-
188
(THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OP HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT)
COPY NO. J2--ir"*
S E C R E T
C.P.(47)
528
1 1 t h December,
1947*
CABINET
WHITE PISH INDUSTRY
Memorandum by t h e M i n i s t e r of A g r i c u l t u r e and F i s h e r i e s
and t h e S e c r e t a r y of . S t a t e f o r S c o t l a n d
The F i s h e r i e s M i n i s t e r s p r o p o s e t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t
a White F i s h P r o d u c t i o n B o a r d , i n d e p e n d e n t of t h e i n d u s t r y
and s u b j e c t t o d i r e c t i o n by t h e F i s h e r i e s M i n i s t e r s , w i t h
wide powers t o r e - o r g a n i s e , r e g u l a t e and d e v e l o p t h e w h i t e
f i s h i n d u s t r y at the p o r t s .
The main o b j e c t i v e s of t h e ^
Board would b e : ­
'
*
of
(1)
the-maximum i n c r e a s e i n t h e p r o d u c t i o n of f i s h and
f i s h products c o n s i s t e n t with the p r e s e r v a t i o n . o f
fish stocks;
(2)
t h e r e p l a c e m e n t of o b s o l e t e v e s s e l s and t h e
a d o p t i o n of t h e most modern methods of h a n d l i n g ,
f r e e z i n g and p r o c e s s i n g f i s h on sea and a t t h e
ports;
(3)
t h e promotion of r e s e a r c h and t r a i n i n g of
in conjunction with e x i s t i n g agencies;
. (4)
(5)
t h e improvement of q u a l i t y and t h e a d o p t i o n of
b e t t e r s t a n d a r d s of accommodation f o r crews on
f i s h i n g v e s s e l s and f o r f i s h w o r k e r s a t p o r t s ;
t h e d e v e l o p m e n t of c o - o p e r a t i v e m e t h o d s i n t h e
i n s h o r e f i s h i n g i n d u s t r y and i n a n c i l l a r y t r a d e s
at a l l fishing ports.
The Board would r e q u i r e power
( a )
- ( b )
personnel
to:­
s e c u r e t h e m e r g e r of t r a w l e r owners, p r o c e s s o r s ,
and w h o l e s a l e m e r c h a n t s a t t h e - p o r t s of l a n d i n g
i n t o l a r g e r and more e f f i c i e n t combined u n i t s ;
license -vessels, catchers,
merchants at the p o r t s ;
p r o c e s s o r s and w h o l e s a l e
(c)
make l o a n s f o r b u i l d i n g f i s h i n g
vessels;
( d )
space o u t l a n d i n g s so a s t o e n a b l e i n c r e a s e d ­
s u p p l i e s o f . f i s h t o be h a n d l e d by t h e l a b o u r
a v a i l a b l e and p r e v e n t w a s t a g e of manpower;
( e ) . p r o c e s s f i s h a t t h e p o r t s , . e . g . q u i c k f r e e z i n g ,
'
smoking and " s a l t i n g , where such f a c i l i t i e s c a n n o t
, otherwise be provided;
and
( f )
work o u t a scheme f o r s u b s t i t u t i n g f o r a u c t i o n s a t
t h e p o r t s a system, of g r a d e d p r i c e s f o r f i s h and
f i s h p r o d u c t s on a f i r s t . s a l e .
The F i s h e r i e s M i n i s t e r s would r e q u i r e powers t o
g i v e d i r e c t i o n s t o t h e P r o d u c t i o n Board and a l s o i n
c o n j u n c t i o n w i t h t h e M i n i s t e r of Food t o f i x p r i c e s on a
f i r s t hand s a l e of f i s h and f i s h p r o d u c t s .
2.
Our p r o p o s a l s r a i s e t h e q u e s t i o n of t h e l i n e of
d e m a r c a t i o n between t h e f u n c t i o n s of t h e F i s h e r i e s M i n i s t e r s
and t h e M i n i s t e r of Food, on which so f o r no d e c i s i o n h a s
b e e n mode.
We c o n t e n d t h a t our s p h e r e of s u p e r v i s i o n s h o u l d
i n c l u d e a l l a c t i v i t i e s on t h e s e a and a t t h e p o r t s of l a n d i n g ,
so t h a t we would b e a b l e e f f e c t i v e l y t o c o n t r o l t h e f i s h i n g
i n d u s t r y up t o t h e p o i n t a t which f i s h i s r e a d y t o l e a v e t h e
p o r t s of l a n d i n g f o r i n l a n d d i s t r i b u t i o n .
