20 U.S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



Consumers are much better satisfied, since they recognize in these 

 grades dependent standards of quality. As pointed out in the Divi- 

 sion's report for 1932, marketing standards have been very successful 

 with all kinds of agricultural products. In addition to our work in 

 Virginia, we have cooperated with other States during 1933 in the 

 study of this marketing problem. Among the States where actual 

 studies have either begun or where considerable interest is being shown 

 are North Carolina, Massachusetts, Maryland, and New Jersey. 



During 1933, in connection with the formulation of fishery codes, 

 Mr. Manning prepared several reports on the standardization or 

 grading of fishery products, based on his brief surveys, for the National 

 Recovery Administration and the Agricultural Adjustment Adminis- 

 tration. Considerable interest has been shown in this work by con- 

 sumers. The Consumers' Advisory Board of the National Recovery 

 Administration has used considerable of the material from our reports 

 in its efforts to develop consumer's standards. 



From our mvestigations to date, it appears that a national and 

 uniform system of voluntary grading and standardization is practical 

 and will be of considerable aid ultimately to the entire fishery indus- 

 try. It will be a great contribution to conservation in keeping under- 

 sized and immature fish from the market and in eliminating waste. 

 It would tend to stabilize the industry, cut down merchandising costs, 

 would assist materially in the prevention of destructive price cutting, 

 would facilitate the procurement of necessary credit by fishing enter- 

 prises from banks and other financial institutions, would assist in the 

 elimination of evils of the consignment business, would increase the 

 consumption of fishery products, and would be of general benefit to 

 the producer, dealer, and consumer. It cannot be emphasized too 

 strongly that marketing reforms in the fisheries are vital to any con- 

 servation program in the fisheries. 



INTERCHANGEABILITY OF THE USES OF OILS AND FATS FISH OILS 



Because of the extremely depressed economic condition of the oils 

 and fats industry in this country, and its direct effect on fish oils and 

 other marine animal oils, the Division gave considerable thought and 

 study to this problem. In fact, studies of the economic and market- 

 ing conditions of the fish-oil industry have engaged the attention of 

 our division staff for the past several years. Recently, at the request 

 of the Finance Committee of the United States Senate, John Ruel 

 Manning, chief technologist, made a study of the technical and 

 economic conditions in this industiy, and prepared a brief summary 

 concerning the interchangeability of the uses of oils and fats, with 

 special reference to fish and marine animal oils. The summary is 

 given below. 



The information given herewith deals only with saponifiable oils 

 and fats and does not pertain to the petroleum or mineral-oil 

 industry. 



The interchangeability of the uses of oils and fats in commerce and 

 in the various industries involves both technical and economic con- 

 siderations. From a technical standpoint, there can be and is free 

 interchangeability of the uses of various oils and fats. Modern 

 methods of hydrogenation, refining, treatment, etc., make it possible 

 to prepare practically all oils and fats for almost any industrial use. 



