7. How can the international problems involved in fish- 

 ing for tuna be resolved in an equitable manner? 



The international character of the tuna resource creates 

 problems which are unique to fishing as a food producing opera- 

 tion and, to varying degrees, makes the domestic tuna fishing 

 fleet subject to foreign regulations. 



These regulations could become onerous and have a tendency 

 to shift both fishing and processing operations from domestic to 

 foreign bases. 



If the fleet, through its ovin resources, or with State or 

 Federal assistance, were successful in locating new resources, 

 in adapting new fishing methods, or in devising a live bait sub- 

 stitute, this problem would diminish in importance. 



Manifold considerations concerned with surveying the long- 

 range position of the domestic tuna industry in the domestic ec- 

 onomy have been detailed in the previous chapters. It has been 

 noted that the outlook for consumption of products of the tuna 

 industry is a bright one. On the other hand, the prospects of 

 major relative cost reductions in fishing and processing are 

 rather bleak. Distribution, which is responsible for only a 

 small part of the ultimate cost of canned tuna, does not offer 

 anj- great prospect of cost sa^/ings as an aid in improving the 

 position of the industry. In the light of these and associated 

 determinations, suggestions are made herewith as to what may be 

 done by the domestic tuna industry — fishermen, processors, dis- 

 tributors, and importers — ,3jid the Federal Government, to promote 

 necessary adjustments so that the industry may achieve and main- 

 tain a sound position in the domestic economy. 



Before considering what the Federal Clovernment could or 

 should do for the tuna industry, it is necessary to outline what 

 the tuna industry has done for itself during the economic trials 

 experienced in the past two years, and what it can do in the fut- 

 ure. A review of its recent activity indicates that it has not 

 been inactive in helping itself to surmount some of its problems. 



430 



