoundland hundreds of miles beyond reach of railways. Fish and Quebec while 211 of the 3 7 7 million pounds from Great Slave Lake moves direct to warehouses of other g r oundf i s h was landed in the Maritime in Chicago; there is an established flow of whitefish Province s. from Lake Winnipeg to gefilte fish plants in New There is in fact a strongly marked geographic York; frozen gr oundf i sh fillets can be loaded in division of Canada's Atlantic groundfishery at the refrigerated road vans at Canadian Atlantic ports 48th parallel of latitude. North of that line, on the and go to any important Ame r i c an distributing coasts of Quebec and Labrador and all but the centre without re-handling or temperature change southern shore of the Island of Newfoundland, the en route. Air transport of live lobsters from the three-hundred-year-old salt cod industry of the area Atlantic Provinces to points in the United States is provides the major ma rket, and often the only another rapidly growing enterprise. market, for the fisherman's catch. The economy of these northern coastal areas therefore fluctuates TRADE WITH U.S. with cod landings. Furthermore, the fisherman's Canada in fact exports more than two-thirds position is much more vulnerable than in the tradi- of its total output of f i she r y products and sends tional days of sail. Then the schooners went out to seventy per cent of the se shipments to the United the offshore banks with their dories piled on deck. States. From 1 9 6 1 to 19 6 2 the value of its fish Fishing was by longline and consequently selective, export trade with all countries increased by nine per since in the hungry depths the big fish frightened off cent, with the United States by ten per cent. Dollar the little fish and moved in to take the bait. The volume of shipments by the freezing industry to catch was stowed in the hold under salt. Now, Unite d State s buyers expanded from $90 to $98 however, saltfish must compete with the superior million. Frozen g r o u n d f i s h fillets and blocks, flavour of the frozen fillet; and the capital expend- mainly cod, a c c ounte d for more than half of this iture of a schooner, together with the labour cost of increase. manning it, is uneconomic in relation t o possible returns in the saltfish indu stry. This industry The biggest transaction in the world's inter- now depends upon inshore fish. national fish trade today is this steady heavy annual sale of Canadian frozen fillets to American buyers. In what the fishermen somewhat optimisti- It puts Canada in first place as an exporter of fresh cally call a "normal" year, great schools of caplin and frozen fish. Japan and Denmark, competing for move inshore in the summer in these northern areas, second place, each export only three-quarters as followed by the feeding cod. A brief but very active

