Consultancy Report An Overview )f Vessels, Gearand FishingTechniques Practicedin the Fisheriesof Peru

Peru: Export Trade and Development Program 527-0349-A-00-1275-00

Prepared by: W. Douglas Souter

Prepared for: Agricultural Cooperative Development International 50 F Street, NW, Suite 900 Washington, DC 20001 Phone: 202/638-4661 Fax: 202/626-8726

December 7, 1993 AN OVERVIEW OF VESSELS, GEAR AND TECHNIQUES PRACTICED IN THE OF PERU

Submitted to:

Asociaci6n de Exportadores (ADEX) Avenida Santo Toribio 151 San Isidro Lima, PERU

By:

W. Douglas Souter San Diego, California

For:

Agricultural Cooperative Development International Washington, D.C.

December 7, 1993 CONTENTS

I. PREFACE ...... 1 II. PROJECT OBJECTIVES ...... 2 III. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...... 3 IV. BACKGROUND ...... 7 V. PURSE SEINE VESSELS ENGAGED IN THE ANCHOVETA/ SARDINA/JUREL/CABELLA ...... 8 Background 8 Discussion and Recommendations 9 VI. BOTTOM-TRAWL VESSELS ENGAGED IN THE MERLUSA FISHERY.. 11 Background 11 Operating and On-Board Handling Practices 12 Discussion end Recommendations 12 VII. BOTTOM PAIR FOR MERLUSA ...... 14 Background 14 Vessels 15 Trawl Nets 15 Discussion and Recommendations 16 VIII. MID-WATER TRAWLING ...... 18 IX. SINGLE VESSEL MID-WATER TRAWLING FOR JUREL AND CABELLA ...... o...... o...... 19 Background 19 Vessels 19 Trawl Nets 20 Discussion and Recommendations 20 X. MID-WATER PAIR TRAWLING FOR JUREL AND CABALLA...... 21 Background 21 Vessels 21 Trawl Nets 21 Discussion and Recommendations 22 XI. VESSEL REFRIGERATION ...... 23 Refrigerated Sea Water 23 Pumping System 23 Fish Hold 23 Refrigeration Systems 24 Chilled Sea Water 26 Icing of Fish 29 XII. VESSEL SANITATION ...... 30 Discussion and Recommendations 30 CONTENTS

Page

XIII. RENOVATION OF THE ACTUAL OPERATING FLEET FINANCIAL ASPECTS ...... 31 The Financial Situation 31 Pcssible Alternatives for Some Vessels 32 APPENDIX 1 - VESSEL SANITATION ...... 34 REFERENCES ...... 45 1

I. PREFACE

In September 1993, W. Douglas Souter was contracted by Agricultural Cooperative Development International of Washington, D.C., USA in cooperation with the Asociacion de Exportadores of Lima, Peru to conduct an overview of vessels engaged in the fishing industries of Peru.

The project required Mr. Souter to travel to Peru, visit the ports of Caleta Cruz, Paita, Chimbote and Ilo, note operational shortcomings of vessels and their equipment where observed and recommend improvements that may benefit vessel owners and the overall .

The time allocated for this overview did not permit an in­ depth survey of individual vessels. Therefore, interviews with vessel owners and fleet managers, coupled with previous experience and knowledge of the characteristics of Peruvian fishing vessels were used to compile this report. 2

II. PROJECT OBJECTIVES

1. To evaluate the Peruvian fishing fleet to determine the characteristics required for vessels to engage in harvesting Peruvian pelagic resources of demersal mid-water and surface species, with emphasis to be directed at the harvesting of jurel and caballa.

2. Vessel refrigeration.

3. Vessel sanitation.

4. Renovation of the current fleet of purse seine vessels.

5. New techniques and equipment available for the capture of under-exploited species.

The following sections deal with each of the objectives. However, because there are no new techniques for the capture of the under-exploited species of pelagics, jurel, caballa and merlusa, the mid-water and bottom two-vessel trawl systems are emphasized. 3

III. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

0 In 1991, from a combined biomass of over 7,000,000 tons and a permissible catch of 1,600,000 tons, only 140,000 tons of jurel and caballa were captured by Peruvian vessels.

0 To harvest jurel and caballa in greater quantities, the mid­ water trawling techniques must be employed.

* During the period January 1 through October 31, 1991, only 75,000 tons of merlusa were landed (from a permissible catch of 150,000 tons) by a small fleet of bottom trawlers operating from the port of Paita.

• A combined total of 5,340,000 tons of mixed anchoveta, sardina, jurel and caballa was landed by 383 operational Peruvian purse seine vessels in 1991. Non-operating vessels were reported to total 275.

* A vessel's age is not the determining factor governing its suitability for continued operations; rather it is how it has been maintained, because purse seine vessels and their basic equipment have changed little during the past 25 years. At least 50 percent of the vessels engaged in purse in Canada and the United States are over 30 years of age.

• The operational section of the Peruvian purse seine fleet is equal to or better than those engaged in similar fisheries in other parts of the world.

0 Very few Peruvian purse seiners are insulated or have refrigeration systems.

• It is recommended that insulation and refrigerated sea water systems be installed in vessels that offload to facilities that 4

process sardina, jurel and caballa for human consumption or for the manufacture of high-protein .

0 Bird radars are recommended for Peruvian purse seine vessels as a valuable fishing aid.

0 The merlusa bottom trawl fleet is operating as well as can be expected, given the size and power of the vessels and their equipment.

0 Fish holds of the fleet lack adequate insulation or have none.

• Quality of the raw product could be improved if merlusa were chilled when caught and bruising was avoided by not overfilling trawls.

0 All bottom trawl vessels should carry adequate ice or install refrigerated sea water (RSW) or chilled sea water (CSW) systems.

0 Two-vessel bottom pair trawling could be more productive than the current one-vessel system being employed for harvesting merlusa.

* Vessels currently engaged in the bottom trawl fishery could convert to conduct pair trawling operations at reasonable costs, including insulation and/or RSW or CSW.

* Additional electronics are recommended regardless of which technique is being employed. The most important items are net sounders with rectifiers, global plotting systems with track plotter and ram cars, and sonar units.

• Trawl nets or plans for nets should be purchased from Europe. 5

0 A project to determine the viability of the pair trawl system in Peru should be conducted using European fishermen to demonstrate the techniques.

• The benefits visualized by using the pair trawl system for harvesting merlusa are:

1. Eliminate the necessity of investing in costly high­ powered vessels to increase production.

2. Allow some of the smaller anchoveta vessels to enter the fishery.

3. Keep the fishery in the hands of existing Peruvian vessel owners.

4. Allow the merlusa trawlers to also participate in the harvesting of offshore jurel and caballa populations.

0. Mid-water trawling for harvesting herring, jurel and other subsurface species is practiced in other areas of the world.

• Russian and Cuban mid-water trawlers operating in Peruvian waters from 1983 through 1991 captured an average of 12,000 tons of mixed jurel and caballa per vessel per year. o Single mid-water trawl vessels are more costly to build and operate than the pair trawl units and are not recommended.