We b a s e t h i s
c o n t e n t i o n on t h e f a c t t h a t u n d e r our p r o p o s a l s , c a t c h i n g ,
p r o c e s s i n g and p a c k a g i n g would become a combined o p e r a t i o n .
T h i s would n o t i n t e r f e r e w i t h any p r o p o s a l s f o r d i s t r i b u t i o n
which t h e M i n i s t e r of Food may wish t o b r i n g f o r w a r d and
would l e a v e him f r e e t o c a r r y on a p o l i c y of n o n - i n t e r f e r e n c e
w i t h t h e d i s t r i b u t i v e s i d e of t h e i n d u s t r y o r . t o s e t up a
b u y i n g c o r p o r a t i o n w i t h t h e u l t i m a t e i n t e n t i o n of n a t i o n a l i s i n g
wholesaling functions.
3*
In o r d e r t h a t our c o l l e a g u e s may a p p r e c i a t e t h e r e a l
i s s u e b e t w e e n t h e M i n i s t e r of Food and o u r s e l v e s i t i s
n e c e s s a r y t h a t we s h o u l d draw t h e i r a t t e n t i o n to c e r t a i n
wrong i m p r e s s i o n s g i v e n by C P . (1+7) 325-'
(1)
(2)
P r o d u c e r s ' Board.
Our p r o p o s a l i s n o t t o s e t up
a P r o d u c e r s ' Board as t h e M i n i s t e r of Food c l a i m s ,
b u t t o c r e a t e a P r o d u c t i o n Board i n d e p e n d e n t of
t h e i n d u s t r y and s u b j e c t t o d i r e c t i o n by M i n i s t e r s .
Imports.
We p r o p o s e t h a t t h e Board s h o u l d c o n t r o l
c a t c h e s l a n d e d from f o r e i g n t r a w l e r s d i r e c t a t
U n i t e d Kingdom p o r t s .
I t would n o t , however,
have any soy i n t h e q u a n t i t i e s to b e l a n d e d by
such t r a w l e r s , n o r would i t be r e s p o n s i b l e f o r
t h e p u r c h a s e of f o r e i g n f i s h which would r e m a i n ,
as now, a m a t t e r f o r t h e M i n i s t e r of Food.
He
would t h e n have c o m p l e t e ' c o n t r o l of t h e q u a n t i t i e s
of f o r e i g n c a u g h t f i s h l a n d e d i n t h e U n i t e d
' Kingdom and could:-, by a d j u s t i n g i m p o r t s , p r e v e n t
e x p l o i t a t i o n by B r i t i s h p r o d u c e r s .
( 3 )
D i s t r i b u t i o n Board.
O r i g i n a l l y our p r o p o s a l s
r e l a t e d s o l e l y t o a P r o d u c t i o n Board a s we do n o t
w i s h t o a c c e p t any r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r d i s t r i b u t i o n .
The s u g g e s t i o n t h a t t h e r e s h o u l d b e 0 D i s t r i b u t i o n
Board came from, t h e d e l i b e r a t i o n s o f - t h e s u b ­
c o m m i t t e e of t h e Lord P r e s i d e n t s Committee which
was c h a r g e d w i t h r e s o l v i n g t h e d i f f e r e n c e s b e t w e e n
t h e M i n i s t e r of Food and - o u r s e l v e s .
( 4 )
U n n e c e s s a r y c h a r g e of £11 m i l l i o n s t o f a l l on t h e Treasury.
The £11 m i l l i o n s m e n t i o n e d i n our p r o p o s a l s a r e t o
b e used f o r l o a n s t o t h e i n d u s t r y f o r r e p l a c i n g
t h e n e a r and m i d d l e w a t e r f l e e t , r e p a y a b l e w i t h i n
t e n y e a r s , and b e a r i n g an a p p r o p r i a t e r a t e .of
interest.
The u l t i m a t e c h a r g e would n o t f a l l on
the Treasury.
