THIRTIETH BIENNIAL REPORT 107 



which have arisen under ''cutthroat" competition. The underlying 

 object is to get a better price for their sardines. The second organiza- 

 tion formed is known as the Sardine Canners Association of California, 

 and has as members both tuna and sardine canners. The object of this 

 organization is to improve the standard and quality of the pack, under 

 a strict inspection which for a couple of years has been carried on under 

 the supervision of the State Board of Health. It is expected to put the 

 entire industry upon a more profitable basis and, incidentally, to form 

 a closer cooperation with the Division of Fish and Game along law 

 enforcement, legislative and constructive lines. 



One of the first acts of the Sardine Canners Association of California 

 was to ask the Division of Fish and Game, as a conservation measure, to 

 prevent waste of fish, to establish a closed season on sardines until 

 August 6th of this year, 1928. Such an order was issued by the Divi- 

 sion and the order was strictly obeyed by the canners. As a result, 

 there were no soft fish put up by too early an opening and, incidentally, 

 the carry-over was materially reduced before the season opened. 



Sardine inspection and fish cannery research. 



Iu the year 1924 the sardine canners of southern California organized 

 and financed an inspection service under the supervision of the State 

 Board of Health. Some cases of sickness from eating sardines had 

 been reported and the inspection was for the purpose of making sure 

 that all of the packers were taking proper care in handling the fish and 

 in sterilizing the cans a sufficient length of time in the retorts and under 

 the proper pressure. Two years later the canners at Monterey came in 

 under the inspection, and the southern California canners provided for 

 the same inspection of their tuna canning operations. This inspection 

 is well organized and is under a man furnished by the State Board of 

 Health. He has inspectors at the separate canning centers who inspect 

 the operations in the canneries. They see to it that all the health regu- 

 lations as to sanitary requirements of the premises and employees are 

 carried out and that all of the canned fish are properly sterilized. The 

 retorts in which the sterilization is done are all equipped with automatic 

 temperature and pressure gauges and a self-recording chart insures 

 that each retort of fish has been cooked for a sufficient length of time 

 and under the proper temperature and pressure. 



After this inspection had been organized, it was realized that there 

 was great need for research in connection with the canning of fish. 

 Some preliminary Avork had been undertaken under Dr. Karl F. Meyer, 

 of the University of California, but to warrant continuing the w r ork 

 Dr. Meyer told the canners sufficient funds should be provided to insure 

 the continuance of the work for three years with a sufficient personnel 

 and equipment. At the request of the canners, the Fish and Game 

 Commission agreed to furnish the funds for this work. Beginning with 

 the fiscal year of 1926-27, #15,000 was to be furnished each fiscal year 

 for three years. This agreement was carried out and we are now enter- 

 ing our third fiscal year. Under the agreement, the money has been 

 turned over to the Hooper Foundation for Medical Research of the Uni- 

 versity of California, and the work has gone on under the supervision 

 of Dr. Meyer. Much work has been done which is of value to the fish 

 canning industries of the state and results have already begun to appear 

 in the form of publications. 