-8- •way trap fishery of about six weeks provides the bulk of The first steps toward rational exploitation of the year's cod catch. It is f o 11 owed and supple- this fishing area have been th o s e taken in recent mented by a shore-based dory fishery in the fall. years by the Int e rnational Commission for the out- Fish caught in the vicinity of salting plants is deliv- Northwest Atlantic Fisheries, or ICNAF. it is ered to them direct but the major proportion of the the catch is kench-piled in their own sheds by individual Five recent developments in the Canadian bout fishermen to be picked up late r by collector boats Atlantic area ha v e underlined and dramatized the ents and shipped to drying plants in Nova Scotia. need for ICNAF action. Half -a-dozen years of ajor increasingly heavy haddock landings on St. Pierre -ea, Thus the area north of 48 degrees is an in- bank came to an abrupt end in 1956. This outcome the shore fishing sector which usually produces three- had been fore cast by biologists and was not attributed quarters of the Canadian cod catch: and very little to overfishing but it considerably jarred the faith else. There are, however, seasons when the cod of Canadian fishermen in the s e e ming inexhaust- fail to come inshore in customary quantities to the ibility of gr oundf i s h stocks on the Newfoundland ;I-I waiting, and stationary, traps. The success of the banks. There were still no haddock on St. Pierre fishery depends upon a migration which is, in the when Canadian cod catches on the banks began a h in present state of scientific knowledge, uncontrollable two-year de cline in 1960. The cod populations 586 and to a la r g e extent unpredictable. On the other returned to normal in 1962 but the scarcity is ,ck, hand it is less directly threatened by international remembered. The unaccustomed presence of Rus- itch competition on the offshore banks than is the fishery sian factory ships operating within sight of Canadian ,ck, based on ports south of 48 degrees. vessels, together withtheir numbers and their lle r size, has therefore given more concern to Canadian This is the settled and fairly industrialized fishermen than would otherwise have been the case. area comprising the Maritime Provinces and the Japan's fishing cap acity being well known, this southern coast of Newfoundland. All the large fish han concern deepened when the first Japanese vessel to processing plant s of the Canadian Atlantic region 1 in fish the Newfoundland banks commercially appeared are within its borders. The facilities are mainly for Lion there last summer. It was followed by news of the filleting and freezing although the drying of wet salt and plan of Common Market countries to build large new cod is also an important industry. The dryer's raw een modern shore facilities for fish processing on the supplies are chiefly shipments of wet salt cod from th a French islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon. 586 the inshore fishery of northern Newfoundland. The and freezing plants are supplied by f le e t s of offshore TREND IN NEWFOUNDLAND nds trawlers fishing on the banks supplemented by While the Canadian industry has been trying to .me draggers, longliners and Danish seiners operating in the Gulf of St. Lawrence or Bay of Fundy or assess these developments, a potentially important within a day's sailing of the Atlantic coast of Nova trend has started almost unnoticed in its own New- hic Scotia. foundland sector. The two-year scarcity of cod the coincided with an accelerating mar ke t for frozen the groundfish and matching capital expansion in the the More than one-third of Canada's entire Atlantic freezing industry, especially in its newer enter- groundfish catch is landed by trawlers operating the prises along the southern coast of Newfoundland. mainly on the Newfoundland banks. Cod is the most rea These production lines came into operation early my important single species in this catch but other last summer with scanty supplies on hand and at a kinds of groundfish constitute two-thirds of the r of time when the outcome of the season's cod fishery trawler landings. More than one-tenth of the ground- to s was still in doubt. The plant s assembled large fish catch is supplied by the smaller boats men- n' s fleets of collector boats and scoured the coast for tioned above. Their major contribution also is cod, di- inshore fish normally destined for salting. As the although the Danish seiners concentrate on floun- d to latter industrybegan to go short, unit prices offered ders. Inshore fishing by trap, h an dline and set :k. to fishermen for salt cod soared to record levels. It ve, gillnet still supplies more than half of all the ground- became economically feasible to increase the fleet off fish. The great bulk of this catch is Newfoundland saltfishing in the Labrador area. This once very axe cod but handlining for cod and hake and trap-fisning important enterprise had di e d out some years ago N for pollock yield relatively small but still significant but seven ships had s a i le d in 1960. In 1962 they 101 quantities in the Maritimes. numbered thirty-one. By the end of the season a id- new trend was apparent. As the freezing industry of The predominantly important Atlantic freezing expands in southern Newfoundland, the salting in- ble industry is based almost exclusively on the offshore dustry is being pushed northward; freezing and dry- try fish, however. Thi s is the biggest, steadiest and ing plants competing for the fishermen's supplies most valuable section of the entire Canadian fisher- create a seller's market; the increased profits of ies industry. It represents the largest investment saltfishing are divided among fewer communities: ti- and the best hope for the future. It has by far the the recently unsteady economic structure of the salt lin biggest, most valuable and most rapidly expanding fishery becomes firmer. How far this revival can ,s, market. It gives Canada her prominent place among progress depends of course on the export market for .ve the fishing nations, Canadian salt fish. 1// 1 Canadian Fisheries News Hon. H. J. Robichaud New Minister of Fisheries

Hon. H.J. Robichaud, Member of Parliament for Gloucester, New Brunswick, has been appointed Minister of Fisheries by Pr ime Minister L.B. Pearson. He succeeds Hon. J. Angus MacLean, who had served as Minister since June, 1957.

