INTRODUCTION 



As the 1960's draw to a close, man is focusing his attention 

 on the resources of the sea. Although production of marine 

 minerals is increasing, the world's fisheries still give the 

 greatest economic yield from the sea. 



Our country has less than 7 percent of the world pop- 

 ulation; we capture only 4 percent and consume about 12 

 percent of the world catch of fish. We are the world's largest 

 market, but our vessels supply only 30 percent of the U.S. 

 demand for fishery products. Demographers predict that 

 the population of the United States will grow to 3.50 million 

 by the year 2000. More food will have to come from the 

 ocean. But increased harvests will be possible only if our 

 fishing industry is strengthened and the resources, partic- 

 ularly underutilized stocks of fish, are developed. 



Seventy percent of the world's continental shelves (where 

 most fish are caught) Jies in the northern hemisphere. And 

 nowhere in the world is the use of ocean resources developing 

 more rapidly than in the North Pacific Ocean. Here, also, 

 stocks of fish that historically are bases for the fishing in- 

 dustry of the United States are under growing pressure 

 from far-ranging fleets of foreign nations. 



To protect and develop these economically important re- 

 sources, the Biological Laboratory (figs. 1 and 2) is engaged 

 in research to assess the potential yield of the resources, 

 to furnish information for fishery management agencies, 

 and to provide a factual basis for international treaty nego- 

 tiations. This report summarizes progress of research in 

 1966-68. 



Ip0° ifo'W I^O" 1^0° i4o° iio° 



FIGURE 2.-Research at the Biological Laboratory covers a 

 vast area of the North Pacific Ocean (shaded). Salmon are 

 studied in the northern waters; groundfish research is carried 

 out along the Continental Shelf. Work at six field stations 

 and at various dams along the Columbia River is directed 

 from Seattle. 



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