per day, plus maintenance. A wall painter received 56 cents per day, plus maintenance. If one translates fish prices into wages paid to fishermen, it is found that they exceed tremendously the wages paid to other laborers at that time. This high rate of pay for fishermen certainly was a recognition of their work, of the difficulties which they encountered, and of the dangers to which they were exposed. The Regulation of Diocletian was vigorously enforced for a while. A writer of the 4th Century, Lactantius, wrote that many had been executed for violation of the law. But, despite the severe penalty which threatened violators (the capital penalty was the only penalty provided for in the statute), the regulation lasted only 4 years. The failure of the regulation was one of the reasons for Diocletian's abdication in 305, which he accompanied by his famous words: "I would rather raise spinach than to continue being Emperor." According to the public law of Roman times, an edict expired with the end of the reign of the Emperor if it was not republished by his successor. The regulation of Diocletian was not republished. The main reason for its not being republished was that it was not refined enough to meet the needs of even the primitive economy of ancient times. No differentials were permitted for transportation and other special services. Since the producer could ask for the ceiling price, there was no margin available for the wholesaler or retailer. Lactantius describes the economic effect of the statute of Diocletian with the following words: "Because of a lack of supplies and of very low prices much blood was shed and nothing offered for sale because of fear that prices might go much higher." Lactantius meant that the ceiling prices actually were so low as to discourage production and trade, and most supplies were offered in an extensive black market. In this black market, the prices rose continuously, which again discouraged sales and production. Today, the OPA attempts to recognize the necessities of economic life by adjusting the prices to the needs of production and by establishing proper differentials on the different production and distribution levels. May we hope that the OPA is more successful than Diocletian was. 0-0-0 PRODUCTION OF FISHERY PRODUCTS IN ALABAMA, LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI, AND TEXAS DURING 1943 By Lorraine D. Peterson* Although faced by increasingly severe manpower problems, price ceilings, and numerous other wartime handicaps in 1943, fishery production in the Gulf States generally exceeded that of 1942, reports from the most important fishery production points indicate. The rationing of meat, and the demands of the armed forces placed greater emphasis on fishery products, helping to keep up the production in spite of adverse conditions. Shortage of cannery labor diverted much of the shrimp and oysters usually canned to the fresh and frozen markets. Canned oysters were under price ceilings while fresh-shucked oysters remained uncontrolled, hence the oyster industry placed most of its production in the fresh market, with prices at record levels. The same thing was true in the case of shrimp until ceiling prices were placed on both the frozen and the fresh product. Production in 1943 totaled 805,991 state barrels of oysters (2,775,807 U. S. standard bushels) and 99,320,621 pounds of other fishery products, according to the records collected by the New Orleans Fishery Market News office. Oyster production was one percent less than in 1942 and other items gained one percent. Increases of 27 percent and 11 percent, respectively, occurred in production of fresh-water and salt-water fish. The most important decline was a drop of 37 percent in hard crab production, attributable largely to lack of labor. Production reports have been divided into 51 classifications, including fresh-water fish, 4; salt-water fish, 31; and shellfish and miscellaneous items, 16. The most important item was shrimp, which accounted for 82 percent of the production exclusive of oysters. Oysters ranked second in volume, as the 805,991 barrels taken would produce about 11,880,000 pounds of meats. Crab production, in third place, was followed by the general classifications of salt-water and fresh-water_fish. Among fish, mullet and red snapper produced twoFishery Marketing Specialist, New Orleans, La. L thirds of the total volume, and catfish, spotted sea trout, grouper, and red drum followed in order. Compared with 1942, shrimp production increased 6,306,720 pounds or 8 percent, and hard crab totals fell 5,271,189 pounds, or 37 percent. Production of fresh-cooked crab meat, dropping 389,404 pounds, decreased 27 percent. Increases of 364,085 pounds in the mullet catch; red drum, 180,480 pounds; spotted sea trout, 135,715 pounds; and catfish, 76,280 pounds, were mainly responsible for rises of 11 percent and 27 percent, respectively, in the salt- and fresh-water fish totals. Red snapper and grouper catches decreased 253,370 and 52,390 pounds or 37 and 20 percent, respectively, these being the only major fish items to suffer declines. Oyster production fell about one percent-a reduction of 11 percent in the take of oysters for canning being virtually offset by a 22 percent increase in oysters for other purposes. Table I indicates the main changes from 1942. Monthly indexes of production of the more important varieties during 1943 follow in Table II. This shows the seasonal variations in landings along the Gulf Coast. For each of the varieties listed, the month during which the largest landings were made has been given a value of 100. The landings in other months have been expressed in percentages of the largest month. The relative sizes of each month's production is quickly ascertainable by noting the relation of its index number to 100. Unit Product SALT-WATER FISH MONTHLY INDEX OF PRODUCTION OF IMPORTANT SPECIES: Ala., Miss., La., & Texas, 1943 Lbs. 498,380 78,640 15 43 54 20 100 5 32 18 15 14 70 61 67 31 Mullet 2,602,415 814,400 16 11 14 21 Sea trout: Spotted Snapper, red " 1,917,480 215,270 62 93 100 90 47 100 70 29 29 69 99 Based on landings reported from production points listed in daily Fishery Products Reports. Jumbo Large Medium Small 26-39) 6-10 32.00-36.00 26.00-48.00 26.00-42.00 36.00-48.00 36.00-51.00 22.00-48.00 30.00-54.00 15.00-33.00 16.50-30.00 25.50-45.00 24.00-45.00 18.50-42.00 21.00-42.00 9.00-30.00 12.00-24.00 12.00-36.00 12.00-32.00 8.00-24.00 10.00-30.00 9.00-12.00 7.00-15.00 8.50-15.00 12.00-24.00 9.00-15.00 (40-Over) Price ranges of important items sold in the New Orleans' French Market in 1943 are shown in Table III. Large black and red drum are listed as "bulls." These may weigh from 15 to 35 pounds. Baskets of hard crabs contain about 40 pounds, while soft crabs average 4 pounds to a dozen. Shrimp with heads on average 210 pounds per barrel. While no standard styles and sizes are applied generally in marketing fish and shellfish in the ports of the Gulf, dealers who do use standards for commercial purposes usually employ the classifications in Table IV. Species Table IV Market Classifications and Approximate Weights of Gulf Species FRESH-WATER FISH Buffalofish Carp Catfish Gaspergou SALT-WATER FISH Bluefish Blue runner Cabio (Lemonfish) Crevalle (Jacks) Croaker Remarks1/ Round 4 -15 Table IV Market Classifications and Approximate Weights of Gulf Species (Continued) तालेमज Listed "heads off" but landed "heads on," Heads on Heads off Live Round Live Entrails, head, and sometimes tail and other fins removed. New Orleans French Market, prior to use of OPA classifications. H 0-0-0 |