-• :- .., _ . - b". • - ' • " , __.......1. StIÉRIES."--»11) ...00EANg : ' ' ej"f"'S ..:: Cf.% • .. ' "7.' "? - "" " «rt- WE.. 240 SP...ARKSST., 8/11 FLQ0 .. -CANADA ..6P.rAWA,•.:olvineo,.. .. -. • ..- .....::-. ,-. -...-- .. . KlA 0E6- : • • • .. .:.C,.A.NÀ:DA :,.. .. •..- ' • : - -- ' .. rinuARY FISHERIES AND OCEANS 240 SPARYS ST., 8th FLOM WEST . OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA', e KiA 0E6. Being the Eighty-Second Annual Fisherieeeport of the Dominion. +e3-- (N1 cO c\I To His Excellency Field-Marshal the Right Honourable Viscount Alexander of Tunis, K.G., G.C.B., G.C.M.G., C.S.I., D.S.O., M.G., LL.D., A.D.C., Governor-General and Cotranander-in-Chief of Canada. May It Please Your Excellency: I have the honour herewith, for the information of Your Excellency and the Parliament of Canada, to present the Nineteenth Annual Report of the Department of Fisheries, being the Eighty-Second Annual Fisheries Report Respectfully submitted, Minister of Fisheries. To The Honourable Robert W. Mayhew, M.P., Minister of Fisheries, Ottawa, Ont. I have the honour to submit herewith the Nineteenth Annual Report of the Department of Fisheries, which covers the fiscal year 1948-49 and is the Eighty-Second Annual Report on the fisheries of Canada. Your obedient servant, Deputy Minister. CONTENTS Page The Fisheries in 1948-1949 7 A Review of the Department .... 12 The Western Division 15 The Inland Division 33 The Eastern Division 37 Fish Culture Development 44 Fish Inspection Laboratories 54 Pribilof Sealing Operations 59 Fisheries Research Board of Canada 60 Fisheries Prices Support Board 67 International Pacific Salmon Fisheries Commission 69 International Fisheries Commission 73 APPENDICES Appendix I: Financial Statements 77 Appendix II: Western Division 94 Appendix III: Fish Culture Development 114 THE FISHERIES IN 1948-49 HE fishing industry of Canada as a whole had a very successful year Tin 1948 despite unfavourable factors that were developing in overseas export marketing. The world food shortage was easing, for in every major region of the world except the U.S. and Canada the supply of food in 1948-9 was larger than in the previous year. Fish landings in Europe in 1948 were about 700,000 metric tons greater than in 1947 and about 1.1 million metric tons above the pre-war average. Although the general food supply was still below pre-war levels in Europe and the Far East, the requirements of reconstruction created a shortage of dollars which reflected itself in declining commercial purchases of food products from the hard currency areas. The drastic curtailment of exports of Canadian canned fish to the sterling area which began in 1947, was extended to South Africa late in 1948, thereby cutting off a market which had absorbed considerable volumes of sahnon and sardines denied access to former important markets such as the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. However, despite these unfavourable developments, the necessary market- ing adjustments were made possible by a strengthening of the North American markets for fishery products. Domestic consumption rose from 11.5 lbs. (edible weight basis) per person in 1947 to 12.2 lbs. in 1948, and the domestic market absorbed $48.6 million worth of all types of fishery products (including oils, etc.) as compared with $40 million worth in 1947. The United States increased its purchases by $16.5 million, enabling total exports to reach a new peak of $89.8 million. This export total surpassed the former record value of $89 million in 1946, and was well above the 1947 figure of $84 million. The increase in exports over 1947 was achieved without any substantial aid from E.C.A. financing, although it did include some relief shipments in the early months of 1948 under the post-UNRRA scheme of distribution of foods to European countries. Thus the total marketed value of 1948 production added up to 8138.5 million as compared with $125 million in 1947. This increase of over 10 per cent was partially due to the increased landings described below, and in part to a higher price structure. The wholesale price index (1935-39.100) for fishery products stood at 243 for the first quarter of the year, then declined to 230 in June, followed by a jump to 258 in the fall months, and ending the year at 264. In general, prices were 10-15 per cent higher than in the comparable seasons of 1947. 