BILOXI PRICE DISPUTE CUTS GULF PRODUCTION IN JANUARY In January, due to inclement weather and the shrimp price dispute in Biloxi, Mississippi, the production of practically all fishery products in the Gulf area declined, according to the Service's New Orleans Market News office. The only exception was oyster production which had a seasonal increase coincident to the beginning of oyster canning. Several oyster canning plants are operating under the Sea Food Inspection Service of the Food and Drug Administration. Regulations are similar in nature to those which that agency has administered for shrimp canners for a number of years. It is expected that more oyster canners will request this service as they get their plants into operation. (Fishery Market News, February 1944, p.31) The shrimp production decrease was due mainly to the price controversy in Biloxi, which tied up all fishing for over a month. With the increase in the number of new boats, it is expected that this year all production will surpass that of 1943. The demand for all fishery products is increasing steadily. SCALLOP AND LEMON SOLE PRICES ADVANCED BY AMENDMENT 21 TO MPR-418 Winter maximum prices of sea scallops and lemon sole at the fisherman's and the various wholesale levels were increased February 2, by the Office of Price Administration in line with a previous commitment of OPA to Boston fishermen. In the case of sea scallop meats, the fisherman's maximum price is increased from 35 cents a pound to 38 cents. In the case of lemon sole, round, the increase is from 11 cents to 16 cents a pound. The increases are for the period October through March in any year. The new ceilings represent weighted 1942 season averages. The increases, after they have passed through the various wholesale levels and the average retail mark-up, will be about 3 cents a pound to the ultimate consumer in the case of sea scallops; 5 cents a pound in the case of lemon sole, round; and 16 cents a pound in the case of lemon sole fillet. The 1942 season average figures were used in establishing maximum prices when OPA's fish regulation was first issued last summer. In establishing winter prices for sea scallops and lemon sole, however, OPA went below the weighted averages paid for these two fish in the winter of 1942, as calculated from the Fish and Wildlife Service Reports. This was done at the request of the Office of the Coordinator of Fisheries because OCF, interested in a large production of important species, did not want high prices for scallops and lemon sole to divert fishermen from the catch of more important species. Following protests from Boston fishermen and after consultation with OCF, it was decided that the pricing of sea scallops and lemon sole should be no different than that of other species. The action eliminates the previous existing differences. OPA said that, in line with its established policy of reexamining maximum prices from time to time, the prices set for whiting, blackbacks and yellowtails would be checked again in the near future to determine whether they deviate from the 1942 season averages. Amendment No. 21 to MPR-418--Fresh Fish and Seafood--became effective February 7, 1944. Excerpts follow: 1. In section 20, Table A, the prices per pound for Schedule Nos. 14 and 17 during the months October through March are amended to read as follows: Sched. TABLE A MAXIMUM PRICES FOR PRODUCERS OF FRESH FISH AND SEAFOOD Item No. 14 17 Sole, lemon (Pseudopleuronectes dignabilis) 1 1 Style of Size Price per pound, Oct-Mar ... 2, 3, 4, and 5. In section 20, Tables B, C, D, and E, the prices per pound for Schedule Nos. 14 and 17 during the months October through March are amended to read as follows: TABLE B--MAXIMUM PRICES FOR PRIMARY FISH SHIPPER SALES OF FRESH FISH AND SEAFOOD. FISH SHIPPER WHOLESALERS TO OTHER WHOLESALERS OF FRESH FISH AND SEAFOOD. REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR PERMITTED TO SET FISH PRICES ON PACIFIC COAST BY AMDT. 22 TO MPR-418 Authority of the Regional Administrator for OPA Region VIII (California, Washington and Oregon) to set maximum prices on otherwise uncontrolled fresh fish and seafood was broadened February 8, by the OPA. The new action permits the Regional head to set ceiling prices within the region for uncontrolled styles of dressings of fish and seafood species which now are under limited control on a national basis, Under this delegation, the Regional Administrator may now set maximum prices where "substantially all" instead of "all" the fish or seafood affected was during the year preceding the new order imported at or produced in Region VIII and consumed in the region. Thus, he may now determine maximum prices for fish and seafood which are almost entirely a local problem although some of it may have entered the United States elsewhere than in his region. The greater authority was granted, OPA said, in order to avoid delay in transmitting information between the regional and national offices, thus permitting quicker action in handling a perishable commodity. Amendment No.22 to MPR-418--Fresh Fish and Seafood--became effective February 12, 1944. An excerpt follows: The first sentence of paragraph (a) in section 20 is amended to read as follows: The Regional Administrator for Region VIII may by order fix maximum prices for all types of sales of fresh fish or seafood for which a maximum price has not been established in this Maximum Price Regulation No. 418: Provided, That: (1) During the year preceding the mum price