"The meal made by this method contains all the factors originally present in the fish, has a low oil content, and provided a low boiling solvent is used in the oil extraction, will have a high digestibility factor. The oil will probably be darker than that produced by the usual methods, but in other respects will be equal in quality. of meal will be anything from 5-7 percent higher, and oil 2-3 percent higher.

"FISH OIL: Apart from the materials at present lost in the stickwater, the cleaning up of the oil at the South African factories is usually done efficiently. The moisture contents usually vary between 0.25 percent and 2.5 percent and insoluble impurities, etc., do not often exceed 0.10 percent.

"The smell, and to a large extent the color, of the oils are controlled by the degree of decomposition that has taken place in the fish before it is processed. Oils of bad odor, dark color, and high free fatty acid content are invariably the result of processing decomposing fish. Oils from very fresh fish are low in free fatty acid, lighter in color, and sweet smelling. The color of pilchard oil, however, even when produced from fresh fish is always appreciably darker than that of good maasbanker oil. The reason for this is the large amount of pigment found in the stomach walls of pilchards. The free fatty acid contents range from 0.5 percent in very good oils up to 7.5 percent in very poor oils. The average is slightly below 2.0 percent.

This property dictates the uses to which the oils
are ultimately put. Maasbanker finds its principal
use in hardening plants, where with the aid of acti-
vated nickel catalyst it can be hydrogenated re-
latively easily to produce excellent fats of both
industrial and edible grades. These fats are being
widely used in margarine and cooking fats, and
soap and candle manufacture. Pilchard oil, on the
other hand, is much more difficult to hydrogenate than
maasbanker. Not only does it require considerably
more hydrogen, but the life of the catalyst is less.

"For these reasons, not much pure pilchard oil is hardened. Instead, it can be processed in a number of ways to produce excellent oils for the drying oil industries, such as paint and varnish oils, putty and core oils, printing ink varnishes, waterproofing compounds, etc. Both pilchard and maasbanker are used in the tanning industry in the crude and the sulphated state....

In conclusion, the author points out that the South African fish meal and oil industry has made remarkable progress when one considers that it virtually did not exist four years ago. "Production will increase still further in the coming years and we can look forward with confidence to our industry becoming one of the major producers of meal and oil in the world," he says.

PRICES OF WHALE PRODUCTS FOR 1950-51 SEASON ESTABLISHED: A South African whaling company has entered into a contract with the British Ministry of Food stipulatin a price of £100 ($280) per long ton (2, 00 lbs.), ex-ship United Kingdom port, for all whale oil produced by the company during the 1950-51 whaling season, an American consular dispatch from Durban dated October 11 reports.

It has also been ascertained that the agreed upon price for whale meat meal during the coming season will be 13/- (approximately $1.82) per protein unit. The price realized for meat meal during the last season was 11/- ($1.54) per protein unit.

While the new price to be paid for whale oil represents an increase of 25 percent over the price in effect last year, officials of the company point out that the cost of equipment, fuel, and other working costs have increased to such an extent that the margin of profit will not be increased as much as it might appear.

United Kingdom

BRITISH FISH MARKETING SURVEY: The Organization for European Economic Cooperation (0.E.E.C.) is conducting a survey of fish marketing in Great Britain. The comprehensive survey will cover the catching and distribution of fish, with the object of determining whether means can be found for increasing consumption, reports the October 14 issue Fish Trades Gazette, a British fishery periodical.

of

The small panel of men which will carry out the survey will be drawn from countries which are members of O.E.E.C. Several of the main fishing ports and inland markets will be visited by the panel. The survey was to be completed by November 9.

WHALE OIL SOLD TO UNITED KINGDOM FOR $280 PER LONG TON: The entire 1950-51 output of whale oil of the United Kingdom's largest whaling factory ship, the Balaena, has been sold on a forward basis to the British Ministry of Food, according to a report from the American Embassy at London.

The agreed price for the oil is 100 ($280) per long ton. It is believed that since the sale involves the total production of the Balaena expedition (which produced nearly 45 percent of all the whale and sperm oil output of the three United Kingdom expeditions in the 1949-50 season) that the price may indicate the level at which other sales in 1950-51 will take place.

U. S. Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands

STATUS OF THE FISHERIES, 1949:1/ The commercial fisheries of the Trust Territory are developed to a very minor degree at this time, according to the annual report of the United States to FAO. Small amounts of bonito and other deep-sea fish are regularly taken from the waters of Saipan and the Palau Islands and some commercial catches of reef fish and crustaceans have been shipped from the Palaus. The fresh fish markets of Guam have been the only export market available for this fresh fish. Very little fish is processed in the islands for export.

Although appreciable quantities of trepang (beche-de-mer) are available, the only sizable markets for this product (China) have been closed. Trochus is taken in quantity for the shell most of which is exported to Japan to be manufactured into buttons.

The administration is continually studying methods to develop the deep-sea fisheries off the Trust Territory Islands. Lack of local skill and initiative, the necessity for heavy investment in fishing boats and processing equipment, and the distance from potential markets have consistently delayed progress in this field.

ABSTRACTED FROM THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS (SEPTEMBER 1950).

Venezuela

FISHING FLEET EXPANDED: The Venezuelan

Development Corporation has announced that by mid-November, 30 new fishing vessels were scheduled to be completed, an October 30 American consular dispatch from Caracas states. These new boats have displacements of from 10 to 20 metric tons and will be used for marine fishing.

COMMERCE FIELD OFFICES PREPARED TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO BUSINESSMEN ON NPA PROGRAMS: The 42 field offices of the Department of Commerce are now prepared to provide additional local guidance to businessmen on the programs of the National Production Authority as well as other Department programs, the Secretary of Commerce announced on October 23.