Born in November 1911 at Shippegan, in the constituency which he has represented in the House of Commons since 1953, Mr. Robichaud is of French a Acadian stock. He received his education at Ste . Famille Academy, Sacred Heart University, f Bathurst, N.B., and St. Joseph's University, St. I Joseph's, N.B., where he received the degree of Bachelor of Arts. He was married in 1937 to the former Gertrude Leger of Lower Caraquet, N.B. , and they have nine childr e n. Their home is in r Caraquet, N.B. t Mr. Robichaud has had wide experience in r fisheries matters, having first been a fisheries inspector with the Department of Fisheries of Canada from 1938 to 1947. He was appointed Di- rector of Fisheries for the Province of New Bruns- wick in 1947 and held that post until 1952, when he was a candidate in a federal by-election. He was C first elected to Parliament for the Constituency of Gloucester in 1953, and was r e -elected in 1957 1958, 1962 and again in 1963. t Canadian Food Conference in Ottawa I A two-day Canadian Food Conference, spon- stated that we have no physical shortages of food in r sored by the Canadian Freedom From Hunger Com- Canada at the present time. If we have a problem t mittee was held in Ottawa d u r in g Freedom From now, it is one arising out of our ability to produce Hunger Week, March 17-23 inclusive. Prominent more food than is required by Canadians or by com- food authorities from government, industry , and mercial markets to which we can sell it, he as- I allied associations spoke at the Conference on such serted. 1 topics as domestic food production and consumption, processing, inspection and control, and Canada's Speaking of the di s t r ibu ti on of our fishery part in the world food situation. products he stated that over 50 per cent of our total production is s old to the United States (for some An underlying purpose of the Conference was products over 90 per cent of the total supply is sold to assess the Canadian food situation prior to the there each year). The domestic market takes about World Congress to be held in Washington, D.C. , in 20 per cent, with the remaining 30 per cent being June. It is not the intention of "Trade News" to sold in many countries abroad. Of future prospects summarize the papers given at this Conference but he had this to say: merelyto record statements made by various speak- ers which are of interest from a fisheries stand- "If we assume that economic growth and living point. standards continue to rise, and that the population of Canada will reach 27 million by 1980, then we PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION can project that the total food consumption in 1980 will be 70 per cent greater than in 1960." He as- In the opening address, Dr . S. C. Bar ry, sessed our ability to cope with a consequent in- Deputy Minister, Canada Department of Agriculture, creased demand from the fisheries in these words:

- 10 - "The North American de mand for Canadian mentioned the ever-widening gap between technol- fishery products can be related reasonably well to ogical developments and the understanding of these population. This demand is now beginning to press advances by the public. upon supplies, as e v i de n c e d by the strong price structure that now prevails in most sectors of the A food technologist, Dr. Dyson Rose of xhe industry. Already there is evidence that Canadian Division of Applied Biology, National Research fishermen are seeking new species, and the tradi- Council, pointed out the importance of food tech- tional ones in new grounds, in efforts to meet the nology in the development of Canada. As an example requirements of the processing plants. There is by of the value of government sponsored research he no means an unlimited s upp 1 y of fish available to traced the development of railway refrigerator cars, our fleets for the taking. On the international banks research in which the Fisheries Research Board of Canadian fishermen mu st compete with large and Canada took the lead and for which much credit must powerful fleets from other nations - including the go to 0. C. Young, w ho recently retired from the U.S.S.R., Spain, Portugal and the United States . Board's staff. This competition not only lessens the productive areas in which Canadian vessels can work, it also CANADA AND THE WORLD FOOD SITUATION results in 'thinner' stocks, which means smaller fish and greater costs per pound caught and The work of the Food and Agriculture Organ- processed. ization (FAO) was outlined by A.H. Turner, Director of the Economics Division, Canada Department of "Wo r k and experimentation are constantly Agriculture. As one of the Organization's contin- being carried on to maximize stocks under manage- uous projects, Mr. Turner cited the collection of ment and to establish and nurture new stocks. information on the nutritive value and utilization of Canada is a party to several international conven- protein-rich foods which could improve the diets in tions designed to protect populations fished by two or certain countries. In this connection he stated that more countries. Despite these and other efforts, FAO laboratories make tests of the use and accept- however, it must be recognized that the present ability of fish flour for human consumption and that supply of fish is by no means completely elastic." the increased use of this flour would provide cheap food of high nutritional value. An industry spokesman, W.R. Carroll, former Vice-President of Canada Packers Ltd., stated that Regarding FAO's Fisheries Development Canada has great fish resources--resources which Program, Mr. Turner reported that important seemed unlimited in earlier times but to which lim- changes were called for in methods of catching and its are rapidly being applied. He remarked that handling fish, especially in underdeveloped areas. our total fish production r e main s steady at about A later speaker, Harold A. Vogel, FAO's regional two billion pounds per year while world totals have representative for North America, speaking on the increased 75 per cent since 1948. progress of the Organization's five-year Freedom From Hunger Campaign, brought news of the fishing With regard to present consumption of fishery boat mechanization project to which Canada is lend- products in Canada, Dr. L.E. Drayton of the Eco- ing aid (for de to i 1 s see "Trade News", February nomics Department, Canada Department of Agricul- 1962). He said that to date this project had been ture, stated he found it surprising that in a country initiated in two countries, Dahomey and Zanzibar which touches three of the world's five oceans and and that surveys of other potential sites were being has half of the fresh waters of the earth within her carried out. boundaries, fish has been consumed at the rate of less than 15 pounds per person annually for the past As the Conference drew to a close, repeated several decades. mention was made of an experimental, three-year, World Food Program established in January 1963as a joint responsibility of FAO and the United Nations. PROCESSING Main purposes of this Program it was explained are: to help meet emergency food needs; find better ways A number of the speakers commented on our of carrying out supplementary feeding programs; growing reliance on foods either partially or com- and to stimulate and support rural development pletely prepared. "Instant", it was reported, has projects. become a magic word. Mr. Carroll referred to the increasing attention being paid to pre -cooked fishery Canada and some 40 other countries helped to products such as fish portions and fish sticks. create the Program and have pledged cash and commodities up to a value of $90 million. Of this Professor Helen R. Neilson, Director of the total, Canada has pledged $5 million with one-third school of household science at McGill University's to be provided incash and two-thirds in commodities Macdonald College stated that the trends are already such as canned or dried fish, dairy products, wheat showing which may result in the family of the future and wheat flour, or other acceptable products which being entirely dependent on prepared foods. She may be available. Atlantic Fisheries

Fisheries problems affecting Canada's east coast were discussed at the fifth annual meeting in Ottawa on April 25 of the Federal-Provincial Atlantic Fisheries Committee, which i s made up of deputy ministers with responsibility for fisheries in the federal and the five Atlantic provincial governments.

The members and their advisers were wel- comed to Ottawa by Fishe ries Minister H.J. Robichaud. Subjects covered included the programs of the Atlantic Development Board, the Agriculture and Development Act and marine works in relation to fisheries, the Atlantic program of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada, the program of the fed- eral Department's Industrial Development Service, deep sea fleet development, vocational training, provincial programs, fishing gear and vessel tech- nology, fisheries inspection, and the results of investigations made by the two special sections of Minister of Fisheries of Prince Edward Island and the committee, one de a li n g with salmon and trout Leonce Chenard, Deputy Minister of Fisheries of New Brunswick. Seated, left to right , are J. M. and the other with oysters. Boulanger, representing the Assistant Deputy Min- Shown in the photograph at the meeting are, ister (Fisheries), Department of Industry and Com- standing, left to right, V. M. Knight , Deputy merce of Quebec ; Dr. A. W.H. Needler, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry of Nova Scotia; C. L. Minister of Fisheries of Cana da and Chairman of Duguay, of the New Brunswick Department of Indus- the Committee, and Eric Gosse, Deputy Minister of try and Development; Euge n e G or man , Deputy Fisheries of Newfoundland.