* Mid-water pair trawling is recommended for a jurel/caballa fishery providing raw material prices can support a fishery.

• Refrigeration systems and the use of ice all have good and possible bad features. 6

* Peru should adopt portions of the Canadian vessels sanitary regulations that apply to Peruvian vessels.

0 Financing the renovation of inactive vessels in the Peruvian purse seine fleet presents a dilemma because allowable catches are currently being harvested by the active fleet.

W The merlusa fishery of Paita and possibly a jurel/caballa mid-water trawl fishery may be able to absorb some of the older Peruvian purse seine vessels. 7

IV. BACKGROUND

Large populations of anchoveta, sardina, jurel, caballa and merlusa lie in close proximity to the Peruvian coast.

Currently the harvesting of anchoveta, sardina, and to a lesser extent, jurel and caballa, is carried out by vessels using purse seines. This technique is employed to capture many species that inhabit the upper layer of the world oceans to a depth of about 35 fathoms. It has been practiced in Peru for the harvesting of anchoveta since the early 1960's and later for sardina, jurel and caballa. The fishery is well developed, but many of the older vessels involved are in very poor condition and need renovation or replacement.

Although jurel and caballa are seasonally harvested by the use of purse seines in shallow coastal waters, the largest portion of these populations is found in deeper water and beyond the reach of purse seine nets. In 1991 from a combined biomass of over 7,000,000 tons and a permissible catch of 1,600,000 tons, only 140,000 tons were captured by Peruvian vessels.

In order to capture the deep-swimming populations of these species, it will be necessary to employ the mid-water trawling technique that has proven to be effective at depths of 35 to more than 100 fathoms. There are currently no mid-water trawlers operating in Peruvian waters.

Merlusa that inhabit the ocean bottom areas of the continental shelf off northern Peru are also under-exploited. In 1991 to October 31st, only 75,000 tons were landed from a total allowable catch of 150,000 tons. Harvesting of merlusa is carried out by a small fleet of bottom trawl vessels that operate as single units from the port of Paita. 8

V. PURSE SEINE VESSELS ENGAGED IN THE ANCHOVETA/SARDINA/JUREL/CABALLA/FISHERY

BACKGROUND

This sector numbered some 658 vessels in 1991 with carrying capacities of 200 to 400 metric tons. Of this total number, 275 were reported to be non-operative for various reasons. The operating vessels, numbering 383, captured a total of approximately 5,340,000 metric tons of mixed anchoveta, sardina, jurel and caballa, for an average catch of 13,900 tons per vessel.

The vessels are of the "western style" construction, with the main cabin and bridge forward leaving a clear after-deck as the working area, below which is the fish hold. Propulsion power is supplied by different makes of diesel engines ranging in power from 200 to 700+ HP. Deck machinery and equipment are hydraulically driven by power take-offs coupled to the main diesel power plant. Electric power is supplied by diesel generators or generators belt-driven from the main engine. All vessels have power blocks, fish pumps and pursing winches that vary in size, depending on the size of the vessel and its purse seine net. Electronic equipment consists of all the basic units required for vessels engaged in this fishery. As in the case of all fisheries, the owners or operators of vessels that consistently are in the top production bracket tend to purchase the most electronic, communication and navigation equipment, much of which is not necessary for actual fishing operations.

All vessels carry either power-driven skiffs or skiffs that have no power to assist in handling the purse seines.

The average anchoveta/sardina purse seine net measures approximately 300 fathoms long and 40 fathoms deep. However, several vessels supplying sardina and jurel for canning purposes 9

at Chimbote have seines measuring 400 fathoms long and 70 fathoms deep.

Because purse seining techniques have not changed over the years, all vessels have basically the same type of equipment. However, over the past 25 years, vessels have been built with increased power, added carrying capacity, and are equipped with longer and deeper nets, more powerful winches, larger power blocks and higher volume fish pumps. Some of the newer vessels have also installed side thrusters that can eliminate the need for powerful motor skiffs.

With the exception of a few vessels with refrigerated sea water (RSW) systems that offload sardine or mackerel to canning factories, the purse seine fleet has no insulation or refrigeration. Insulation and RSW systems should be installed in those vessels that offload to facilities which process sardine, mackerel or caballa for human consumption, or for the manufacture of low-temperature, high-protein fish meal.

For the most part, the current fleet is equipped with the basic electronics needed for this fishery, with the exception of bird radars. This radar was developed for the high-seas tuna fleet and has a range of up to 40 miles. It has eliminated the need to use binoculars to search for birds that are feeding on schools of surface pelagics.

DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Vessels operating in the Peruvian purse seine fishery are equal to or better than any that operate in other parts of the world which harvest the same types of pelagic species. In general, the fleet is far newer and superior to the vessels engaged in the sardine/mackerel fishery of California, which have an average age of over 30 years with many having been constructed in the 1940's. 10

Insulation and refrigeration are recommended for the vessels offloading to facilities that process fish for human consumption or high-protein fish meal. The RSW systems are preferred because of the volumes involved versus the quantities of ice that would be required for chilled sea water (CSW) or ice-only systems (see Section XI. VESSEL REFRIGERATION).

Of the newer electronic devices that would definitely be a fishing aid for the Peruvian purse seiners, is the "bird radar." These units can locate bird flocks that are feeding on anchovy, sardines or mackerel for a distance of up to 40 miles. Current prices for these units range from $22,000 to $25,000 ex-Panama.

For vessels targeting sardina and jurel for canning, larger and deeper purse seines would be more productive than the standard anchoveta nets. VI. BOTTOM-TRAWL VESSELS ENGAGED IN THE MERLUSA FISHERY

BACKGROUND

The major part of the trawl fleet in Peru that numbers a reported 52 vessels (29 of which are operative) is based in Paita. These western-style vessels range from 16 to 20 meters in length and are powered by diesel engines with horsepowers ranging from 250 to 4n0.

The hydraulic systems that power all deck equipment including the double drum trawl winch and net reel is obtained from power take-off units coupled to the front end of the main engine. Trawl nets are of the standard flat-bottom type used in other bcttom-fish fisheries. The size of the trawl is determined by the size and power of the vessel and its equipment.

Some vessel fish holds are insulated with foam and fiberglass while others have no insulation. The thickness of the foam on those that are insulated varies from 1-1/4 to 4 inches. No vessels have mechanical refrigeration, but all use ice to preserve their catches. Some use boxes with ice, while others simply use the main fish hold where the merlusa are chilled with ice. All vessels are equipped with vertical color video sounders or paper vertical sounders to locate concentrations of merlusa on the ocean bottom, and also SSB's, as well as VHF radio transceivers to communicate with shore plants and other vessels. Some were reported to also have one or more units such as radar, sonar, auto-pilots, satellite navigators and global plotting systems (GPS). None were reported to have the all-important net sounders (either acoustic or third line). 12

OPERATING AND ON-BOARD HANDLING PRACTICES

Although not a requirement for this vessel overview, handling practices are so important they must be included.

