24 



the Mad River's mouth and the Oregon bor- 

 der. Fishing depths ranged from 40 to 105 

 fathoms. The vessel used a semiballoon, gulf 

 shrimp trawl with a 41 -foot head rope or 25- 

 foot estimated spread. The net had one -inch 

 stretch mesh with a j-inch stretch mesh liner 

 in the cod end to prevent escapement of juve- 

 niles. 



The researchers found that approximately 

 101 square miles of the 270 square-mile sur- 

 vey area contained sufficient concentration^ 

 to provide at least 50 pounds of shrimp per 

 hour. About 17 square miles produced catch- 

 es of 300 or more pounds per hour (see map). 



41°40' 



Legend : 



H-j-j - 300 Ibs./hr. or mare\^ 



I I - 50 Ibs./hr. or more. 



I I - Area surveyed. 



Pacific Ocean 



N. B. Scofield 66-S-5, Area A . 



Excluding catches under 34 pounds, the 

 average catch was 162 pounds per hour and 

 ranged from 35 to 1,496 pounds per hour. 

 Counts per pound ranged from 57 to 151; the 

 mean was 100. 



The Year-Class Composition 



year-Class 



Percent by Number 



1966 



63 6 



I 1965 . 

 II (1964) . 

 Ill (1963) . 



22.1 



13.8 



.5 



Estimated total poundage on the bed was 

 2,210,000, compared to 5,086,000 pounds es- 

 timated on the bed in April. During this period, 

 1,225,000 pounds were removed by fishing. 



New BCF Film Honored 



A Government committee 

 has selected"Flavor of Maine," 

 a film produced by BCF and 

 sponsored by the Maine Sar- 

 dine Council, for showing at international 

 film festivals. 



The new 16 mm., 14-minute color film, 

 designed for all age groups, describes the 

 Maine sardine industry --catching, process- 

 ing, and methods of serving. Authentic re- 

 cordings of ocean sounds and an original mu- 

 sical score contribute to its mood. It re- 

 ceived honorable mention on October 7 at 

 the 14th annual Film Festival in Columbus, 

 Ohio. 



The motion picture is the third in BCF's 

 series on the Maine sardine industry; the 

 first was produced in 1948. 



"Flavor of Maine" now is available from 

 BCF and its cooperating film libraries. In- 

 quire: Audio-Visual Services, Bureau of 

 Commercial Fisheries, 1815 No. Fort Myer 

 Drive, Arlington, Va. 22209. 



Boston Trawlers Improve 

 Fish Handling Methods 



A new system for handling fish at sea re- 

 cently installed on five large trawlers oper- 

 ating out of Boston (Mass.) Fish Pier has 

 proved a good investment. Devised by BCF, 

 it includes an improved fish washer and hatch 

 cover and is now standard equipment on all 

 vessels of a Boston firm's fishing fleet. 



The adoption of this equipment is one of 

 the most important advances in handling fish' 

 aboard New England trawlers in many years. 



An outstanding feature of the washer is its 

 mechanical simplicity. Fish are conveyed 

 through it by a flume originating from the 

 deck hose. Since only a few fish are in the 

 washer at anyone time and need not be fork- 



