May 20, 1952
THE FISHERMAN
Page 3
'PROTECT INVESTMENTS'
Japanese Fish Company Head Opposes U.S. Tariff On Tuna
A Japanese fishing company president has expressed opposition to the U.S. tariff on tuna imports, stating that, "The valuable results of the huge visible and invisible investments the U.S. taxpayers have so generously made in Japan m the last few years . . . will be greatly diminished if the tariff bill goes through."
The statement made by N. Tat-sukawa, president of International Marine Products Company was originally published in the Nippon Times and reprinted in the March Australian Fisheries Newsletter, an official government publication.
The Newsletter points out thai the matter is of "importance to the Australian fishing industry" in that it "underlines the importance of the legislation the Commonwealth Parliament is considering."
The article by Tatsukawa follows in full:
"Nearly 1,000 people representing fishermen, packers, freezers and shippers of tuna gathered on Jan. 9 to protest against the U.S. legislation which aimed at imposing a new tariff of three cents per pound of imported tuna fish. The assembly was sponsored by the Council of Tuna exports to America, of which Mr. T. Takasaki is president.
"The.bill in question was introduced to Congress in Washington, and was passed by the House of Representative's quietly on October 19, last year. However, subsequently the bill caused agitation in many Latin American nations and Japan and cables and letters of appeal poured into Congress or the State Department from them, as well as from sections of consumers and packers in the U.S.A. As a result the Senate postponed action on the bill and decided to further consider the matter before taking final action. We appreciate this decision of the Senate and hope it will show its usual wisdom when it acts on the tariff bill which has such a great-international significance.
"As anyone who has lived in
America will testify, tuna is one of the most important daily foods in that country. Nearly 8,000,000 cases of canned tuna, each case containing 48 tins of 7 ounce weight are consumed annually. To cater for this, packers in America used about 200,000 tons of tuna. Of this total requirement America imports about 20,000 tons from abroad. Not including imports of fish caught by American tuna boats operating in Latin American waters having bases in Latin American ports, and with licences from these countries which are to be exempted from the proposed tariff, about 19,500 tons were imported in 1950. In the same year Japan shipped to the U.S. about 10,000 tons of frozen tuna and 16,000 tons in 1951.
"The breakdown of the 1951 figures into species was albacore 13,-500 tons; yellowfin, 1,500 tons and skipjack, 1,000 tons. In 1950, 1,500,-000 cases of canned tuna corresponding to 45,000 tons of raw fish were shipped from Japan to America, but this figure was practically reduced to nothing the next year by the prohibitive tariff of 45 per cent ad valorem imposed effective January 1, 1951.
"As mentioned above, Japan shipped about 16,000 tons of frozen tuna to the U.S. last year. This means that the tuna trade with U.S. was valued at five million dollars. Therefore, the industry is still regarded as one of the major sources of dollar income, although large-scale tuna business was ruined last year, due to the new tariff mentioned above. Now this new legislative proposal is a further threat to what is left of our tuna industry. The question is will
Arthritics Form Organization; Invite Those Afflicted To Join
An invitation has been extended to members of the UFAWU who are suffering from arthritis to join a,newly formed organization named the "Voice of the Handicapped Arthritic." A letter from the organization's^-
assistant secretary Donald Thomson explains the purpose of the organization as follows:
1. An organization to promote an understanding of the needs and abilities of the "Handicapped Arthritic," with Government, Industry and the General Public.
2. An organization to gather information of the needs and abilities of the "Handicapped Arthritic."
3. Aims: Social recreation, rehabilitation.
"We are not the Canadian Arthritis and Rheumatism Society known as 'CARS' that are battling mightily against the scourge of this crippling disease; but, those suffering and handicapped with it, or-
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ganizing to do all we can for ourselves, fully cooperating with the Canadian Arthritis and Rheumatism Society as far as we are able.
"We are searching for the 'arthritic' as prospective members and our reason for writing to you is this: •
"We believe that among your Union members there are those who have relatives, friends, neighbors or associates suffering with arthritis who would like to join with us and help to make it a worthwhile organization of our own.
"We feel that if you will bring this uj> before your members they would be glad to turn in the names and addresses of those who would be interested, to be forwarded to us to make contacts, or give the address below to such interested parties that they may contact us."
