estimated 4 billion pounds of sardine-like species available in the 

 Gulf of Mexico. 



Processing investigations sponsored by the Atomic Energy Com- 

 mission have revealed that use of nuclear energy for pasteurization by 

 irradiation of fishery products will allow certain species to be kept 

 "sea fresh" longer. Engineering studies have been started to develop 

 mechanical methods for removing the meat from blue crabs and to 

 devise a sucessful shucking machine for the vast stocks of calico 

 scallops off the coast of Florida. 



Under its assistance programs, the Federal Government granted $1 

 million in subsidies in fiscal year 1966 for construction of seven new 

 fishing vessels; in addition, federally insured mortgages amounting 

 to $1.9 million were approved last year for construction or reconstruc- 

 tion of 30 vessels. Ninety-two direct loans, totaling $2 million, were 

 made to owners and operators of fishing vessels. Two 296- foot stern 

 trawler factory ships will be completed in the spring of 1968, the first 

 of this type to be constructed in this country. Federal aid was granted 

 in fiscal year 1966 in the amount of $3.8 million to States for financing 

 fishery research and development projects. 



Although not contributing in a major way to food from the sea, 

 sport fishing is increasingly important to our leisure activity. The 

 number of serious salt water sports fishennen was estimated at 8.3 

 million in 1965, and it is growing faster than the national population. 

 Sport fishing, along with commercial fishing, should benefit from 

 research on ocean fish stocks. 



International Fishing Agreements 



International agreements will continue to be of vital importance to 

 the prudent use of world fishery stocks. In the past we have depended 

 upon some seventeen international fishing conventions and agreements 

 to resolve conflicting fishing interests. International arrangements for 

 taking fur seal, halibut, and sockeye salmon in the Pacific Ocean have 

 been particularly effective for conservation. Bilateral agreements 

 have recently been developed to regulate Soviet and Japanese fishing 

 for king crab on the U.S. Continental Shelf and in the Bering Sea. 

 A new convention concerning Atlantic tuna awaits Senate ratification, 

 and consen^ation measures have recently been applied for the first 

 time to Pacific yellowfin tuna. In general, U.S. fishermen feel that 

 most of these regulations have helped them, but issues remain con- 

 cerning foreign fishing acti^aties off our coasts. 



Because of increased foreign fishing in our coastal waters. Congress 

 enacted legislation during 1966 extending our fishery zone to twelve 

 miles, a limit widely adopted by other nations. The extension of fish- 

 ing jurisdiction will not, however, resolve the conservation problem 

 for many stocks of fish found along U.S. coasts. 



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