Canned and Cured Fish Trade JANUARY TUNA AND MACKEREL PACKS SHOW GAINS During January, the production of canned tuna by California packers totaled 57,432 standard cases, according to information released by the California Division of Fish and Game Compared with the 25,585 cases packed in January 1943, this was an increase of 124 percent. Tuna flakes and bluefin and yellowfin tuna composed 88 percent of the January pack. Substantial increases over January 1943 were reported in the packs of tuna flakes and bluefin and striped tuna, The pack of canned mackerel, 69,994 standard cases, was 10 percent larger than that of January 1943. It was, however, 38 percent below the production of December. 69,994 113,064 63,411 831,457 1 Standard cases of tuna represent cases of 48 7-ounce cans, while those of mackerel represent cases of 48 1-pound cans. SHRIMP PACK SMALL IN JANUARY With only 3,006 standard cases of shrimp canned between December 25 and January 29, the season's canned shrimp production continued to lag far behind that of 1942-43 and other recent years, according to the Service's Market News office in New Orleans, For the seven months ending January 29, the pack was only 70.5 percent of the 1942-43 figure and 54.6 percent of the average for the five previous years for canneries operating under the supervision of the Food and Drug Administration. Wet and Dry Pack Shrimp in all Sizes in Tin and Glass--Standard Cases* 1943-44 1944 1943 1943 1942-43 Dec.25-Jan.29 Nov. 28-Dec.25 Dec.26-Jan. 30 July 1-Jan 29 July 1-Jan. 31 3,006 22,753 22,332 381,165 540,637 5-yr. average July 1-Jan.29 698,582 All figures on basis of new standard case--48 No. 1 cans with 7 oz. per can in the wet pack and 6 oz. per can in the dry pack. Canned shrimp quotations for wholesale quantities in plain No. 1 standard tins, f.o.b. point of production, were reported by Gulf Coast packers as follows: Maximum prices established by OPA" in MPR-311, effective February 2, 1943 **7 oz. net weight for wet pack and 6 oz. net weight for dry pack. 1 PILCHARD SEASON ENDS IN NORTHERN AND CENTRAL CALIFORNIA The pilchard, or California sardine, season ended February 15 in the Northern and Central districts of California, Catches in these two districts, centered at San Francisco Bay and Monterey, were substantially higher than a year ago, according to preliminary figures furnished by the California Sardine Products Institute and the California Division of Fish and Game. Fishing for pilchard will continue in the Southern district, centered at San Pedro, until February 29. So far, the Southern So far, the Southern district has fallen behind last year's production totals. As of January 29, the catch from all three districts for the season beginning in August totaled 454,566 tons. This compares with 458,903 tons for the same period in the previous season. The catch at San Francisco through January 29 was 125,721 tons as against 115,100 for the previous season; at Monterey, 204,551 as against 157,520; and at San Pedro, 124,294 compared with 186,283. An innovation near the end of the season in the San Francisco area was the use of Navy blimps to spot schools of fish. Under a plan worked out by 0.E. Sette, OCF area coordinator, with the Navy and Coast Guard, experienced sardine fishermen, now members of the Coast Guard, have instructed crew members of blimps in how to recognize schools of pilchards from the air. The blimps do not make special surveys looking for fish, but crewmen keep a lookout on regular patrol duties. When a school is sighted the size and direction of the school is noted and radioed to port. In one of the first trials of spotting from blimps, a large school was sighted on January 15. Purse seiners hurried to the scene and that night took more than a thousand tons of fish. In less than a week, over 6,000 tons had been caught. The January landings were considerably in excess of those of January 1943, permitting a sizable enlargement of the pack of canned sardines and the production of meal and oil over the earlier period. With this increase, the 1943-44 season was virtually at a par with the 1942-43 season at the end of January. A gain in the oil production was balanced by a slight reduction in canned sardine pack, while meal production remained virtually identical. Government war requirements for canned fish during the 1944-45 pack year will be slightly less than during the year ended February 29, the War Food Administration said February 29. Approximately the same quantity of salmon, but less of other types of canned fish will be needed. Government war needs include those of U.S. armed forces, U.S. allies, other friendly nations, U. S. territories and liberated areas. During the period March 1, 1944 through February 28, 1945, canners will be required to set aside for government purchase 60 percent of their pack of each species of salmon, except chum and steelhead, and 45 percent of the pack of pilchards, Atlantic sea herring, Atlantic mackerel and Pacific mackerel. The new percentages effective March 1, are contained in Amendment 2 to Food Distribution Order 44. Although there is a 5 percent increase in the war requirements for types of salmon other than chum and steelhead, total war requirements for all salmon during the 1944-45 pack year will be approximately the quantity required in the 1943-44 pack year. The government quota for other types of canned fish specified in the amendment to the order is 45 percent of the pack, or 10 percent less than required from the 1943 pack. After March 1, no shrimp or tuna fish need be reserved for government purchase. The remaining percentages of the pack may go to non-government agencies as soon as the availability for delivery of quota amounts reserved for government needs has been assured. During the 1943-44 pack year, government agencies reserved 55 