FISHERY INDUSTRIES OF THI UNITED STATES. 15 
DEVELOPMENT OF IMPROVEMENTS IN METHODS OF HANDLING, DIS- 
TRIBUTING, AND MARKETING. 
FRESH FISH. 
One of the most important means for increasing the consumption 
of fish is to supply the consumer with a product closely approxi- 
mating the quality of the fish as taken from the water. This necessi- 
tate§ reducing the amount of deterioration from ‘‘catch’”’ to consumer 
toaminimum. Considering the length of time that elapses after the 
fish are taken from the water until they reach the consumer, some 
deterioration is inevitable, but that a marked degree of improvement 
in reducing the amount can be made is undoubtedly possible. With 
such improvement many persons who now enjoy freshly caught fish, 
but who rarely buy ‘“‘fresh”’ fish in the market, will be added to the 
list of regular consumers. As deterioration sets in as soon as the fish 
are dead, the first step is to improve methods of handling the fish on 
boat or vessel and at the points of distribution. 
It is important to handle fish with the greatest possible care, to 
avoid bruising or forking them, and toavoid warmth. Fish should be 
handled with the same care as fruits; they should not be forked, 
bruised, tread on, thrown about needlessly and roughly, or piled too 
deeply in boat, box, or barrel. Failure to observe these precautions 
will cause spoilage just as the spoilage of fruits is hastened by similar 
treatment. The temperature of fish is about the same as that of the 
water in which they hve usually slightly higher. Fish taken from 
warm water will therefore spoil more quickly than if taken from cold 
water. The warmer the water is the greater the care required to 
preventspoilage. If the fish taken from warm water are piled deeply 
it is but natural that the temperature of the mass will vordly begin 
to rise, with resultant spoilage. It is therefore important to keep 
the fish away from warmth and to cool fish taken from warm water as 
quickly as possible. 
The Bureau has impressed upon those in the fisheries the impor- 
tance of avoiding the use of fork or pew as far as practicable, using 
where necessary only a one-tined fork and forking the fish in the hea 
instead of the body, and has encouraged the installation of precooling 
devices to remove the body heat of the fish as speedily as practicable. 
It is believed that a cold brine circulatory system of an adaptation of 
the system of freezing fish in brine may be worked out for use on 
vessels or boats. In fact, some experiments have already been made 
to this end by those in the fisheries. 
There is fully as great if not greater need for improving methods of 
distribution and the handling of the fish in the retail markets. The 
shipper should consider the advantages of packing the fish in shallow 
boxes instead of in barrels; and the retailer, in view of the length of 
time that has elapsed since the fish were caught, should observe every 
precaution which will retard deterioration as well as offer the fish for 
sale in an attractive manner and amid sanitary surroundings. 
KIPPERED FISH. 
The preservation of fish by smoking is a very ancient and widely 
known practice. The products preserved in this manner are among 
the tastiest of foods. The necessity for marketing the product 
