The Chronicle star the Moss Point advertiser., 1949-12-23
A recent memorandum by DIR.

A recent memorandum by DIR.
James Nelson GoWanloeh, chief
biologist for the Louisiana de-
paftment Of Wildlife and fish
cries and one Of the South's
most eminent scientists, on the
proposed establishment of the
first tuna packing plant at Pas
cagoula, underlines just what
this move can mean to the en-
tire Gulf Coast. DR.. Gowanloch
speaks from experience based
on intimate knowledge and long
study Of the Gulf and its re-
sources, and his opinions, there
fore carry weight and substance,
The memorandum was distrib-
uted to members Of the Gulf
Fisheries Compact, comprising
the five Gulf states, and the
portion dealing with the ex-
papsion of the tuna packing IS
as follows:
The tremendous importance
of future tuna packing in the
Gulf states can be realized when
one surveys the fact that tuna
fishing operations on the Pa
cific coast now involve a cap
ital investment in tuna Gamer
les of between 10 and is mil
lion dollars. and a present tuna
fishing boat investment of ap-
proximatelY so million dollars.
Not only is the Gulf coast near
or and. therefore. OF econom-
ical as a base for canning OPP
erations but. furthermore. pro-
gressive labor complications
have added to the difficulties
of the West Coast tuna indus
tries. The intensity of interest
with which this initial project
of Tuna. Inc. at Pascagoula is
being watched by all the tuna
fishery enterprises on the West
coast can. therefore. well be APP
preciated.
"@The value of exploratory
commercial fishery surveys has
been we'll demonstrated in the
past history Of the United
States. II is perhaps of interest
to cite one recent example of
such exploratory work in Can
ada where as a result of expe-
rimental dragging for founders
in the inshore waters on the
Western coasts of Novia Scotia,
the work being conducted by a
research boat of the Fisheries
Research Board of Canada. a
single private commercial OPP
orator, following the discoveries
of the investigation. and using
an ex-scallop dragger in Kings
county where no winter floun-
der had ever been taken from
1897 to 1916 and where for the
same period the average annual
catch of paddock was 1920
pounds, actually succeeded in
capturing in a single month 49,
900 pounds of haddock and 76,-
900 pounds of winter founder.
''fhe projected program of
commercial fisheries explora-
ton in the Gulf of Mexico and
the projected program of basic
biological research in the Gulf
of Mexico to be carried out by
the two vessels of the fish and
wildlife service ed. note: one
of these. the Oregon. will be
based at Pascagoulal will pro-
vide the long sought. long
hoped for and now to be real
lied means of making available
information involving the dis
eovery and exploitation Of the
marine resources of the approx
imately 100000 square miles of
the Gulf of Mexico. an area in
these respects presently almost
unknown. The proposal that
the research activities of the
two vessels will be planned with
the full consideration of the
suggestions of the Gulf States
Marine Fisheries Compact and
its biological advisors empha-
sizes the grave responsibility of
utilizing these opportunities in
the most productive manner
possible.
1T IS the purpose of this
memorandum. as already stat
ed. TO bring to present attention
the high importance of the tuna
and iuna-like fishes in this pro-
gram of scientific investigation.
1t is perfectly obvious thai tho
possible irensloeation of the
present West Coast shore tuna