percent of all salmon species, pilchards, Atlantic sea herring, Atlantic mackerel and Pacific mackerel, and shrimp. The remaining amounts went to non-government agencies. The quota period system has been dropped under the new amendment. The original order authorized packers to set their own quota periods during which the proper amounts were delivered to government and non-government receivers but the order amendment provides a means for concurrent deliveries of government and non-government quotas. The production of canned fish during the 1944-45 pack year is expected to consist of 5,800,000 cases of salmon and 5,425,000 cases of pilchards, herring and mackerel. The amendment is intended to reserve 3,115,000 cases of salmon and 2,315,000 cases of pilchards, herring and mackerel for government war agencies. The quantities reserved, along with existing inventories, are sufficient to meet government requirements known at this time. Excerpts from Amendment 2 to FDO-44 follow: [FDO 44, Amdt. 2] PART 1465-FISH AND SHELLFISH RESTRICTIONS ON 1944 PACK OF CANNED FISH Food Distribution Order No. 44 issued by the Secretary of Agriculture on April 1, 1943, as amended (8 F.R. 4227, 8797), is further amended to read as follows: § 1465.20 Allocation of 1944 pack of canned fish—(a) Definitions. When used in this order, unless otherwise distinctly expressed or manifestly incompatible with the intent hereof: (1) The term "canner" means any person who is the first owner of canned fish. (2) The term "canned fish" means fish which have been packed in the Continental United States or in the Territory of Alaska for commercial purposes in hermetically sealed metal or glass containers and sterilized in the containers by the use of heat. (3) The term "person" means any individual, partnership, association, business trust, corporation, or any organized group of persons, whether incorporated or not. (4) The term "pack" means the total amount, by net weight, of canned fish of the respective class of fish designated in (b) (1) hereof, packed during the period from March 1, 1944, to February 28, 1945, inclusive. (5) The term "Director" means the Director of Food Distribution, War Food Administration.. (6) The term "governmental agency" means the Office of Distribution, War Food Administration, or any other agency or instrumentality of the United States designated by the Director. (7) The term "delivery to governmental agencies" means the transfer of title of the canned fish to any governmental agency; and such delivery may be evidenced by execution of bi of lading, receipt, or other document acceptable to the Director or the designated governmental agency. b) Restrictions on canners. (1) No canner may deliver any part of his pack of any class of the fish designated herein packed by the respective canner at any time during the period from March 1, 1944, to February 28, 1945, inclusive, except as permitted by the provisions of this order. The fish subject to the provisions of this order are, by classes, as follows: Class 1. Salmon: Red, sockeye, or blueback (Oncorhynchus nerka). Class 2. Salmon: Pink (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha). Class 3. Salmon: Silver, silverside, medium red, or coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch). Class 4. Salmon: King, chinook or spring (Oncorhynchus tschawytscha). Class 5. Pilchard (Sardina caerulea) by whatever name known, including sardines. Class 6. Atlantic sea herring (Clupea harengus) by whatever name known, including sardines. Class 7. Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus). Class 8. Pacific mackerel (Pneumatorphorus japonicus diego) and Pacific horse mackerel (Trachurus symmetricus). (2) Sixty percent of each canner's pack of canned fish of each class numbered 1 to 4, inclusive, designated in (b) (1) hereof, and 45 percent of each canner's pack of canned fish of each class numbered 5 to 8, inclusive, designated in (b) (1) hereof, is hereby established as each canner's quota for delivery to governmental agencies and no canner may deliver to governmental agencies a total quantity of his pack of any such class of canned fish which is in excess of a quantity equal to such percentage of his pack of the respective class of canned fish, plus 60,000 pounds of such class of canned fish. (3) For each 60 pounds of canned fish of each class numbered 1 to 4, inclusive, designated in (b) (1) hereof, which a canner has delivered to governmental agencies or for which he has submitted to a governmental agency a written tender of delivery in compliance with a written contract between the canner and such governmental agency, such canner may deliver 40 pounds of the same class of canned fish to persons other than governmental agencies: Provided, That, prior to the time of each such tender, the canner has obtained, with respect to the canned fish so tendered, an inspection certificate, issued by an inspection service approved by the governmental agency to which the tender has been made, which indicates that the respective quantity of canned fish so tendered meets all the specifications set forth in the said canner's contract for the respective class of canned fish so tendered. (4) For each 45 pounds of canned fish of each class numbered 5 to 8, inclusive, designated in (b) (1) hereof, which a canner has delivered to governmental agencies or for which he has submitted to a governmental agency a written tender of delivery in compliance with a written contract between the canner and such governmental agency, such canner may deliver 55 pounds of the same class of canned fish to persons other than governmental agencies: Provided, That, prior to the time of each such tender, the canner has obtained, with respect to the canned fish so tendered, an inspection certificate, issued by an inspection service approved by