Because the flesh of most merlusas, including the Peruvian species, is very soft, it is susceptible to bruising and discoloration from the time it enters the trawl net until it is processed.

Trawls should not be overfilled. When the net is too full of merlusa and towed for extended periods, the fish are crushed together and against the trawl netting. This causes bruising. Europrean factoryships in the Pacific Northwest insist that fishing vessels make tows of no more than two hours before delivering.

Vessels taking their catch on board for delivery to shore plants must begin icing or chilling merlusa immediately after harvesting and continue to keep the fish chilled until offloaded. Optimum product quality for merlusa is obtained by chilling, processing and freezing the flesh within 30 hours of capture.

It should be pointed out, however, that regardless of how well the vessels care for their catches, the system will break down unless quality control is maintained by the processor.

DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The small merlusa fleet is currently operating as well as can be expected given the size and power of the vessels and their equipment. Bigger vessels with more power towing larger nets would naturally increase production.

The most evident shortcoming is the lack of proper insulation in the fish holds to prevent ice from melting quickly. 13

All vessels should have fish holds insulated with at least four inches of foam. Although refrigeration systems are not being used, vessel owners interviewed were aware of and understood the function of the RSW and CSW refrigeration systems. While ice provides refrigeration equal to the RSW or CSW systems, it is apparently in short supply and costly in the Paita area. The decision whether to install RSW or CSW systems will depend upon the economics of the fishery (Section XI. VESSEL REFRIGERATION). Net sounders would be a definite aid to all merlusa trawl vessels, as would the GPS. The current cost for these systems is approximately $15,000 ex-Panama (GPS $3,000, acoustic net sounder $12,000). 14

VII. BOTTOM PAIR TRAWLING FOR MERLUSA

BACKGROUND

The concept of using two or more vessels in a fishing operation is not new. However, its application in modern fisheries is rather unusual. The trend iii the past 80 years has been for fishing vessels to be equipped and automated as far as possible to make them independent units at sea in the search, capture and transport of fish. This is particularly obvious in the development of large, deep-sea fishing vessels which, although they may operate as a fleet, do not rely on each other at all during fishing operations.

Inshore fishing craft have also become extremely well equipped units. Some modern 70- and 80-foot fishing vessels have more electronic equipment on the bridge than ocean-going merchant ships. The term "inshore" now applies to vessels that may fish hundreds of miles from their home port.

Two-boat fishing was developed by European small-vesel, inshore fishermen who were very versatile in their fishing skills. This method has proved to be more successful and more economical than the single-boat operation. Those who do not understand the system assume that it must cost more to operate two vessels than one and that one net catches the same amount of fish as another. In actual fact, a successful pair-fishing unit can be far more productive than a one-boat operation in terms of investment, manpower, or any other viewpoint. Sixty-foot pair trawlers working out of Grimsby, England are reported to have average catches similar to ships twice their size, with double the number of crewmen and involving far larger investments.

The bottom pair trawl system enables small vessels to work rough or smooth grounds and use a net of a size equivalent to that of the large deep-sea stern trawlers. Additionally, the 15

pair trawl requires only two 150-200 HP 60- to 70-foot vessels to pull it. The deep-sea trawl needs a single 1,000 HP, 100+ foot vessel. For these and other reasons, many large European trawling companies invested heavily in new fleets of pair trawl vessels in the 1980's.

VESSELS

The typical Peruvian western-style single-vessel merlusa trawlers operating from Paita can convert to pair trawlers with little or no problems, although some double-drum main winches may require replacement or modification. For successful operations in deeper waters, each vessel must be able to hold about 500 fathoms of 5/G-inch wire rope on one winch drum.

While larger, more powerful vessels can be used, only those in the 60- to 70-foot range are required. These vessels are powered by main engines of 200 HP which are fitted with 30 to 60 HP power take-off units to supply power for the hydraulic systems.

Only one of the two vessels needs to be equipped with the more sopnisticated electronic devices, namely the net sounder with rectifier, global plotting system with track plotter and ram cars, and a sonar unit. This equipment is needed in addition to the color video or paper sounders and communication equipment that all vessels already have installed. The cost for the additional electronics would currently amount to about $US30,000.

All vessels involved should have refrigeration of some kind, either RSW, CSW or ice.

TRAWL NETS

The design of pair trawl nets has been changing in recent years; therefore, up-to-date specifications must be obtained from 16

European net builders. In that the trawls currently being used are constructed in Peru, there should be no problem in building the pair trawl, given European plans.

With minimum modification, the /merlusa pair trawl can be converted for mid-water trawling to harvest jurel and caballa.

The cost of a trawl to be used by two 150-200 HP vessels is reported to be $15,000 ex-builders in the United Kingdom.

DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

In addition to recommendations for upgrading the existing fleet, it is recommended that a two-vessel bottom trawl project be mounted to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of this technique. (The French factory trawler "GAICIR:" operating from Paita in September 1993 established that a larger net could capture much greater tonnage than the individual local trawlers, as did the Polish and Cuban trawlers in the 1970's.) If two existing or converted anchoveta vessels can achieve the same results by towing a large pair trawl, it could serve several purposes:

1. Eliminate the necessity of investing in costly high-powered vessels to increase production.

2. Allow some of the smaller anchoveta vessels to enter the merlusa fishery at a reasonable cost.

3. Keep the fishery in the hands of existing Peruvian vessel owners or processors.

4. The same vessels, preferably using a mid-water trawl net rather than modifying the merlusa trawl, could conduct a similar project to establish the feasibility of a two-vessel jurel/ caballa fishery. 17

To mount such a project would require the contracting of two or three experienced fishermen from Europe for an extended period because more than one set of captains would have to be trained in the pair trawling techniques. 18

VIII. MID-WATER TRAWLING

This technique was developed to capture subsurface populations that cannot regularly be harvested by purse seine nets. In the Pacific Northwest merlusa are captured by mid-water trawl nets, as are herring, jurel and several other species in other areas of the world.

Mid-water trawling can be carried out by one or two vessels. The single-vessel operations are practiced by the large factoryships, in addition to vessels that exceed 100 feet in length and are powered by 800 to 1,500 HP diesel engines. With few exceptions, the hundreds of boats fishing mid-water trawls commercially that are under 100 feet in length and have less than 500 HP use the two-boat trawling techniques.

For successful mid-water fishing, it has been established that the bigger the mouth opening of the trawl net, the better. In this respect the pair trawlers have a big advantage over the single-boat trawlers. Single boats must spread the net mouth horizontally using steel mid-water (or bottom trawl) doors that range in size from 3.5 to 5 square meters, depending on the size of the net. For this reason, operating costs are higher because of the high power required to tow the trawl doors and retrieve the net while still steaming. 19

IX. SINGLE VESSEL MID-WATER TRAWLING FOR JUREL AND CABALLA

BACKGROUND

While there are currently no mid-water trawling operations in Peru, it has been demonstrated that single-vessel, mid-water trawlers can successfully capture jurel and caballa in Peruvian waters. Russian and Cuban vessels, operating from 1983 through 1991 off the Peruvian coast, had average annual catches of about 12,000 tons of mixed jurel and caballa during this period.