Asst. Director, Pacific Area Nfld. Appointment

Kenneth C. Lucas, P . Eng . , has been ap- John P. Hennessey, a native of St. John's, pointed As sistant Director, Pacific Area, Department Newfoundland, and a graduate of Dalhousie of Fisheries of Canada. University, Halifax, N.S., He was selected f or the has been appointed Chief post in a promotional com- of the Inspection Branch of petition approved by the the federal Department of Civil Service Commission Fisheries for the New - of Cana da. Mr. Lucas foundland Area. Mr. joined the staff of the De- Hennessey joined the De - partment of Fisheries in partment in 1951 as a May 1950 as Student Engi- chemist with the Fish In- neer with the Fish Culture spection Laboratory and in and Development Branch. 1953 became Chief of the He w a s appointed Junior Laboratory, a position he Engineer in 1952. In 1958, retained until his present Mr. Hennessey he was promoted to Senior appointment. Before join- Engineer (Research). He ing the Department he worked as a chemist with the is the author of many tech- Mr. Lucas Newfoundland Government Lab o ratory and as a nical reports on the ef- hydrographer with the Fisheries Research Board of fects of multiple water-use projects on fisheries, Canada. and has published papers on spawning channels and fish passage through hydraulic turbines. A native In 1956, Mr. Hennessey headed a five-man of Kamloops, B.C., and a graduate in Civil Engi- team from the Department of Fisheries together neering of the University of British Columbia, Mr. with officials from the United States Department of Lucas is a member of the Association of Profession- Health, Education and Welfare, and conducted grad- al Engineers and the Engineering Institute of Canada. ing experiments on groundfish at Boston, Mass. He He has held offices in the Association of Profes- has been active on departmental committees dealing sional Engineers and the Engineers Club, and is a with fish standards and inspection regulations, and past chairman of the Vancouver branch of the has represented the Newfoundland Area at meetings Profe s sional Institute of the Public Service of Canada. of the Atlantic Fisheries Technological Committee.

- 12 -

Fishery Figures For February

SEAFISH: LANDED WEIGHT AND LANDED VALUE

May-February 1962 May-February 1963 '000 lbs $'000 '000 lbs $' 000 CANADA - TOTAL 1, 699, 703 88,934 1,881, 702 105,890

ATLANTIC COAST - Total 1, 114, 295 52,470 1, 204, 254 60,254 Cod 496, 416 14,925 560,711 17,701 Haddock 71,860 2,806 67,081 3, 164 Pollock, Hake & Cusk 67,414 1,489 79, 477 2, 121 Rosefish 54,925 1,443 61,299 1, 595 Halibut 4,847 1,349 4,215 1,292 Plaice & Other Flatfish 106, 322 3,246 92, 383 2,893 Herring & Sardines 180, 310 2,626 221, 573 3, 307 Mackerel 14,868 756 16, 144 653 Swordfish 3, 198 1,237 3,468 1,570 Salmon 3, 490 1,451 3,827 1,603 Smelts 2, 579 248 2,991 233 Alewives 7, 529 142 10, 325 169 Other Fish 18, 043 407 15,873 472 nd Lobsters 45, 394 16,645 44,360 18,778 of Clams & Quahaugs 3, 321 144 3, 063 138 VI. Scallops 9, 484 2,792 12, 276 4, 168 Other Shellfish 24,295 764 5, 188 397

