Video Parts (3)
This clip is Part 1 of a 3-part film.
[Oyster and Shrimp Fishing] Part 1
Description
The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: “Part One, Oyster Fishing.” “United States supplies five out of every six of the world’s oysters. This shell-fish is one third the value of our fisheries. Chesapeake Bay furnishes one half of this country’s oyster.” Map of the Chesapeake Bay area. “The oyster is a shell-fish living in shallow salt water. Its fleshy body is enclosed in two shells or valves, hence it is called a bivalve.” Close-up of closed oyster shell - hands opening and closing shell. “The oysters are obtained by dredging with a dragnet, which is pulled by a boat over the oyster beds on the ocean bottom.” Fishing boats under way. “The small oysters are returned to the beds. Young oysters are constantly planted by the government, to replace the supply. The planted oyster beds produce over half of the total supply.” Oyster boat under way. “After a day’s dredging the oysters are sorted and the boat docks to sell the catch.” Oystermen unloading baskets of oysters from hold of boat. “The oysters are hauled to the packing plant.” Horse-drawn wagon load of oysters outside plant, heaps of shells. “Some of the finest oysters are shipped in the shell.” Worker shoveling oysters from pile on dock into basket. “Most of the oysters are ‘shucked’ or removed from the shells before shipping. An expert chucks several hundred oysters daily.” Man picking oysters from basket. “A broad bladed knife is used to open the shell.” Worker opening oyster. “The oyster removed from the shell.” Close-up. “The oysters are packed in pails for shipment. The shells are used for road building or pulverized for fertilizer.” Pails on conveyor - pile of oyster shells - cars on road. “Government protection has saved the oyster beds from exhaustion and made the oyster a common food in every home.” “Part Two, Shrimp Fishing.” “The shrimp resembles a small crawfish without the ‘pinchers.’ It lives in the sand and mud on the ocean bottom.” Close-up of shrimp. “The best shrimp fisheries are in the deep water along the coast of Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, and California.” Map showing shrimp fishing waters. “The shrimp is caught by a dragnet pulled along on the ocean bottom. Motorboats leave early in the morning for the fishing grounds.” Boats along dock, crews getting aboard. “Getting the depth to set the net or trawl.” Fisherman taking sounding. “Dragging the net for half an hour.” Crew in back of boat, dog, helmsman. “The trawl consists of two boards at the ends of a long net. The net is ten feet high and 75 feet long, and is pulled over the ocean bottom by a line from the boat.” Fishermen working with lines. “Raising the net with a good catch.” Seining shrimp from net. “Sometimes twelve bushels of animal life are caught.” Piling shrimp on deck of boat. “Starfish, ray fish and crabs are in the net with the shrimp.” Pile of assorted fish on deck. “Shrimp must be kept cool and not bruised. The small fish are returned to the water and form a feast for the sea-gulls which follow the boat.” Fishermen throwing fish into water - seagulls wheeling overhead. “At the dock the catch is carefully shoveled into baskets to be weighed and cooled.” Workers removing catch from boat. “The head and tough body cover is removed by pickers who bathe their fingers in alum water to counteract the acid from the shrimp.” Negro shrimp pickers around table full of shrimp. “The pink shrimp meat is carefully washed and made ready for packing.” Washing with hose, dumping from screen basket into draining vat. “For long distance shipment, the shrimp meat is packed in ice to keep it fresh.” Workers shoveling shrimp onto scale, dumping it into barrel with cracked ice. “The shrimp is a richer food than eggs or beefsteak. Delicious salads are prepared. To serve one person -- place lettuce leaves on plate, add ¼ cup of cut celery, 5 or 6 shrimps, a little celery cut long to trim edge of plate, 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise dressing, ½ dozen capers or a sliced hardboiled egg.” Hands preparing shrimp salad. “End.” “Ford Educational Library.” [1922]
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