CANADIAN SEA HERRING FREEZINGS DURING FEBRUARY 75 PERCENT LESS THAN YEAR AGO

Canadian cold-storage plants froze 2,023,000 pounds of fresh fish and 786,000 pounds of smoked fish during February, according to preliminary data released by the Dominion Bureau of Statistics. Compared with February 1942, this was a decrease of 51 percent in fresh fish freezings due mainly to a drop of 75 percent or about 1.9 million pounds in sea herring. Frozen smoked fish freezings increased 202 percent over those of February 1942 with large increases reported in all important items.

Item

Freezings of Fishery Products in Canadian Cold-storage Plants
February Feb. compared with

January
1943

February

1942

Uniform, cents-per-pound maximum prices for frozen lake smelt at the processor level were established March 6 by the Office of Price Administration, under Maximum Price Regulation No. 337--Frozen Lake Smelt, effective March 12. They represent an average of the prices "frozen" under the General Maximum Price Regulation as of March 1942.

Sales at the retail level will continue temporarily to be covered by the March 1942 freeze until the issuance of a general, fixed mark-up regulation which will cover frozen fish sales.

It is estimated that at least 4,000,000 pounds of lake smelt were caught last year, mostly in the small streams of Michigan and Wisconsin which enter northern Lake Michigan. Of this, about 2,400,000 pounds were frozen for human consumption. The Army this year seeks an initial order of half a million pounds of the headed and dressed smelt.

OPA felt it necessary to establish uniform prices at the processor level so that the Army could contract for the fish in a stabilized market and so that the civilian market also would be stabilized.

Processors' maximum prices for frozen lake smelt set forth below are maximum prices per pound packed in the usual container f.o.b. shipping point nearest freezer's warehouse. The maximum prices are gross prices and the seller shall deduct therefrom his customary allowances, discounts, and differentials:

"Whole" per pound @ $.08
"Dressed" per pound @ $.16.

When used in the maximum price regulation the term: beheaded and eviscerated smelt.

"Dressed smelt" are defined as

"Frozen lake smelt" means natural or artificially frozen fish of the genus Osmerus mordax, where the same are caught in the Great Lakes or adjoining streams.

"Whole" means whole smelt.

"Processor" means a person who preserves smelt by natural or artificial freezing,

FIXED MARK-UPS FOR RETAILERS OF FROZEN FISH ESTABLISHED BY OPA

Retail ceilings for frozen fish were brought under the fixed mark-up price regulation by OPA in Amendment 6 to Maximum Price Regulation 268--Sales of Certain Perishable Food Commodities at Retail--effective March 24.

The regulation established ceilings for retailers on the basis of a fixed mark-up over cost. Ceilings will be determined each week by multiplying on Thursday the net cost of the largest single shipment during the preceding seven days. If the retailer made no purchase during those seven days, the maximum price remains that of the preceding seven days. Ceilings thus established do not have to be reported to local War Price and Rationing Boards.

The mark-ups follow:

For independent retailers with less than $250,000 annual gross volume, 1.28;

Frozen fish is defined as "any fish which has been frozen and packed, excluding canned fish". Hitherto frozen fish has been covered by the General Maximum Price Regulation with ceilings at March 1942 levels. There are no ceilings on fresh fish. The unit of The unit of sale for which base maximum selling price must be calculated is 1 pound or 1 package.

Canned Fish Trade

JANUARY PACK OF CANNED TUNA 61 PERCENT BELOW SAME MONTH A YEAR AGO

The California production of canned tuna during January totaled 25,585 standard cases, according to information released by the California Division of Fish and Game. This was a decline of 83 percent under the pack for the previous month and was 61 percent less than the quantity canned in January 1942. Thus, at the end of the first month of the year, the tuna pack was running considerably behind that of last year. Yellowfin tuna accounted for 71 percent of the total January production.

The January mackerel pack, although dropping 40 percent below the December production, was 5 percent greater than that for the same month last year. The January 1943 pack of mackerel was likewise greater than the production in January 1941 but was far below the 188,714 case pack canned in January 1940.

