FEBRUARY RECEIPTS AT SEATTLE SHOW 28 PERCENT GAIN

With the help of large arrivals of frozen halibut and silver salmon from Alaska, Seattle's receipts of fresh and frozen fishery products in February exceeded those of January and of February 1943, according to the Service's Fishery Market News office in Seattle. The gain over January was 28 percent, while that over February 1943 was 92 percent.

Receipts totaled 4,916,000 pounds, making the figure for the first two months of 1944, 32 percent larger than that for the similar period in 1943. The most important item received was halibut, while silver salmon, lingcod, and Pacific oysters followed in order.

*Halibut and shark fleets and receipts from local and all other sources.

FEBRUARY PRODUCTION IN GULF BELOW 1943

Labor shortages, both on the vessels and for shore operations, and inclement weather affected the production of fishery products in the Gulf area for the month of February, according to the Service's Fishery Market News office at New Orleans. Production of both shrimp and oysters, the two most important items, and salt-water fish, fell considerably below February 1943 totals. Compared with January, production increased in general, attributable to inactivity of the fishing fleet in Mississippi during the entire month of January.

The high prices being paid for crabmeat on the eastern markets greatly increased the production of hard crabs and crabmeat over February 1943. Oyster canning increased during the month. A considerable number of the plants canning oysters are now operating under Federal Food and Drug Inspection Service.

AMENDMENT 26 TO MPR-418 EFFECTIVE MARCH 13

Price limitations have been established on sales of fresh fish and seafood not under specific ceilings when they are sold by fishermen and wholesalers in combination with varieties for which maximum prices have been fixed, the Office of Price Administration announced March 7. These limitations, listed in Amdt. 26 to MPR-418 which became effective March 13, include:

1. A ceiling of the current market price or 5 cents a pound (whichever is less) on sales or purchases of hitherto uncontrolled fish or seafood, by or from producers, if at least 25 percent of the weight of the total fish or seafood involved in the sale is under price control.

2. A ceiling of the current market price for sales or purchases by or from wholesalers of hitherto uncontrolled fish when sold in combination with controlled fish.

3. A prohibition against the offering, selling, or delivering of fresh fish or seafood on condition that the purchaser is required to purchase some other commodity or service.

4. A prohibition against falsely or incorrectly invoicing fresh fisn or seafood.

The action was taken because of many cases called to OPA's attention where fantastic and exorbitant prices were paid suppliers of fresh fish and seafood on which there was no control to ensure to the purchaser supplies of varieties for which ceiling prices are fixed. There was an instance in which a wholesaler had to pay as high as $500 for one fish (a skate) to obtain an entire boatload of a type of fish under price control. In several other instances, a few pounds of uncontrolled fish were auctioned off to wholesalers from a boatload of fish otherwise under ceilings with the unstated consideration that the highest bidder got the entire boatload at ceiling prices after being the high bidder for the few pounds of non-ceiling fish. The action should strengthen OPA's efforts to keep fish prices in line at all levels, including retail, OPA said.

OPA has pursued the policy of regulating the major species of fish and seafood first, and plans to extend price control to other and minor species as the necessary data on these items are collected and analyzed. Until this is done, OPA believes it is necessary to separate the market activities with respect to uncontrolled fish from those of controlled fish so that the former do not impede effective price control. Excerpts from Amdt. 26 follow:

Section 14 is amended to read as follows:

SEC. 14. Evasion. (a) The price limitations set forth in this Regulation shall not be evaded, either by direct or indirect methods, in connection with an offer, solicitation, agreement, sale, delivery, purchase or receipt of, or relating to fresh fish or seafood separately or in combination with any other commodity or service, or by way of any commission, service, transportation, container, packaging or other charge, or discount premium or other privilege, or by tying agreement or other trade understanding, or by changing the style of dressing of fresh fish or seafood, or otherwise.

(b) Specifically, but not exclusively, the following practices are prohibited:

(1) Falsely or incorrectly invoicing fresh fish and seafood.

(2) Offering, selling or delivering fresh fish or seafood on condition that the purchaser is required to purchase some other commodity or service.

