UNDERWATER TELEVISION VffllCLE 

 FOR USE IN FISHERIES RESEARCH 



INTRODUCTION 



There has long been a recognized need for better direct 

 visual undersea observations to further research in fishing methods 

 and equipment. The inability of fishery researchers to observe 

 properly the characteristics of fishing gear in operation has allowed 

 but a small measure of success by trial and error methods. Since 

 most fishing gear in operation involves motion underwater, an improved 

 means of continued observation was required to see and record fishing 

 gear in operation and the behavior of fishes in and around the fishing 

 gear. 



Underwater television has been used to great advantage in the 

 United States, Great Britain, and Canada in submarine salvage, under- 

 sea inspections, and in some fresh-v;ater biological surveys. The U. S. 

 Navy Bureau of Ships has for some time pursued the development of 

 underwater television for various applications. The U. S. Fish and 

 Wildlife Service initiated an experimental project to determine the 

 practicability of the application of industrial television equipment 

 to observations of fishing gear and fishing operations. 



In November 195ii, the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the 

 U. S. Navy Bureau of Ships conducted a joint operation using underwater 

 television to teleview experimental trawling gear off Miami Beach, 

 Florida, A motion picture of the televised observatidns was taken by 

 kinescope photogrqjhy. This operation was the first instance in which 

 underwater television was used to observe and record a complete fishing 

 operation at sea. 



As a result of this and other early successful experiments a 

 general design was drawn for a prototype ranotely controlled under- 

 water television vehicle to allow operation with existing industrial 

 television equipment. The resulting underwater television vehicle 

 described in this report was designed by the authors. It is the pur- 

 pose of this report to describe the prototype underwater television 

 vehicle, and to review its demonstrated utility as a practical research 

 tool in fisheries and related marine investigations. 



We wish to express our thanks to Mr. J. R. R. Harter, U. S. 

 Navy Bureau of Ships; Mr. W. W. Torrington, National Research Council 

 of Canada, and l-Ir. Norman Bean of station WTVJ-TV, Miani, Florida. 

 The friendly cooperation and exchange of information extended to us 

 has materially aided our undersea television work. 



