through low water slack and the first half of the flood. The oysters are taken to the cannery as is, in clusters. Culling is impracticable in most cases because the young oysters are so tightly sealed to the old ones that they cannot be separated without great damage. A majority of the oysters are picked when not over two and a half years old. The ordinary means of transportation is the oyster schooner, a flat-bottomed, decked over boat of from 25 to 30 feet, with a single mast, centerboard and a small cabin aft for the crew, usually two men. There is no auxiliary power. Also used are barges 20 to 40 feet in length, with a six by eight foot house at the stern for the crew of three or four men. Each oysterman, whether on a schooner or barge, has an oyster batteau, usually 18 feet long, which is propelled by sculling as the load of oysters occupies the entire center of the boat. The barges are, of course, towed to location, but the schooners sail from 5 to 20 miles for their load. Depending on the distance travelled, each crew will make from one to three round trips per week. Schooners, barges, batteaus and similar equipment are owned by the cannery. On arrival at the cannery, the oysters are unloaded onto the dock by the crew. Payment is made either on the basis of mutual agreement as to the number of bushels, or the oysters are loaded into slatted iron cars with a capacity of ten state bushels, so that actual measurement is obtained. Most of the oystermen live near the cannery, and after selling their load, they visit their families briefly, take on provisions, mainly rice, grits, lard, fat pork ("white meat"), and molasses, and again set out on another trip. From the dock, the oysters are loaded into the slatted iron cars and moved over tracks into the steam box, which is 40 inches square at the ends and long enough to hold four or five cars. Steaming is done for about 15 minutes at 20 pounds pressure. This is sufficient to partially cook the meats, but the main purpose is to open the shells and make shucking easier. The shell liquor and much of the water content of the meat is lost in this process. The cars are then wheeled into the shucking room where the meat is removed from the shells by colored women, who are paid by the gallon of dry meat. A large cannery will employ as many as 200 of these shuckers. A The meat is washed, bits of shells and discolored oysters removed, and measured into cans holding 5 or 10 oz.* Brine is added to fill the cans, and they are processed for 20 minutes at 240°. After cooling, labels are affixed and the cans packed in containers holding 24 or 48 cans. Oysters are canned usually from the middle of October to May 1. The pack in South Carolina in 1941 amounted to 84,413 standard cases valued at $464,069, over 19 percent of the volume of oysters canned in the South Atlantic and Gulf States. During peace time, these oysters were consumed almost entirely in the Middle West there being little or no demand along the Atlantic or Gulf coasts. 0-0-0 THE COVER PAGE An otter-trawler of the type engaged in the New England rosefish fishery is depicted on the cover page. Further data on this fishery may be found on page 25. At the present time, there are about 85 medium-size craft engaged in this fishery, ranging in length from 50 to 100 feet with a general average of 65 feet. Although they may vary from 15 to 100 net tons, the average craft runs about 45 net tons. A vessel of this type has a carrying capacity of approximately 85,000 pounds of fish, in addition to the 15 tons of ice normally required to keep the fish in a fresh condition, and will remain on the fishing grounds usually from 4 to 6 days. The larger vessels generally carry a crew of ten men but may, on some occasions, carry as many as 15. The manila net of the type normally used consists of 2 top wings, 2 lower wings, 2 bellies, 1 square and 1 cod end, and, under normal fishing conditions, will last about one month. During the 1942 season, the high vessel of the rosefish fleet landing at Boston, Gloucester, and Portland was the CORINTHIAN which landed 2,626,343 pounds of this once discarded fish. In addition, she landed 603,501 pounds of other species. The Freezing Preservation of Foods is a thorough and authoritative study of its subject. Being a general treatise on freezing, it covers many products, but at least thirteen of its twenty-one chapters bear directly on fish freezing problems. Two of its chapters are detailed discussions of the preparation and freezing of fish and shellfish. It is, therefore, a valuable addition to our almost non-existent stock of volumes on this phase of the commercial fisheries. Fish have been preserved by natural freezing for centuries, but few realize that many early freezing experiments were carried out on fish. Fish also were quick frozen commercially WPB regulations now require 7 oz. and 14 oz. in cans formerly holding 5 oz. and 10 oz. respectively. for 10 years before other foods were handled in volume. And fish led the parade of quickfrozen packaged foods now distributed in so many stores. It is small wonder then that The Freezing Preservation of Foods mentions fish so frequently. The authors are well qualified to write about frozen fish. Dr. Tressler, Head, Division of Chemistry, N. Y. State (Geneva) Agricultural Experiment Station, and Professor of Chemistry, Cornell University, Geneva, N. Y., formerly was Chief Chemist for the Birdseye Laboratories of the General Foods Corporation. Clifford Evers, Technical Advisor, Production Department, Frosted Food Sales Corporation, New York City, formerly was Research Chemist for the Birdseye Laboratories. Both carried out extensive work on fishery products in Gloucester, Mass. Dr. Tressler