16 EIGHTH PACIFIC SCIENCE CONGRESS 



In coastal waters the tides, tidal currents, waves and tsunamis are 

 being studied so that they may be forecast for the safety of vessels and 

 coastal populations. The physical and chemical properties of the waters 

 and their fluctuation with season, weather, and state of the sea, are 

 important to fisheries and are being studied in all areas. The total of 

 this work is enormous. 



The Japanese have given much attention to the development of 

 methods, equipment, and material for oceanographic research. Standard 

 sea water comparable to Copenhagen water is being produced. Revers- 

 ing thermometers are being manufactured, and many new instruments 

 have been designed such as recording current meters, wave recorders and 

 computers, bathythermographs, and a bathysphere. 



MALAYA 



Le Mare and Tham, in Malaya, have made a statistical analysis of 

 the relation of physical and chemical factors with the quantity of trap- 

 caught fish. They considered wind, rainfall, temperature, salinity phos- 

 phate and plankton pigment in relation to the catch of anchovy, sprat, 

 dorab and Spanish mackerel in the Singapore Straits, and solved a re- 

 gression equation for the independent variables. With this they pre- 

 dicted the monthly catch through 1948 and 1949 within twenty percent. 



Admittedly their situation is particularly suited to these analyses, 

 but they are, nevertheless, to be congratulated in solving this direct re- 

 lation; and their methods may well be extended to similar fisheries else- 

 where. 



This is an instance where one of the ultimate objects of oceanog- 

 raphy has been accomplished. 



NEW CALEDONIA 



The Laboratoire Oceanographique de I'lnstitut Francais Oceani- 

 que (The Oceanographic Laboratory of the French Ocean Institute) is 

 undertaking a large fisheries research program, with financial aid of the 

 South Pacific Commission. 



The Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle of Paris has sent Pro- 

 fessor Ranson to Tahiti to study the production of pearls and shell, and 

 to determine the best methods of exploitation. He has introduced mo- 

 dern methods of oyster culture with encouraging results. 



NEW ZEALAND 



Prior to the 7th Pacific Science Congress, there was little organized 

 oceanographic research, although a number of individuals were actively 

 engaged in various studies. Recently an intensive hydrographic sur- 

 vey program, which also includes regular observations of waves and of 