PACIFIC COAST - Total 585,408 36, 464 677,448 45,636 8,096 678 of Pacific Cods 7, 163 588 26, 306 5, 586 31,119 9,734 of Halibut 1/ Soles & Other Flatfish 5, 254 307 5,301 335 Herring 410, 608 4, 290 458,690 4,971 Salmon 117,730 24, 670 154,675 28,772 Other Fish 6, 758 190 6,706 217 Shellfish 11, 589 833 12,861 929

BY PROVINCES British Columbia 585, 408 36, 464 677,448 45,636 Nova Scotia 384,753 23, 338 359, 417 27, 178 New Brunswick 132, 530 7, 312 192,586 8,713 Prince Edward Island 36, 522 4, 173 37, 521 4, 357 Quebec 103, 649 3, 928 127,518 4,786 Newfoundland 456,841 13,719 487, 212 15, 220

1/ Includes halibut landed in U.S. ports by Canadian fishermen

MID-MONTH WHOLSESALE PRICES, Feb. , 1963 PRICES PER CWT. PAID TO FISHERMEN (Week ending February 16th) Montreal Toronto 1962 1963 Halifax $ $ $ $ Cod Steak 5 5 Market Cod 4-1 41- he Cod fillets, Atl. fresh, unwrapped lb .328 .38 3 Haddock 7 7 a Cod fillets, Atl. frozen, cello 5's lb .295 .337 Plaice 4 4 of Cod fillets, smoked lb .360 .433 Yarmouth Haddock fillets, fresh, unwrapped lb .426 .490 Haddock 7 Herring kippered, Atl. lb .254 .300 Black's Harbour an Mackerel, frozen, round lb .220 .267 Sardines 2 er Lobsters, canned, Fancy case 48-Is 46.827 46.37 3 St. John's, Nfld • of Sardines, canned case 100-4-'s 9.490 9.645 Cod 2 3/4 3 d- Halibut, frozen dressed lb .487 .527 Haddock 2 1/4 21 He Silverbright, frozen, dressed lb .552 .567 Rosefish 2 2 .697 .717 Vancouver ng Coho, frozen, dressed lb Sockeye, canned, Gr. A case 48-Is 26.737 27.537 Ling Cod 14 17 nd Pink, canned, Gr. A case 48-Is 14.620 15.074 Grey Cod 7 7 gs Whitefish, fresh lb .4021/ .383 Soles 7-9 9 e . Lake Trout, frozen lb .460 .450 Salmon (Rdspg) 42-70 40-8 5 1/ dressed - 13 -

Fishery Figures For February

STOCKS AS AT END OF FEBRUARY CANADIAN EXPORT VALUE OF FISHERY PRODUCTS MAY - JANUARY 1962 1963 (Value in Thousands of Dollars) by '000 lbs 000 lbs 1962 1963 ra TOTAL - Frozen Fish, Canada 45,411 44,509 Total Exports 118,523 128,898

