Materials handling systems to increase productivity of inshore fishery

• Main Author: Newbury, A. Douglas
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: Memorial University of Newfoundland 1975
• Subjects: Canada; Newfoundland
• Online Access: https://research.library.mun.ca/7432/; https://research.library.mun.ca/7432/1/Newbury_ADouglas.pdf; https://research.library.mun.ca/7432/3/Newbury_ADouglas.pdf

Many traditional methods of holding and handling fish in small boats persist throughout Newfoundland today. Not only are these methods inefficient from the materials handling point of view but the resulting poor quality causes great waste of the dwindling resource and contributes to consumer non-acceptance of fish as a regular source of protein food. -- A number of experiments on filleting cod, the principal inshore species are described. These experiments demonstrate the clean economic advantage of processing good quality raw material, and an incidental advantage, to the processor, of filleting dressed cod as compared with round (gut-in) cod. Further, the experiments show, as expected, the more rapid deterioration of quality in round cod compared with dressed cod. -- The experimental results together with statistical reports of Environment Canada on annual cod landings and production are extrapolated to estimate annual losses resulting from processing and marketing poor quality fish of all species. A system of handling, discharging and transporting fish from inshore boats based on the principle of containerization is proposed as a solution to many of the problems of this fishery. -- Flexible containers of net or plastic covered cloth for use in open boats and rigid containers for use in decked boats would be hoisted by a suitable shore-based facility, discharged into an elevated hopper and, after any necessary processing, culling or grading, placed in an insulated, covered container with ice for transportation to a processing plant. -- A province-wide network of some 200 such systems would handle most inshore and near-offshore landings, at reasonable cost and with a much higher average level of product quality. -- A case is made for joint involvement of Federal and Provincial Governments with industry to implement the proposed Province-wide system over a five year period.