This technique is used by factory trawlers in all parts of the world and also by larger high-powered vessels delivering to shore plants and factoryships.

VESSELS

To engage in a one-vessel trawl fishery, the vessel can be either a western- or schooner-type design, usually over 100 feet in length. The western-type with a stern ramp is favored to facilitate the discharging of the trawl net. It is normally powered by no less than an 800 HP main engine plus an additional 300 HP diesel to power the hydraulic systems. Generator sets are sized to total vessel demands. The horsepower required depends on the size of the vessel's trawl net and the target species. Merlusa trawlers operate at speeds of 3 to 3.5 knots while 4 to 6 knots are required for jurel and caballa. Because the larger vessels have more carrying capacities than the smaller trawlers, they normally have RSW systems operating in fully insulated tanks.

The electronics package, in addition to vertical sounders, must have sonar, satellite navigation systems, radar, net sounders, GPS with track plotters and sophisticated communication systems. 20

These vessels are very costly to purchase and to operate. A used 100-foot mid-water trawler, fully refrigerated, with a carrying capacity of about 200 short tons, sells for between 2 and 3 million dollars on the west coast of Canada and the United States.

TRAWL NETS

Nets used for mid-water trawling are similar to those used in the Pacific Northwest for capturing mid-water populations of merlusa. Vessel owners in Washington, Oregon and British Columbia all purchase their nets from the United Kingdom at prices ranging from $!2,000 to $15,000.

DISCUSSION AND RECONENDATIONS

While there is no question regarding the efficiency of the large trawlers in capturing jurel and caballa, they are not suggested for Peru because of the high initial and subsequent operating costs. If the pair system can be established using smaller vessels, it should generate higher earnings for more vessel owners and fishermen and involve minimal initial investments. 21

X. MID-WATER PAIR TRAWLING FOR JUREL AND CABALLA

BACKGROUND

This technique is used extensively in Europe, Scandanavia and the east coast of North America for the capture of pelagic and subsurface species.

The case for the two-boat mid-water system for capturing jurel and caballa is the same as that for two-boat with regard to the economics of the system, when compared to single-vessel operations.

VESSELS

The vessels currently operating in the Paita merlusa trawl fishery could be converted to handle mid-water trawls at a reasonable cost. The equipment required is the same as outlined in Section VII for bottom pair trawling. Additionally, any of the vessels engaged in the anchoveta/sardina purse seine fishery could convert to mid-water trawlers by installing trawl winches and net reels in addition to the required electronics necessary for this fishery.

TRAWL NETS

As in the case of bottom or mid-water single vessel trawls, specifications are continually changing and plans should be obtained from European net makers or initial nets should be purchased from Europe.

The cost of an average size trawl complete ex-Europe is reported to be about $15,000. 22

DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Depending on market conditions for jurel and caballa, a project should be mounted to demonstrate the feasibility of establishing a pair trawl fishery for these species, coupled with a similar project for merlusa (see RECOMMENDATIONS, page 16).

Given the current market prices for fish meal, it is doubtful if pair trawling could harvest sufficient tonnages of jurel to justify a fishery to supply fish meal plants.

Unlike purse seines that capture large tonnages per set, trawl nets are limited to 20-30 tons per haul. Therefore, a higher price than is currently paid for reduction fish would be required to make a jurel trawl fishery profitable. 23

XI. VESSEL REFRIGERATION

REFRIGERATED SEA WATER

Refrigerated sea water, or RSW, is a fish-stowage system that uses mechanical refrigeration to chill fish. Cold water flowing through warm fish picks up heat and carries it to heat exchangers, or chillers, which remove the heat from the circulating water. Most systems have flooded tanks but a variation for the United States menhaden and shrimp industries and for the salmon industry in British Columbia uses sprayers mounted in the fish-hold ceiling. RSW is best suited for fish to be canned, such as sardines or mackerel or for merliusa or shrimp that must be chilled when caught and delivered in a fresh condition. However, RSW cannot hold fish longer than is possible with traditional icing methods. Fish that have been stored in RSW have substantially less slime, blood, etc., on their surfaces than iced fish. This, in some cases, will eliminate washing.

PUMPING SYSTEM

The size of the chiller (or group of parallel chillers) determines the size of the sea water recirculating pump; the chiller will remove its rated amount of heat only when the rated flow of water is pumped through. To minimize instability due to free surface, the pump(s) also must be big enough to fill a tank or fish hold quickly if the vessel must take water in the open ocean. Flow from bottom to top or top to bottom (in spray system) ensures that cold water reaches all the fish.

FISH HOLD

The tanks or fish holds should have four or more inches of urethane foam and fiberglass insulation (the layer must cover any penetrating steel frames by an inch or two) and a rugged smooth, easily cleaned liner. 24

Also important is the "cleaning loop" concept developed in Canada. While in port, it is important to circulate a concentrated cleaning solution, followed by an appropriate sanitizer, through a section of pipes, valves and chillers that have been isolated from the main tank or fish hold. Plumbing must also allow one to turn appropriate valves to back-flush, sending residue to shoreside holding tanks. This cleaning procedure, if followed between trips, will prevent a new tank of RSW from becoming contaminated with the decaying sludge lying in the pipes from the previous trips.

REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS

Generally, the greatest refrigeration load on the compressor will be the pre-chill of the first batch of sea water before the first fish come on board. The water must be down to 31°F or so before loading fish. If the equipment is not big enough, then chances are that fish-hold temperatures will not come down until well into the trip, causing increased salt uptake and potential fish deterioration. In Oregon, vessels often take on several tons of ice before leaving port to assist the equipment in lowering temperatures.

Discussion - Pros arid Cons

Refrigerated sea-water systems offer the following benefits:

0 Fast and definite chilling. A properly designed and operated RSW system will chill down loads of 10 to 20 tons within 5 to 10 hours. a Low holding temperatures. Because of the salt in the sea water, the final holding temperature can be around 310 F.

0 Firm fish, no crushing. Unlike conventionally iced fish where some crushing occurs at the bottom of a box or fish bin, 25

fish in an RSW tank or hold are almost neutrally buoyant.

0 Reduced labor. No one has to shovel ice. Loading and offloading can proceed with several types of wet fish pumps. Pumps currently being used in British Columbia recirculate chilled sea water from the fish hold or tanks rather than adding warm sea water or fresh make-up water.

* Freedom from ice. This includes reduced expenses per trip and no waiting at the dock for limited ice supplies and no landing of under-refrigerated fish in the event of an unexpectedly large catch. a An option for brine freezing. The same machinery can generally supply cold brine (salt added to sea water) by adjusting controls. This is useful for "partial freezing" and for spray brine freezing as occasionally used by small tuna vessels.

RSW also has some potentially serious drawbacks that must be considered when making decisions about vessel refrigeration.

* High initial expense. Besides the cost of insulating and lining the hold, the sea water pumping machinery, refrigeration compressors, hcat exchangers, controls and power generators add up to a substantial figure--perhaps 10 percent of tha vessel cost.

