716 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



labor and makes it possible to unload more rapidly. This platform 

 has not been universally adopted as yet, but progress is being made 

 with this method. A plan has been developed and adopted by the 

 board of directors of the Boston Fish Market Corporation for un- 

 loading vessels and boats by mechanical means, which will entirely 

 eliminate the forking. 



In order that more efficient work could be done in filleting fish 

 a table was introduced with the cooperation of some of the packers. 

 This was found to be of value in the elimination of false motion and 

 has been adopted by three of the leading packers on the pier. 



MECHANICAL FISH SCALERS 



Removing the scales from fish has heretofore been accomplished 

 entirely by hand, and is a slow and tedious process. Some of the 

 large firms developed a machine for accomplishing this process in 

 their plants, but these machines were not adapted to the small op- 

 erator. However, a small machine for use in the smaller houses has 

 been developed by a commercial company and found to be more 

 satisfactory than the hand method. 



IMPROVEMENTS ON TRAWLERS 



Previously the bins of the trawlers have been so large that the 

 fish which were placed in the bins first or in the bottom of the bin 

 were exposed to the pressure of the entire load and were damaged 

 materially by this excessive pressure. This has been remedied by 

 making the bins smaller, which decreases the pressure and produces 

 a higher quality fish. 



The supports for these bins were constructed of wood and un- 

 painted. The bacteria found ready entrance into the pores of the 

 w^ood and it was found to be impossible to clean them and prevent 

 the infection of the fish immediately upon placing them in the bins. 

 At the suggestion of the representatives of the bureau, these supports 

 on some vessels are now constructed of iron and are painted white. 



The trawders are now adopting insulation for the holds so that the 

 fish are maintained at a lower temperature and there is also an ap- 

 preciable saving of ice. Some of the vessels have insulated only 

 the bulkhead between the hold and the engine room; others have 

 insulated the entire hold, which is undoubtedly the most satisfactory 

 and facilitates a greater saving of refrigeration. 



PROBLEMS OF HANDLING FISH LIVERS 



The oil from livers of certain fish taken in the North Atlantic is 

 valuable for medicinal and nutritive purposes. In order that oil 

 of the highest grade can be extracted from the livers it is necessary 

 to handle them carefully. Several of the larger vessels are equipped 

 with extraction facilities on board so that the oil is recovered while 

 the Uvers are in prime condition. 



On those vessels not equipped with apparatus for the immediate* 

 extraction of the oil, difficulty is encountered in preserving the 

 livers until they reach the shore extraction plants. It was sug- 

 gested to the operators of these vessels that barrels containing the 

 livers be covered for protection against the entrance of water which 

 is very detrimental. This suggestion was adopted with an apparent 

 improvement in the quality of livers landed at the extraction plants. 



