Figure 4. — Research on living organisms has required the development of methods of catching and transporting live 

 animals to the laboratory. The boat shown here was rigged and trolling for tuna. Fish weighing as much as 15 to 20 

 pounds were caught, brought to the laboratory In good condltl Jn, and held In laboratory tanks for as long as 5 to 6 weeks 

 while the accumulation of radioactivity in the fish was being followed. 



After we had obtained considerable infor- 

 mation on both the accumulation and retention 

 of fission products and several other radio- 

 nuclides by the adult stage of connmercially 

 important fish and shellfish, we thought it im- 

 portant to include studies on these species at 

 other stages of development and under environ- 

 ments that might represent certain periods 

 during their life histories. Since it is important 

 to know what damage occurs to organisms from 

 accumulated radionuclides, especially in the 

 early stages of development of the fishery 

 organisms that are the most sensitive to radia- 

 tion, a new project was begun. Funds supplied 

 by the Saltonstall -Kennedy Act were used to 

 support research to measure the damaging 

 effects of radiation on comnnercially important 

 fish and shellfish and their food organisms. 

 The laboratory was enlarged to provide salt- 

 water culture rooms for growing larvae, a 



controUed-temperature room, a histological 

 preparation room, and office space for an in- 

 creased staff. 



In the researchproposalfor fiscal year 1962, 

 we emphasized that a research facility should 

 bring together investigators with sufficient di- 

 versity in education and training to take a 

 broader approach to the solution of biological 

 aspects of radioactive pollution in the marine 

 environment than had been undertaken by any 

 one organization up to that time. We further 

 suggested that our organization attempt the 

 team approach that is obviously necessary to 

 accomplish the above goal. In addition to 

 advocating a team appraoch, we also expanded 

 our laboratory research to include pilot-type 

 experiments in tanks and ponds and ecological 

 studies in estuaries. 



Investigations along these lines of research 

 have continued to the present. We have stressed 



