A NEW METHOD OF SHIPPING LIVE FISH ' 



By Edgar C. Fearnow 



Superintendent of Fish Distribution, Bureau of Fisheries 



Washington, D. C. 



Some years ago the writer was detailed to accompany a shipment 

 of live fish from New York to the Canal Zone. These were pond 

 fish and included bass, sunfish, and catfish, destined to form a brood 

 stock in Gatun Lake and other waters of the Zone. A short time 

 after the ship left New York it became apparent that the supply of 

 ice would be exhausted long before the end of the voyage, unless 

 means could be found for conserving the limited amount remaining. 

 The successful outcome of the trip was dependent to a large degree 

 on maintaining an equable temperature of the water in which the 

 fish were carried. The 50 cans in the shipment were arranged to 

 occupy as little space as possible and an old sail thoroughly saturated 

 with water was drawn closely around them. The results were sur- 

 prisingly satisfactory. Instead of having to ice the cans every few 

 hours, one icing in 24 hours was found sufficient to maintain the 

 temperature at the desired point, and the fish were delivered at Gatun 

 and Gamboa, Canal Zone, without undue loss. 



The success of this simple expedient impressed the writer with 

 the possibilities of applying the well-known principle of heat absorp- 

 tion by evaporation to a container that would be of practical value 

 in the shipping of live fish under conditions where a rise in tempera- 

 ture must be avoided. Also it seemed to have direct bearing upon 

 the problem which the Bureau of Fisheries has recently been called 

 upon to solve, namely, how to distribute fish in ever larger num- 

 bers without additional funds to meet the greatly increased transpor- 

 tation charges. In view of the fact that passenger, freight, and ex- 

 press rates are now higher than at any period in our history, and 

 as there is an insistent demand for economy in both government 

 and private business, it has seemed most opportune to undertake a 

 new method of shipping live fish without ice and, in many, perhaps 

 most, instances, without the usual attendant. The possibilities of 

 great saving over the present method of shipping by messenger are 

 readily apparent. 



Temperature is one of the principal factors in the transporta- 

 tion of live fishes. It has been noticeable for a number of years 



'■ In order to add to the value of this paper, the author has incorporated certain data 

 as to results secured after the paper was submitted at the meeting of the Society early 

 in September, 1921. 



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