Unfortunately, there was a limited coverage during the January 

 1957 cruise (5701), Two vessels had been scheduled to make this cruise, 

 but only one participated due to emergency repair of the other. Most 

 of the stations occupied were in the southern area. There was no 

 coverage in the area off southern California and northern Baja Cali- 

 fornia during August and September 1957, and partial coverage during 

 November and December, The area off central Baja California was occu- 

 pied monthly between January and October with coverage limited to the 

 inshore portion during August and September, This area was not occu- 

 pied during November and December 1957, 



The average monthly plankton volumes taken in the area off southern 

 California and northern Baja California (station lines 80-107) for the 

 months of February through July, 1951-1957, are given in text table 3, 

 The average monthly plankton volumes in the area off central Baja Cali- 

 fornia (lines 110-137) for the same time period are sunnnarized in text 

 table 4. 



The average volume of plankton obtained on each cruise during 

 1957 is compared with the monthly averages of the preceding six years 

 (1951-1956) combined in figure 2, In the area off southern California 

 and northern Baja California, plankton volumes reached a peak in i^ril 

 1957 and decreased markedly thereafter. Volumes were larger during 

 February through April than the six-year average for these months, and 

 progressively smaller during May through July than the six-year average. 



In the area off central Baja California, 1957 plankton volumes 

 were not as markedly different from those of the preceding six-year 

 period as in the northern area. The largest volumes were taken earlier 

 in the year, however, the peak month in this area being March in 1957, 

 with volumes progressively decreasing thereafter through August, 



It is with deep pleasure that the author acknowledges the 

 cooperation given by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in the 

 collection of data at sea. All personnel of the Bureau of Commercial 

 Fisheries Biological Laboratory, La Jolla, California, contributed to 

 this project - many devoting their full time to it. 