* Structure and stability. If the vessel is not designed for a flooded hold operation, the bulkheads must be checked to ensure they are watertight and sufficiently strong. Shaft alleys must be watertight. Partially filled tanks contain a "free surface" which creates a particularly dangerous situation. Tanks must be flooded in calm water and because harbor water is generally too dirty to use, the application of RSW frequently presents a dilemma. 26

o Salt uptake in the fish. After fish die, salt from the water begins to penetrate the flesh. Some partial spoilage may occur in some species. Besides spoilage, the resulting higher sodium levels are becoming a greater concern to buyers and to consumers.

* A need for attention to detail. More than any other refrigeration option, RSW requires ongoing attention, makin; sure that temperatures are right, monitoring machinery operation, correcting low refrigerant levels, arranging for service of faulty equipment and controls, and thoroughly cleaning and sanitizing tanks and water circuits at proper intervals. RSW is a closed loop and any spoilage bacteria growing anywhere will quickly circulate through the system.

CHILLED S3A WATER

Chilled sea water generally describes a tank or fish hold full of fish, ice and sea water. It has been given several names; chilled sea water (CSW), slush ice and the champagne system, the last referring to those tanks having bubbled air which helps to mix cold water through the fish.

Design

Many of the design guidelines currently in use for bubbled­ air CSW systems came from practice in British Columbia. Now several United States companies have been involved with layout and installation of equipment. While the whole subject will not be covered here, a few points on design will be helpful for decision-making.

* Tank - Most tanks are essentially part of the fish hold. Walls must be well insulated. Four inches of urethane foam is appropriate, but frequently more is needed on steel tanks or 27

walls to prevent frames from penetrating the thickness and serving as a heat flow path.

The tank liner must be smooth for easy cleaning and strong enough to prevent cracking and leaking (pressure at the bottom of a tank can be quite high). Construction and lining of a hold or tank is a very important part of the system. Costs can easily exceed $15,000 on a typical 100-ton capacity Peruvian vessel.

0 Water System - Because of vessel stability problems with a partially filled tank, it is necessary in the open ocean to fill a tank as quickly as possible. Therefore, the pump, piping and sea chest must be sized to meet the fill rate required. Each vessel will have its own requirements for screening and cross­ over plumbing between tanks to suit individual needs.

0 Air System - Although a few experimental systems have employed pumps and piping to mix the cold water with fish, better results have been achieved from the use of bubbled air introduced from a grid of pipes embedded in the tank floor. Canadian designers have recommended pipe spacing on a large tank be on the order of 3 feet with air hole sizes 1/8-inch or 3/16-inch diameter. Drain plugs are needed to periodically flush the air pipes which tend to plug up with silt.

The air pump must be a Roots (lobe) blower that can supply enough pressure to overcome the static head at the bottom of the tank. Detailed sizing and installation of pipes, blowers and related equipment must depend on each individual case. The air system for a 70-foot vessel costs around $6,000 on the United States west coast.

Operation

Maximum fish-loading density for these systems is said to be about 42 pounds per cubic foot of tank. This allows just enough 28

room for cold water and ice to mix and circulate. The amount of ice to use depends on the amount of fish loaded, tank size, sea temperature, quality of insulation, holding period, fill strategy and experience. At sea, a tank partially filled with water and ice can create a dangerous situation. Therefore, it is common practice to initially fill the tank to the top, then dump cold water as fish are added.

Discussion - Pros and Cons

Chilled sea water systems, particularly those having bubbled air circulation, have distinct benefits. Among these are:

a Fast and definite chilling. With a properly operated system, large tows (15 to 20 tons) of merlusa will chill down within a few hours.

* Low holding temperatures. Because of the salt in the sea water, final holding temperatures may reach a few degrees below 320 F.

0 Firm fish as in the case of RSW.

0 Reduced labor. No shoveling of ice. Loading and offloading handled by pumps.

• Simple design, low cost. Unlike RSW operations which require much equipment and operator experience, CSW chilling takes place by melting ice. Except for an air pump, there is little mechanical equipment to worry about.

Although CSW looks good at first glance, it does have a few drawbacks:

0 More ice is needed. Extra tons represent an added expense 29

and currently large volumes of ice are not readily available in Peruvian ports.

* Salt uptake in the fish. Some species placed in CSW can suffer a quality drop after of period of time, as in the case of RSW.

0 Structure. As in the case of RSW, bulkheads must be watertight and sufficiently strong.

0 Stability. See problems explained in the RSW section.

ICING OF FISH

Icing of fish, done properly, still represents the best way to chill, preserve and land the highest quality product. There are several reasons for this:

• Fish surrounded by melting ice will rapidly chill down to 310 or 320 F.

0 Ice has a large refrigeration capacity which crewmen in the fish hold can direct to any location merely by shoveling.

0 The ice-melt water not only speeds up heat removal from the fish, but also carries away dirt, slime and bacteria as it flows to the bilge or sump.

0 With the use of ice, initial capital costs are low except for fish-hold insulation which is recommended.

In spite of the many pluses for ice, it does cost money each trip and is currently very expensive and in short supply at most Peruvian ports. It is also labor intensive on board the vessel. 30

XII. VESSEL SANITATION

The United States has no regulations regerding the sanitary requirements for fish storage areas on fishing vessels. For this reason processors and vessel owners work together to ensure that sanitary standards are maintained on board vessels.

Canada has sanitary requirements that must be adhered to before licenses to operate are granted. Periodic inspections are also carried out and penalties are imposed for non-compliance.

Some of these Canadian sanitary regulations that could apply to Peruvian vessels are outlined in Appendix 1.

DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Canadian vessels that do not comply with the regulations as outlined are not certified and therefore, are not issued a fishing license or have their fishing license canceled.

It is recommended that Peru institute those sections that could apply to the merlusa fleet and some that could apply to the sardina and jurel vessels that offload at canning or freezing facilities. 31

XIII. RENOVATION OF THE ACTUAL OPERATING FLEET FINANCIAL ASPECTS

Because solutions to the deteriorating condition of the older vessels in the fleet that involve state and development plans, possible labor unrest or social problems are beyond the purview of this overview, only physical and financing problems with suggestions that may be beneficial to the fisheries will be covered.

THE FINANCIAL SITUATION

Renovation of the Peruvian fishing fleet itself can be resolved very easily at a cost. Most vessels can be rebuilt, lengthened, repowered or reequipped at a lesser cost than to construct a new vessel.

Renovation is a complicated issue because it requires financing. Before a lender will provide funds for any project, some sound justification for providing the funds and some type of guarantee that repayment will be forthcoming must be obtained.

In most areas of the world and in the case of Peru, prior to na'ionalization of the fishing industry, the processors financed new vessel construction and the repairs and maintenance of fishing vessels in exchange for a guaranteed supply of raw material. Loans were repaid from vessel earnings derived from fish deliveries to the processor who provided the loan. Even under this system, poor producers who could not meet their obligations were not given further credit and ended up losing their vessels.