"We are making it possible for businessmen with production problems brought about by the re-armament program to find help close at hand. Unnecessary trips to Washington are not only expensive and wasteful for the businessman, but also add to the burden of our already strained economy," the Commerce Secretary stated.

"In most cases, the field offices will be able to answer specific questions regarding programs as they are put in effect," he said. "If any problems arise which are beyond the scope of the field offices, the directors of these offices can get answers quickly from Washington."

The Secretary's announcement followed a five-day meeting of Regional Directors of the Commerce Department at which they reported on economic and industrial activity in their areas and conferred with NPA officials on the administration of the NPA program for insuring adequate materials for defense with a minimum effect on civilian supply.

The National Production Authority Administrator told the meetings that, "Military needs must have a right-of-way, but that is only half our job. The other half is to expand to keep civilian production in high gear."

"We would like to increase production to meet civilian and military needs both right now. Unfortunately that takes time-a year or two in some cases. During this interval, we cannot add defense on top of our economy in all cases without taking some civilian consumption off the bottom."

NATIONAL PRODUCTION AUTHORITY

BASIC RULES OF THE PRIORITIES SYSTEM/ AMENDED: The basic rules of the prior

ities system to be administered by the National Production Authority in the Department of Commerce, contained in Regulation 2, have been amended by the issuance of Amendment 2 to this regulation.

1 SEE COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW, NOVEMBER 1950, P. 83.

Exclusion of wood pulp from the National Production Authority's basic priorities regulation was the main purpose of the amendment. As a result, no "DO" priority ratings may be used to obtain wood pulp.

This amendment was made because only 6 or 7 percent of United States consumption of wood pulp is available for purchase on the domestic market. Consequently, only this small quantity has been subject to "DO" ratings. The exclusion of wood pulp from the priorities regulation is designed to prevent disruption in the production and distribution of the several essential grades of wood pulp, NPA officials pointed out.

Wood pulp is the key raw material for paper, paperboard, rayon, cellophane, explosives, and thousands of end products necessary for both the defense program and important non-military uses.

Removal of the limited amount of pulp marketed domestically from the "DO" rating system gives some 400 or more small paper and paperboard mills access to it without seriously interfering with the pulp supply position of the integrated or importing mills.

NOTE: TEXTS OF THE NATIONAL PRODUCTION AUTHORITY REGULATIONS, INTERPRETATIONS, ETC., ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE NATIONAL PRODUCTION AUTHORITY, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, WASHINGTON 25, D. C., OR FROM DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE FIELD OFFICES.

PRIORITIES FOR CERTAIN CONTAINERS, PACKAGING, AND CHEMICALS: An interpretation covering the application of "DO" defense order ratings under the NPA priorities regulation to secure containers, packaging, and chemicals needed to fill defense contracts for food and petroleum was issued on October 24 by the National Production Authority.

Since provisions of the priorities regulation (NPA Regulation 2) do not apply to petroleum and food, "DO" ratings may not be applied to procure these commodities.

However, the interpretation (NPA Interpretation No. 1) makes clear that the Department of Defense and the Atomic Energy Commission may assign to their suppliers of petroleum and food the right to apply "DO" ratings as follows:

1. To secure the drums, cans, and other containers and packaging required for the delivery of petroleum and food.

2. To secure chemicals required for use, either directly in the production of, or in processing the petroleum and food and which will be consumed or converted into byproducts in the course of the processing.

The "DO" ratings may be used only to secure the minimum quantities of containers, packaging, or chemicals required to fill such defense orders.

For containers and packaging, for example, the Department of the Army places an order with a supplier for 100,000 cases of canned fish, which is a food product and is not covered by the priorities regulation. An authorized Army representative may, however, assign to the supplier the right to apply a "DO" rating to secure the packages or containers required for the delivery of the 100,000 cases of canned fish.

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INTERPRETATIONS TO INVENTORY CONTROL REGULATION ISSUED: Three interpretations of its inventory control regulation were issued on November 14. The interpretations cover methods of adjusting orders, the extent of the imported materials exemption, and deliveries of goods through immediate distributors.

The inventory control regulation (NPA Regulation 1, issued September 18, 1950) limits to a "practicable minimum working inventory" the quantities of a number of listed items which may be ordered, received, or delivered.

SEE COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW, NOVEMBER 1950, P. 83.

Department of State

TERMINATION OF TRADE AGREEMENT WITH CHINA BECOMES EFFECTIVE: The President, on October 12, 1950, signed a proclamation terminating certain United States tariff concessions initially negotiated with China in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade concluded at Geneva, Switzerland, in 1947. This action was taken because of the withdrawal of China from the agreement effective May 6, 1950,1/ according to an October 13 press release from the U. S. Department of State.

Changes in the United States tariff rates resulting from termination of the concessions listed, will be effective on December 11, 1950, the sixtieth day following the issuance of the proclamation.

An exclusive trade agreement between the United States and Cuba, concluded at the same time as the General Agreement, provides that, under certain circumstances, United States tariff preferences on products of Cuba not included in the General Agreement shall be maintained at the margins that were in effect on April 10, 1947. Termination of the concessions to China will, in some cases, by removing the items concerned from the General Agreement, result in adding them to the list of Cuban products entitled to preferential treatment.

1/ SEE COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW, OCTOBER 1950, PP. 74-5.

Eighty-first Congress (Second Session)

NOVEMBER 1950

Congress reassembled on November 27 in continuation of the second session of the Eighty-first Congress.

No bills affecting the fishing and allied industries were introduced or passed in either the Senate or House of Representatives during the few days in November Congress was in session.