Fcmrth Cruise 



The survey area was between iU° 22' - U° 2^'N and 163° 30' - 169° 3A' 

 E. Temperatures were 14.3° to 16.7° at the surface, and 7.1° to 11.7° at 50 

 meters. The water color was rather unfavorable, transparencies vrerc from 

 10 to 18 meters. No current was perceived. 



5. Relationship of weather and currents to schools and bait-taking 



Throughout all four cruises few albacore were taken and fcv; data arc 

 available so the fishing situation cannot be made clear, however, judging 

 by the area covered by this year's investigations the catch rates appear 

 to be better when the sky is overcast and there is seme vdnd and a sea 

 running. During the whole period of the investit^-.tions no albacore school 

 was seen at the surface, and the catch on the longlines was sparse. On the 

 fourth cruise there were some sets where the etch rate ?jas comparatively 

 good, but the catch was spotty and it appeared that the schools v;ere small. 

 On the fourth cruise some fish v/cre taken on the trolling lines, but the 

 schools were sparse and the fish did not take the hait well. 



6. Methods of keeping bait and relation of freshness to bait-taking 



Three types of bait were used - frozen squid, frozen sardines, and 

 salted sardines. The squid were kept in containers holding 80 to 100 and 

 were placed under the ice in the ice boxes. The frozen sardines, which 

 were packed 200 to the box, were similarly stored. The salted srrdirE s, 

 in containers of 200 or 300 fish, v/ere stowed in deck lockers. Because of 

 the lack of refrigeration machinery on this vessel, over a long period of 

 tine the frozen squid and sardines camo to bo in a poor state of preserva- 

 tion. The squid could be used for about 20 days after leaving port but they 

 could not be prevented from turning red. The frozen sardines did not keep 

 well on a long voyage. Their bellies burst and thoy were not as effective 

 in actual use as the salted fish, however, it is thought that they are 

 more attractive to the fish than are salted sardines. 



/a table of data on bait is omitted here._/ 



7. Sizes of the largest and smallest albacore taken (vreights, lengths) and 

 the number and average size of the fish taken in the biggest single catch 



The Icrgest ftth ttken v;as 3 shaku 6 gjn 5 bu / 3 feet, 4,. 2 inches_7 

 and weighed 7 kan 800 momme / 64.,8l pound s__7. The smallest x'-as 1 shaloi 

 6 sun 5 bu /I foot, 6,6 inches_7 I'^ng and weighed 900 momm e l_l,k pounds_/. 

 The biggest single catch was A7 fish, the average "/ei; ht of which vras 5.8 

 pounds and the average length of which was 1,7 feet. 



8. Methods of handling and preserving the freshness of the catch 



Immediately after capture the albacore were wrapped in sulfite paper 

 and muslin and stowed with ice in the ice-boxes. Other tunas were opened 

 up and gutted immediately after capture. They were then washed, ^Trapped 

 in sulfite paper and muslin and stov;ed in ice. 



9» Place and manner of sale y\L 



