Page. IX.-Fishing Grounds usually Visited by British Vessels 23 The chief ports of entry of fish-The area visited by British fishing vessels is extensive-Kinds of fish caught in various sections arranged in order of importance The North Sea-Its remarkable productivity, and possible overfishing-The effect of trawling-The amount of dead fish returned to the sea-The extension of fishing into more distant waters-The supply of "white" fish for Great Britain becoming more dependent on distant waters-The possibility that the western side of the North Atlantic might supply any deficiencies. X.-The Fishing Industries ... ... .... The application of power to fishing craft-Different conditions in Newfoundland and Eastern CanadaSpecial measures to preserve fish on trawlers visiting distant grounds-The functions of skipper and mateThe industries on both sides of the Atlantic in need of extended markets. The transport of fish at sea-Transport by rail on land-Objections to present methods of packing fish in ice for transport. XII.-Nature of Demand ... ... The desirability of handling the edible portions only -The trade in filleted fish already growing-A change in marketing practice-Unlikely to succeed unless the public is satisfied with the quality of the product offered. XIII.-Irregularity of Wholesale Supplies and Effect on 63461 ... ... ... Great Britain may be considered as one single market-The conditions under which the wholesale fish trade is carried on-The wide range of possible quality -No means of regulating arrival of supplies or of foretelling quality-Perishability of fish-The proportion of fish suitable for food but destroyed or diverted for other purposes is small-Irregularity in quantity and quality of daily arrivals reflected in daily wholesale prices-Evidence of variations in wholesale prices-The instability of wholesale prices contributory to the high level of retail prices-The chief economic need of the industry to secure a more uniform supply -Effect of irregular market prices on attempts of British North America to serve Great Britain-Lower retail prices would bring about an increase in demand -Lower prices must be based more on stability than on the average lowering of wholesale prices-Stability must be sought in better methods of preservation. 27 31 A 3 32 34 336 Scientific research falls under two heads-Life and catching of fish-Preservation and storage after capture Organisation of scientific investigation in Great Britain-The permanent International Council for the Exploration of the Sea-The range and variety of the biological and marine work-Research work on the western side of the Atlantic-Less progress has been made into research into problems of preservation after capture-Air freezing unsuitable-" Brine " or quick, freezing possible-Problems of proper preservation still far from an adequate solution-The Low Temperature Research Institute at Cambridge-Experimental Station at Halifax-Advantages which would flow from improvements of methods of preserving fish-Preservation a question both for scientific enquiry and for organisation-An uneconomic proceeding to use the fishing vessel also as carrier-Transhipment to a carrying vessel—A "factory" ship-Advantages of the factory ship-Possible future developments— Efforts to bring fresh fish across the Atlantic-Salmon from Labrador and Newfoundland-Need for adequate utilisation of the fishery waste products-Storage of fish after landing-Transport on land-Education of the consumer-Filleted fish-Scope for better organisation-Dependence upon better methods of preservation-Recommendation-Need for two stations, in Great Britain at a fishing port and in Maritime Provinces of Canada-Co-operation and correlation necessary between the two stations-Wide Empire interest in preservation of fish-Close touch should be kept with the industry. XV. Pelagic Fish-The Herring and Mackerel ... 48 Contrasts with the "white" fish trade The herring a very important factor in the general prosperity of the fishing industry-The herring industry-Several forms in which the herring is soldExports-Effects of the fall in exports-British demand also fallen-The problem of the Herring Industry-Some new method of treating herrings required Pre-War dependence of the trade on Central and Eastern Europe-A more widespread market needed for expansion of trade The Irish Free State trade in herrings and mackerel-A limited market in Great Britain for Dominion-caught herrings— Investigation to determine the scientific problemsRecommendation to the Empire Marketing Board. XVI. The Inshore Fisheries of the Irish Free State Salted cod the chief article-Market in Great Britain has declined—The chief consuming countriesImportance to Newfoundland-Exports of salted cod from Newfoundland-Newfoundland's chief competitors-Possible markets in British West African Colonies. 39 53 XVIII.-Shell Fish ... ... Page. 54 Exports and re-exports small in value-Steady increase in consumption of lobster-Practically all supplies of lobsters from within the Empire-Close season in Newfoundland-Mussels-The position in England and Wales in 1926-Risk of contamination— Effective means of purification-Want of organisation in the trade-Treatise by Dr. R. W. DodgsonOysters-Organisation of oyster fisheries-English and Scottish oyster fisheries less productive-ImportsExperiments in breeding oysters. XIX.-Fish Oils-Cod Liver Oils ... 