I n view of b u i l d i n g c o s t s we f e e l
t h a t u n l e s s a m e a s u r e of t h i s k i n d i s i n t r o d u c e d t h e
n e a r and m i d d l e w a t e r f l e e t w i l l n o t b e r e b u i l t .
4*
As we u n d e r s t a n d t h e p r e s e n t p o s i t i o n t h e M i n i s t e r of
Food o b j e c t s t o - o u r p r o p o s a l s and i n d o i n g so h a s put f o r w a r d
a t v a r i o u s t i m e s a c o u n t e r p r o p o s a l ( a ) t o s e t up a s m a l l ­
p u b l i c c o r p o r a t i o n , t o b u y q u i c k f r o z e n f i s h and t r a d e i n
f r e s h f i s h (L. P . (1+7) 3 1 , p a r a g r a p h 34 (d) and ( e ) ) ;
and (b)
t o s e t up an i n t e r d e p a r t m e n t a l Committee of n o t more than
t h r e e or four s e n i o r o f f i c i a l s r e p r e s e n t i n g the A g r i c u l t u r a l
and F i s h e r i e s D e p a r t m e n t s and t h e M i n i s t r y of F o o d , w i t h
p e r h a p s a P a r l i a m e n t a r y . S e c r e t a r y i n t h e c h a i r , t o moke s
c o n t i n u o u s i n v e s t i g a t i o n of a l l t h e i n d u s t r y ' s - p r o b l e m s , t o
a u t h o r i s e a c t i o n on t h e i r own r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o r w h e r e n e c e s s a r y ,
t o .seek a u t h o r i t y from D e p a r t m e n t a l M i n i s t e r s Where
d i f f e r e n c e s : a r o s e which c o u l d n o t be r e s o l v e d b y t h i s p r o c e d u r e
t h e y w o u l d be r e f e r r e d t o t h e L o r d P r e s i d e n t s Committee
( L . P . (47) 1 3 3 , p a r a g r a p h 1.5).
. We a r e c o n v i n c e d , t h a t t h e s e m e a s u r e s w i l l n o t . s o l v e
t h e p r o b l e m s of t h e f i s h i n g i n d u s t r y . . They would n o t , f o r
example, p r e v e n t w a s t e f u l d u p l i c a t i o n of f r e e z i n g p l a n t s o r ­
t h e p u r c h a s i n g of poor q u a l i t y f i s h a V low p r i c e s f o r f r e e z i n g
and s u b s e q u e n t r e l e a s e a t h i g h p r i c e s d u r i n g p e r i o d s of
scarcity.
;
:-
- N'--'----.\
-
'
. .
-
"
V
-
-'.'
-: - '.--...';..'.'-
'
- ' y ' ^ '
:
5* .
We a r e t o l d t h a t t h e f i s h i n g i n d u s t r y i s p r o s p e r o u s ,
o p e r a t i n g s u c c e s s f u l l y and t h a t ' s u p p l i e s a r e n e a r l y m e e t i n g
demand a t c u r r e n t , p r i c e s , g i v i n g l a r g e r e t u r n s t o e m p l o y e r s
and employees " a l i k e .
We a r e . a c c u s e d of b i a s b e c a u s e we have
p o i n t e d o u t t h a t t h e f i s h i n g i n d u s t r y c o n s i s t s of t h r e e w e l l ­
defined s e c t i o n s , (1) the d i s t a n t water trawler f i s h e r y
o p e r a t e d by 130 l a r g e t r a w l e r s from H u l l , 86 from Grimsby and
53 from v a r i o u s o t h e r p o r t s which t h i s y e a r have p r o d u c e d 45
p e r c e n t , of our t o t a l h o m e ' c a u g h t , f i s h s u p p l i e s ; .(2.) t h e n e a r
and m i d d l e w a t e r t r a w l e r s n u m b e r i n g some 770 which a l s o
p r o d u c e d t h i s y e a r 4 5 p e r c e n t , of our home c a u g h t f i s h s u p p l i e s ,
and ( 3 ) t h e i n s h o r e f i s h i n g f l e e t , c o n s i s t i n g of s m a l l b o o t s ,
The
which p r o d u c e s t h e r e m a i n i n g . 10 p e r c e n t , of - our c a t c h .
d i s t a n t w a t e r t r a w l e r s , a r e a b l e t o o p e r a t e a t . p r i c e s which mean
a l o s s t o the n e a r and m i d d l e w a t e r t r a w l e r owners and t h e
i n s h o r e f i s h e r m e n a s at p r e s e n t o r g a n i s e d .