fixed by the order for each type of sale of such fish or seafood does not exceed the 1942 weighted average price for that type of sale of such fish or seafood: Provided, That such price is otherwise in accord with the provisions of the Emergency Price Control Act of 1942, as amended, Executive Order No. 9250 and Executive Order No. 9328. SLICED CODFISH PRICES REDUCED IN AMENDMENT 23 TO MPR-418 A reduction of 4 to 4 cents per pound in the winter ceiling price and 3 cents per pound in the summer ceiling price of fresh sliced codfish was announced February 9 by the OPA. Although the rollback is at wholesale level, the consumer will receive the same reduction per pound under the new system of cents-per-pound retail mark-ups for fresh fish, OPA said. The price reduction followed a study revealing that yields in sliced codfish are larger than they were estimated to be when the original ceilings were set and that, therefore, ceilings have been too high. One group of wholesalers, primary fish shippers, are given a reduction of 4 cents per pound in winter prices by the action. All other wholesale prices, however, are reduced by 4 cents per pound. All wholesaler prices are reduced by 3 cents per pound on summer prices. Amendment No. 23 to MPR-418--Fresh Fish and Seafood--became effective February 14, 1944. An excerpt follows: 1, 2, 3, and 4. In section 20, Tables B, C, D, and E, Item No. 8 of Schedule No. 2 are amended to read as follows: TABLE B--MAXIMUM PRICES FOR PRIMARY FISH SHIPPER SALES OF FRESH FISH AND SEAFOOD. FISH SHIPPER WHOLESALERS TO OTHER WHOLESALERS OF FRESH FISH AND SEAFOOD. AMENDMENT 24 TO MPR-418 EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 28 Establishment of a 20 cents per pound producers' ceiling on all round chinook salmon, both on ocean-trolled and on catches from bays, streams and rivers of the States of California, Oregon and Washington, except the Sacramento River catch, was announced February 22 by the Office of Price Administration. The new price will be effective for the season, January through March. In addition, the OPA fixed all April prices for chinook salmon at the previously established May levels. These actions were taken in Amendment 24 to MPR-418-Fresh Fish and Shellfish--effective February 28. OPA officials believe that the new price schedule will provide an incentive to fishermen during these months, in that prices are made higher during this period than at any other time of the year. Also, the action will, in effect, bring about a general retail price reduction to the consumer of chinook salmon as a whole, since Columbia River production, which was greatest for this type of salmon during these months, was not previously under any form of price control. This is the first time all classifications of chinook salmon have been brought under price ceilings for this period. Formerly, only ocean-troll and a small percentage of the seine chinook for these months was covered by the regulation. This action will help establish uniform prices for this salmon at all levels of distribution during these winter months. The previous price for large round troll chinook was 184 cents, and 22 cents for drawn, uniform for the whole year. This did not take into consideration the higher prices that always existed during these winter months, according to OPA officials. The new price of 20 cents per pound for round chinook and 24 cents for drawn is expected to increase production of this type of salmon. Steelhead salmon also was affected by the new amendment. Previously, no price existed for this type of salmon during the month of March, because generally no fishing for steelhead occurred during this month. The January and February price of 10 cents formerly fixed for round steelhead, was found by OPA to be below the 1942 average for those months. schedule raises this price to 12 cents for January through March. Because canning operations will start about a month earlier this year, all April prices have been made the same as previously fixed May prices. This was not done last year because at the time salmon prices were fixed for canning operations, no decision was reached as to when the fishing season would open. Excerpts follow: 1. In section 20, Table A is amended by changing the prices per pound bulk ex-vessel for Schedule No. 27, Item Nos. 1, 2, 4, and 5, for the months of January, February, and March, Schedule No. 34A, Item No. 1, for the months of January, February, March, and April, and Schedule No. 35, Item No. 1, for the months of January and February, and by inserting prices per pound bulk ex-vessel for Schedule No. 33, Item No. 1, and Schedule No. 34, Item No. 1, for the months of January, February, March, and April, and Schedule No. 35, Item No. 1, for the month of March, all to read as follows: 2, 3, 4, and 5. In section 20, Tables B, C, D, and E are amended by changing the prices per pound for Schedule No. 27, Item Nos. 