56 ... Two classes of oil from fish-" Fish" oils and liver " oils-Cod liver oil-The therapeutic value of cod liver oil depends on presence of vitaminsQualities of a medicinal oil demanded by the publicMarket value in Great Britain and Western Europe depends less on its medicinal value than on its acceptability to the public-Chief manufacturing countries-The Norwegian cod liver oil industry-Norwegian propaganda-The British cod liver industryThe need for endeavouring to steam the livers as soon as possible-The "factory ship-The Newfoundland industry-Improvements in methods of preparation suggested-Exports of cod liver oil from Newfoundland-Scope for increasing the output of higher grade medicinal oil-United States and Canada the chief markets for Newfoundland oil-Cod liver oil trade of Great Britain-The future demand for cod liver oilIts use in the manufacture of margarine-Recommendation to the Empire Marketing Board-Points on which research may throw light. Very important development since the War-Fish meal as a feeding stuff to growing stock, cows and poultry-The value of "White-fish" meal-Proportion for feeding poultry-Trade opposition to its use in feeding of pigs-Taint-Danger of using inferior fish meals-Agreement amongst manufacturers as to composition of "White-fish" meal-Powers of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Scottish Board of Agriculture-Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs Act of 1926-Draft regulations-Herring meal-Use as fertiliser-The extent of its use a matter of comparative price-Trade and production of fish meal-Estimate of the limits of the quantity of fish meal that might be used-Existence of a wide potential marketPrice a limiting factor-Lower prices needed for wider demand-A reaction of efficient large fish industry on wholesale prices of fresh fish-Special agricultural value of fish meal and fish fertilizer-Parts of Empire deficient in phosphates. XXI.-Northern Pacific Fisheries 63461 Empire interests centred in Canada-British Columbia-The salmon fishery-Contrast between Atlantic and Pacific salmon-Kinds of salmon common on the Pacific coast-The Fraser River-Reduction in proportion of "sockeye" in Canadian production. 60 A 4 64 Page. XXII.-Canadian Production and Trade in Canned Salmon 64 Canada's chief competitors-Increasing competition in the British market-Imports of canned salmon into Great Britain-The marking of imported canned salmon-The Merchandise Marks Act, 1926-Position of the Canadian producers under the Act. XXIII.-Southern Fisheries ... 66 fully Fishing grounds considerable, but not exploited or even explored-The vast shoal area around the Falkland Isles-Distance from supplies of coal and populous markets-Australia-New Zealand-South Africa. XXIV.-Tropical Fisheries XXV.-Summary of Conclusions Appendix 1.-Estimated consumption of Demersal, Pelagic and canned fish in the United Kingdom 1910-1913, 1919-1922, and in Great Britain 1923-1926 .. Appendix 11.-Imports of "Cured and Salted" cod into the ... ... ... Appendix III.-Diagram showing the average daily value of cod landed at Grimsby during December, 1926, January and February, 1927 Appendix IV.-Exports of fish from Canada in 1925 ... 82 Appendix V.-Attempts at the introduction of power methods for the capture of fish in Eastern Waters ... Map of the world showing locations of chief fishing grounds and of the mean annual isotherms of the surface of the sea which indicate the distribution of the kinds of fish. 83 REPORT. We, the Imperial Economic Committee, appointed by the Governments of the United Kingdom, Dominions, India and the Colonies and Protectorates, and acting under our Terms of Reference published on the 6th March, 1925, beg leave to present to the Governments of the Empire this our Fifth Report The Marketing and Preparing for Market of Fish. I. Introduction. 1. We have already presented Reports dealing with meat, fruit and dairy produce. It was agreed by the Governments of the Empire that we should conduct a similar inquiry into fish. In doing this we have, in the main, confined our attention to those sea fisheries the products of which largely enter into the food of the people of the British Isles. We have thus excluded from our inquiry the whale fisheries, the seal fisheries, and, except for salmon, the river and lake fisheries. The field of inquiry even thus restricted has been a fertile one. It happens that local fishery problems have recently attracted attention in different parts of the Empire, and definite movements have been made in Great Britain to apply new methods, to explore new fishing grounds, and in certain directions to secure joint action by the industry as a whole. The time, therefore, seems appropriate for taking stock of the fishery industries of the Empire and for stating some of the more pressing problems confronting them. 2. We have examined a number of witnesses representing both producing and marketing interests. It has been fortunate that concurrently with our inquiry the Food Council has been investigating in detail the relationship between wholesale and retail prices in the fish trade. We are indebted to them for their courtesy in informing us of the general course of their investigation and in supplying us with information material to our inquiry. We have further had the advantage of consultation with experienced officials both of the Home and Overseas Governments and with men of scientfic eminence. We thank them and all those who appeared before us as witnesses, for their skilled assistance. II. The Fishing Grounds. 3. The fisherman stands out in an ordered world as the last representative, at any rate on a considerable scale, of the hunter. None the less fishing is one of the four great primary industries of the world-the raising of crops and stock, the winning of minerals and fish. Though the fisherman shares |