whatever their present woes, would appear to be a 
national asset.' 
From a technological point of view, there is a 
current need within the industry to: 
—Improve capital equipment (vessels and gear). 
—Encourage more comprehensive and integrated 
use of marine technology. 
The advance of a given industry is only partially 
dependent on scientific research and discoveries. It 
may be limited by lack of capital, technical 
knowledge, or proper complementary equipment. 
Environmental and institutional peculiarities pose 
problems in certain locations. The effects of fiscal, 
legal, and regulatory problems are discussed in 
detail in the Report of the Panel on Industry and 
Private Investment; this report concentrates on 
technology. 
Research has been undertaken on a piecemeal 
basis, but the crucial interaction between compo- 
nents dictates that a more comprehensive ap- 
proach is needed. Fisheries technology can be 
considered in terms of operational phases: 
—Location, tracking, and identification of com- 
mercial species. 
—Harvesting, including the concentration and con- 
trol of species—preferably on a selective basis. 
—Transporting catches from fishing ground to 
processing facilities at sea or ashore. 
—Processing and preservation. 
In location, tracking, and identification there 
are two major steps: (1) search for the general 
area in which commercial concentrations are to 
be expected and then (2) the localization or 
detection of the precise position of the fish. The 
long-range search involves broad-scale mapping 
with heavy dependence on environmental informa- 
tion. It ultimately could receive much support 
from satellites, buoys, and computers with appro- 
priate instantaneous sensing equipment. Search is 
senator E. L. Bartlett, Congressional Record, Jan. 
30, 1968. 
critical with respect to the pelagic fish. The 
localization step may rely on sonars, odors emitted 
by fish, lasers, etc. Localization is critical with 
respect to groundfish. 
Each phase is dependent on basic data provided 
by biological research. However, it is not essential 
that such research be completed in order that 
technological advances relating to wild population 
production and harvesting be made more effective. 
Yet such research must be supported continually 
to optimize operations and to expand the number 
of species which can be fished economically. 
A. Fishing Vessels and Gear 
1. Fishing Vessels—Present Status 
The US. fishing fleet is numerically one of the 
world’s largest—about 76,000 powered craft of all 
types exceeded only by Japan. About 60 per cent 
of U.S. vessels are over 16 years old, and 27 per 
cent have been in service over 26 years. While the 
fleet is in a continual state of renovation and 
replacement, there is much room for improve- 
ment. 
The U.S. fish harvesting segment utilizes over 
12,000 documented vessels of five tons capacity or 
larger, nearly 64,000 motor boats, and about 
3,500 small unpowered boats. The 12,000 vessels 
total more than 415,000 gross tons. Estimated 
present market value of vessels alone exceeds $500 
million. The range of individual vessel prices is 
from less than $1,000 to as much as $1,750,000. 
There were 128,000 domestic fishermen on 
vessels, boats, and ashore in 1965 (U.S. figures), an 
average of less than two fishermen per boat. It is 
obvious there is a significant number of one-man 
boats. 
Foreign fishing fleets off our coasts are domi- 
nated by large, complex craft capable of operating 
thousands of miles from home port. By contrast, 
most U.S. fishing vessels are small coastal craft. 
The small size in itself is not a deficiency because 
most fishing operations are close to our coast. 
(Figure 2 shows a departing fleet of coastal shrimp 
vessels.) 
Although considerable variation exists among 
fisheries, 95 per cent of all U.S. fishing vessels are 
constructed of wood, while only five per cent are 
of steel. Of the 12,000 documented vessels of five 
tons or more, about 67 per cent have radio- 
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