28 



abundant (10 shrimp per ni.2) at sites to the 

 west (Sandy Key) and southwest (Key Vaca). 

 Shrimp were scarce (2 or less per m.2) from 

 Key Largo to Lower Matecumbe Key. In east- 

 ern Florida Bay, density was also low. These 

 observations indicate that postlarval recruit- 

 ment and/or survival increases toward west- 

 ern and southwestern Florida Bay. 



Method Found to Peel Pink Shrimp 



After considerable research, the Techno- 

 logical Laboratory at Ketchikan, Alaska, has 

 developed a satisfactory method to peel pink 

 shrimp--thus overcoming a primary obstacle 

 to the commercial production of ahigh-quaLity 

 product. The whole shrimp are heated at 165 

 F. for 15 seconds to set the pink color, then 

 heated at 110° F. for 3 minutes to loosen the 

 shellforeasy removal by a mechanical peel- 

 er. Based on the success of this process, a 

 private firm is installing a pilot plant in Wran- 

 gell, Alaska. BCF will cooperate in semicom- 

 mercial-scale trials. 



Lake Trout Thrive on Alewives 



A recently completed experiment by the 

 BCF Biological Laboratory at Ann Arbor 

 (Mich.) showed that 5 pounds of alewives 

 eaten by 2 -year-old lake trout resulted in an in- 

 crease of 1 pound in trout biomass. The trout 

 grew rapidly on a diet of alewives. Their body 

 weight increased by 36 percent in 5 weeks. A 

 control group of lake trout, which was fed a 

 standard hatchery diet, experienced a weight in- 

 crease of 26 percent during the same period. 

 Conversion efficiency was low during the first 

 week while the trout were adapting to the new 

 diet; however, it increased during the second 

 week and stabilized at about 19.5 percent. This 

 corresponds to a conversion ratio of about 5:1, 



Togged Seol Pups Weigh 

 Less Than Untagged 



A 10-year series of pups weights has shown 

 that tagged pups weigh significantly less than 

 untagged pups a week after tagging, reports 



I 



BCF's regional office in Seattle. In 1966, the 

 researchers found that mere handling of pups 

 also produces weight differences. Several 

 hundred pups, marked by shearing a small 

 patch of fur from the top of the head, furnished 

 a small reservoir of "handled" pups. A week 

 after shearing, "handled" pups weighed less 

 than "unhandled" (unsheared) pups. Handling 

 and subsequent weight loss (or failure to gain) 

 may lessen the individual's chances of sur- 

 vival at sea. 



Sealskin Prices Are Down 



The prices of sealskins at the semiannual 

 auction of the Fouke Fur Company, October 

 13-14, in Greenville, S. C, were down from 

 the record high sale in April 1966. About 

 21,000 Alaskafur sealskins were offered for 

 sale for the account of the U. S. Government. 

 Prices for skins that were dressed, dyed, 

 machined, and finished (DDM&F) declined 

 about 15-20 percent; Lakoda prices dropped 

 about 20-25 percent. 



Average prices per skin, and percent change 

 from the April 1966 sale (in parentheses), were: 

 Blacks $117.51 (-19.4%); M at ar as $96.18 

 (-18.3%);.Kitovis $95.76 (-15,3%); Lakoda na- 

 turals $81.06 (-21.4%); Lakoda Browns $48.19 

 (-14.2%); Lakoda Blacks $45.17 (-29.3%). 



3. 



Workshop Discusses Swordfish 

 and Tuna Longlining 



BCF and industry members talked about 

 swordfish and tuna longlining at a workshop 

 in Gloucester, Mass. The participants agreed 

 that longlines are most efficient for catching 

 subsurface swordfish and tuna, and that the U.S. 

 market for these species is virtually unlimited. 



They noted some factors hindering the fish- 

 ery's expansion: loss of gear, lack of suit- 

 able refrigerated vessels for preserving tuna 

 catch, and lack of suitable electronic equip- 

 ment for locating lost longline gear. The 

 participants believed these adverse factors 

 eventually will be overcome. 



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