Annual Report of the Bureau 



of Commercial Fisheries Biological Laboratory 



Galveston, Texas, Fiscal Year 1965 



ABSTRACT 



The program of the laboratory in Galveston involves fisheries biology and 

 oceanography research of the commercial fishery resources in the Gulf of Mexico. 

 Particular emphasis is on shrinnp research. 



REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR 



GENERAL 



SAFETY 



The programs of the Laboratory were re- 

 organized during the year. The Industrial 

 Bottomfish Program was phased out, and two 

 new projects--cultivation of shrimp in arti- 

 ficial ponds and ecologically associated orga- 

 nisms--were added to the Shrimp Biology 

 Program. Also, arrangements were made to 

 start a modest Gulf Oceanographic Program 

 during fiscal year 1966. Four programs were 

 operating at the close of the fiscal year: 

 Shrinnp Biology, Shrimp Dynamics, Experi- 

 mental Biology, and Estuarine Programs. 



Research in these programs, though diverse, 

 is intermeshed with the emphasis on shrimp. 

 The leaders of each program have sum- 

 nnarized their research so that a review of 

 their work is not given in this section. These 

 summaries are at the beginning of each pro- 

 gram discussion. 



LABORATORY FACILITIES 



The exteriors of the Laboratory buildings 

 continue to deteriorate and each year become 

 nnore unsightly; however, we have been able 

 to innprove the grounds and building interiors. 

 Several offices and laboratories were re- 

 decorated, and acoustical ceilings installed. 

 Special aquarium stands were constructed 

 in the Experimental Biology Section and the 

 Museunn, and new display cabinets were placed 

 in the Museum, Two l/8-acre ponds were 

 completed near the East Lagoon laboratory. 

 Fire escapes serving the two main laboratory 

 buildings were modified and relocated to pro- 

 vide more efficient emergency exits. New 

 exhaust devices, developed by one of the 

 staff to eliminate formaldehyde fumes, were 

 built for three of the laboratories. 



Meetings of the Safety Committee were 

 held monthly and were coordinated with 

 safety education for the entire staff. The 

 Committee continued its quarterly tour of 

 the Laboratory to review safety and house- 

 keeping practices. Each member of the Safety 

 Committee evaluates all accident reports, 

 which are then forwarded to the Regional 

 Office. 



National Safe Boating Week was observed 

 with appropriate activities, including inspec- 

 tion of all life-saving equipment. 



Fire Prevention Week (October 4-10) was 

 formally observed through a meeting of all 

 Laboratory personnel at which two movies 

 were shown, and an inspector from the Gal- 

 veston Fire Department spoke on fire safety. 

 We also checked Laboratory facilities for 

 fire hazards, and reviewed and updated the 

 written procedures for action in the event 

 of fire. 



J. C. Jones, Fish and Wildlife Serv- 

 ice Safety Officer (Washington, D.C), re- 

 viewed our safety program. We estab- 

 lished a Laboratory library of safety 

 material. 



The Laboratory Director urged all em- 

 ployees to take part in the nationwide 

 driver's test which the National Safety 

 Council sponsored in cooperation with the 

 Columbia Broadcasting System on May 24, 

 1965. 



PUBLIC RELATIONS 



More than 1,000 students and their instruc- 

 tors and aljout 130 other visitors were given 

 Laboratory tours, field trips, or both. The 

 students were from 7 different universities 



