November 1966 



COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 



53 



Panama 



NEW DECREE REGULATES 

 FISH MEAL INDUSTRY 



On July 20, 1966, President Marco A. 

 Robles signed Decree Law No. 168 designed 

 to insure orderly development of fish meal 

 industry. The decree establishes 5 fishing 

 zones off Pacific Coast and stipulates that 

 vessels of not more than 2 fish meal plants, 

 including existing plants, may fish in anyone 

 zone. The decree limits the number of fish- 

 ing vessels that can be used by Panama's 2 

 existing plants. It also specifies that the size 

 of future plants and fleets must be approved 

 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Commerce 

 and Industries. Final approval for plants 

 will be contingent on conduct of exploratory 

 purse -seine operations to determine maxi- 

 mum extent of fisheries --and to prove that 

 anchovy and thread herring stocks will not 

 be overfished as a result of proposed fishing 

 operations. Exploratory fishing must be con- 

 ducted at expense of applicants for licenses. 

 Licensing fees, fines, and other aspects of 

 fisheries regulations are described. 



Apparently, the decree was prepared at 

 request of Panama's Director of Fisheries. 

 It is based on recommendations of members 

 of the Inter -American Tropical Tuna Com- 

 mission (lATTC) and the United Nations Food 

 and Agricultural Organization (FAO). (U. S. 

 Embassy, Panama, August 11, 1966.) 



Peru 



FISH MEAL PRODUCTION 

 RESUMES- -PROSPECTS GOOD 



On September 1, 1966, anchovy fishing 

 started up again after a three -month closed 

 season to conserve the resource. Many of 

 the country's 140 plants and estimated 1,800 

 fishing vessels were not quite ready. To 

 make matters worse, rough seas kept the 

 fleets in harbor on the northern and central 

 coasts. In the south, fishing was reported 

 excellent from the standpoint of catches and 

 size of fish. The forecast is for excellent 

 fishing at least through December 1966, 

 though producers still complain about the 

 pinch of increased costs. (U. S. Embassy, 

 Lima, September 11, 1966.) 



Foreign Fishing Off U. S. Coasts, 

 September 1966 



IN NORTHWEST ATLANTIC 



For the third consecutive month, poor 

 weather conditions on Georges Bank and vi- 

 cinity limited aerial observations of foreign 

 fishing. 



Soviet: In September, there was no signi- 

 ficant change in the estimated 65 to 70 So- 

 viet fishing and support vessels on Georges 

 Bank. Slightly over 100 Soviet vessels were 

 reported a year ago, but they included many 

 more smaller vessels than were present this 

 year. 



Sixty-six individual vessels sighted in 

 September were identified as 31 factory stern 

 trawlers, 18 large refrigerated side trawlers, 

 8 medium side trawlers, 5 refrigerated fish 

 transports, one factory base ship, one fuel 

 and water carrier, and one tug. 



The fleet, while scattered, was generally 

 divided into two groups: 30 or more vessels 

 (mostly large side trawlers and processing 

 ships) were fishing in a 15- to 20-mile area 

 about 40 miles south of Nantucket Island 

 (south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts). Heavy 

 to moderate catches of fish appeared to be 

 primarily whiting and incidental quantities of 

 red hake. An equal number of vessels was 

 widely dispersed over a 60-mile area along 

 the northern slopes and shoals of Georges 

 Bank (90 to 120 miles east of Cape Cod). 

 Moderate catches visible on deck were pri- 

 marily herring. The Soviet Union seems to 

 be using more vessels in the herring fishery 

 this year. In 1965, its herring catch on 

 Georges Bank was limited to 36,000 metric 

 tons. 



Romanian: One factory stern trawlerwas 

 sighted among the Soviet vessels on Georges 

 Bank. Two such vessels were observed in 

 1965. 



Polish: One stern trawler was sighted on 

 Georges Bank. Two additional stern trawl- 

 ers were fishing between Georges Bank and 

 eastern Nova Scotia areas. 



Early in October, the Polish stern trawl- 

 er Pegaz entered Boston harbor to obtain 

 emergency medical aid for a crewman. 



