which will discourage over-capitalization and overbuilding of vessels 

 for harvesting limited resources; and assisting the States to improve 

 their management capabilities in the interest of more efficient harvest- 

 ing operations; 



(2) Expand production opportunities by developing harvesting and 

 processing technology which will help bring new resources into pro- 

 duction; providing fish protein concentrate (FPC) technology for de- 

 veloping a self sustaining FPC industry which will provide a market 

 for underutilized fish ; and assisting industry to develop techniques and 

 procedures for economic aquaculture operations ; and 



(3) Improve catches (and thus reduce per unit costs) by developing 

 techniques and means to preserve the critical estuarine areas as com- 

 mercial fishery resources; and securing a preferred position for U.S. 

 fishing vessels in international waters adjacent to U.S. coasts. 



Fishery Development and Seafood Technology Programs 



During 1969, the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries undertook to strengthen 

 the domestic fishing industry through the following major activities: 



International fisheries off the U.S. coast 



Georges Bank Groundfish 



1. Submitted convincing evidence of the seriously over-exploited condi- 

 tion of the haddock resource which resulted in the International Convention 

 for Northwest Atlantic Fisheries setting drastically reduced limits on had- 

 dock catches in this area. 



2. Inaugurated a program to encourage U.S. vessels to catch pollock as 

 an alternate to the reduced catches of haddock. 



3. Demonstrated the use of high-opening bottom trawls to increase the 

 efficiency of pollock fishing. 



4. Developed and distributed a report in atlas form showing the areas 

 of historic pollock concentrations on the New England grounds. 



Middle Atlantic Bight groundfish 



Developed and presented evidence of overexploitation and potentially 

 excessive fishing pressure which led to agreement from the U.S.S.R. and 

 Poland to limit their fishing in this area. 



King Crab in Southeast Bering Sea 



Developed evidence of overexploitation of king crabs in this area which 

 resulted in agreement of the U.S.S.R. and Japan to reduce their catch quotas. 



Improved management of fisheries 



1. Determined through an intensive tagging program that inshore north- 

 em lobsters are generally nonmigratory whereas oflFshore lobsters migrate 

 considerable distances. This knowledge will facilitate inshore management. 



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