Evening star., 1943-03-21
j. ). Move 10 Release
Vessels 10 Fishermen
Surprises Congress
Ickes Disclosure Comes
As House Unit Is About to
Report Bill Freeing Ships

fish, at least to an extent, were an
nounced yesterday by Secretary o.
the Interior Ickes, as co-ordinatol
of fisheries.
He said the fisheries office, the
Army, Navy and War Shipping Ad.
miniStration were cooperating II
planning to return to fishermen a:
many as possible of the fishing
vessels which were requisitioned by
the armed services at the outbreak
of war. Some of these boats al
ready have been handed back, he
added.
Mr.. Ickes described depletion OF
the fishing feet as the principal
contributing factor in the serious
reduction Of seafood production last
year and the threatened further
falling off this year.
On Capitol Hill, the Ickes an
nouncement caused measurable sur
prise. Not because the co-ordinator
reported an impending improvement
in the fishing boat shortage. but
because he failed, in his press re-
lease. to mention the steps in this
direction long under way in Con-
gress
Statement Ignores Congress.
The House Merchant Marine and
Fisheries Committee, it was pointed
out, is about to report out bill
sponsored by Chairman Bland
which calls on the Government
services to return to the fishermen
all their boats which are not act
ually needed for war duty.
The committee held an executive
session late last week and approved
the bill with certain amendments,
1t was learned. Mr.. Bland long
has been active in the fight to re-
store adequate facilities to the fish
ing fleets
The Interior Departments Fish
and Wildlife Service took no part
in final consideration of the leg
islation, member of Congress in
terested in the fishing problem re-
ported. The VISA backed the
Bland bill.
Would Transfer Power.
Representative Bates, Republican,
of Massachusetts,, a member of the
House Naval Affairs Committee,
pointed out that he and other men,
bers of Congress from fishing dis
tricts had been trying for months
to get the Army. Navy and VISA.
to turn back fishing vessels urgently
needed to prevent Americas chief
substitute for meat protein from be-
coming scarce. Mr. Bates is author
OF bill to transfer jurisdiction over
the commercial fishing industry
from the Interior to the Agriculture
Department.
Mr.. Ickes announcement and the
echoes stirred by it on Capitol Hill
marked another phase in the con-
troversial fishing situation.
The fisherman have not been paid
Tor the vessels which the Govern
ment requisitioned, and that has
embroiled a number of members of
Congress with various departments.
The withholding of payments, how
ever, hinges on a ruling by the
Controller General that compen-
sation must be based on the ap-
praised value of boats as of Septem-
ber, 1939-when the President de-
clared limited national emer-
gency. Since some of the vessels
since seized were built after that
date. at higher cost than previously
would have been necessary, the mat
ter of payments has been in a tangle
since the opinion was handed down
November "a, 1912.
Available at High Prices.
A representative of large fishing
interests pointed out to The Star
that the normal production of fish
had been 5000 100000 pounds year
That, he said, was likely to be 40
Per cent less this year.
He reported that the shortage Of
fish was general in all markets, in
cluding Washington and Baltimore
One veteran local fish dealer,
however, who supplies many hotels
and restaurants, as we'll as individ
Ual customers, said there was plenty
of fish available if you would pay
the price" He reported only crab
meat and oysters actually scarce,
though he admitted certain fish, like
mackerel. bluefish, and swordfish
were far from plentiful. Shad, rock
fish and other fish of this region
are ample, he insisted.
Members of Congress have COM
foi Nn ~ lsyor,
placed on fish by the Office of Price
Administration have further COM
plicated the problem because of dis
elimination" with some markets al
lowed to charge higher prices than
other nearby ones. They said they
were working on this problem, too
Sees Increased Production.
This year." said Mr.. Ickes' press
release, with a production goal for
fisheries set for record high, the
Army, Navy and War Shipping Ad-
ministration are cooperating with
the Office of the Cor-ordinator of
Fisheries in making plans for the
return Of those vessels which can
be given back to the industry with
out jeopardizing our sea frontiers.
Mr.. Ickes then was quoted: The
services and the War Shipping Ad-
ministration have shown every evil
dence Of understanding the problems
of the fishing industry, and there is
reason to believe that they will dc
everything they can to alleviate the
present situation Anything they
can DO to make vessels available fot
fishing again will show up in in
creased production"
The Navy's construction of g
large number of its own small patro
ships has alleviated the problem
which caused requisitioning -
many fishing vessels, The Army
also used good many fishing boats
especially 70 carry supplies tc
Alaska.