Frozen-Fresh, Sea Fish - Total 22,446 27,246 By Markets : fo United States 85,464 92,458 re Cod Atlantic, fillets & blocks 2,537 4,793 Caribbean Area 12,665 12,617 ho Haddock, fillets & blocks 3,412 1,361 Europe 18,340 20, 97 1 of Rosefish, fillets & blocks 241 908 Other Countries 2,054 2,852 er Flatfish (excl. Halibut), fillets & By Forms: n-t; blocks 2,994 1,124 Fresh and Frozen 77,737 85,337 re Halibut Pacific, dressed & steaks 2,388 5,602 Whole or Dressed 28,671 30,842 fu Other Groundfish, dressed & Salmon, Pacific 6,430 7,880 an steaks 1,557 1,455 Halibut, Pacific 4,765 5,120 pr Other Groundfish, fillets & blocks 1,289 1,561 Cod, Haddock, fu] Salmon Pacific, dressed & steaks 2,974 4,526 Pollock, etc. 387 314 Herring Atlantic & Pacific 893 840 Swordfish 1,687 2,041 All Other Sea Fish, all forms 2,701 3,556 Other Seafish 3,372 4,046 int Shellfish 1,460 1,520 Whitefish 4,819 4,417 me Pickerel 2,535 2,416 lat Frozen-Fresh, Inland Fish - Total 6,969 4,415 Other Freshwater re Perch, round or dressed 220 63 fish n. o. p. 4,676 4,608 Pickerel (Yellow & Blue) fillets 487 509 Fillets 29,878 33,630 in Sauger, round or dressed 394 514 Cod, Atlantic 11, 920 13,838 p0 Tullibee, round or dressed 223 158 Haddock 2,957 3,025 Whitefish, round or dressed 1,015 660 Rosefish, Hake, dry Whitefish, fillets 1, 311 243 Pollock, etc. 2,905 3,697 Other, all forms 3, 319 2,268 Flatfish 4, 903 5, 48 1 Pickerel 1, 511 1, 902 fis Frozen-Smoked Fish - Total 1,313 1,290 Other 5,682 5,687 sci Cod Atlantic 543 608 Shellfish 19, 188 20,865 foi Sea Herring, kippers 429 337 Lobster (Alive & ap] Other, all forms 341 345 Meat) 15,985 16,602 an Other 3,203 4,263 ME Frozen for Bait and Animal Feed 14,683 11,558 of Cured 16,601 17,109 wa Salted and Pickled Fish, Atl. Coast Smoked 1, 052 1, 083 pr, Herring 686 746 ow Wet-salted - Total 9,073 13,678 Other 366 337 Cod 8,487 12,235 Salted, Wet & Dried 13,614 14,170 ogi Other 586 1,443 Cod 11,607 11, 930 Dried - Total 13,042 17,498 Other 2, 007 2, 240 Cod 12, 615 16, 126 Pickled 1, 935 1,856 427 1, 372 Herring 1, 254 1, 177 Other Boneless - Total 638 818 Mackerel 201 228 by Cod 599 759 Other 480 451 opt Other 39 59 Pickled - Total (barrels) 16, 320 23, 118 Canned 17,177 18,218 Herring 12,957 12,257 Salmon 11, 9 18 12, 735 OC( Mackerel 1,457 5,663 Sardines 2, 354 2, 508 COI Alewives 1,786 5, 127 Lobster 1, 865 2, 169 Sc( Turbot 120 71 Other 1, 040 806 ma gla Bloaters (18 lb boxes) (1) 90,423 Miscellaneous 7,008 8,234 rax Boneless Herring (10 lb boxes) 654 3,868 Meal 3,892 4,797 Oil 595 452 out (1) Less than three firms reporting. Other 2,521 2,985 in COE