1 Standard cases of tuna represent cases of 48 7-ounce cans, while those of mackerel represent cases of 48 1-pound cans.

CALIFORNIA SARDINE PACK 3,606,541 CASES FOR 1942-43 SEASON

Final figures for the California sardine season which ended March 1, revealed a total pack of 3,606,541 standard cases for the season, according to information furnished by California Sardine Products Institute and the State Division of Fish and Game. This was a decline of 27 percent below the 4,929,708 standard cases packed in the comparable period in the previous season, and 30 percent under the final 1941-42 figures--5,155,114 cases--which covered a longer season ending March 27. Landings for the recent season amounted to 500,788 tons of sardines, 13 percent below the same period last year, and 14 percent below the final 1941-42 total. During the period from January 29 to March 1, 8.9 cases were packed per ton of fish landed, 1.7 cases higher than the season average of 7.2. Toward the close of fishing all possible tonnage was diverted from reduction plants to canneries in order to meet federal requirements for the canned product.

GULF SHRIMP PACKED TO END OF FEBRUARY 8 PERCENT BELOW PREVIOUS SEASON

There were 557,020 standard cases of shrimp packed in the various sizes by 39 canneries operating under the Seafood Inspection Service of the U. S. Food and Drug Administration, through February 27, according to the Service's Fishery Market News office at New Orleans. This was a decrease of 8 percent below the pack for a similar period, July 1 to February 28, a year earlier. The pack for the four-week period, January 31 to February 27, amounted to 16,025 standard cases, an increase of 23 percent over the same period in 1942. ported that the demand for canned shrimp has been active and that many of the packers are sold out and are not quoting prices at the present time.

Wet and Dry Pack Shrimp in all Sizes in Tin and Glass--Standard Cases*

Quotations for canned shrimp in the usual wholesale quantities in plain No. 1 standard tins, f.o.b. point of production, were reported by Gulf Coast packers, as follows:

Note:--March 1, 1943 prices are maximum prices leveled off by OPA in MPR 311. This regulation became effective February 2, 1943.

CANNED FISH AND CANNED MEAT FREEZE ORDER AMENDED BY OPA

Amendment 2 to Restriction Order 3--Canned Fish and Canned Meat--effective March 24 adds persons or agencies buying canned meats or canned fish for export to United States territories and possessions to the list of purchasers not affected by the freeze order. It further enlarges the list by giving "exempt purchaser" status to buyers of canned meat and fish for use as ships' stores on ocean-going vessels carrying cargo or passengers in foreign, coastwise, or intercoastal trade. Another change provides that wholesalers who, operating also as processors, filed a report for January 1943 of stocks on hand, need not make the inventory report called for in the freeze order.

In explanation of the additions to the list of exempt purchasers, OPA pointed out that the transportation of food supplies to American territories and possessions, particularly non-perishable foods such as canned meat and canned fish, is of vital importance, and therefore should not be prohibited by the freeze order. Similarly, OPA said, persons buying for ships' stores need exempt purchaser status because military requirements frequently give ocean-going vessels little time in which to obtain supplies of food for consumption on board ship. With shipping schedules and destinations uncertain, it is particularly important that ships' stores contain adequate amounts of durable, non-perishable foods.

CANNER CEILINGS ON EASTERN AND GULF OYSTERS INCREASED BY OPA

Taking cognizance of additional information on higher costs furnished by the industry since the canned oyster regulation went into effect on February 17, the Office of Price Administration on March 23 lifted the canner ceilings on canned eastern and Gulf oysters 20 cents per dozen cans on the No. 1 picnic size and 45 cents per dozen cans on the larger No. 2 picnic sizes. This canner pricing change--when supplemented by fixed mark-ups at wholesale and retail--will result in an increase of approximately two cents per can to the housewife.

The new processor ceilings on canned oysters produced in the southeast Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico areas will be $3.35 per dozen on No. 1 picnic sizes, compared with $3.15 previously, and $6.25 per dozen on No. 2 picnic sizes, against $5.80.

Items belatedly submitted by the industry for OPA consideration, which figured in the price increase granted effective March 23, by Amendment No. 1 to Maximum Price Regulation No. 328 (Canned Eastern and Gulf Oysters) were:

(1) There is less careful culling of oysters by fishermen, and feeding operations are less favorable. Oysters are thinner than last year, thus making the yield smaller.

