Sardines Disappearing From Pacific Waters

Chronicle (Levin), 22 March 1948, Page 4

Sardines Disappearing From Pacific Waters

■ .Y . .. M.lt:,. ■ • \ mysteriops jiislappearancel of . the* sardlrie thr.patens ^to. bring ftirth'er 'fBdid sho/tagespri a htirigry ' World) " 5 Millions- ' 'have ; Vanisn^a ' L f romo . Paoific waters ' without * a tija.ee:. , , > . „ : . ' ! Calif drniari fisher men j gloomily = declar'e tliat the seasori will be the Worst for 15 years. ' Iri some waters the catch is only 5* per cent. of normal years. Many fishermen are abandoning the quest for the elusive safdine after three poor years. Processing plant workers are hard hit. Many factories are idle, and one new San Francisco cannery has not opened its doors since it was completed a year ago. BIKINI BOMR RLAMED Scientists are unable to offer a convincing explanation ; .for the disappearance of the "popr- man's meat," but fishermen tqrid'to blame it on the Bikini bomb. This explanation is discduhted, as the sardines started to .disappear lohg before Bikini. r .. . Experts say the/o'cean is becoming top salty, or Ipss salty , tdd ?.cbld ,pr tpp. \yarpi. Others . prdsdically •*blariie Human v^ftd^^ay so many sardines are caughi that there are not sufficieht .left to breed. • Whateyer the cause the humble sardine is fast becoming a luxury Its pre-war price has already trebled. From around £l a case of * 48 15oz. cans, the price has risen to between £3 and £4 Wholesale. A small tin costs 2s in American stores. Two expeditions will soon investigate whether sardines have been nudged by shifting currents to other parts of the Pacific.