In the opinion of many experts, any large vessel to be built 

 in the future, especially one intended for use on the long Campeche 

 run, should be eqviipped for freezing at sea. The principal reasons for 

 freezing at sea are better quality of the product and the economies 

 effected by longer trips. Immersion freezing in a salt-sugar solution 

 is considered by some as the best system for small vessels. The advocates 

 of this method of freezing claim that its advantages over the plate or 

 blast freezing systems are in reduced weighing and packaging labor. 

 Others claim that the blast freezing system is a cleaner and easier 

 operation. 



In the future, increased en^diasis will have to be placed on 

 installing engines that are most economical for a given size of hull. 

 One outstanding authority in the field is of the opinion that marqr 

 fishing craft have engines that are more powerful than required for 

 efficient operations. His conclusions are based on the findings of 

 recently conducted ejqperiments which Indicate the existence of an inverse 

 relationship between hull length and horsepower required per ton of hull 

 weight. 



Automatic pilots, depth recorders, and radio telephones are the 

 most widely used types of electronic Installations on board shtinp vessels. 

 Unfamlliarity with the equipment, and ignorance or neglect of proper 

 maintenance practices, are responsible for the failure to fully realize 

 the benefits that can be derived from this type of equipment. 



Long range navigation equipment — commonly referred to as 

 "loran" — perhaps offers the most promise of all navigational aids to 

 the fishing industry. By substantially reducing travel time to and from 

 the fishing grounds, loran could increase the piroportion of productive 

 to unproductive time at sea and thus make operations more economical. 

 Such a program on the part of the industry obviously must be complemented 

 by an adequate system of loran stations operated by government. 



Trawls with nylon netting have been used to advantage by 

 some fishermen who are Impressed with the durability of the material. 

 The switch-over from cotton to nylon webbing and the use of nylon in 

 lieu of manila roping in the rigging has resulted, in some instances, 

 in considerable savings in gear and rigging. Some fishermen have dis- 

 continued the use of nylon netting because of difficulties which arose 

 whenever the netting had to be mended. The more expensive nylon netting 

 cannot be recommended wherever the nature of the bottom increases the 

 chances of bogging or destroying nets and cod ends relatively early 

 in the use life of the gear. 



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