APPENDIX IV APPENDIX IV 
According to NMFS, most investments were directed to- 
ward the Soviet fishing fleet which is capable of processing 
or semiprocessing up to 90 percent of the harvest. On the 
other hand, onshore facilities cannot efficiently handle the 
Soviet harvest and this results in waste and spoilage of the 
harvest; idling of fishing vessels; and a general underutil- 
ization of fishery resources. For example, NMFS found that in 
1972 large stern trawlers were not operational for over 25 
percent of that year. To alleviate this situation the Soviet 
Union planned to increase investments in several new sea- 
ports and modern processing plants during the early 1970s. 
An NMFS official said that the Soviet Union receives no 
foreign assistance for capital investments in the fishing 
industry. 
Training program 
The Soviet training fleet is the world's largest, hav- 
ing been expanded from 6 vessels in 1968 to 22 vessels in 
1972. Training vessels are the property of the various re- 
gional administrations of the Fishery Ministry. According to 
NMFS, the annual operating costs of the training fleet are 
between $27 and $40 million. These costs are offset in part 
by earnings obtained from selling fish harvested by the 
training fleet. 
Research programs 
The Soviet Union's 5-year plan for the period from 1971 
through 1975 emphasized expanding oceanographic research. In 
1974 there were about 200 vessels and 7,000 to 8,000 scien- 
tists and technicians involved in this work. 
The research is concerned with conserving and culti- 
vating sea life which is economically and nutritionally im- 
portant. Research areas include 
--the development of submersible vessels, 
--deep sea diving and underwater habitats, and 
--marine biology and aquaculture. 
The Soviet government has five submersible vessels 
which are operated by the Soviet Academy of Sciences and 
various regional Institutes of Marine Fisheries and Oceano- 
graphy. The submersible vessel program contributes to marine 
biology research and sampling of the ocean bottom. The pro- 
gram is modest in comparison to the program of the U.S. which 
has more than 35 manned submersible vessels. 
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