the governmental agency to which the tender has been made, which indicates that the respective quantity of canned fish so tendered meets all the specifications set forth in the said canner's contract for the respective class of canned fish so tendered. (5) Notwithstanding the provisions of any food distribution regulation, the Office of Distribution, War Food Administration, is hereby allocated the quantities prescribed in (b) (2) of this order, and is authorized to purchase, for governmental agencies, those quantities, designated as each canner's quota, and such other and further quantities as may be allocated to it from time to time. (6) The Director may issue specifications at any time relative to the packing of the canned fish, the containers, container treatment, can marking, labeling, boxing, and strapping in connection therewith, or he may authorize any governmental agency to issue such specifications. Each person subject to the provisions of this order shall comply with such specifications, issued by the Director or the governmental agency authorized by the Director to issue such specifications, applicable to the canned fish processed by such person. (c) Inspection and grading. All canned fish subject to the provisions of this order shall be subject to inspection and grading at any time by the Director or any governmental agency authorized by the Director to make such inspection and grading. (d) Records and reports. (1) The Director shall be entitled to obtain such information from, and require such reports and the keeping of such records by, any person, as may be necessary or appropriate, in his discretion, to the enforcement or administration of the provisions of this order. (2) Every person subject to this order shall, for at least two years (or for such period of time as the Director may designate), maintain an accurate record of his transactions in canned fish. (3) The record-keeping requirements of this order have been approved by the Bureau of the Budget in accordance with the Federal Reports Act of 1942. Subsequent record-keeping or reporting requirements will be subject to the approval of the Bureau of the Budget pursuant to the Federal Reports Act of 1942. (e) Audits and inspections. The Director shall be entitled to make such audit or inspection of the books, records, (f) Applicability of order. Any per- ministrator may, by suspension order, (h) Petition for relief from hardship. would work an exceptional and unreasonable hardship on him may apply in writing for relief to the Director, setting forth in such petition all pertinent facts and the nature of the relief sought. The Director may thereupon take such action as he deems appropriate, which action shall be final. All reports re (i) Communications. quired to be filed hereunder and all communications concerning this order shall, unless instructions to the contrary are issued by the Director, be addressed to the Director of Food Distribution, War Food Administration, Washington 25, D. C. Ref. FD-44. (j) Effective date. The provisions of this amendment shall become effective at 12:01 a. m., e. w. t., March 1, 1944. With respect to violations, rights accrued, liabilities incurred, or appeals taken under Food Distribution Order No. 44, as amended, prior to the effective time of this amendment, all provisions of said Food Distribution Order No. 44, as amended, in effect prior to the effective time of this amendment, shall be deemed to remain in full force and effect for the purpose of sustaining any proper suit, action, or other proceeding with respect to any such violation, right, liability, or appeal. (E.O. 9280, 7 F.R. 10179; E.O. 9322, 8 Issued this 29th day of February 1944. CANNED FOODS RESTRICTED TO HUMAN CONSUMPTION The War Production Board on February 29 issued Interpretation 2 to Conservation Order M-81 to implement the intent of the order that only foods designed for human consumption be packed under the provisions of the order. The purpose of the interpretation is to prevent the packing of pet foods in metal cans. RESTRICTION ON PET FOODS REVOKED On February 20, the War Food Administration revoked Order FDO-58 which had limited the amount of animal protein, including fish or shellfish, to 8 percent by dry weight of any pet food, and the total protein content of pet foods to 24 percent by dry weight. WORKERS TO BE RECRUITED FOR CANNING PLANTS The War Manpower Commission in cooperation with the canning industry plans to recruit 500,000 workers this year to make sure that all available food is processed for military and civilian use, Paul V. McNutt, WMC chairman, announced February 3. Mr. McNutt said goals which have been fixed for canned fruits and vegetables will make it necessary to recruit half a million workers, full and part-time, at the height of the food processing season. "We are submitting our recruiting plans to canners and to our own personnel of the WMC United States Employment Service in 25 States. We will be ready to supply workers when the earliest food processing begins in the spring. These plans will be submitted to the National Canners' Association at the convention which it will hold later this month in Chicago. Last season the USES worked in close cooperation with the canning industry, with 541,928 placements being made in food processing during the first 11 months of 1943. In some cases, workers were placed in more than one canning job during the season, so the number of individuals for whom employment was found was less than the placement total. At the height of the canning season of 1943 about 500,000 persons were employed in food processing. With larger goals of canned goods fixed for this year we shall need a greater number of workers at the height of the season. We propose to find those workers and to make sure that this year, as last, there is no