12,; EIGHTH PACIFIC SCIENCE CONGRESS 



CHINA 



In spite of tremendous difficulties there are some observations of 

 sea water temperature, and some fisheries studies being made. There are 

 plans to establish a research center for fisheries and oceanography which 

 will unite all the work. 



DENMARK 



The Galathea Expedition fished in the bottoms of the Kermadec, 

 Solomon, Banda, Java and Philippine deeps and found a variety of ani- 

 mals and live bacterial cultures right down to 10,000 metres depth. Tem- 

 perature and salinity samples were also taken, and production of organic 

 matter was studied by means of Carbon 14. 



FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE 

 UNITED NATIONS 



This organization sponsored the creation of the Indo-Pacific Fish- 

 eries Council. It is evident that oceanographic research in the tropical 

 regions of Asia has been scanty. The lack of knowledge in the Western 

 Pacific and Indian Oceans is one of the largest gaps in the scientific 

 exploration of the earth. The Indo-Pacific Fisheries Council has under- 

 taken to promote the exploration and utilization of the fisheries of this 

 region by member governments. Oceanography is an essential feature 

 of the program. Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, New Caledonia and 

 the Philippines have conducted oceanographic programs in their own 

 coastal waters. The Galathea Expedition from Denmark explored some 

 of the waters of the Indian and Western Pacific waters, particularly the 

 great depths. However, it seems that no organization is ready to under- 

 take the over-all sustained exploration and research which is required 

 to exploit the potential food supplies in these seas. The Indo-Pacific 

 Fisheries Council proposes that all the countries in the area coordinate 

 their efforts and pool their results so that each may profit from the work 

 of all. A meeting which some of you attended was held a few days ago 

 to discuss this project. If such a plan can be put into effect, it may well 

 equal the excellent work of the Conseil Permanent pour FExploration 

 de la Mer, and add materially to the food resources of southeastern Asia. 

 The growing interest in oceanographic research by the countries of the 

 south and southwest Pacific and the activities of the Indo-Pacific region 

 seem most promising. 



GREAT BRITAIN 



From October, 1951, to January, 1952, the Royal Research Ship Dis- 

 covery II made oceanographic surveys between Australia and Antarctica. 

 The primary object of this work was to fill in the gaps left by the pre- 