Inquiries should be addressed to Donald Thomson, 423 East 55th Avenue, Vancouver 15, or, if phoning, call Bob McElveny, FRaser >j 1 4637.
the imposition of a new tariff and the practical exclusion of frozen tuna from Japan as well as from Latin American nations save the American tuna fishing industry from its present peril? Statistics from American sources show that the nation expanded its tuna fleet by over 80 per cent in the past four years from 1947 to 1950. It now has 230 specialized tuna fishing boats thoroughly modernized and equipped with radar and sonar, sometimes even carrying sea-planes or helicopters as part of their standard equipment. Under this condition the normal fishing capacity of the entire fleet is estimated at over 300,000 tons. The expansion of the tuna fleet in America is remarkable, but the trouble is that it was over-expansion led on by temporary profits of tuna ventures in the past few years, and not based on a thorough study of market conditions. Contrary to the above-mentioned capacity of tuna fishing boats, the annual requirements for tuna in the United States is 200,000 tons as has been pointed out already.
"Therefore, the crux of the difficulties which U.S. tuna fishermen are facing at present is the over-expansion of their fleet. One solution may be the education of consumers to eat more tuna products. However, it is well-nigh impossible to solve the problem by cutting off the supply of foreign tuna which amounts to less than 10 per cent of the total annual requirements. It must be added that this limited supply of foreign fish has its own merits because of the types of the fishes and seasonal differences in catch, etcetera.
"We are sure that if frankly asked, some packers will testify that supply of these foreign varieties is indispensable for them to maintain their brands and to assure continuous operation of their plants.
"It is regrettable that hasty action has been taken to get this new tariff legislation through Congress. The valuable results of the huge visible and invisible investments the U.S. taxpayers have so generously made in Japan in the past few years to make this land self supporting and therefore a strong ally of America in the Orient will be greatly diminished if the tariff bill goes through. This is even truer in the face of the fact that quite recently Japanese fishermen accepted the American and Canadian proposal to refrain from salmon fishing in the northern Pacific, and therefore feel that they were assured a continuation of established trade on tuna caught in nearby and southern waters," the article concludes.
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JOHN JACOBSEN, Union Delegate on the "Bessie Mac"
He's Fished 22 Halibut Seasons Here
After fishing halibut for 22 years, a fellow must feel like a rest, but feel like it or not, old timer John Jacobsen is out on the grounds right now helping to put together the first trip of the season for the "Bessie Mac." John, who represents the UFAWU
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on the vessel, started fishing in Norway before that, however, and he was after halibut on the Lofoten grounds at the time of year when freezing temperatures reigned. This year is his twenty-second season fishing halibut on the Pacific Coast.
His skipper is son Nels Jacobsen who has also spent a goodly number of years in the B.C.
fishing industry. John has passed along plenty of his knowledge and experience to Nels and the combination should help produce a fine catch for the 65 foot vessel. The "Bessie Mac" carries a crew of seven men, and they're all good fishermen and all paid up members of the United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union. John has seen to that.
Fishermen, Shoreworkers Take Secret Ballot On Company Offer
B.C. fishermen and shoreworkers are voting by secret ballot on the Fisheries Association offer to conclude agreements with price cuts for fishermen and no change in wage rates for shoreworkers and tendermen.
A circular letter, adding to facts<$>
carried in the last issue of The Fisherman, points out that while it is admitted a market problem does exist, "for the past five years, the companies have based their arguments on allegedly bad market conditions, and each year, experience has shown that the Companies grossly exaggerated the situation."
Turning to Company profits, the Union points out that they have "increased enormously as is shown by the only financial statement that is made public, that of B.C. Packers. •
"In 1944, this Company made a net profit of $281,472 while in 1951, the net profit was $1,893,942. (They don't call it profit any more as this has become a nasty word—it is now called income for the year.) B.C. Packers Ltd., therefore, made 6V2 times as much profit in 1951 as in 1944.
"It was suggested to the Companies that all of them give the Union their profit and loss figures over the past several years. If they were honestly in the tough financial situation they claim, they
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should have no objection to doing this, since in this way they could help to overcome the suspicion in the minds of fishworkers that all is not so gloomy as claimed. The Companies were told they were asking workers in the industry this year to do all the giving with the Companies doing all the taking. Why didn't the Companies propose also to share reduced returns if the overall picture is as black as they paint it to be."
Companies wee also told that "reducing the income of workers would do nothing to better market conditions since by reducing purchasing power in the pockets of the general public, the market would simply be curtailed further. In effect, such a proposal was the opposite of what should be done. Obviously, if warehouses are full of fish (the Companies have claimed a carry over of canned salmon from last year of 900,000 cases, 700,000 cases, and 500,000 cases—take your pick) they will not be emptied by giving people a cut in earnings and requiring them to eat spaghetti and pork and beans
(both these items were mentioned as being competitive food articles to canned salmon)," the letter states.
With most Locals calling special meetings to vote on wages and prices, the result of balloting should be available in the next week.
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