(c) Office of Price Administration price ceilings on Canned Maine Sardines as announced f.o.b. Portland, Maine, shall also apply to deliveries f.o.b. Yarmouth, Maine. For deliveries of Sardines at all other points in Maine there shall be a discount of $0.07 per case.

The fish delivered shall meet the following specifications:

A. Sea Herring: Fish shall be firm, of good appearance and well cleaned. Cans shall be packed as full as practicable. In round cans the length of the fish shall be packed parallel to the side of the can, but the can may contain not more than two pieces of the tail cut of the fish. In oval and other flat type cans the length of the fish shall be packed parallel to the bottom of the can. The average net content of the No. 300 (300x407) can or the No. 1 oval can shall be not less than 15-oz., with the average drained weight of the official inspection sample not less than 12-1/4 oz., and shall contain not more than seven fish. If other sizes of cans are used, the net content and drained weight shall be in the same proportion as the relative size of the can. The fish may be packed natural or with added oils or sauces as may be specified by FSCC. The No. 300 (300x407) size cans shall have not less than four inches of vacuum and the No. 1 oval cans shall have not less than two inches of vacuum.

A lot shall be considered as meeting specifications provided not more than one-sixth of the containers in a lot may fail, in some respect, to meet requirements of these specifications, provided, however, that the average of all of the samples within a lot meet the requirements of these specifications.

Definitions:

For the purpose of the above specifications, definitions are:

(1) The term "Natural" means without the addition of any condiments except brine which may contain up to 2% vinegar, or salt, but may have added oil of the same species of fish.

(2) The term "Net Content" means the total weight of the fish and liquid in the can. (3) The term "Drained Weight" means the weight of the fish after they have been emptied from the can following sterilization and after being allowed to drain for two minutes over a sieve of not less than eight-inch diameter, containing eight meshes to the inch (0.097 inch per perforation).

(4) The term "Well Cleaned" means that the heads and tails shall be removed, the fish shall be practically free from scales (i.e., scales shall not cover more than five (5) percent of the surface area) and shall be free from entrails. The wall of the body cavity shall be slit.

(5) The term "Official Inspection Sample" means the cans drawn for inspection by the designated sampler of the Food Distribution Administration.

B. Sardines: Fish shall be of good quality and shall be prepared and canned under strictly sanitary conditions in accordance with sound commercial practices. Fish shall be cleaned and trimmed, with the heads and scales removed, shall be practically unbroken and shall be free from feed and objectionable material. Cans shall be packed neatly and well filled with fish. The ends of the cans shall be flat or concave. The 1/4 size cans shall contain not less than four fish. There shall be added to the fish at the time of packing such oils or sauces as may be specified by FSCC. The 1/4 size cans shall contain not less than 3 1/4 oz. net weight; the 3/4 size cans shall contain not less than 9 oz. net weight.

All fish delivered hereunder shall conform in every applicable respect to the requirements of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act as amended and of regulations pursuant thereto in effect on the date of this contract.

Inspection of the fish will be made, prior to delivery, by the Food Distribution Administration or by a person or agency designated by and under the supervision of that Administration. The cost of such inspection, including furnishing samples and issuing certificates of inspection, will be borne by the packer.

Fish shall be packed in inside enameled cans. In the event pound or oval cans are manufactured from other than 1.25 hot dipped plate, the outside of such cans shall also

be enameled. Cans shall be sound and clean, free from rust and serious dents and shall be labeled with regular commercial labels or shall be lithographed. Cans containing more than 10 ounces net weight shall be shown to be Sea Herring. Cases shall be Type A-1 as described in Form FSC 1742-B, "Export Packaging Specifications". Each case shall be marked to show the name of vendor, commodity, contract number, net weight of cans and number of cans per case and a legend which may be prescribed by FSCC.

CANNED RIVER HERRING TO BE PURCHASED BY FDA

1355

The Food Distribution Administration stated in Announcement FSC Canned River Herring, on March 27, that it will purchase any quantity of Canned River Herring from the 1943 pack, and that offers for the sale of this product may be submitted.

Type A-1 cases as described in "Export Packaging Specifications", Form FSC-1742-B, are specified, Plain cans and Type A-2 cases suitable for export meeting "Export Packaging Specifications", FSC-1539-C, are acceptable provided an inventory is on hand. Cases packed 48/300's are preferred, but 24/300's will be accepted.

The FSCC will purchase all Canned River Herring (Alewives) offered pursuant to the announcement at prices not exceeding the following per case:

Offers may be submitted so as to be received by the Special Commodities Branch, Food Distribution Administration, Washington, D. C., on or before 11:00 a.m. Eastern War Time, on the first and third Mondays of each month, to and including May 3, 1943, for acceptance in whole or in part not later than the Thursday next succeeding such dates.

SPECIFICATIONS: Fish shall be firm, of good appearance and well cleaned. Cans shall be packed as full as practicable. In round cans the length of the fish shall be packed parallel to the side of the can but the can may contain not more than two pieces of the tailcut of the fish. The average net content of the No. 300 (300x407) can shall be not less than the weight shown on the label and the can shall contain not more than seven fish. The fish may be packed natural or with added oils or sauces as may be specified by FSCC. The cans shall have not less than four inches of vacuum.

"Natural" means without the addition of any condiments except brine which may contain not more than 2 percent vinegar, or salt, but may have added oil of the same species of fish. "Net content" means the total weight of the fish and liquid in the can.