Currently the operational fleet of purse seiners is landing the permissible harvest of anchoveta and sardina without any apparent problems. Although catches for 1992 and 1993 were not provided, the 1990 total allowable catch was exceeded by 31 December 1990 in the amount of 526,408 tons of anchoveta and 32

1,645,297 tons of sardina. In 1991, the allowable catch of both species was exceeded by October 30, 1991 in the amount of 20,800 tons of anchoveta and 627,395 tons of sardina. We were given to understand that the quotas were exceeded at earlier dates in 1992 and again in 1993. Additional vessels would shorten the season and dilute earnings for all vessels.

To aggravate the case for financing the renovation of older vessels is the fact that over 50 new vessels with carrying capacities of 230 to 270 tons and some of over 400 tons are reported to have been added to the fleet or are currently under construction in Peru.

Private financing for,, the renovation of the fleet by lenders, in particular for those classed as non-operative or with poor production records, could only be considered if ex-vessel prices for the raw material doubled and fish meal prices improved from their current level. Additionally, the biomass and allowable catch levels would have to increase substantially.

In summary, unless the state takes some action to alleviate the vessel owners' dilemma, there is little hope of private financing becoiing available.

POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES FOR SOME VESSELS

The merlusa fishery in northern Peru is currently underexploited and, depending on the market outlook for jurel and caballa, these fisheries may be able to absorb additional fishing effort by way of single- and two-vessel trawl fisheries.

One merlusa processor/vessel owner has already rebuilt several old anchoveta purse seine vessels and converted them into merlusa bottom draggers. He maintains that the cost of renovation, including new main engines, cabins and electronic gear amounts to only about one-half the cost of new construction. 33

The owners of older purse seiners should contact Paita merlusa processors or other vessel owners in Paita who may be willing to finance renovation in exchange for part ownership in the vessels.

If the two-vessel trawling system can be developed in Paita, then it could take a good number of the smaller, lower powered vessels out of the overcrowded anchoveta/sardina fisheries. APPENDIX 1 34

VESSEL SANITATION REQUIREMENTS FOR VESSELS USED FOR FISHING OR TRANSPORTING FISH FOR PROCESSING

1. Areas where fish and ice are stored should:

a. have covers to protect the fish and ice from the sun and weather.

t,. be provided with drainage to effectively remove ice-melt water and ensure that fish and ice do not come into contact with bilge water or other contamination.

c. where it is necessary to prevent physical damage to the fish, be divided into pens which should be shelved vertically at intervals of 90 cm or less. Reason

a. It is essential to minimize any increase in the temperature of freshly caught fish, as well as to protect the fish from the sun, weather and sources of contamination.

b. Effective drainage of ice-melt water, blood and slime is required to remove excess liquids which contain large numbers of spoilage bacteria and are a very fertile media for their rapid growth. Bilge water is also heavily contaminated and must not be permitted to come in contact with the fish holding area.

c. Bulk storage of the catch without shelving will result in excessive pressure on the fish at the bottom of the pens. The consequent crushing causes loss of texture, mutilation and discoloration of the flesh. Also, the squeezing out of quantities of liquids and juices from the fish causes significant weight loss. Compliance

a. Sun and Weather

This section should be adhered to as stated.

Vessels with holds will be required to have close fitting, preferably insulated covers constructed of approved material. These will reduce air circulation and deter the melting of the ice, thereby minimizing the temperature increase of the catch. Approved materials are stainless steel, corrosion-resistant aluminum, high-density plastic, fiberglass reinforced plastic and smooth coated, smooth wood. 35

Smaller vessels with open holds will be required to have some form of approved cover, or approved covered boxes. Non-absorbent plastic or rubberized covers, if adequately secured, may be used for short trips. Canvas tarpaulins are unacceptable.

b. Bilge Water and Other Contamination

Fish storage areas should be constructed to provide drainage and to ensure that bilge water does not come in contact with fish and ice. False bottoms or shelving are therefore required.

Contamination from other sources such as grease and oil, etc., in the ice and fish storage areas could result in the loss of the catch. Therefore, equipment such as chain drives, drive-shafts and bearings in fish storage areas should be relocated or enclosed to protect fish and ice from contamination and to minimize this risk.

Service facilities such as fuel lines, fueling ports, waste disposal lines and fuel storage tanks should not be located in a fish storage area. If these cannot be relocated, they should be totally enclosed and be watertight.

It will not be necessary to enclose below-deck bilge pumps, hydraulic lines and hydraulically operated fish pumps provided that they are adequately maintained and coated with an approved epoxy or paint.

Flexible rubber or "fabric type" hosing carrying hydraulic fluid must not be coated, as any flexing could cause any such coating to flake off and contaminate the catch. Furthermore, such coatings may cause deterioration in the hosing material, possibly causing the line to eventually rupture.

c. Physical Damage

Shelving must be provided for vessels in which the catch is iced in holds to a depth greater than 90 cm. Vessels such as herring seiners, with chilled sea water or slush-ice systems, are exempt from this provision. Some species of fish are highly susceptible to damage by crushing. For example, crustaceans, mackerel and herring should be stored at depths much less than 90 cm, such as follows:

Herring and mackerel - 60 cm Crab - 60 cm

2. Subject to 3., fish and ice storage areas should be of non­ absorbent, non-corrodible materials, other than wood, and so constructed as to preclude physical damage to the fish and 36

facilitate cleaning, and any surfaces that contact fish should be smooth and free from cracks and crevices.

3. In the case of vessels built prior to September 15, 1982, and vessels having no below-deck storage area, built-in fish and ice storage areas should be so constructed as to preclude physical damage to the fish and may be of wood, if the surfaces are smooth, free from cracks and crevices and coated with a durable, light colored paint or coating of a type approved by appropriate authorities.

4. Boxes for fish other than live shellfish should be of smooth, non-absorbent, non-corrodible material, other than wood, free from cracks and crevices, and so constructed as to provide drainage and protect the fish from damage by crushing when the boxes are stacked.

Reason (Items 2, 3, and 4)

Unless surfaces are of a non-absorbent and crevice-free material, they will become saturated with bacteria containing juices which would give rise to off odors and be a source of contamination.

Corrodible materials are objectionable because the products of corrosion may contaminate the ice or fish.

Wood is objectionable because it is an absorbent material which will become soaked with fish juices, blc Dd and slime, all of which cont.ain large numbers of spoilage bacteria and provide a fertile media for their growth. As a result, wood surfaces quickly become sour, giving rise to unpleasant odors and becoming a major source of bacterial contamination to the fish coming in contact with them.

In existing vessels constructed prior to the implementation of this program, special efforts will be required to ensure that wooden hold areas are maintained in a sanitary manner, thereby minimizing contamination of the ice, the fish and consequent quality loss. compliance

Item 2-New Vessels. Fish contact surfaces of holds, pens (shelving and dividers), boxes and chilled water tanks should be constructed of non-corrodible, smooth surfaced, approved material impervious to water. Examples are stainless steel, sea water­ resistant aluminum alloys, high-density plastic, polyurethane­ coated cement, or fiberglass reinforced plastic.

