Third Cruise 



After the completion of the preceding cruise the fishing gear iras put 

 in order and repairs were made to the hull. On July 21 ice and bait were 

 taken aboard and the following day the vessel sailed from llisaki. Bad 

 weather was encountered off Nojimasaki and the vessel took refuge tempo- 

 rarily at Tateyama, On the 24.th she left Tateyaraa and headed directly 

 for the fishing grounds, arriving on the fishing grounds in Area III 

 after seven days and nights of steaming. At first the vessel proceeded 

 northward from 39° 38 'N, 163° 18, 5 'E on a north-by-east course in search 

 of zones of suitable water. Many birds were seen at AA° 03 'N, 16^° 10 'E 

 and the lines were immediately set, but there was no catch other than some 

 sharks /" isurus nasus 7. A set was made on August 2 at 7^2° 25. 5 'N, 

 165*^ 23 'E, but just as in the preceding set only Isurus nasus were taken. 

 Seven more stations were fished between 4,2° and 38° 39 'N after v/hich the 

 vessel began its return voyage on August 10. After steaming for ten days 

 aiid nights she arrived on August 23 at Misaki where the catch was landed 

 and sold. On the way back a low of 7^ mm was encountered at 36° 20 'N, 

 152° i4.9'E and the vessel put out a sea-anchor and remained hove to for 2A 

 hours. 



Fourth Cruise 



After returning from the preceding cruise, repairs were made to the 

 fishing gear. On August 28 ice and bait were taken aboard and on the 29th 

 the vessel departed the Misaki base for the fishing grounds. i\ftor seven 

 days and nights of steaming she arrived on the fishing grounds of i\rea III 

 and began fishing September 6 at U3'^ 15 'N, 167° 19'E with a water tempera- 

 ture of 17°, Thereafter seven fishing trials were made in the area between 

 ^^3° and U° 20 'N and 167° 2,5' and 17/^° 33 'E with surface water temperatures 

 of 15.5° to 17,5°, however, the albacore catch was not very good. Finally 

 trials were made at ^^0° 43'N, 170° 40'E and at 4.0*^ U'N, 170 51'E, and 

 then on September 17 operations were ended and the vessel began its return 

 voyage. She arrived back at Misaki on September 28 and on the 29tb the 

 catch was landed and sold. During the trip back signs of an approaching 

 typhoon were encountered at 37° 33'N, 152° 56'E and the vessel hove to. 

 After reaching Misaki repairs were made to the fishing gear, and on 

 October 10 the albacore fishing experiments were at an end. 



4. Conditions on the fishing grounds 



First Cruise 



In the area covered by this cruise the sijirface temperatures ranged 

 from 17° to 18,1°. The maximum variation between temperatures at the surface 

 and at 50 meters was 2.5° with an average of 1,6°, Currents were generally 

 weak, with a maximum velocity of 1,5 knots and no strong currents. On the 

 fishing grounds the currents were somer/hat complex and lines of discon- 

 tinuity were encountered from time to time. 



Second Cruise 



On the fishing grounds of this cruise the surface temperatures ranged 

 from 18,4.° to 22°, A search was made for suitable vratcr, but there was 



149 