(3) Offering to sell or purchase, selling or purchasing, delivering or receiving at a price higher than the current market price, not to exceed 5 cents per pound, any fresh fish or seafood not priced by this Maximum Price Regulation No. 418 when sold by or purchased from a producer in combination with a sale or purchase of fresh fish or seafood, the price of which is controlled by Maximum Price Regulation No. 418; Provided, That this subparagraph (3) shall not apply if fresh fish or seafood, the price of which is controlled by Maximum Price Regula

tion No. 418, constitutes less than 25 percent of the weight of the fresh fish or seafood involved in the total sale or purchase.

(4) Offering to sell or purchase, selling or purchasing, delivering or receiving at a price higher than the current market price any fresh fish or seafood not priced by this Maximum Price Regulation No. 418 when sold by or purchased from a wholesaler in combination with a sale or purchase of fresh fish or seafood, the price of which is controlled by Maximum Price Regulation No. 418.

(5) Charging, paying, billing or receiving any consideration for or in connection with any service for which a specific allowance has not been provided in this Maximum Price Regulation No. 418.

AMENDMENT 27 TO MPR-418 EFFECTIVE MARCH 18

Maximum prices for sales of fresh ocean pouts (also commonly known as conger eels or eelpouts) for producers and wholesalers were announced by the Office of Price Administration, March 20. This action, taken through issuance of Amdt. 27 to MPR-418, effective March 18, was found to be necessary because producers were using this previously uncontrolled item to evade ceiling prices on boatloads of controlled fish. Exorbitant prices were paid fishermen for this fish in order to secure for buyers supplies of ceiling priced fish. cases, this was as high as $3 per pound off the boat.

Under Amdt. 26 to the fish regulation a cover-all provision fixed a ceiling of 5 cents per pound for all uncontrolled species when sold in combination with controlled varieties

of fish. ducers.

The 5-cent cover-all is far above the 1942 average for sales of ocean pout by proThe new wholesale prices represent a reduction of 2 cents per pound round below present going prices.

Excerpts follow:

Maximum Price Regulation No. 418 is amended in the following respects:

1. Schedule No. 64 is added to Table A in section 20 to read as follows:

2, 3, 4, and 5. Schedule No. 64 is added to Tables B, C, D, and E in section 20 to read as

TABLE B--MAXIMUM PRICES FOR PRIMARY FISH SHIPPER SALES
TABLE C-MAXIMUM PRICES FOR RETAILER-OWNED COOPERATIVE SALES AND SALES BY WHOLESALERS OTHER THAN PRIMARY
FISH SHIPPER WHOLESALERS TO OTHER WHOLESALERS

TABLE D--MAXIMUM PRICES FOR CASH AND CARRY SALES

TABLE E--MAXIMUM PRICES FOR SERVICE AND DELIVERY SALES

AMENDMENT 28 TO MPR-418 SETS CANADIAN LAKE FISH PRICES

A new schedule of American importers' maximum prices for Canadian fresh lake fish was issued March 29 by the Office of Price Administration, which at the same time fixed prices which the importers can pay in Canada for these items. As a result of this action, effective April 3, 1944, the prices of some Canadian fresh lake fish items should be substantially reduced in retail sales to the American consuming public. The new schedule reflects the prevailing ceiling prices plus the average transportation costs from any of Canada's interior lakes to Winnipeg, traditionally the central gathering point for all Canadian lake fish.

The action, basing fillet prices in the United States on the cost of the round fish in Canada, accomplishes a reduction in the wholesale price of sauger fillets from 31 cents to 27 cents a pound, and on yellow pike fillets from 43 cents to 34 cents a pound. The adjustment in transportation costs effects slight decreases for other fish items. Prices are established for the first time on Canadian suckers and tullibees and fillets of whitefish, lake trout and pickerel.

To the ceiling prices the importer may add duty paid at the border and list actual cost of transportation but not to exceed the carload-rail rate from Winnipeg to receiving point.

Under the original regulation the method of determining transportation costs in Canada proved unsatisfactory since it resulted in a wide variety of prices in any American consuming center, each of which may have received fish bought by importers from Canadian wholesalers located at different interior lakes. Thus, it proved difficult to check either transportation costs from remote lakes, where fresh fish was moved by truck or sledge, or whether the importer bought from a Canadian wholesaler or. producer.