This i s r e f l e c t e d
in t h e c u m e n t b u i l d i n g programme; which c o n s i s t s of 58 d i s t a n t "
w a t e r t r a w l e r s , 8 m i d d l e w a t e r t r a w l e r s and f o u r n e a r w a t e r
t r a w l e r s , a l t h o u g h 80 p e r " c e n t , of t h e 770 n e a r and middle,
w a t e r t r a w l e r s a r e o b s o l e t e , w i t h g r o s s l y i n a d e q u a t e crew
accommodation and a r e u r g e n t l y in n e e d of r e p l a c e m e n t b y new
vessels.
6.
We do h o t r e g a r d t h e d i s t a n t w a t e r - t r a w l e r s a s b e i n g
efficient.
I t i s t r u e t h a t t h e y a r e l a r g e r and more modern
v e s s e l s t h a n t h e n e a r w a t e r t r a w l e r s , b u t i t has y e t t o b e
shown t h a t t h e d i s t a n t w a t e r t r a w l e r s a r e c a p a b l e of l a n d i n g
f i s h of good q u a l i t y .
F i s h may l i e i n t h e i r h o l d s f o r a n y t h i n g '
up t o a f o r t n i g h t and even t h e owners of t h e s e v e s s e l s a d m i t
t h a t s u c h f i s h a u g h t n o t t o be f r o z e n on l a n d i n g .
7.
We a r e a l s o a c c u s e d of b e i n g r e s t r i c t i o n i s t and
e n d e a v o u r i n g t o s e t up m o n o p o l i e s f o r s e l e c t e d g r o u p s .
There
i s n o t h i n g i n - o u r p r o p o s a l s which would p r e v e n t t h e a d o p t i o n
of an a l l - o u t f i s h i n g p o l i c y and we- a r e - c o n f i d e n t t h a t i f t h e
d i s t r i b u t i v e machine i s p r o p e r l y o v e r h a u l e d , t h e B r i t i s h
t r a w l e r f i s h i n g i n d u s t r y w i l l b e o n l y t o o g l a d t o c a t c h and
l a n d maximum s u p p l i e s .
We m u s t p o i n t o u t , h o w e v e r , t h a t a s
t h e c a t c h i n g c a p a c i t y of t h e f i s h i n g f l e e t becomes g r e a t e r ,
e i t h e r t h r o u g h an " i n c r e a s e . i n numbers or by i n c r e a s e d e f f i c i e n c y
of v e s s e l s , -the s i z e of g l u t s a t some t i m e s and s h o r t a g e s a t
:
o t h e r s w i l l a l s o i n c r e a s e u n l e s s t h e r e i s some a u t h o r i t y w i t h power t o s p a c e - o u t l a n d i n g s so a s t o m a i n t a i n a b s l e o c e between t h e s e and t h e h a n d l i n g - c a p a c i t y at, t h e p o r t s . Unspaced l a n d i n g s a l s o c a u s e w a s t e of l a b o u r , e . g . a t Grimsby .
d u r i n g A u g u s t , 1947 1 , 6 9 4 days were l o s t by l u m p e r s who were n o t r e q u i r e d b e c a u s e of s m a l l l a n d i n g s on c e r t a i n d a y s , and i n S e p t e m b e r , 1947, 1,905 d a y s were l o s t .
S i m i l a r w a s t a g e of manpower went on a t o t h e r - p o r t s . 9
8.
P r o d u c e r s t e n d t o " r e s t r i c t s u p p l i e s b e c a u s e of t h e i r
f e a r of t h e i n a b i l i t y , o f t h e d i s t r i b u t i v e machine t o h a n d l e
t h e s u p p l i e s and t o m a r k e t them S t r e a s o n a b l e p r i c e s .
Our
p r o p o s a l s a n t i c i p a t e t h e d a n g e r s e n v i s a g e d by t h e M i n i s t e r of
Pood i n t h a t t h e P r o d u c t i o n Board w i l l be d i r e c t e d , t o work
t o w a r d s a s y s t e m of f i x e d g r a d e d p r i c e s on a f i r s t hand s a l e
of f i s h and f i s h p r o d u c t s .
