o o 



Waters around the Lesser Sunda Islands and Timor (8 to 1 5 S. 



115° to 130° E. 



This sea area of about 350, 000 square miles adjoining on the east the area described 

 in the foregoing section will be characterized as the waters of the Lesser Sunda archipelago and 

 and the islsmd of Timor. 



The pattern of the ocean currents from July to September, the season in which the 

 southerly winds are nnost predonninant, is roughly as follows. There is a conspicuous current 

 which comes from the region of the Arafura Sea to the southeast and passes in a westerly direc- 

 tion through this sea area. In the vicinity of the eastern end of the island of Timor this current 

 divides into two branches, one flowing north into the Banda and Flores seas while the other 

 branch continues flowing westward through this sea area. Its velocity is rather high, exceeding 

 1 knot per hour. 



From January to March, when the northerly winds are strong, the pattern of the 

 ocean currents changes completely. A rather strong current which flows northeastward along 

 the west coast of Australia passes away to the eastward adong the southern side of the archipelagc^ 

 and along the northern side of the islands there is a current which flows in an easterly direction 

 from the Java Sea area. These two currents of different origins unite in the vicinity of the 

 eastern extremity of this sea area and flow into the Araifura Sea region. As was noted earlier in 

 the section on the waters off Java, a conspicuous current boundary appears running southwestward 

 from the vicinity of the Lombok Strait at the western extremity of the area, and the water systems 

 of this area and those of the waters off Java are completely different. 



The color of the water during this season of southerly winds is about II to III on 

 Forel's scale. Transparency also appears to be rather low. Water temperatures are gener- 

 ally low, with 25 C. to 27 C. indicated for the surface layer, 24 C. to 26 C. at 50 meters, 

 auid about 20 C. at 100 meters. 



During the season of northerly winds the water color is about I to II on the Forel 

 scale, and transparencies range from 25 to 30 meters. Water tennperatures are conspicuously 

 higher than during the season of southerly winds, the surface layer having 29 C. or even higher, 

 with 27 C. to 28 C. at 50 meters, and 23 C. to 26 C. at 100 meters, subject to local varia- 

 tions. 



The data available for this area are the results of the investigations of the Hakuyo 

 Maru, Haruna Maru, Shonan Maru, Zuiho Maru (research vessel of the former South Seas govern- 

 ment, and the Kiyo Maru (former research vessel of Wakayama Prefecture). Furthe rnnore, the 

 mothership-type tuna fishing operations of the T5bu Suisan Connpany also extended into this area, 

 but it is not known what success they had. The following table is a summary of these data. 



Table 15. --Fishing conditions in the waters of Tinnor 

 and the Lesser Sunda Islands 



On the whole the catch rates are, as shown in the foregoing table, rather high eind this area is 

 adjudged to be an excellent fishing ground. Data are scarce so it is difficult to make a thorough- 

 going comparison, however, the following table compares the fishing situation during the two 

 seasons. 



50 



