ARE THERE EmiMET'lRING ntPRO\rEMEI\rrS WIOK CAN BRING ABOUT GREATER 

 ~~' EFFIGIEMCIBS IN FISHING OPERATION? 



The marketing difficulties in the tuna industry and the related 

 adverse economic conditions in the domestic tuna fleet which prevailed 

 in 1951 have been previously referred to. Further evidence of the 

 adverse conditions encountered by the bait boat fleet in particular 

 is given in table 61. This table was originally prepared by the staff 

 of the American Tunaboat Association, and submitted in evidence at 

 the hearings on tuna imports held by the Senate Committee on Finance, 

 February h, 5, 6 and 7, 195?. Supplemental data for the year 1952 

 were added later. Corroborative evidence of the validity of the 

 data in this table for the years 19^0 and 19^1 is given in table 67, 

 prepared by the staff of the Service engaged in this study. 



Regardless of the causes which contributed to the economic 

 difficulties cited, it was determined in this survey to explore 

 avenues of relief which night ameliorate the adverse effects of any 

 cause of the economic difficulties encountered by the domestic tuna 

 fleet. Improvements in the operating efficiency of the fleet was the 

 theme of this particular work. 



This particular approach is supported by evidence to the effect 

 that the fisherman for his effort receives one cf the larger shares 

 of the consumer's pajTnent for a can of tuna (see Chapter VII), The 

 peculiar nature of certain types of tuna fishing such as the long 

 trips of the clipper fleet and the low quantity of catch per unit 

 of gear set in the albacore fishery make it a high unit cost fishing 

 industry as compared to purse seining for pilchards or similar types 

 of fishing. Moreover, the high cost element is evident in many 

 foreign fisheries because of the gr vit distances involved in capturing 

 the roving tunas. It is obvious that all other things being equal 

 the chances of making substantial savings in the cost of bringing 

 canned tuna to consumers, who have so strongly evidenced that they 

 like and want this product, should be greatest at the production level. 

 In addition, any increased efficiency on the part of the domestic 

 fisherman with resultant louver unit cost of production will make him 

 better able to compete with foreign fishermen. Accordingly, the 

 results of investigation in this field are given in this and the 

 next section. 



202 