the

- 14 - 116,. Current Reading

"Management of Artificial Lakes and Ponds," ics. All members of the tuna group are more or by George W. Bennett. (Reinhold Publishing Corpo- less migratory, but it is the bluefin which extends ration, New York, N.Y.). its range to Newfoundland in the Atlantic and which is attracted close inshore by the abundance of squid This book was planned as a general reference and small fish. In other parts of the world, partic- for the professional fishery biologist, and for the ularly the tropics, the cur r ent systems produce recreation expert assigned to the task of producing rich feeding grounds far from land and rich tuna hook-and-line fishing in the artificial impoundment fisheries are prosecuted in mid-ocean. of parks and forest preserves. It will interest fish- ermen who wish to be informed on lake-management The bluefin is the only species of tuna found matters, and should serve as a baseline from which in Newfoundland waters, and record catches of 600- research biologists in warm water fisheries launch pounders in Conception Bay in recent years have further investigations. Students of aquatic biology aroused much interest. This booklet provides and fishery management will find both theory and detailed information on the fish. No other tuna has practice in this volume, as well as references for a range which e xtends so far north nor does any further reading on many subjects. other species of tuna grow to such a large size. The North Atlantic contains two main populations, The author has provided a comprehensive and which are more or less separate. One lives on the integrated presentation of the dynamics and manage- European side and one on the American side. On ment of warm-water fish populations in artificial the American side the stock migrates up and down lakes and ponds. Not only has he included the most the coast from the Caribbean area in the south to recent scientific advances and practical techniques Newfoundland in the north. in artificial lake and pond management, but he has posed comparisons -- advantages and disadvantages The bluefin grows at a fast rate throughout its -- of various management me thods such as fall life and has been known to reach 1300 pounds, which drawdowns and biennial culling. would indic ate an age of about twenty years. In addition to the facts about the bluefin in Newfound- Numerous aspects of fishery biology and land waters, the author provides interesting infor- fishery management, previously accessible only in mation about tuna fishes in general. scattered publications, are gathered together here for the first time. The book incorporates useful new The g r e at size of this fish, its beautifully approaches to the many p e r ple xing problems of streamlined build, its remarkable life history and artificial lake and pond management. The develop- its sporting and commercial value combine to make ment is broad in scope, and well suited to the needs it a most fascinating study. of all students and professional workers in fresh- water biology and fish e r i e s management. It will prove most usefulas an authoritative source for pond "Ichthyology, the Study of Fishes", by Karl F. owners, professional f i she ry biologists, limnol- Lagler, John E. B a r da ch and Robert R. Miller, ogists, and conservation workers. (John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, N.Y. 545 pp.).

This is a new and comprehensive treatment of "The Bluefin Tuna in Newfoundland Waters, " the field of ichthyology and is intended by the authors by G.R. Williamson. (Newfoundland Tourist Devel- as an introduction to the subject . It covers vir- opment Office, St. John's, Nfld.). tually every aspect of the s cie n c e of fishes, and describes how they are built , how they function, There are about twenty species of tuna in the how they react to one another and to their environ- oceans, and they are joined by the ma ckerel to ment, what principles govern their distribution, how compose a family known to biologists as the characteristics are passed from parents to off- Scombridae. The members of this family all share spring, how they are classified, how di verse and many features in common, and even the most casual numerous they are, how they have evolved, and how glance will confirm that in general shape and ar- they reproduce, feed, and grow. rangement of fins a bluefin is nothing le s s than an outsize edition of the ordinary mackerel. It is known The book will be of great use to readers who in N e w f oundland and elsewhere on the Atlantic lack a technical background. The authors have coast as the horse mackerel. taken pains to see that scientific words are defined and scientific names of fishes are used throughout The tunas as a whole are warm water fish and only in conjunction with English names. The text the greater number of species are found in the trop- is profusely illustrated.

15

If undelivered return to: Department of Fisheries of Canal Deputy Minister. OTTAWA

A year ago, the life of this fine lobster was reprieved. Then small, he was thrown back into the sea—allowed to grow into a bigger, more profitable catch. By throwing back shorts, lobster fishermen are actively cooperating with the Department of Fisheries to conserve their own great industry. The one that got away! MANY LOBSTERS CAUGHT in the Atlantic fishing grounds go back into the sea. Some are small and are reprieved to grow in size and quality. Some are berried—egg-carrying lobsters— willingly surrendered to go back and multiply. During close seasons, no traps are laid. This keeps their numbers at a safe level to ensure good catches in future years. By following these vital conservation methods, the lobster fishing community wholeheartedly cooperates with the Depart- ment of Fisheries and safeguards the prosperity of its industry and livelihood. The annual market value of Canadian lobsters has been Atlantic lobster fishermen use these specially estimated at 25 million dollars. The Department of Fisheries and constructed traps—built to allow undersized lobsters to escape. This is only one of the the lobster fishing industry are jointly concerned to preserve conservation methods by which the industry this important national asset. is safeguarded.

DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES OTTAWA CANADA

DF.47

ROGER DUHAMEL, F.R.S.C., Queen's Printer and Controller of Stationery, Ottawa, 1963