Holds, pens (shelving and dividers), boxes, and chilled water tanks coated with just epoxy will not comply. 37

Item 3-Existing Vessels. Special purpose, light colored acceptable coatings may be applied to the surfaces of existing wooden or steel holds, fish kids, checkers, and large-holding containers or pens not regularly removed from the vessel. If there are severe cracks, crevices or gouges, the hold must be relined prior to applying the coating.

Item 4-Boxes. This section will be adhered to as stated and applies to all removable boxes on board fishing vessels. Boxes should be of non-corrodible, non-absorbent approved material, free from cracks and crevices, and constructed to provide drainage and prevent crushing when stacked. Epoxy-coated wooden boxes will not comply.

Boxes used for holding live shellfish are exempt from the provisions of this section.

5. Fresh fish storage areas should be separated from engine compartments and other heated areas of a vessel by watertight, insulated bulkheads, and wall surfaces, bulkheads and deckheads in frozen storage areas of a vessel should be well insulated. Reason

Unless the engine compartment and other heated areas are separated from the ice and fish storage area by a properly insulated bulkhead, heat exchange from these areas will occur and result in melting of the ice. This will allow fish temperatures in the hold to rise, resulting in loss of quality.

Bulkheads are required to be watertight to prevent any contamination of the fish storage area with fuel, grease or other contaminants.

Compliance

The insulating material in use must minimize heat transfer into fish storage areas. A minimum "R" factor of 10 would be considered acceptable for bulkheads of fresh fish storage areas. Frozen storage areas of vcsels must be insulated to a minimun "R" factor of 20.

All insulating material must be properly installed. Any ice melt water, blood or slime seeping through the fish hold lining will reduce the efficiency of the insulation, and this will, in turn, lead to an increase in the temperature of the fish. All insulation must be properly covered with approved, impervious fish-hold lining material. All joints must be watertight.

. The following is a Table of R-Values for various types of insulating material (at one-inch thickness) commonly used on vessels: 38

Ordinary wood - overage 1.00 Urethane foam - 6.25 Glass fiber - 4.00 Expanded polystyrene - 4.00 to 5.00, depending on density Form glass - 2.60 Expanded perlite - 2.70 Wood fiberboard ­ 1.67 Styrofoam - 4.00 to 5.00, depending on density Notes: 1. R-Values can be calculated by multiplying the above figures by the thickness (in inches) of the insulating material to be applied.

2. The above Table is intended to serve as a guideline only. Vessel owners are urged to contact their contractors or suppliers in order to obtain the specific R-Value(s) of the insulating material(s) which are to be utilized on their vessels. 6. Fish handling equipment, such as chutes, conveyors, fish washers, tablesand utensils, should ?)of smooth, non-absorbent, non-corrodible material, other than wood, free from cracks and crevices, and so constructed as to facilitate cleaning. Reason

Corrosion-resistant material is required in order preclude to the possible contamination of the product with such substances as rust.

It is essential that surfaces be made of a non-absorbent and crevice-free material so that they will not become saturated bacteria-containing with juices which wou.d give rise to off odors and be a source of contamination to the product. It is essential that handling equipment be constructed in a manner which provides accessibility during regular operations cleaning and prevents accumulation of debris that might cause contamination.

Compliance

All processing equipment such as chutes, conveyors, fish washer, tables and utensils should be constructed of approved material, examples being stainless steel, salt water-resistant aluminum alloys, high-density plastic and fiberglass-reinforced plastic. Galvanized metal and epoxy coated wood will not comply with this regulation for the construction of equipment. Such equipment shcld be accessible, or easy to dismantle for cleaning of all parts.

Fish cutting boards may be of hardwood construction, but surfaces must be smooth with no cracks or crevices. 39

7. Forks, pumps, tools or other equipment and pierce, particles that tear or otherwise damage or contaminate the edible portion of fish should not be used. Reason

Use of forks, or the improper use of pumps, shovels gaffs will and result in discoloration, bruising, blood clots and muscle separation of the edible portion of the fish.

Physical damage caused by sharp instruments will hasten bacterial spoilage and will result in a shortening of life the shelf of the fish, major deterioration in quality and lower yields during processing.

It must be emphasized that fish quality rapidly, deteriorates and the potential keeping time is considerably shortened if the fish are not handled and stored properly.

To avoid physical damage, textural defects and of discoloration the fish flesh, fish should not be trampled, walked upon roughly or handled, and should not be piled deeply on the deck prior to stowage.

When a gaff has to be used in fish landing operations longlining), (as in whenever possible, the fish should be landed by hooking under the gills rather than gaffing in the lifting body or by the tail. With heavy fish, the spine may break, resulting in flesh separation.

Fish should be bled as soon as possible after board being taken on the vessel when most are still alive and at a relatively lot: temperature. The fish should be allowed to bleed for 10 to 15 minutes in a bleeding tank containing clear, continuously running sea water, and then (where applicable, depending species on the and type of fishery invoived), they should be properly gutted to remove the viscera so as to avoid "belly burn." Care should be taken during bleeding and gutting not to allow pieces of viscera to contaminate the rest of the they catch, as are heavily laden with spoilage bacteria and digestive enzymes which will hasten spoilage. Fish should be immediately and properly washed after gutting so as to rev-ove pieces of gut, blood, slime, etc.

Fish should not be thrown or dropped into the hold, rather but should be allowed to slide down chutes, flumes and other devices designed to minimize physical damage to the fish. The presence of animals on board fishing vessels objectional is highly as they and their excreta are a contamination hazard. 40

Compliance

The use of forks is prohibited. Gaffs or single-tined implements may be permitted where methods of fishing require it, or where no alternate method exists for handling or unloading. However, the fish must be gaffed or pronged in the head. will be approved, Pumps provided they are constructed and operated in a manner that minimizes physical damage to the fish.

For vessels with below-deck storage, rather than dropping throwing or fish into the hold, chutes or other devices should be provided to minimize physical damage to the fish. Fish not should be walked upon. Fish guts, offal and wash water cannot allowed be to contaminate the rest of the catch and must be disposed of in an acceptable manner. Gutted or bled fish adequately must be washed with approved water prior to storage. Recirculation of wash water is not acceptable.

Animals should not be permitted on board fishing vessels. 8. Fish, while on board a vessel used for fishing or transporting fish, should either be: a. Preserved by the use of finely divided ice sufficient to reduce and hold the temperature at 40 C or lower, and such ice should be made from water from a source approved by a fish inspection laboratory.

b. Preserved by such other methods as approved by proper authorities.

Reason

Temperature is the single-most important factor influencing the keeping of the quality of fish. Sufficient ice must be available to enable adequate icing of the catch.

