west side vdth complex lines of discontinuity. On the first hnlf of the third 

 cruise the currents wore westerly, but in the latter part of the cruise the 

 lines of discontinuity were complex, the direction of the current '/vas 

 diverse, and good albacorc fishing was found. 



(b) Water temperature and color 



On the first cruise the water temperature and color were extremely 

 favorable. On the second cruise the surface and middle layers had loner 

 temperatures than those encountered on the first cruise; the water color 

 was ordinary. Temperatures rantjed from 17.2° to 22.0° on the surface, 

 11.1° to 15.5° at 50 meters, 9.6° to 13.5° at 100 motors, and 8.0° to U.l° 

 at 200 meters. On the third crui.3e the water color was unf avor'^ble, bcin;]; 

 about 3 to 4.. ^ater temperatures ranjcd from 13.4° to 17.5° at the surface, 

 9.2° to 17.5° at 50 meters, 8.1° to 11.5° r.t 100 meters, and 6.3° to 9.2° 

 at 200 meters. 



No albacore wore taken on the first criiise, 67 were taken on the second 

 cruise, and the biggest catch, 950 fish, was made on the third cruise. The 

 wnter temperatures given above were taken at one end of the lines. Observa- 

 tions of the surface temperatures vjhile patrolling the lines showed varia- 

 tions of about 0.2° to 0.5°. 



On the second cruise while fishing at /^2° 12 'N, 178° 45.5'E at the 

 easternmost extremity of this vessel's survey area many schools of small 

 saury / Cololabis snira / were seen. They vrorc being pursued by many schools 

 of albacorc, but few were taken on the lines, ^ith salted sardines as 

 bait for pole fishing 11 fish of various sizes were cau^rht, hcrover, it is 

 thought that this probably v/ould have afforded good fishing if li-'c bait 

 had been used. 



On the third cruise it appeared that the fish were dispersed over a 

 wide area without relation to the plankton, and as the vessel moved south- 

 ward the fishing gradually seemed to improve. 



5. Schools and signs of life on the sea, relation of the condition of the 

 schools to bait-takin^, and the relation of v«;athcr and currents to bait- 

 taking 



(a) Schools and signs of life on the sea 



On the first cruise there were generally few signs of life, only an 

 occasional bird being seen. (Area III was the liveliest with many largo 

 schools of skipjack sighted.) During the latter part cf the second cruise 

 and during the third cruise there were many birds. The longline catch was 

 better on the third cruise, when no swimming schools were seen, than on the 

 second cruise, when such schools were siL,hted. 



(b) Relationship of weather and currents to bait-taking 



Ordinarily better fishing i-ns had 'ijhcn the surf'^ce of the sea was 

 rough than when it vns calm. Direction of currents had more effect than 

 their speed, and places where the currents were complexly intermingled 



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