PRESEIJT BAIT RESEARCH— NATURAL BAIT 



The Inter-American Traplc&l Tuna Commission, at present adhered 

 to by Costa Rica and the United States, with research headquarters at 

 San DiegOy is undertaking research on "the biology-p ecology, and distri- 

 bution of the tropical bait fishes. This agency is now collecting 

 bait samples from some of the t\ina boats upon their arrival at San 

 Di(^Oo At the present time the research is in the preliminary stages* 

 A tag for bait fish to assist in studying migrations and other matters 

 has been developed, 



California sardineSj, in addition to being valuable for food and 

 fish meal, fish oil and condensed fish solubles, are an important bait 

 fisho The sardine investigations, conducted cooperatively by the 

 California Academy of Sciences,, California Department of Fish and Game, 

 Stanford University (Hopkins Marine Station), the Fish and Tifiidlife 

 Service, and the University of California (Sci'ipps Institution of 

 Oceanography) may be of value also from the standpoint of bait re- 

 search „ 



In Peru, under the auspices of the Peruvian Division of Fish and 

 Oane and the Guano Company.o there is research being conducted concerning 

 biological aspects of the anchovy o The relationship of anchovies to 

 the substance known as "guano" is the purpose of this wo:ti<y but it may 

 have indirect value towards bait research because anchovies are one of 

 the bait fishes, 



PRESENT BAIT RESEARCH--SYNTHET1C BAIT 



The American Tunaboat Association under the directin of its 

 research director has developed a synthetic minnow made of porous 

 plastic. This plastic is capable of absorbing liquids. At the present 

 time the plastic minnows cost t«n cents each to produce, but with mass 

 production the price might be as low as two cents each, a^ wha.ch price 

 they might be economically feasible, according to the research directc(r<, 



The Pacific Oceanic Fishery Investigations staff in cooperation 

 with the University of Hawaii has conducted experiments as to the 

 feeding reactions of certain captive tuna. An as-yet-unidentified 

 substance in the dark flesh and blood of tuna, when introduced into the 

 water, appears to create a feeding reaction in the tuna. The feeding 

 tests were conducted in ponds at Coconut Island, To H, 



223 