wasting of food because manpower can not be supplied for the processors," Mr. McNutt said. PICKLED ICELAND HERRING PRICES REGULATED BY MPR-512 Iceland Matjes and Headless herring were placed under dollars-and-cents ceilings by the OPA February 16, in an action (Maximum Price Regulation No. 512--Iceland Herring--effective February 21) which irons out the price differentials previously existing among importerwholesalers of these products. This leveling-out of prices prevailing prior to the new regulation has been determined by averaging out the March 1942 ceiling prices. While this action will be of value to the importer-wholesaler who has been operating under a low maximum selling price, prices to the consuming public will not be affected. The March 1942 ceilings showed sufficient uniformity to permit OPA to establish a reliable average. The normal differentials between the 250-pound barrel and the 125-pound barrel, have been preserved in the new regulation. On service and delivery sales to retailers the OPA has taken the average differential of $4.50 per barrel and arrived at the ceiling prices by adding this to the ceiling barrel prices, and by the addition of $2.25 to the ceiling on the half barrel. In addition, the OPA has established prices for cash and carry sales to retailers by importer-wholesalers. Though few of these sales ordinarily take place it was deemed advisable to establish prices for this type of sale. Excerpts from the regulation follow: SEC. 2. Relation to other regulations. The provisions of this regulation supersede the provisions in the General Maximum Price Regulation' and Maximum Price Regulation No. 421 with respect to sales of Iceland herring by importers. Maximum Price Regulation No. 421 now applies only to sales of Iceland herring by wholesalers who are not importers. SEC. 3. Applicability of this regulation. The provisions of this regulation shall not be applicable to sales or deliveries of Iceland herring to a purchaser, if prior to February 21, 1944, such Iceland herring have been received by a carrier other than a carrier owned or controlled by the seller for shipment to such purchaser. ARTICLE II-PRICES AND PRICING METHODS SEC. 4. Maximum prices for Iceland herring. (a) The maximum prices for sales of Iceland herring by an importer are set out below. Except for service and delivery sales to retailers or purveyors of meals the prices are f. o. b. the seller's warehouse. The prices for service and delivery sales are prices for sales to retailers and purveyors of meals on a delivered basis to the customers' usual re (a) Barrels--containing 250 lbs. of herring Barrels--containing 250 lbs. of herring NOTICE TO WHOLESALERS AND RETAILERS Our OPA ceiling price for (describe item by kind, variety, grade and container, type and size) has been changed by the Office of Price Administration. We are authorized to inform you that if you are a wholesaler or retailer pricing this item under Maximum Price Regulation No. 421, 422 or 423, you must refigure your ceiling price for this item on the first delivery of it to you from your customary type of supplier containing this notification after February 20, 1944.. You must refigure your ceiling price following the rules in section 6 of Maximum Price Regulation No. 421, 422, or 423 whichever is applicable to you. For a period of 60 days after determining the new maximum price for the item, and with the first shipment after the 60day period to each person who has not 18 F.R. 3096, 3849, 4347, 4486, 4734, 4978, 4848, 6047, 6062, 8511, 9025, 9991, 11955. ceiving point. The maximum prices are gross prices and the seller shall deduct therefrom his customary allowances, discounts and differentials to purchasers of different classes. An importer may add the actual cost of transportation from the port of entry to the importer's warehouse where his warehouse is not at that port. In no case may the rate exceed the carload rail freight rate. (b) Containers. For container sizes not listed in paragraph (a) the price shall be a price determined by the Office of Price Administration. Such determination shall be made upon written request addressed to the Office of Price Administration, Washington, D. C. and accompanied by a sworn statement showing costs and usual differentials. SEC. 5. Notification of new maximum price. With the first delivery after February 20, 1944, of any item for which a price is determined pursuant to this regulation, the seller determining his maximum prices under this regulation shall supply each wholesaler and retailer who purchases from him with the following written notice: Sales to persons made a purchase within that time, each SEC. 13. Definitions. When used in "Headless herring" means Iceland herring which has been beheaded and eviscerated and then lightly salted. "Iceland herring" means Atlantic sea herring which has been processed in and shipped from Iceland. "Importer" means any person who is the ultimate consignee in the United States of Iceland herring. "Matjes herring" means Iceland herring from which the gills and viscera have been removed without splitting (gibbed) and which has then been lightly salted (mild cured). "Purveyor of meals" means a person supplying meals for a consideration. "Retailer" means a person who sells for the most part to the ultimate consumer and who is not a commercial, industrial or institutional user. "Wholesaler" means a person, the larger part of whose business is the purchase of food products for resale and the distribution from his warehouse without materially changing the form of such food products to independent retail stores or to commercial, industrial or institutional users. Unless the context otherwise requires, the definitions set forth in section 302 of the Emergency Price Control Act of 1942 shall apply to other terms used herein. |