152 U.S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



areas to facilitate the clear presentation of statistics of the western 

 Atlantic and Gulf fisheries. These areas, which are shown together 

 with their designating numbers in the accompanying chart, are 

 indicated in the various sections of this report. 



TECHNOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS 



Never before in the history of the fishery industry of this country 

 has there been greater need for economy in production methods and 

 for the fullest utilization of valuable products from the material at 

 hand. Under present conditions of depressed business, losses or 

 leakages in factory operation, wliich in more prosperous times seemed 

 relatively unimportant, now represent very frequently the margin 

 between profit and loss. For tliis reason there is greater need for 

 the application of the best technological and engineering knowledge 

 available to problems of manufacture, preservation, and marketing 

 of marine products. This is essential to make the most of the raw 

 material available, to eliminate waste, and to bring factory operation 

 to the highest point of efficiency. With this objective in mind, the 

 technological research of the Division has followed the general lines 

 of studies of methods of manufacture, preservation, storage, and 

 marketing of both the primary products of the fisheries for food and 

 the by-products for animal nutrition; biochemical tests to determine 

 the food value of marine products; the development of fishing gear; 

 and experiments in developing chemical treatments for fishing nets 

 to lengthen their usefulness. This has involved the application of 

 the sciences of chemistry, engineering, bacteriology, and general 

 technology to the solution of these problems. The discussion in the 

 following pages is a summary of the accomplishments along these 

 lines which have been made during the past year. 



RESEARCH ASSOCIATE 



In the above lines of technological research the Bureau has attacked 

 those fundamental problems which promise to be of greatest value to 

 the largest number and which are possible with the funds and per- 

 sonnel available for the purpose. For this reason the Division has 

 not been able to study special problems affecting certain products, 

 processes, or methods. In order to serve the industry in this con- 

 nection, the Bureau by congressional authorization has provided 

 research associate facilities whereby firms or groups having special 

 technological problems to solve will furnish the investigator and pay 

 his salary and expenses. The investigation is carried out in coop- 

 eration with the Bureau's staff in its laboratories and under its con- 

 trol. Tims the industry can be provided with iaborator}^, consultation, 

 and library facilities which in many instances it is unable to obtain 

 elsewhere. 



During the past year a manufacturer of marine products took 

 advantage of these facilities and placed a chemist in the Division's 

 laboratory to make a study of the nutritive value of kelp meal. 



LABORATORIES 



During the past year the Division carried on its technological research 

 work under the direction of John Ruel Mannino; at laboratories in 