These p r i c e s would b e f i x e d by.
t h e F i s h e r i e s M i n i s t e r s and t h e M i n i s t e r of Food who, by
r e a s o n of t h i s and h i s a b i l i t y t o i m p o r t f o r e i g n ' s u p p l i e s ,
would have t h e s t r o n g e s t p o s s i b l e p r o t e c t i o n f o r c o n s u m e r s .
Under such a scheme r e s t r i c t i o n c o u l d o n l y r e s u l t i n l o s s t o
the producers.
3*
In s u p p o r t of h i s a r g u m e n t s about r e s t r i c t i o n the""''
M i n i s t e r of Food q u o t e s t h e a c t i o n of- t h e H e r r i n g I n d u s t r y
B o a r d i n t h e e a r l y p a r t of t h i s . s u m m e r when c e r t a i n measures
of c o n t r o l Were imposed on t h e h e r r i n g f l e e t and i n t h e
r e s u l t , t h e r e -were I n s u f f i c i e n t s u p p l i e s of h e r r i n g f o r c o n v e r s i o n
i n t o o i l . and m e a l . ' The H e r r i n g I n d u s t r y Board were in f a c t
p l a c e d i n a dilemma.
The f i s h e r m e n a r e . v e r y s t r o n g l y o r g a n i s e d
and i f t h e y f e a r t h a t t h e r e i s o n y c h a n c e of l a n d i n g more
h e r r i n g t h a n can be d i s p o s e d of a t a c c e p t a b l e p r i c e s , t h e y
h a v e no h e s i t a t i o n in i m p o s i n g s e v e r e r e s t r i c t i o n s on f i s h i n g .
The B o a r d were u l t i m a t e l y f o r c e d t o -impose c e r t a i n l i m i t e d
r e s t r i c t i o n s b e c a u s e i f t h e y hod n o t done, so- t h e f i s h e r m e n , wh.
h a d a l r e a d y s t a r t e d t o r e s t r i c t - f i s h i n g , would have imposed
more s t r i n g e n t r e s / t r i c t i o n s .
T h i s would hove r e s u l t e d in
i n s u f f i c i e n t s u p p l i e s n o t only f o r o i l and meal b u t f o r a l l
o t h e r p u r p o s e s i n c l u d i n g t h e home m a r k e t .
The B o a r d ' s a c t i o n
l e d t o g r e a t e r q u a n t i t i e s of h e r r i n g b e i n g l a n d e d t h a n
o t h e r w i s e would, have been t h e case,. - T h e i r powers do n o t
e n a b l e them t o c o e r c e t h e f i s h e r m e n and t h e i r a t t e m p t s t o
p e r s u a d e t h e 'f i s he mi en t o a c c e p t t h e M i n i s t e r of F o o d ' s o f f e r
of 3 0 / - p e r c r a n f o r . h e r r i n g f o r o i l . a n d meal were u n s u c c e s s f u l .
Though t h i s was a s u b s i d i s e d p r i c e i t was n o t r e g a r d e d . b y t h e
f i s h e r m e n as s u f f i c i e n t reward f o r t h e a d d i t i o n a l e f f o r t ,
r e q u i r e d t o , p r o d u c e a d d i t i o n a l s u p p l i e s / ( a ) b e c a u s e i t was low.
compared w i t h , t h e p r i c e s r e c e i v e d by f i s h e r m e n f o r t h e main
p.art of t h e i r c a t c h , and (b) b e c a u s e t h e o f f e r was l i m i t e d t o
t h e q u a n t i t y of h e r r i n g r e q u i r e d t o f i l l t h V l i m i t e d c a p a c i t y of
the available plant..
The M i n i s t e r of Food c o u l d o f f e r no p r i c e
a t a l l f o r s u p p l i e s , i n e x c e s s of about "five t h o u s a n d c r o n s per
week, a f i g u r e which would o f t e n have been e x c e e d e d i f no
r e s t r i c t i o n s hod been i m p o s e d .
;
10.
We a r e c o n v i n c e d t h a t , t h e s o l u t i o n of t h e
d i f f i c u l t i e s e x p e r i e n c e d by t h e H e r r i n g I n d u s t r y Board i n t h e .
f i r s t h a l f of 1947 l i e s i n an e x t e n s i o n of t h e powers of the.
