8 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 



TECHNOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS. 



Such important investigations as have been undertaken in this 

 field are of necessity time consuminf; and require a considerable 

 investment. It has been the policy of the bureau to center its activi- 

 ties on a limited number of such problems that promise important 

 benefits to the ^i^reatest possible number in the industry when brou^jht 

 to a successful end. To make satisfactory progress in these fields 

 of endeavor with the limited personnel and funds available necessi- 

 tates close adherence to this program and avoidance wherever practi- 

 cable of undertaking minor investigations for wdiich there may be 

 some demand. The bureau regrets the necessity of making such 

 limitations, but deems it the wiser couj;-se to pursue under present 

 handicaps. The major technological investigations in progress are 

 in the fields of net preservation, canning, and refrigeration, includ- 

 ing freezing in brine. 



PKESERVATION OF FISHING NKT.S AND LINES. 



During the year excellent progress has been made m the investiga- 

 tion on the preservation of nets, including tests of the value of 

 various net preservatives, increase in Aveight of the net by the ad- 

 dition of the various preservatives, shrinkage, breaking strength, 

 wearing quality, relative stiffness of lines when treated with the 

 various preservatives in comparison w^tli the untreated line, etc. At- 

 tention has also been given to the development of an improved 

 preservative for nets. A large series of lines has been placed in the 

 water at a number of places for protracted periods, sets being taken 

 up and subjected to various tests at regular intervals. Such in- 

 vestigations will be completed in the near future, and a report on the 

 results thus far attained M'ill be prepared for the use of the trade 

 as promptly as practicable. , 



CANNING OF FISHERY PRODUCTS. 



A study of the changes that take ])lacc in the oil used for frying 

 sardines, conducted at San' Pedro, Calif., has been concluded and 

 the results published.^ 



In view of certain difficulties attending the frying of sardines in 

 oil, it was deemed advisable to attempt to develop a method of 

 packing that would eliminate the use of the fry bath and that might 

 be economically employed by such as wished to change their proc- 

 ess. Work along these lines is l)eing continued. The preparation 

 of sardines for canning is largely a problem of removing excess 

 water from the fish. Frying in oil, steaming, and cooling in brine, 

 are aids to the accomjilishment of this end. In the trials made, the 

 best results accrued from removing the excess water by thorough 

 brining and drying, followed by packing the fish raw and depending 

 upon subsequent processing to cook them. From an economic point 

 of view the process appears to possess some merit. Storage and 

 shipping tests are in progress. 



1 Changes in Oil Used for Frying: Sardines, by Harry R. Beard, State of California Fish 

 and Game Commission Circular No. 1. March, 1922, Sacramento, Calif. 



