UTILIZATION OF FISH WASTE 5 



very valuable investigations relative to the utilization of fish waste as 

 a fertilizer. In one Bulletin, No. 50, United States Department of 

 Agriculture, he re-affirms what many other investigators of agricultural 

 economy have stated, namely: 



'It should be pointed out here that, with such fertilizing materials 

 as dried blood, tankage, cotton-seed meal and fish scrap, it is better 



agricultural practice to feed these to stock than to apply 



them direct to the soil. It can be taken as thoroughly well established 

 that both the nitrogen and the phosphoric acid, after performing their 

 r61e in the life processes of the adult animal, are eliminated. Then the 

 high food value of these rich foods is utilized and at the same time the 

 fertilizing elements are still available for use on the growing crops.' 



QUANTITY OF FISH WASTE IN CANADA 



With regard to the availability of fish waste in Canada, I am only 

 in a position to offer an estimate, but, after conversing with many in the 

 fishing industry, I feel sure I am not over-estimating when I place the 

 quantity at something like 250,000 tons a year. 



A few examples of waste maybe useful as illustrating my assumption. 

 It is stated authoritatively that it requires 88 fos. of salmon on the 

 Pacific coast to fill 48 one-pound cans; the balance, about 46 per cent, 

 is waste. In the British Columbia salmon packing industry alone, it 

 is estimated there is annually some 20,000 tons of waste. In the lobster 

 packing industry, the percentage of waste is 75 per cent. In the Atlantic 

 dry-fish curing industry, 45 per cent is waste. On the Great lakes, 

 44 per cent, of the total annual catch is waste. 



Fishermen generally will inform one that, of the total catch of all 

 species of fish caught at sea or on lake, 25 per cent consists of fish of 

 no market value, and, further, of the remaining 75 per cent, an additional 

 25 per cent can be deducted as waste on gutting for market. In the 

 halibut fishery, the head is the only waste brought ashore and it is 

 estimated to be one-sixth of the weight of the 'cleaned' fish. It will 

 be readily understood that, whatever the quantity of waste is, it is 

 colossal. 



The outstanding question, then, is how much of this waste is econom- 

 ically collectable and convertible. This is a factor for further investiga- 

 tion. 



Obviously, the chief points of collection will be found on the two 

 sea coasts. 



PREPARATIONS FOR EXPERIMENTING 



It was thought wise so late in the year (October) to commence 

 investigations on the waste originating in the inland waters, where, it is 