B o a r d so t h a t t h e y may pay one p r i c e ' f o r h e r r i n g s f o r w h a t e v e r
purpose they are used.
Such a p r i c e h a s been p a i d a t Lerwicfc
where t h e . B o a r d ' s e x p e r i m e n t a l scheme has been most s u c c e s s f u l j
and i n our p r o p o s a l s we would g i v e t h e Board t h e n e c e s s a r y
p o w e r s , t h e a b s e n c e of which was a - s u b s t a n t i a l c o n t r i b u t o r y
c a u s e of t h e t r o u b l e s a b o u t which t h e M i n i s t e r of Food c o m p l a i n s .
11.
The M i n i s t e r of Food c l a i m s t h a t t h e i n d u s t r y s h o u l d
h e f r e e d a s soon a s p o s s i b l e from, a l l c o n t r o l s , and he. r e f e r s "
t o s t e p s he h a s a l r e a d y , t a k e n t o admit new e n t r a n t s a s f i s h
wholesale merchants at the p o r t s .
T h i s h a s n o t added t o t h e
s u p p l i e s of f i s h a v a i l a b l e f o r d i s t r i b u t i o n , , and on many days
such m e r c h a n t s have, had a s l i t t l e as one box of f i s h t o d i s p o s e of
and on o t h e r o c c a s i o n s n o n e a t a l l .
I t is notorious that
t h e r e a r e t o o many c o a s t a l w h o l e s a l e f i s h m e r c h a n t s , many of
whom would b e much b e t t e r employed i n o t h e r p a r t s of t h e
industry.
12.
The M i n i s t e r :;f Pood s t a t e s t h a t t h e u l t i m a t e
- s o l u t i o n of t h e p r o b l e m s of t h e f i s h i n g i n d u s t r y i s n o t i o n a l ­
i s a t i o n of t h e w h o l e s a l i n g f u n c t i o n . .
T h i s by i t s e l f w i l l
n o t prove a remedy and f u l l d e v e l o p m e n t and r e o r g a n i s a t i o n of
t h e i n d u s t r y a t t h e p o r t s of l a n d i n g must f i r s t b e a c c o m p l i s h e d
i f f u l l b e n e f i t i s t o be d e r i v e d from t h e c o u r s e p r o p o s e d .
13.
The M i n i s t e r of Pood has a c c u s e d us of t r y i n g t o
c r e a t e a monopoly from which new e n t r a n t s would b e e x c l u d e d ,
and he p r o f e s s e s g r o a t c o n c e r n f o r t h e i n t e r e s t of t h e s m a l l
man'.
He o v e r l o o k s t h e f a c t t h a t a n e o r w a t e r t r a w l e r now
c o s t s some £ 3 0 , 0 0 0 , and a d i s t a n t w a t e r t r a w l e r £ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 .
The s m a l l man i s no l o n g e r a b l e t o hove such v e s s e l s b u i l t
a s i s p r o v e d by t h e d e t a i l s of t h e b u i l d i n g programme a l r e a d y ^
r e f e r r e d t o in p a r a g r a p h 5*
On t h e o t h e r hand, t h e M i n i s t e r
of Pood c o m p l e t e l y i g n o r e s t h e p r o v i s i o n qf t h e I n s h o r e
P i s h i n g I n d u s t r y , A c t , which e n a b l e s t h e F i s h e r i e s M i n i s t e r s
t o make g r a n t s up t o o n e - t h i r d of t h e c o s t of new v e s s e l s , and
i n a d d i t i o n l o a n s up t o 5 6 / 3 p e r c e n t , of t h e c o s t , t h u s
e n a b l i n g t h e s m a l l man t o e n t e r t h e i n d u s t r y . ' There o r e
a l s o t h e p r o v i s i o n s of t h e Sea F i s h I n d u s t r y A c t , 1 9 3 8 , which
we p r o p o s e t o r e v i s e and e x t e n d ' , r e g a r d i n g c o - o p e r a t i v e
schemes f o r i n s h o r e f i s h e r m e n , as we b e l i e v e t h a t b y t h e
d e v e l o p m e n t of such schemes and t h e a s s i s t a n c e which ,a
P r o d u c t i o n B o a r d can r e n d e r t o i n s h o r e - f i s h e r m e n , a h e a l t h y
d e v e l o p m e n t of t h e i n d u s t r y w i l l t a k e p l a c e .