also wrote Marine Products of Commerce, a standard reference work on the fishing industry for a score of years. A previous book, published by the same authors about six years ago--The Freezing Preservation of Fruits, Fruit Juices and Vegetables--was the first general study on this subject. Advances in freezing techniques, as well as the inclusion of meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, and dairy products necessitated a new and greatly enlarged volume. The new study is a splendid reference book. It is easy to read, factual, and satisfying as to detail and completeness. Numerous illustrations amplify the text and tables. The chapter on the preparation and freezing of fish has sections on quality, sharp freezing techniques, methods employed in handling large fish, freezing of boxed fish, quick-freezing of whole fish, fillets and steaks, and thawing. Each is handled in adequate detail with frequent references to various commercial practices and experimental methods. The same is true of the chapter on the preparation and freezing of shellfish which describes the commercial methods used for shrimp, oysters, crab meat, lobsters, spiny lobsters, scallops and clams. The authors begin their work with a discussion of the principles of freezing in readily understandable terms. The next chapters logically proceed to descriptions of cold-storage plants, sharp freezers and sharp freezing, followed by quick freezing and quick-freezing systems. A chapter is devoted to each of two modern developments--frozen locker plants, and freezing cabinets and farm freezers. The chapter on changes occurring during the preparation, freezing, cold storage and thawing of foods refers, in a number of instances, to experiments with fish. "Packaging Materials and Problems and the Storage, Transportation and Marketing of Frozen Foods", are chapters well worth study by frozen fish processors and distributors. Complete coverage of the frozen foods industry through to the consumer is accomplished in the final chapters in which nutrition values are discussed, the accepted methods of cooking and serving are described, and the importance of quality, control and standards is stressed. An extensive bibliography follows every chapter in the book, and there is a complete subject index. In the final chapter, the authors point out the former prejudice on the part of consumers, against frozen foods, the reason being the lack of consideration given either to the quality of the food being frozen or to the methods employed in freezing, storing, and handling it. As a result "about 1923, certain fishery companies began to be very careful of the quality of the fish selected for freezing and to employ quick-freezing methods which were known to retain fresh qualities in the frozen product. It was soon found that quick freezing alone did not preserve freshness; low storage temperatures were also necessary, otherwise the frozen products soon became salt-fishy and somewhat rancid in flavor. Since the public did not know that the quality of this quick frozen fish was different from the frozen fish previously offered, it was still necessary to thaw the product in order to sell it at retail. "Since thawed foods deteriorate more rapidly than frozen foods, another important step remained before the very best quality of quick-frozen foods could be offered to the housewife. This step, in many ways the most important and revolutionary of all, was that of holding the frozen foods in the retail store at a temperature of 100 F. or lower until they were actually sold to the consumer. The authors conclude that "at present, the industry is apparently firmly established and should continue to expand. One principal danger lies ahead, and that is that some of those in the business may grow lax in the selection of raw material and become careless in other steps in the production of frozen foods. Unless all those in the business are careful of the quality of the frosted foods that they offer, the reputation of the industry as a whole will suffer, and the demand for the products will fall off. Continued success will depend upon the ability of the packers to produce and market frosted foods substantially the equivalent of the better grades of fresh foods. Frosted foods compete more directly with fresh foods than with canned foods; if the quality of frosted foods is not maintained, the customers will again turn to fresh foods." A. W. Anderson U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. FOOD DIRECTIVE NO. 2 DELEGATES AUTHORITY OVER PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING On March 17, the Secretary of Agriculture amended Food Directive No. 2, issued February 8, to define more specifically the responsibilities delegated to the Secretary of the Interior in regard to the production of fish and other forms of aquatic life. The original Directive and the amendment follow: TITLE 7- AGRICULTURE, CHAPTER XI - FOOD DISTRIBUTION ADMINISTRATION DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY TO THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR Pursuant to the authority vested in me by Executive Order No. 9280, dated December 5, 1942, and in order to utilize existing governmental services and facilities to the fullest practicable extent in carrying out the provisions of such Order, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED as follows: 1400.11. Food Directive 2: Fishery Commodities or Products, (a) The Secretary of the Interior is authorized and directed, subject to the provisions of this Directive, to execute, and to exercise the powers conferred by, the provisions of paragraph (b) of Section 1, and Section 2 of Executive Order No. 9280, insofar