284 
tion, untested gear, and preservation (all of which appear to have 
been, or to be in the process of being, attended to through the 
procuring of more appropriate equipment; see above). The other is 
the late summer fishing of capelin off the Labrador coast, pursued 
in apparent defiance of Canadian appraisals of the cost ineffectiveness 
of similar Canadian ventures.°* 
As concerns the experimental fishing of krill, this may in one sense 
be seen as analogous to the larger composite of research activities, 
as an investment in the future. In another sense, however, it parallels 
the case of the Labrador capelin. Although presumed unprofitable 
in abstract economic terms even the limited first catches may yet 
have been cost-effective in Soviet terms, as a highly sought additive 
to her protein requirements (after all, the yardstick would not be 
the theoretically optimal; it would be the problem-plagued agricul- 
ture). And as a less important further consideration: whatever portion 
could be successfully exported would also have disproportionate value, 
in supplementing the foreign exchange holdings of a nonconvertible 
currency nation. 
The capelin fisheries off Labrador begins in August, when the Soviet 
fleet moves up from the Great Banks, and lasts through September. 
The mystery here relates to the fact that a Canadian experimental 
program from July to December, of 1972 to 1974, concluded that 
such fishing would be utterly uneconomical to Canadian operators. 
It was concluded that potential catch rates would not suffice to 
balance the extra costs of adverse ice and wind conditions (and while 
August and September are the best months in this respect, conditions 
remain severe ).%4 
The Soviet fleet also takes in ‘‘some”’ redfish and cod. This, and 
the fact that Soviet vessels have more modern onboard processing 
and freezing and canning equipment, may alter the equation; indeed, 
their announced catch rates are rather good.® Nevertheless, the extra 
costs of operating in the area, of hull-strengthenings, and so forth, 
still serve to cast doubt on the economics. As suggested above, it 
is not at all unlikely that the added premium attached to supplemen- 
tary protein intakes in the Soviet context would allow one to view 
the Labrador capelin fishing much more favourably. But while the 
data available might suggest this to be the case, definitive evaluations 
are precluded by data gaps. 
CONCLUSION 
In summary, it would seem that the hazarded ‘‘extreme postulation”’ 
would be highly dependent on the preferred accounting method. There 
is some reason to venture that the Soviet context may well make 
even such marginal ventures as described above cost effective; at 
®2 Information provided by L.O. Hinds, of the Exploratory Fishing Division of the (Canadian) De- 
partment of the Environment, Ottawa, April 1975. 
*8 See P. Hagan, op. cit. for comments re early Soviet West European market penetration efforts. 
4 L. O. Hinds, op. cit. 
®5 Ibid. As re further data of onboard canning, processing and freezing equipment, see Sysoev, op. 
cit., Ch. 6 (thus i.e. the refrigerated ratio of total hold space increased from 8.8 in 1940, through 
36.2 in 1956, to 78 in 1968). 
86 See N. P. Sysoev, ibid., for a thorough presentation of the Soviet fishing fleet in general (a trans- 
lation is available from the U.S. Dept. of Commerce). Note also his extensive bibliography of Soviet 
sources. 
