'File 17/16 Fish Industry in Muscat (Dr. Bertram's Visit to Muscat)' [‎4r] (7/212)

^ SUMMARY O F CONCLUSIONS AM) RECOM^iElDATIONS .
A preliminary target for the production of fresh fish at
Abadan for the feeding of AIOG Staff and Labour may be set at
3000 tons per year* At present about 800 tons per year is
available in a collection scheme from the local fishermen*
This scheme can probably be enlarged to some extent but the
target cannot be approached without the aid of more productive;
modern methods. Trawling has been suggested and v/ould pro
bably be effective. Renewed exertions are needed to provide
ono (or two) trawlers or long-distance collecting vessels of
90-100 ft length with refrigerating machinery. As envisaged
by AIOCj such a vessel might be built at Kuweit, At the same
time it is recommended that further negotiations be started in
U.K. In any event it will probably be.not less than a year
before such a vessel is at work, and meanwhile the gap, be
tween present production and the target, it is suggested,
should be filled by the import of dried fish from the Gulf
of Oman. .The requirements of vitamins & D it is suggested
possibly might bo met, by the use of sardine oil which is
available from the fisheries of the Arabian coasts.
IHTRODUOTIQIh
A recent special investigation by Dr. Mciklejohn, of the
Rockfcller Foundation, has shown that the diet at present
available to the Anglo-Iranian Oil Go’s labour at Abadan'
is deficient in animal pretein and vitamin A, vegetables and
vitamin C, and perhaps also vitamin D„ Dr* McikleJohn’s con
clusions were based on comprehensive evidence embracing clini
cal tests, foods available and so on* The provision of ade
quate quantities of fish from the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. at once presen
ted itself as an obvious method of meeting the protein defi
ciency and, perhaps too, the shortage of vitamins A & D*
M.E.S.C. therefore directed me to investigate the fishery pro
blem. My travels in connection with the problem extended
from 7th July when I arrived at Abadan to 4th August when I
loft Teheran, and included visits to Kuweit and Bahrein.
I an most grateful to all those at Abadan, Kuweit,
Bahrein and Teheran who were so kind in providing me with in
formation and hospitality, thus making my tour of great
interest and, I hope ? ensuring its worth* Those with whom
conversations were held on various aspects of the general
problem are listed in Kote I.
In order to see the main problems in reasonable propor
tions it is helpful to have a good deal of the background,
information easily available. So far as possible this is ‘
relegated to a series of notes at the end of this Report, and
reference is mo.de by number in the text. Thus it is hoped
that this Report may be of interest to more than those directly
concerned with the solution of tho central problems*
Brief, written. Interim Reports were given to AIOC. on
18th and 23rd July and discussed in detail,, The conclusions
and recommendations there set out are incorporated and expanded
in this present final Report, hut are not modified in substance
though perhaps a little in relative strosn as the evidence
gradually became available*
C* General/»•***♦