[Papers of the] International Fishing Boat Congress 1953. 12-16 October Paris, France, 16-20 November Miami U.S.A.

Rome: FAO, 1953. Quarto, typed and mimeographed papers in an Accopress metal strip binder (30 x 24 cm.), 25, [18], 7, [16], [74], 12, [ii], [52], 18, [18], 27, [27], 20, [22], xiv, 73, [10] pages. Approximately 110 illustrations, including some photographic documentation, but largely architectural drawings of various vessels. Indices and bibliographies present in some papers. Seven papers presented at the 1953 International Fishing Boat Congress, a production of the United Nations' FAO. The papers include Howard Chapelle's "Some North American Fishing Launches" (no. 1), John Tyrell's Modern Irish Fishing Vessels" (no. 4), M. Quereshi et al.'s "West Pakistan Fishing Craft" (no. 15), Dwight Simpson's "The Development of the New England Trawler" (no. 22), Hans Zimmer's "Beach Landing Craft Used for Fishing in Europe" (no. 27), E.R. Gueroult's "The French Motor Trawlers" (no. 33), and Jan-Olaf Traung's "Outline to a Catalogue of Fishing Boat Tank Tests" (no. 45). There is also a section produced by the commercial naval architect H.C. Hanson of Seattle, with illustrated promotional materials for several vessels designed by his firm, including the "Combination Fishing Vessel of the Pacific", "The Tuna Clipper of the Pacific", and "The Trolling Boat..." and "The Gillnet Boat". The conference was the first of its type, dedicated to the science of sea fishing vessels, and come at moment efforts were being made for oceanographic research to "catch up" with agricultural efforts (the agricultural research station appeared a half century before the first modern oceanographic institutes. The papers vary between progressive naval architecture to advance safety and productivity of the vessels, and a more historical perspective looking at existing craft. One paper pulling from the metal binder; age toning and a bit of edgewear, otherwise very good. Scarce. [OCLC locates one copy with an unspecified list of the papers (France: Plouzane, France-Bibl. La Perouse); and one copy each of papers no. 1 and 15 (both at US Mariner's Museum)].