(2) The industry, in submitting its original reports, neglected to include a bonus to its fishermen, which always is given at end-season.

(3) In computing the brokerage allowance in the original order, the amount allowed was based on a rate considerably below the usual seven percent figure. This now is corrected.

(4) The allowance of an eight percent profit rate on costs is based on a study of the industry.

POINT VALUES OF CANNED FISH ESTABLISHED BY OPA

On March 24, OPA issued "Official Table of Consumer Point Values for Meat, Fats, Fish, and Cheese"--No. 1, effective March 29. A similar table of "trade" point values was released for use by retailers, wholesalers and primary and other distributors of foods.

In both tables, canned fish is divided into 11 classifications, each having a point value of 7 points per pound. The classifications are: Bonito, Caviar, Crab meat, Fish roe, Mackerel, Salmon, Sea herring, Sardines, Tuna, Yellowtail, and All other.

TINPLATE CONSERVATION ORDER M-81 AMENDED BY WPB

Canners were directed to pack in No. 10 cans (large cans) to the greatest practical extent the fruits, vegetables, and juices they are required to reserve in 1943 for the armed forces, Lend-Lease, and other Government agencies under the terms of Conservation Order M-81, as amended March 12 by the War Production Board. Previously, the order merely specified various can sizes for the packing of such foods.

Only minor changes were made in that portion of Schedule I affecting cans for fishery products. These include the addition of a flat (307 x 200.25) can for packing crabs, and changes in specifications for can bodies and ends for several products. All persons packing Atlantic sea herring, Pacific herring, or pilchards in oil are required to accept from the manufacturer making delivery, to the greatest extent available, can ends made of chemically-treated blackplate. To the extent that chemically-treated blackplate is not available, 0.50 tinplate is to be used by manufacturers, and cans made therefrom accepted by users, to the greatest extent available, in preference to 1.25 tinplate.

Specifications for can bodies and ends for Pacific herring have been divided according to whether the pack is in oil or in mustard or tomato sauce. If packed in oil, to the greatest extent available, can bodies must be 0.50 tinplate and can ends chemically-treated blackplate. If in mustard or tomato sauce, can bodies and ends may be 1.25 tinplate.

PURCHASE ANNOUNCEMENT FOR 1943 PACK CANNED SEA HERRING AND MAINE SARDINES MADE BY FDA

The Food Distribution Administration, as the designated agency to purchase all Government requirements of Canned Sea Herring and Canned Maine Sardines, announced on March 16 it would receive offers for the sale of such canned fish as required to be set aside in 1943 pursuant to Food Distribution Order No. 23, or as may be amended, or in accordance with subsequent orders.

For this purpose Form SCP-1312, Canned Sea Herring and Canned Maine Sardines Offer of Sale has been prepared. One contract will cover the entire quantity of such canned fish purchased, to be delivered to Government agencies during the 1943 packing season and only one contract number need be assigned each packer for each f.o.b. point. A separate contract should be made to cover each operating factory from which Canned Sea Herring and Canned Maine Sardines will be delivered to the FSCC. Offers may be submitted at any time prior to April 15, 1943, to the Fish Products Division, Special Commodities Branch, Food Distribution Administration, Washington, D. C., in an original and four (4) completely executed copies on Form SCP-1312. Notice of acceptance will be given by telegram filed at Washington, D. C., within ten (10) days after the date of execution of the offer.

Canned Maine Sardines for Government needs, after March 31, 1943, shall be packed in tomato sauce. At the time of packing there shall be added to each case of 100/ 3 1/4 oz. cans or each case of 48/ 3/4 size cans not less than one-half gallon of tomato sauce having a specific gravity of not less than 1.045.

Canned Sea Herring preferably should be packed in tomato sauce, but natural style will be accepted. If packed in tomato sauce there shall be added not less than one-half gallon of tomato sauce, having specific gravity of 1.045, to a case of 48/300's (300x407) or 48/1 pound oval cans.

The tomato sauce must comply with the applicable requirements of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act as amended.

Prices to be paid for fish delivered to FSCC will be applicable ceiling price f.o.b. cars, trucks, or dock for the appropriate species, can size, pack and added condiment, as set by the Office of Price Administration and in effect on the date of actual delivery. The following differentials may be added to the applicable ceiling price: