FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                    AT
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1995                                  (202) 616-2771
                                                         TDD (202) 514-1888

          DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AGREES TO TERMINATE 1919 CONSENT
            DECREE AGAINST MASSACHUSETTS SEAFOOD AUCTION HOUSE


     WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Department of Justice's Antitrust
Division announced today that it has tentatively approved the
request of a Massachusetts seafood auction house to terminate a
1919 consent decree that imposed certain financial restrictions
on its operations.
     The Department, in documents filed today in U.S. District
Court in Boston, agreed to terminate a consent decree against the
New England Fish Exchange, operator of a daily auction for the
purchase and sale of fresh fish on the Boston Fish Pier.
     The 1919 judgment had settled a civil action which alleged
that the New England Fish Exchange and numerous other defendants
had conspired to monopolize and restrain interstate trade and
commerce in the fresh fish industry.
     Anne K. Bingaman, Assistant Attorney General in charge of
the Antitrust Division, said the Department agreed to terminate
the decree because it was no longer necessary to prevent the
competitive harm that brought about the original lawsuit. 
Bingaman said that the New England Fish Exchange faces
competition from several other auction houses and the industry
has changed significantly, including the fact that none of the
New England Fish Exchange's co-defendants are currently active in
the industry.
     The original judgment, among other things, limited the New
England Fish Exchange's annual return on capital to eight percent
and prohibited it from accumulating capital in excess of $51,000.
     The Department reserved the right to withdraw its consent
for at least 10 days after the close of the 60-day public comment
period which the Department has requested the court to establish. 
     Comments to the Department and the court regarding the
proposed termination of the judgment are invited from the public. 
They should be addressed to Ralph T. Giordano, Chief, New York
Office, Antitrust Division, Department of Justice, 26 Federal
Plaza, New York, NY 10278.  Comments must be received within the
60-day period established by court order.
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95-018