the Solomon archipelago. However, these currents are all extremely weak and the islands make 

 thenn remarkably complex. 



Water temperatures from the Equator to 5 S. 



to 29° C. 



latitude are 27 

 5° C. at the 50-meter level, and 16 C. to 26 C, at 100 meters. 



at the 

 surface, 24" C. to 28.5" C. at the 50-meter level, and 16" C. to 2b C. at 100 meters. They 

 vary greatly from one locadity to another. Farther to the south the temperatures are somewhat 

 lower, but they still appear to be subject to wide local variation. Water color and transparency 

 also show marked local fluctuations. 



From July to September, the season when the southeast winds are strong, the 

 currents generally flow from east to west ajid their strength becomes more marked. Under the 

 influence of the topography the direction of the currents varies somewhat from place to place, 

 but throughout the sea axea as a whole the currents clearly flow from east to west. 



Few data are available to show the water temperatures and other hydrographic 

 conditions, and it is impossible to examine them in detail, however, in the vicinity of the 

 Equator the teniperatures appear to be about 28 C. to 29 C. at the surface, about 28 C. at 50 

 meters, and 20 C. to 26 C. at the 100-meter level. It is deduced that in the southern part of 

 the Solomons Jirea the temperatures will be somewhat lower than during the season of 

 northwesterly winds. 



It appears that during the season of northwesterly winds the area off the north coast 

 of New Guinea has rather high winds and rough seas, and operating nnay be difficult at times. 

 The seas of the Solomon Islands region are generally calm. It seems that during the season in 

 which the southeasterly winds prevail, the wind and sea in the Solomon Islands region axe high 

 and from time to time fierce squalls visit the area so that care is probably necessary in conduct- 

 ing fishing operations. Off the north coast of New Guinea the sea is extremely calm. 



Data for this area are principally those reported by the HakuyB Maru. Some 

 investigations were also carried on by the Zuiho Maru euid the Kiyo Maru. The following table 

 summzirizes these data. 



Table 26. --Fishing conditions in the waters around 

 New Guinea and the Solomon Islands 



The overall catch rate is 5.9, a rather high figure. The above table also includes 

 some data from the Banda Sea area east of 130 E. longitude. It can hardly be considered rea- 

 sonable to discuss simultaneously two completely different sea areas. Consequently, the data 

 of the above table have been divided into those for the BaJida Sea area and those for the Pacific 

 region and are presented in the following two tables. 



64 