Each degree rise in temperature increases the spoilage rate at which bacteria present on the surface and in the gut of the fish multiply, which in turn decreases the quality and shelf life of the fish. The following chart provides an example of the number of days that elapse before fish spoilage odors become noticeable when fish are held at various specific temperatures:

100 C (500 F) - 1.5 days 60 C (410 F) - 3.5 days 40 C (380 F) - 5.0 days 0 C (320 F) - 8.0 days 41

Compliance

Fish held in pens or boxes should be iced at a recommended ratio of one part flaked or finely divided ice to three fish. parts The ice should be made of water from an approved source to prevent contamination of the vessel hold and the catch, should and be as evenly distributed as practicable throughout the fish. A sufficient layer of ice is required between the fish and vessel sides, bulkheads, box sides, etc. to prevent the fish from coming in contact with these surfaces which could cause an offensive type of microbial spoilage (bilgy fish).

Refrigerated or chilled sea water systems, or other methods approved by the proper authorities for rapidly cooling and holding fish at 40C or lower may be used. Cool ambient temperatures or refrigeration systems producing cool however, air, are not suitable replacements for ice in cooling fish in bulk.

Used or otherwise contaminated ice left over from trip a fishing must be removed from the as soon as the catch is unloaded. It must not be used on future trips as contaminated it is with ice melt water, blood and slime, all of which contain large numbers of spoilage bacteria.

Salting of fish at sea is acceptable, provided salting is an initial part of the processing. 9. Where chilled water systems are installed on a vessel, such systems should be of materials approved by appropriate authorities, be constructed to facilitate proper cleaning and be capable of holding fish at -10 C. Reason For fresh fish, a maximum delay in spoilage is obtained at a temperature of -10 C. Care must be taken to ensure that the temperature fall does not too far below -10 C as the texture of the fish may be damaged by partial freezing.

Non-porous surfaces reduce the risk of contamination. Compliance

This section shall be complied with as stated. Examples of approved materials are stainless steel, high-density plastics, sea water resistant aluminum and copper-based alloys.

The entire system must be designed to allow an introduction easy and effective circulation of the cleaning and 42

disinfecting solutions. There should be no place where proper cleaning cannot be carried out.

Rapid cooling of fish is the primary task of the system.

a. Slush Ice System. Effective circulation of the ice water around the fish is required. Sufficient ice is required to maintain the fish at 40 C or colder.

b. Refrigerated Sea Water or Brine Systems. There must be sufficient compressor capacity to prevent a significant rise in temperature of the prechilled sea water or brine solution when the holding tanks are being loaded with freshly caught fish. Due to the difficulty in controlling temperature precisely, the system must continually operate in a manner that would reduce the fish temperature between -10 C and +20 C and maintain it there.

10. At least once daily, fish receiving areas and all equipment, containers and utensils used in the handling of fish on board a vessel should be thoroughly cleaned with water from a source approved by a fish inspection laboratory and disinfected. Reason

These practices are required to prevent build-up of slime laden with spoilage bacteria, blood and other residue on equipment and utensils. Contaminated surfaces will contaminate the fish and give rise to offensive odors. If allowed to dry, slime, blood and scales, etc., are very difficult to remove. Compliance

This section must be adhered to as stated.

All fish-receiving areas, equipment, containers and utensils must be cleaned and disinfected at least once a day while the vessel is operating.

Cleaning must be performed with water from an approved source to avoid contamination of the overall fish-handling areas. Following cleaning operations, all equipment and surfaces must be disinfected, then "rinsed off" to remove the disinfectant.

Harbor water, or water from alongside the dock where the vessel is tied up, must never be used for cleaning purposes as it is usually heavily polluted. This is also usually true for water in close vicinity to towns, villages, industrial plants, fish plants and freezer/factory ships.

The following method of cleaning has been found to be the most effective: 43

Rinse " with a high pressure jet of cold water to remove excess slime, blood and scales. * Scrub with a stiff brush or high pressure cleaner, using an acceptable detergent.

" Rinse with cold water. " Sanitize with cold water containing hypochlorite solution or another acceptable disinfectant. * Rinse again to remove the disinfectant. Containers, utensils, penboards and shelfboards should be allowed to air dry prior to stacking or storing. 11. Following the discharge of fish from a vessel, all equipment and utensils used in the handling of fish and the chilled storage areas, water system, fisl containers, penboards and shelfboards, should be thoroughly cleaned with water from a source approved by a fish inspection laboratory and disinfected. Reason

It is necessary to clean and remove bacteria, all slime laden with blood and other residue from all equipment and storage areas as soon as the catch is unloaded.

This will avoid multiplication of micro-organisms, generation of the offensive odors and the drying of residues on the hold or other surfaces which could result in the contamination of future catches.

To accomplish these objectives, regular followed disinfection by a rinse, is recommended after the cleaning operations. Not only will this kill a great number organisms of micro­ which may still be present, it will also help prevent the occurrence of off odors in the hold. Compliance At the end of each fishing trip, promptly after unloading, while surfaces are still wet, all fish-holding penboards, facilities, shelfboards, other equipment and utensils that contact come in with the fish, should be washed with cold water source approved from a by a fish inspection laboratory, or clean sea water under adequate pressure; then thoroughly scrubbed stiff with a brush or high-pressure cleaning equipment and an acceptable detergent, and then rinsed with water from an Cleaned approved source. surfaces should then be disinfected with hypochlorite solution or any other acceptable type of sanitizing agent, and rinsed with cold water again to remove the disinfectant.

Recirculation of cleaning water is not permitted. 44

Harbor water, or water from alongside the dock where vessel the is tied up, must never be used for cleaning purposes as it is usually heavily polluted. This is also usually true for water in close vicinity to towns, villages, industrial plants, fish plants and freezer/factory ships.

Cleani'ng and disinfecting must be completed prior to taking on fresh ice for the next trip.

In the case of boats equipped with chilled water systems, all pipes and heat exchangers must be flushed with approved and water an acceptable cleaning solution to remove slime, blood and scales, then flushed again with approved water to remove all traces of the cleaning solution. The use of a disinfectant also is strongly recommended providing the system is rinsed with water before the tanks are filled prior to fishing.

Source: Department of Fisheries and Oceans Vancouver, BC Canada 43

REFERENCES Anon. 1989 On-board Refrigeration Series; Chilled Sea-water Systems, Icing of Fish, Refrigerated Sea-water Systems. Oregon State University Extension Service. February 1989, 6pp. Anon. 1990 Pacific Whiting - Evaluation of Worldwide Resource Availability. Oregon Coastal Zone Management Association. June 1990, 83pp.

Anon. 1992 La Ordenaci6n y Planific,7ci6n Pesquera y la Reactivaci6n del Sector Pesquero in el Perd. Informe Preparado para el Gobierno de la Repdblica del Perd. FAO, Rome, It& y, June 1992, 103 pp.

Rackowe, Robin. 1991 Pool de Expertos para el Sector Pesquero. Condiciones Basicas y Orientaciones para lo Operacion de Embarcaciones Pesqueras de Bandera Extranjera. Ministerio de Pesqueria, Perd and Deutsche Gesellschaft fdr Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH. December 1991, 90pp. Thomson, David 1978 Pair Trawling and Pair Seining - The Technology of Two-boat Fishing. Fishing News Books, Ltd.