TiVHAT CAN GOVERMENT DO TO HELP AMERICAN 

 TUNA FJi3IIIN-G illj, THE FUT17RE?, 



The various types of government assistance rendered to the 

 dcanestic tuna industry by the United States Government have been 

 indicated or mentioned briefly. More detailed consideration was 

 given to activity which government could undertake to help 

 American fishing in the futxireo A discussion of this follows 

 under the three headings technical assistance, international 

 relations and manpower. 



Technical Assistance 



Lack of basic knowledge on the life history, movements, and 

 abundance of the various species of tuna has been a contributing 

 factor to the problems faced by the American tuna industry and 

 the various countries off which tuna are caught. The Inter-American 

 Tropical Tuna Commission^/ is engaged in a scientific research 

 program studying both the tuna and tuna bait resources in an effort 

 to establish basic knowledge upon which a sound evaluation of the 

 extent and potentialities of the tuna populations may be made and 

 which can be used, if and when needed, in fixing regulations to 

 insure protection of the tuna and bait resources from possible 

 depletion. The convention between the United States and Costa 

 Rica establishing the Commission judiciously included a provision 

 (Art, V, par, 3) by which any nation yJiose nationals participate 

 in the tuna fishery may become a member. This is, then, a basic 

 tool by which, and around which, a program of cooperative research 

 and friendly and equitable relations can be built and maintained. 

 In the past Ihe research program of the Commission has been limited 

 due to a shortage of operating funds. Members of the tuna industry 

 have expressed the opinion that one of the most important things 

 the Government can do is provide the Commission with sufficient 

 funds to carry out its proposed program of tuna research, 



27/ Established by a convention between the United States and Costa 

 Hice, signed at Washington, May 31> 19h9o 



419 



