OCEANOGRAPHY IN THE UNITED STATES 127 



for lack of foresight. And this action is taking place at the very time men who 

 know, men of vision the world over are emphasizing the importance of under- 

 sea research. Says the National Academy of Science, "a greatly expanded under- 

 sea research program is needed." And, "ocean research is as important to us 

 as space research." "Deactivate the Albatross III," echoes the Fish and Wild- 

 life Service. 



Perhaps the Albatross is too large a vessel for the Woods Hole Laboratory, 

 Perhaps an 80-foot inshore trawler will meet their requirements. If so, the 

 Albatross should be operated as an oceangoing research vessel-at-large, to be 

 put at the disposal of any laboratory on the Atlantic or gulf or Pacific coast, 

 Alaska or anywhere else tliat a properly oriented program can justify her use. 



Perhaps a whole new research program should be built around the Albatross 

 III to utilize her exceptional facilities, extended cruising range, and experienced 

 crew. She should be made availabe for specific types of offshore research in any 

 area of the world. Certainly she should not be taken out of service. 



The Service proposes to use fishing vessel charters wherever necessary to 

 augment the work of the Delaicare. This has been the policy in the past, even 

 when the Albatross was operating. In an effort to save money, this way, the 

 Service accepted bids fi-om the boat owners and invarably the boats quoting 

 the lowest prices were those that were either unsuccessful for fishing, or laid up 

 with engine trouble, or at best, were the lowest of the lowly craft. As a result, 

 the research biologists have been sent to sea in inferior boats, not at all repres- 

 tative of the commercial fishing fleet. And it is a know fact that the best of the 

 boats do not meet the minimum standards for life saving equipment, manning, 

 or seaworthiness as set up by the U.S. Coast Guard. In addition, the facilities 

 offered our biologists in the way of accommodations and research equipment 

 are inadequate. One gear and equipment specialist reported he had to sleep 

 on the lower shelf of a food locker on one chartered vessel. 



The fishing vessel Dartmouth, chartered for scalloping, found it was losing 

 money on the charter, so requested permission to fish commercially, at night, 

 when the scientists were not working. This request was granted. The Dart- 

 mouth crew cast aside the Fish and Wildlife Service scallop dredges, stating 

 that they were rigged wrong and did not fish well. They rigged up their ovim 

 gear and used it. The expressed purpose in using the Dartmouth on this project 

 was that a typical commercial scalloper was needed to give the scientist an 

 authentic sample of scallops and scalloping operations. It has been inferred by 

 the Fish and Wildlife Service project leader that the Albatross was too large 

 for the work and would not produce realistic results. Fishermen contend that, 

 using the proper gear, the Albatross would be ideal for the work. 



Because they are small and ill equipped for research and, above all, uncerti- 

 fied by the U.S. Coast Guard, the commercial fishing boats are often held in port 

 by the weather, thus tying up the time of several biologists, awaiting better con- 

 ditions. Even under ideal weather conditions, such boats are imcomfortable, 

 so it is questionable if the scientists can accomplish as much work as they would 

 on the Albatross. 



If a commercial vessel is in good condition, such as a well found Eiliner, 

 fishing regularly with an experienced crew, it can ill afford to accept a charter 

 from the Fish and Wildlife Service. They are earning too much money on 

 their own. 



It is, in fact, false economy to lay up the Albatross III. It is possible that 

 what is needed at this time is a complete and thorough investigation of man- 

 agement operations of all of the Service vessels. A research biologist should 

 not be expected to be an expert out of his own field. He has had no marine 

 education or experience required to operate a vessel, manage its schedule, or to 

 understand the problems of fishing and shipping. Responsibility for research 

 vessels for each region should be segregated under an authority completely 

 separate from laboratory administration. If the maintenance, provisioning, 

 manning, and budgeting of vessel operations were put in charge of a competent 

 marine superintendent charged with keeping the vessels in shape and ready to 

 meet the work schedules required by the various laboratories, then there would 

 be no occasion to call the Albatross III a $175,000 headache. Operating a vessel 

 is not a headache to men experienced in handling seamen or conversant with 

 the costs of various phases of ship maintenance and management. 



Thousands of dollars worth of equipment — nets, trawl doors, wire, and other 

 gear have been damaged or destroyed entirely for lack of proper care of stowage. 

 On the dock at Woods Hole is a mountain of fishing equipment rusting and 