Together with the issuance of the new price schedule, OPA clarified domestic transportation allowances which may be added to maximum prices for any fish or seafood. Any domestic wholesaler buying from another domestic wholesaler may add his actual transportation costs, not exceeding the common carrier rates and excluding local trucking, hauling and handling charges. In order to add such transportation costs, the wholesaler must separately record them on the invoice given to the customer purchasing the fish or seafood. Each addi

tional purchasing wholesaler may in turn pass on such transportation costs, only if they, in turn, add them on to the invoice to their customers.

No transportation allowance may be added either by a producer or a primary fish shipperwholesaler except when the latter ships fish from his principal place of business to a branch warehouse located in an area remote from the source of supply.

The OPA also modified the transportation costs which may be added by an importer of fresh fish or seafood other than Canadian lake fish. Now, the importer or agent of a foreign consignor determines the transportation allowance he may add by reference to three methods.

The first is the actual transportation cost to his receiving point from the foreign shipping point. The second is the transportation cost to his receiving point from the point at which the fish or seafood enters the United States. However, in using this base the importer may take the transportation cost from the domestic shipping point closest to the foreign seller's shipping point rather than from the actual point at which the fish or seafood enters the United States.

The third is the transportation cost from the domestic port producing the greatest volume of that fish to the importer's receiving point. The importer determines the transportation allowance he may add by taking the lowest of these three alternatives.

Thus, where a Boston concern imports a carload of haddock from Canada, it cannot add any transportation in selling that imported fish since more haddock is landed in Boston than in any other port. A Detroit concern importing from Halifax, Nova Scotia, a carload of haddock which enters the United States near Windsor would not be restricted to the transportation cost from the point at which the fish enters the United States. It would take either the cost of transportation from the shipping point in America closest to Halifax (some point in Maine) or the cost of transportation from Boston, whichever is less.

However, OPA points out, if the actual through transportation cost from Halifax to Detroit were less than either of these alternatives, that would be used.

A wholesaler buying from an importer would pass on this transportation allowance and would himself add transportation in the same manner as would any other wholesaler buying from a wholesaler.

This action was taken to avoid ceiling prices for imported fish that would be higher than ceiling prices for domestic fish of the same species because of transportation differentials. Imported fish normally sells in competition with domestic fish of the same kind at about the same price.

The amendment also provides definitions for steaks, center cuts, head cuts, and tail cuts. The definition of dressed fish is amended to include any portion of the dressed fish not otherwise designated. Such portions of dressed fish not specifically provided for will be priced at the dressed price.

Excerpts from Amendment 28 to Maximum Price Regulation 418--Fresh Fish and Seafoodeffective April 3, 1944, follow:

Maximum Price Regulation No. 418 is amended in the following respects:

1. Section 7 (a) preceding the example is amended to read as follows:

(a) When a wholesaler may add his transportation cost to the listed prices. Any wholesaler in the United States buying fresh fish or seafood from another wholesaler in the United States may add to the price fixed in section 20 for such fish or seafood his actual transportation cost (excluding local trucking, hauling and handling charges) from the seller's shipping point to such wholesaler's receiving point, but only when he records the transportation cost in an invoice to the customer purchasing the fish or seafood. A purchasing wholesaler or subse

quent wholesalers of that fish or seafood
may pass on such transportation cost as
part of the maximum selling price, but
only if they in turn record it on an in-
voice to their customers. In no case
may the added transportation cost ex-
ceed the common carrier rate from the
shipping point to the wholesaler's receiv-
ing point. Where a wholesaler has a
branch warehouse located at a remote
point from his principal place of busi-
ness as well as at a remote point from the
nearest domestic port producing the
greatest volume of a particular species
and such wholesaler ships fresh fish or
seafood of such species from his principal
place of business to the branch ware-
house, such branch warehouse may for

the purpose of transportation allowance be considered a wholesaler who purchases fish and seafood from another wholesaler.

2. Section 7 (b), (c) and (d) are inserted preceding the example to read as follows:

(b) Service and delivery sales. When a service and delivery wholesaler delivers by means other than a common carrier to an individual retail store or purveyor of meals located at a distance of more than 25 air miles from the point of shipment, he may add to his maximum price the appropriate charge listed below.