7 Production: Preliminary figures of Canadian landings in 1948 indicated a substantial increase over those of the preceding year. The total landings of the sea fisheries reached 1,285 million lbs. compared with 1,153 million lbs. in 1947. Most significant, compared with the preceding year, were the increases in the landings of herring on the Pacific Coast and of cod and haddock on the Atlantic Coast. The catch of herring in B.C. was exceptionally high in the first month of the winter fishery of 1948-49; consequently the amount caught in the calendar year 1948 reached 386 million lbs., surpassing the 1947 figure by 130 million lbs. The combined catch of cod and haddock on the Atlantic Coast, at 301.5 million lbs., was 40 million lbs. greater than in 1947. It should be noted, however, that the landings of cod and haddock in 1947 were artificially lowered by a labor dispute in the early months of the year and by restricted fishing operations due to market conditions. In 1948, the Pacific Coast witnessed the revival of a whale fishery. A total of 184 whales were captured, which was higher than in 1942 and 1943, the last two years before the whaling operations came to a halt. The tuna fisheries expanded substantially in 1948. On the other hand, the landings of salmon and halibut, although satisfactory, were substantiall y below those of the preceding year. The total catch of fish in British Columbia reached 578 million lbs. compared with 480.6 million lbs. in 1947. On the Atlantic Coast the landings in general were at a high level in 1948. However, the herring and "sardine" fisheries registered a drop from the previous year's level. The herring scarcity, especially in the fall, brought about a shortage of bait, and herring had to be procured from B.C. for bait purposes. The pack of canned sardines was also substantially below that of 1947. The total landings for the East Coast reached 707 million lbs. compared with 672.2 million in 1947. According to preliminary figures the landed value of seafish—i.e., value to fishermen—reached a record of $63.1 million. The landed value on the West Coast, at $32.2 million, surpassed that of any previous year and was $10 million dreater than in 1947. The higher price level on salmon was the main factor contributing to the increased value to fishermen in this recrion. The 1943-49 price agreements for herring also established higher prices than in the previous winter season. The East Coast fisheries were valued at $30.9 million, i.e., $5.5 million more than in 1947. due mainly to higher landings of cod, haddock and lobster and to firmer prices .-enerally. Final returns on landings and landed value of the freshwater fisheries for 1948 were not obtainable at time of writing. However, it is certain that they were at a higher level than in 19'17 when the landings were 80 million lbs. valued at $9.7 million as landed. 8 Disposition of Catch: As to the disposition of the catch, the most significant development was the drop in the production of canned fish due to changed market conditions. The production of canned herring on the Pacific Coast dropped from 1,406,000 cases in 1947 to 415,500 cases in the subsequent year. On the other hand, the production of herring meal reached the unpre,cedented figure of 29,650 tons and that of herring oil 24,480,000 lbs. On the Atlantic Coast, the pack of canned cod and related species dropped from 193,200 cases in 1947 to 95,000 cases in the following year. A total of 25,000 cases of mackerel were canned in 1948 as compared with 60,800 cases in the previous year. The pack of canned herring was also substantially reduced. Preliminary figures indicated a production of 115 million lbs. (net weightl of canned products compared with 185 million lbs. in 1947. Still, the 1948 production was well above normal market demand, the surplus being handled through the canned fish purchasing programme of the Fisheries Prices Support Board. The latter purchased about 151,000 cases of canned fish in 1948. This was intended to cushion the impact upon the industry of the loss of their special outlets during the transition from a wartime and relief demand to that of a normal market. On the East Coast the production of fresh or frozen fillets from cod and haddock was well above that of the preceding year. Preliminary figures indicated a production of 48.2 million lbs. of fillets. The output of dried salted fish also surpassed that of 1947 by about 5 million lbs. On the Pacific Coast, except for the above mentioned shift in the disposition of herring away from canning to the production of meal and oil, the disposition of fish followed approximately the saine pattern as in the preceding year. Exports: The increase in exports over 1947 came as a result of an accelerated flow of fresh and frozen, cured and miscellaneous forms such as oils and meals, which more than made up for a retardation in shipments of the canned form. Fresh and frozen fish exports (almost exclusively to the U.S.) rose from $29.5 million in 1947 to $35.3 million in 1948, due to a $2.8 inillion increase in sales of whole or dressed fish and a $3 million increase in the filleted forms.