2
11+.
'0u"r p r o p o s a l d r a s t i c a l l y t o r e d u c e t h e number of
t r a w l e r owners, p r o c e s s i n g and c o a s t a l w h o l e s a l e m e r c h a n t s ,
was n o t made w i t h " t h e o b v i o u s i n t e n t i o n of r e d u c i n g
c o m p e t i t i v e p r e s s u r e " , b u t was made i n t h e l i g h t of t h e f a c t .
t h a t t h e r e a r e t o o many owners of s i n g l e v e s s e l s i n t h e t r a w l e r
i n d u s t r y who can n e v e r h:;pe -toe earn enough t o r e p l a c e t h e i r
v e s s e l s , many of w h i c h , s p o r t from g r o s s i n e f f i c i e n c y e s
f i s h i n g u n i t s , have accommodation f o r crews which ought n o t t o
be p e r m i t t e d .
1
15.
As r e g a r d s t h i s y e a r ' s e x p e r i e n c e i t w i l l b e r e c a l l e d t h a t t h e M i n i s t e r of Pood w i s h e d t o remove maximum p r i c e s i n April l a s t .
We s u c c e s s f u l l y p r o t e s t e d a g a i n s t t h i s and p o i n t e d out t h a t in o u r . v i e w t h e r e would be many o c c a s i o n s on which f i s h would be in s h o r t s u p p l y and p r i c e s would s o a r i f not controlled.
E v e n t s hove j u s t i f i e d our p r o t e s t . 16.
We a r e a c c u s e d of p r e d i c t i n g a g l u t which d i d n o t materialise.
S u p p l i e s in 19h7 were a f f e c t e d b y a b n o r m a l c o n d i t i o n s in d i s t a n t w a t e r s , where e x t r a o r d i n a r i l y l a r g e q u a n t i t i e s of s m a l l f i s h were t a k e n and i n many c a s e s h a l f of t h e c a t c h e s had t o b e r e t u r n e d t o t h e s e a .
There was a l s o on u n p r e c e d e n t e d s c a r c i t y o f . s i z e a b l e f i s h on t h e u s u a l , f i s h i n g g r o u n d s , c o n s e q u e n t l y d i s t a n t w a t e r v e s s e l s had t o
s o e n d more t i m e i n s e a r c h i n g f o r f i s h .
In t h e f i r s t n i n e
months of 1 9I+6 1,1+22 v o y a g e s y i e l d e d h , 1 3 0 , 0 0 0 c w t s . , w h e r e a s
i n t h e . f i r s t n i n e months of 1947, 2,.1-1+1 voyages y i e l d e d o n l y
5 . 0 8 2 , 0 0 0 c w t s . or 62 p e r ce.nt. of t h e c a p a c i t y of the:
v e s s e l s employed.
17.
We c o n v i n c e d a s u b - c o m m i t t e e of t h e Lord P r e s i d e n t s
Committee t h a t i f no a c t i o n i s token t h e e x i s t e n c e of t h e n e a r
and m i d d l e w a t e r and t h e - i n s h o r e f i s h e r i e s w i l l b e t h r e a t e n e d ,
. and a u s e f u l r e s e r v e of b o a t s and.men f o r n a v a l p u r p o s e s w i l l
be squandered.
The consumers w i l l b e f a c e d by t h e d i s a p p e a r a n c e
of t h e v a r i e t i e s and h i g h q u a l i t y f i s h l a n d e d by t h e s e v e s s e l s
and t h e y w i l l have t o depend on an u n r e l i e v e d d i e t of i n f e r i o r
q u a l i t y c o d , h a d d o c k and p l a i c e l a n d e d from d i s t a n t w a t e r s ,
u n l e s s l a r g e sums a r e s p e n t on b u y i n g f o r e i g n f i s h .
We
b e l i e v e t h a t a t y p e of v e s s e l can b e e v o l v e d and b u i l t which
can f i s h t h e n e a r and m i d d l e w a t e r s and compete v/ith t h e '
d i s t a n t water v e s s e l s .
