distribution. Second, an investigation of the geographic, seasonal, and 

 bathymetric distribution of the phytoplankton will be made. Third, 

 an investigation of the currents, " fertilizer salts," oxygen concentration, 

 and the penetration of light, all factors which influence photosynthetic 

 activity in the water, will complete the project. 



This undertaking is of great significance both to the fundamental 

 concepts of oceanography in the tropics and to studies of commercial 

 fisheries. It will coincide with the programme recommended by the 

 Pacific Science Conference {Pacific Sci., 1 (1) 59, 1947), with the pro- 

 gramme of physical oceanography to the initiated at the Hawaii 

 Marine Laboratory (Hiatt, 1948), and with the pelagic fisheries investi- 

 gation to be undertaken by the Pacific Oceanic Fishery Investigation 

 in the central Pacific. 



There is neither sufficient staff nor funds available at present to 

 launch the complete study, but a " pilot operation " to define major 

 trends for later investigation was initiated this year. We expect it 

 to show whether there is a marked variation in the plankton seasonally, 

 bathymetrically, or geographically ; to produce man}^ of the larvae of 

 fish and invertebrates important in piecing together life-histories now 

 being studied ; to indicate what food organisms are available to pelagic 

 fish ; and to assay the contribution of the reef and shore fauna to the 

 pelagic realm surrounding the Islands. 



Other active research projects which dovetail into this major study 

 include (1) a study of the relation of the reef and shore fauna to the 

 economy of the neritic and oceanic regions, (2) a study of the life-histories 

 of fish having pelagic larval and post-larval stages, (3) a study of the life 

 cycles of invertebrates important in the food-chains leading to fish of 

 commercial importance, and (4) a stud}' of the food and feeding habits 

 of pelagic fish in the Hawaiian area. 



Applied Oceanography. — Aside from naval uses, applications of 

 oceanographic information have been and are being made principally 

 in fishery biology. Four agencies are co-operating closely in carrying 

 out this phase of the work. The Co-operative Fisheries Research Staff 

 of the Territorial Division of Fish and Game and the University of Hawaii 

 has been engaged in various aspects of fishery research for the past 

 three years. Present projects comprise (1) a study of the biology of 

 the tuna baitfish (Engraulis purpureus) in which the distribution, 

 population trends, reproductive cycle and potential, localized endemism, 

 (racial studies), age and growth, food and feeding habits, and methods 

 of catching and holding are receiving most attention, (2) a study of 

 pollution in Hilo Harbour which has virtually removed this port as a 

 tuna fishing centre because of the rapid mortality of baitfish held in 

 bait wells under present conditions, (3) a study of experimental trolling 

 techniques for tuna in which deep trolling in relation to the thermocline 

 is being tried for the first time, (4) a study of the occurrence of eg§,, 

 larval, and post-larval forms of the tunas in the high seas of the 

 Hawaiian area, (5) a morphometric study of statistically proven 

 characters of Hawaiian tunas to ascertain the racial composition of the 

 stock and to compare Hawaiian tuna with tuna, reputedly conspecific. 

 in other sections of the Pacific, and (6) several studies on invertebrates, 

 including ecological succession on developing coral reefs, the sponges 

 of Hawaii, and the snapping shrimps of Hawaii. This latter study 