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, and 10, and Schedule No. 35, Item Nos. 1 and 2, for the months of January, February, and March, and by inserting prices per pound for Schedule Nos. 33, 34, and 34A, Item Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4, for the months of January, February, March, and April, and Schedule No. 35, Item Nos. 3 and 4 for the months of January, February, March, April, and May, all to read as follows: Footnote 27 applies to all Table B prices listed. AMENDMENT 25 TO MPR-418 EFFECTIVE MARCH 6 Steps were taken by the Office of Price Administration on February 29 to prevent overcharges made to consumers of fresh seafood through certain evasionary practices on the part of several producers that were contrary to the previous practices of the industry. OPA's attention had been called to the fact that some producers were selling fresh sea scallops in the shell, contrary to the established practice of the industry to "shuck" scallops and sell the meat only. This evasion was made possible by the fact that OPA did not list separate ceiling prices for all styles of dressing of fresh fish and seafood. It is administratively too difficult, OPA said, to fix maximum prices for every conceivable style of dressing. However, the regulation was amended, effective March 6, 1944, to include a listing of maximum prices for all well-known and popular styles of dressings, and a catch-all provision has been included to cover styles not listed. This states that the ceiling price, in the event there is a sale of seafood in a style of dressing other than one for which a separate ceiling is listed in the regulation, is the price listed for the lowest priced style of dressing for any seafood. Also if there is a sale of fresh fish or seafood in a size not listed in the regulation, the ceiling price for such sale is the price listed for the lowest priced size for the species. The amendment also ends the practice of producers and wholesalers making retail sales at uncontrolled prices. Producers and wholesalers who make retail sales now will have to take the mark-up allowed Group 3 and 4 stores in Maximum Price Regulation No. 507 (Ceiling Prices of Certain Fresh Fish and Seafood Sold at Retail) in making such sales. The record keeping provisions of the regulation also are amended to provide that the buyer and seller indicate on their records the size of the fish or seafood, and that the fish or seafood is fresh. The amendment also revokes the definition of "Round fish" found in the regulation, and in its place provides a definition for "Round" which, as applied both to fresh fish and seafood, means fish or seafood as it comes from the water. The invoice provision is amended to provide that there be a notation on the invoice that the fish or seafood is fresh. Amendment No. 25 to Maximum Price Regulation No. 418--Fresh Fish and Seafood--became effective March 6, 1944. Excerpts follow: 1. Section 5 (a) is added to read as follows: (a) Maximum prices for retail sales by producers and wholesalers. This section applies to producers and wholesalers who sell fresh fish or seafood for the most part to persons other than ultimate consumers who are not commercial, industrial or institutional users. The maximum price at which any producer or wholesaler may sell fresh fish or seafood to ultimate consumers who are not commercial, industrial or institutional users shall be the Table B price plus the appropriate markup established for Group 3 and 4 stores in Maximum Price Regulation No. 507 (Ceiling Prices of Certain Fresh Fish and Seafood Sold at Retail). 2. Section 13 (a) is amended to read as follows: (a) Every person making a sale subject to this regulation and every person in the course of trade or business making a purchase of fresh fish or seafood subject to this regulation, or otherwise dealing therein, after July 12, 1943, shall keep for inspection by the Office of Price Administration, for so long as the Emergency Price Control Act of 1942, as amended, remains in effect, accurate records of each such purchase or sale, show ing the date thereof, the name and ad- 3. Section 13 (c) is amended by (c) Every person making a sale of any fresh fish or seafood subject to this regulation shall furnish to the purchaser at the time of delivery a written statement setting forth the date; the name and address of the buyer and seller; the species sold; a notation that the fish or seafood is fresh; the quantity, sizes, grades, and styles of dressing of fresh fish and seafood, and the price charged therefor, including a separate statement of the container cost, if any, as provided in section 19, and transportation cost, if any, as provided in section 7. 4. In section 18 the definition of "Round fish" is revoked. 5. In section 18, after the definition of "Retail chain store warehouse” and before the definition of "Seine caught", the following definition is inserted: "Round" fish or seafood means fish or seafood as it comes from the water. 6. The text of section 20 preceding paragraph (a) is amended to read as follows: SEC. 20. Tables of maximum prices for producers and wholesalers. The tables in section 20 of this regulation list maximum prices by months for sales by producers and wholesalers of different species of fresh fish and seafood according to various sizes and styles of dressing. For any fresh fish listed in this section that is sold in a style of dressing not listed in the section, the maximum price shall be the price listed for the lowest priced style of dressing for the particular species. For any fresh seafood listed in this section that is sold in a style of dressing not listed in the section for the particular seafood, the maximum price shall be the price listed for the lowest priced style of dressing for any seafood. For any fresh fish or seafood listed in this section that is sold in a size not listed in the section, the maximum price shall be the price listed for the lowest priced size for the particular species. For the purposes of this section round is to be considered a style of dressing. |