We a r e a l s o c o n v i n c e d t h a t
the l a t t e r
must undergo m o d i f i c a t i o n s t o e n a b l e them t o u n d e r t a k e f r e e z i n g
a n d . p r o c e s s i n g a t s e a and t o e x p l o i t new f i s h i n g a r e a s t o
e n s u r e our f i s h s u p p l i e s , i n c a s e s t o c k s i n t h e p r e s e n t a r e a s
should f a i l .
T h i s i s e s p e c i a l l y i m p o r t a n t as our s c i e n t i s t s
t e l l u s t h a t t h e y have some d o u b t s as t o t h e permanancy of
t h e f e r t i l i t y of t h e d i s t a n t w a t e r s .
18.
The s u b - c o m m i t t e e ( L . P . ( 4 7 ) 129 of 23rd- J u l y ,
r e p o r t e d as f o l l o w s : ­
11
1947)
(1)
We recommend t h a t t h e r e q u e s t of t h e F i s h e r i e s
M i n i s t e r s f o r l e g i s l a t i o n to make p o s s i b l e
i n t e r v e n t i o n by t h e Government t o reform t h e
f i s h i n g i n d u s t r y should be a c c e p t e d .
(2)
We recommend t h a t t h e r e f o r m of t h e f i s h i n g i n d u s t r y
s h o u l d b e - c a r r i e d o u t by two B o a r d s , t h e P r o d u c t i o n
B o a r d r e s p o n s i b l e t o t h e F i s h e r i e s M i n i s t e r s , and
,a D i s t r i b u t i o n B o a r d r e s p o n s i b l e t o t h e M i n i s t e r
of Pood. /
(3)
We have t a k e n n o t e t h a t t h e F i s h e r i e s M i n i s t e r s
a c c e p t t h e r e p o r t of t h e ' O f f i c i a l Committee on
R e s t r i c t i v e P r a c t i c e s by Supervisory Boards
(Gen. 1 7 7 / 6 ) , and we a g r e e t h a t s a f e g u a r d s t o
meet t h e p o i n t s t h e r e made s h o u l d be i n c o r p o r a t e d
in the n e c e s s a r y l e g i s l a t i o n .
The M i n i s t e r of Food d i s s e n t e d from t h e s e
conclusions."
'19.
These r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s were a p p r o v e d by. t h e L o r d
P r e s i d e n t s Committee on 12th A u g u s t , .1947, ( L . P . (47) 25th
Meeting, Minute 3 ) .
20.
The p r o p o s a l t h a t t h e r e s h o u l d b e a D i s t r i b u t i o n
B o a r d was n o t o r i g i n a l l y made b y t h e , F i s h e r i e s M i n i s t e r s and
t h e M i n i s t e r of Food now s t a t e s t h a t he f i n d s d i f f i c u l t y i n
s e e i n g what u s e f u l f u n c t i o n s t h e M i n i s t r y of Food and t h e
D i s t r i b u t i o n B o a r d would p e r f o r m .
Under our p r o p o s a l s our
r e s p o n s i b i l i t y and t h a t of t h e P r o d u c t i o n B o a r d would c e a s e
\
-at t h e p o i n t when f i s h i s r e a d y f o r d e s p a t c h from t h e p o r t s .
"It i s f o r t h e M i n i s t e r of Food t o s a y how i t s s u b s e q u e n t
d i s t r i b u t i o n should be d e a l t w i t h .
We do s u b m i t , however, t h a t ­
t h e r e i s much room f o r improvement of t h e w h o l e d i s t r i b u t i v e
system.
21.
S e v e r a l c o m m i t t e e s and commissions have drawn ­
a t t e n t i o n to, t h e need f o r t h e r e - o r g a n i s a t i o n pnd d e v e l o p m e n t
of t h e f i s h i n g i n d u s t r y .
Now t h a t home produced f i s h p l a y s
such an i m p o r t a n t p a r t i n f e e d i n g t h e p e o p l e and t h e demand
i s l i k e l y t o be m a i n t a i n e d , , i t i s more t h a n / e v e r , n e c e s s a r y
t o e n s u r e t h a t t h e . p r o d u c t i v e machine i s g e a r e d t o maximum
p r o d u c t i o n , w i t h t h e minimum c a l l on l a b o u r r e s o u r c e s .
We i n v i t e o u r ' c o l l e a g u e s ,
our proposals..
therefore,
T.W.
A.W.
1 1 t h December, 1 947*
to
endorse