"Well cleaned" means that the heads and tails shall be removed; the fish shall be practically free from scales (i.e., scales shall not cover more than five (5) percent of the surface area) and free from entrails. The body cavity shall be slit.

ALLOCATION OF CERTAIN CANNED FISH PACKS CONTINUED THROUGH MARCH

Food Distribution Order No. 23 governing allocations of salmon, pilchard, Atlantic sea herring, and mackerel packed from March 1, 1942 through February 28, 1943 was amended March 1 by the Secretary of Agriculture to have those allocations apply also during the month of March 1943. This action is Amendment No. 1 to the order. Regulations covering disposition of fish packed from April 1, 1943 to February 29, 1944, inclusive, will be issued later.

ALASKA SALMON CANNING INDUSTRY CONCENTRATED FOR 1943

Alaska's $40,000,000-a-year salmon canning industry, which accounts for about 80 percent of the nation's supply of this vital seafood, on March 8 became subject to a unique concen

tration scheme to help it meet problems of manpower and equipment shortages created by the war.

An order by Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes, who is also Fisheries Coordinator, will concentrate the canning of this year's catch of Alaska salmon in 74 of the largest and most modern plants rather than in the 120 previously used. Secretary Ickes, by virtue of a directive of Food Administrator Wickard, has complete responsibility for those portions of the war food program concerned with the catching and processing of fish.

The order was made necessary by the fact that the armed forces have taken over a very large percentage of the tenders and power scows used by the industry in Alaskan waters and also because it is expected that no more than 50 or 60 percent of the normal supply of labor will be available in 1943.

Normally, some 350 tenders and power scows are employed in the installation and operation of fishing apparatus and for the transportation of fish to the canneries. Nearly half of these are no longer available for this work.

Customarily more than 20,000 persons are employed for a period of from four to seven months by the Alaskan salmon industry. More than half of these have been recruited in the Pacific Coast states, the balance being drawn from Alaskan residents. Other war work, the draft, and transportation difficulties have materially reduced the labor supply.

The greater efficiency of the Alaskan salmon industry as a result of the concentration order is expected to increase the pack this year from the 5,300,000 cases last year to 5,500,000 cases in 1943.

The concentration plan is expected to make possible:

1. A reduction in manpower requirements by 5,030 persons

2.

Reduction in northbound passenger accommodations by 3,933 persons

3. Reduction in northbound tonnage by 17,724 tons

4. Reduction in required floating equipment by 86 tenders and 50 scows

5.

Reduction in fishing apparatus by 48 traps, 25 purse seiners, and 67,130 fathoms of gill nets

Last year, the industry's 120 canneries used 226 lines of canning machinery; this year, the 74 canneries which will operate will use only 131 lines with maximum use of the highspeed machines.

Canners have been advised to make early commitments for labor, supplies, and transportation so that the season, beginning in May, can get off to a good start.

Although the Alaskan pack is expected to increase this year, not much of it will go to civilians in the United States. Last year, 60 percent of the pack went to the armed forces and our allies, and the demand from these sources may be greater this year.

Dr. Ira N. Gabrielson, Deputy Coordinator of Fisheries, announced that Ralph Ferrandini has been named field administrator of the new concentration order and will maintain headquarters in Seattle.

Foreign Fishery Trade

SOUTH AFRICAN PRODUCTION OF FISH LIVER OILS INCREASING

In the past 16 months, according to an article in the March 6 issue of the Commercial Intelligence Journal, the domestic production of fish liver oils in South Africa has grown rapidly from an infant industry. It is now considered to be one of the most important of a number of new industries that have been developed since the outbreak of war, three plants operating in the vicinity of the Cape of Good Hope.

The output of these three producers is now in excess of the Union's requirements and a promising export trade is reported as having begun.

The livers of certain fish found in South African waters are far more potent in vitamins A and D than is cod liver oil, which is one of the best known fish oils. In this connection, the Director of the Union's fisheries has prepared the following table showing the relative potency of fish liver oils as produced from local fish types:

The bulk of the fish consumed in South Africa is caught by deep-sea trawlers, and until recently it was the practice to return to the sea all inedible varieties brought up. This practice has now ceased, however, with the development of the byproducts industry, and even man-eating sharks are being utilized.

As an industry possessing certain natural advantages in the form of adequate supplies of raw material, with which are now coupled scientific research and actual production, it is probable that even after the war, the South African fish liver oil industry will have an assured future.

WHOLESALE AND RETAIL PRICES

Wholesale prices in primary markets advanced 0.1 percent during the second week of February, according to information furnished by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The allcommodity wholesale index of the Bureau stood at 102.1 percent of the 1926 average, 0.5 percent above a month earlier and 6 percent higher than at the same time last year. as a group were 12 percent higher than in mid-February a year ago.

Foods

In the retail markets, the average increase for all foods in the period between January 12 and February 16 was 0.5 percent. The usual large seasonal decline in egg prices of 13.5 percent was primarily responsible for holding down the overall increase. The average cost of foods other than eggs rose by 1.5 percent. On February 16, the Bureau's index of retail food costs stood at 133.6 percent of the 1935-39 average, 9.9 percent above May 12, 1943 (immediately before price control at retail level), 14 percent above a year ago and approximately 43 percent above August 1939.