FISHERY INDUSTRIES OF THE UNITED STATES, 1934 87 



steps might be taken to remedy the situation, the Sponge and Chamois 

 Institute, New York City, rcquostod the Bureau to undertake a study 

 of this i^roblcm. This was inidor taken as a cooperative investigation 

 with George Washington University, Washington, D. C, where two 

 students from the medical school receiving aid from the Federal 

 Emergency Relief Administration, were detailed to our technological 

 staff. This investigation, which has been conducted in the laboratory 

 of the medical school, has not progressed to the point where definite 

 conclusions can be drawn. However, thus far, it was found that 

 thorough washing of the sponges in hot soapy water sterilizes sponges 

 which had been experimentally infected with certain kinds of bacteria, 

 but such washing has not proven effective in sterilizing the sponges 

 infected with such pathogenic organisms as that causing ringworm. 

 Further studies are being made of the value and possible application 

 of other disinfectants such as phenol. 



PRESERVATION OF FISHERY BYPRODUCTS 



Because of the increasing demand for information with respect to 

 the utilization of fishery waste materials, technologists of the division 

 have continued an active program of research on the preservation of 

 fishery byproducts. In 1934, investigations were in progress at the 

 Gloucester technological laboratory, the Seattle technological labora- 

 tory, a field laboratory in Alaska, and at several State agricultural 

 experiment stations. These studies were carried on under the direc- 

 tion of R. W. Harrison, in charge of our Seattle technological labora- 

 tory, with the assistance of A. W. Anderson, technologist of the Seattle 

 laboratory, and S. R. Pottinger, chemist of the Gloucester technological 

 laboratory. 



UTILIZATION OF SALMON CANNERY WASTE 



Our catch of salmon in the Pacific Coast States and Alaska averages 

 between 500,000,000 and 600,000,000 pounds, annually. Of this 

 amount, at least one-third, or approximately 200,000,000 pounds is 

 waste material, the greater portion of which is discarded and represents 

 a complete loss as well as a sanitary nuisance. Because of the great 

 potential value of this amount of material, the Bureau has continued 

 the studies on the utilization of salmon cannery waste as its major 

 byproducts problem during 1934. The data obtained to date indicate 

 that salmon waste is a potential source of vitamin active oils and 

 highly nutritious fish meals. 



Studies concerned with the distribution of the oil in the fish and their 

 vitamin content show that the greater portion of the oil is in the head 

 and flesh portions, that vitamin D is quite uniformly distributed in all 

 the waste fat, although the visceral fats are richest in this vitamin, 

 and that vitamin A is confined almost entirely to the visceral oils. 



Oils from the total waste of the various species of salmon are quite 

 uniform in vitamin D, but vary considerably in vitamin A. Chinook 

 oil has the highest vitamin A potency, but contains less vitamin D than 

 the other salmon oils. Sockeye and silver salmon are good sources of 

 both vitamins A and D ; and i)ink and dog salmon are good sources of 

 vitamin D, but relatively poor sources of vitamin A. All salmon oils, 

 therefore, are highly desirable for poultry nutrition, while oil from 



