Newfoundland Bulletin, vol. 04, no. 06 (June 1971)

              bulletin
CONFEDERATION BUILDING
ST. JOHN'S. NEWFOUNDLAND
JUNE, 1971
Vol. IV
No. 6
Our saltcod fishermen never had it better
Newfoundland f ishermen have
something good going for them in the
Canadian Saltfish Corporation.
The main good is that they are
getting probably the best prices that
they ever got for their saltfish.
At last the fishermen are coming
closer than ever before to getting
full value for their toil  and  effort.
Many of them never expected that
it would happen.
Some years ago when the Newfoundland Government prepared legislation paving the way for the Corporation, there was hardly a ripple
among the fishermen.
When the Corporation finally got
going last year, few of them jumped
for joy. They preferred to wait and
see.
They did wait . . . and now they
have seen.
Money Proves It
The Corporation is working out far
better than even the most optimistic
fishermen expected.
They have the money in their hands
to prove it.
Far more important is the renewed courage and enthusiasm with
which they are facing the 1971 fishery.
They can look forward to even
better prices than last year (see Newfoundland Bulletin, May, 1971.)
One important and significant example indicates why saltcod fishermen are feeling more pleased with
the  situation  than  they have for  a
long time.
Prices Are Better
When the Corporation began operations in the midst of the 1970 season
(on July 1) it announced initial
prices of $25 for heavy salted.
The same price, $25, was set for
extra large, large and medium.
At the end of the season, after the
fish was sold in world markets, the
Corporation had managed to get a
better price than expected.
Since it is a non-profit marketing
organization, the extra cash was distributed among the fishermen.
The final price for heavy salted
was $28.50.
Now initial prices for 1971 have
been announced.
They include $32 for heavy salted
extra large, and $30 for large and
medium.
Thus the fishermen start off 1971
with even better prices than the good
prices they ended up with in 1970.
It's For Real
There's no doubt in most of their
minds that the Corporation must take
credit for this happy state of affairs.
Now they know that the Corporation is for real.
We make the best in the world.
Mr. Aidan Maloney, chairman of
the Saltfish Corporation, modestly admits that he is satisfied with the first
year.
The Corporation did well because
it was "working for the fishermen."
But, he added quickly, "we could
have sold more fish."
Indeed, the saltfish production in
1970 was only 285,000 quintals (112
lbs. to a quintal.)
This total was made up of 225,000
quintals of heavy salted and 60,000
quintals of light salted.
It was down from 1969, mainly due
to the failure in Labrador.
Mr. Maloney said that he needs at
least 300,000 quintals this year, so that
Newfoundland "can maintain her
position in the main markets — Portugal, Spain, Italy, and United States
(including Puerto Rico), Jamaica,
Trinidad, Barbadoes, Guiana and
other islands in the Caribbean."
On Good Quality
All of these markets are now insisting on good quality.
Mr. Maloney says the quality of
Newfoundland salt fish has improved,
but there's always room for more.
The incentive is there, because the
markets are willing to pay more for
better quality.
Fishermen no longer have to be
told the factors that contribute to
good quality. But there's no harm
in a little reminder:
• Cleanliness in handling at the time
that the fish is split and put under
salt.
• Removal of blood and liver that
cause stains.
• Careful washing of the fish before
drying, using lots of good, clear
wator.
• Making sure that fishing premises
and vehicles used in transportation
are kept clean and tidy.
• Sufficient and adequate salting.
Very Important
Mr. Maloney said that maintaining
good quality is far more important
than ever before.
Long gone is the day when salt
fish was considered to be a cheap
product.
Salt fish retains its position as a
popular food item, but now it is com-
If you have the nose for it, you
can tell a good salt fish from a bad
one. But it's all good at the Fisheries College, as the Premier found
out. See pages 6 and 7 for a new
look at the College.
peting in stature and price with other
foods.
And the fishermen are reaping the
benefits.
A lot depends on them to see that
it stays that way.
If they can find the fish and catch
it, then turn out a high quality product, there is no reason why they
can't go on enjoying prices that are
among the highest if not the highest
in history, for salt fish.
Paid Its Own Way
They can take pride, too, in the
fact that the Saltfish Corporation did
not bring this about by being heavily
subsidized.
The Corporation paid its own way
last year.
It bought the fish, sold the fish,
paid its expenses out of the proceeds
and was still able to give the fishermen satisfactory prices for their catch.
That's one of the advantages of
having only one organization selling
in the markets, an organization that
can maintain close and constant con-
(Continued on page 2)