as such provisions relate to the production of fishery commodities or products. (b) With respect to the recommendations to the War Production Board regarding critical or controlled materials incident to the delegation of authority contained in Section 2 of Executive Order No. 9280, the Secretary of the Interior will determine requirements of critical materials for the production of fishery products. Applications and recommendations for priorities or allocations of material on forms prescribed by the War Production Board will be processed by the Facilities Branch of the Food Distribution Administration but will be referred to the Department of the Interior by that Branch for consideration and recommendation. The flow of applications will be through the Controlled Materials Officer of the Department of Agriculture to the War Production Board. (c) The Secretary of the Interior is authorized and directed to prepare and submit to the Secretary of Agriculture specific recommendations upon any matter within the scope of paragraphs (a), (c), (d), and (e) of Section 1, Section 3, Section 4, Section 5, Section 6, and paragraphs (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f) of Section 8 of Executive Order No. 9280, insofar as such matters relate to fishery commodities or products. (d) The Secretary of the Interior, in executing the provisions of and exercising the powers conferred in this Directive, is authorized to utilize that part of the personnel, property, and records, and unexpended balances of appropriations, allocations, and other funds of the Department of Agriculture which, as determined by the Director of Finance of the Department of Agriculture, have been primarily concerned with the exercise of the powers delegated to the Secretary of the Interior in this Directive. (e) The authority delegated to the Secretary of the Interior by this Directive may be exercised by him through such agencies and officers of the Department of the Interior or of the office established by Executive Order No. 9204, dated July 21, 1942, as he may designate, (f) The term "fishery commodities or products" as used in this Directive means any edible or non-edible fish, any form of aquatic animal or plant life, or any other commodity or product, including fats and oils, of marine or fresh water origin, which is within the meaning of the term "food" as defined in Section 10 of Executive Order No. 9280. (g) The term "production" as used in paragraph (a) hereof shall include the catching or harvesting of any form of aquatic animal or plant life and the processing thereof. It does not include, however, the following functions which shall be performed by the Food Distribution Administration of the Department of Agriculture: procurement, inspection; standards; labeling; allocation; reservation; limitation; specifications of product or container, and container supply. DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY TO THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR WITH RESPECT TO FISHERY COMMODITIES Pursuant to the authority vested in me by Executive Order No. 9280, dated December 5, 1942, Food Directive 2, Section 1400.11 (8 F. R. 1777), is amended by deleting therefrom the provisions in paragraph (g), and inserting in lieu thereof the following: (8) The term "production" as used in paragraph (a) hereof shall include the catching and harvesting of any form of aquatic animal or plant life and the processing thereof. The Secretary of the Interior is specifically authorized and directed to exercise the powers of allocation, concentration, or conversion, conferred upon me by Executive Order No. 9280, and particularly the powers enumerated in paragraph (b) of Section 8 thereof, with respect to such available facilities as may be necessary for use in connection with the catching and harvesting of aquatic animal or plant life and the processing thereof. In the exercise of the foregoing powers of allocation, concentration, or conversion, the Secretary of the Interior shall be guided by any recommendations which may be made by the Food Distribution Administration of the Department of Agriculture with respect to the amounts and kinds of fishery commodities or products required for war and essential civilian needs. With respect to the distribution of processed fishery commodities or products, the Food Distribution Administration shall perform all functions in connection with procurement, inspection, standards, labeling, allocation, conservation, limitation, specifications of product or container, and container supply. Any exercise of the powers delegated herein to the Secretary of the Interior, by him, prior to the effective date of this amendment is hereby ratified and confirmed, and any order heretofore issued by the Secretary of the Interior shall have the same force and, effect as if issued after the effective date of this amendment. (E. 0. 9280, 7 F. R. 10179) Issued this 16th day of March, 1943 (Sgd.) Grover B. Hill Acting Secretary of Agriculture. 0. C. F. NAMES INDUSTRY CONSULTANTS AND AREA COORDINATORS On February 24, Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes announced designation of a number of representatives of various phases of the fishing industry as consultants to the Office of the Coordinator of Fisheries, This followed the action of Food Administrator Claude L. Wickard who, in Food Directive No. 2 on February 8, delegated to Secretary Ickes certain powers relating to production and processing of fishery products in the nation's wartime food program. Including 17 qualified representatives from the fields of management, labor, and consumer interests, these men will be consulted at intervals in Washington at the instance of the |