REPORT OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON 

 OCEANOGRAPHY OF THE PACIFIC 



Prepared by 



Thomas G. Thompson/ Chairman; and 

 John P. Tully,^ Secretary 



PART I 

 GENERAL STATEMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 



The greatest impetus given to the science of oceanography in the 

 past few years, other than man's unquenchable thirst for new knowl- 

 edge, has been the desire to increase the food resources of the world 

 which have their origin in the sea. Prior to World War II only a rela- 

 tively few countries were concerned with the study of oceanography, 

 even though all of the Pacific Science Congresses have continually 

 stressed the importance of exploring and exploiting the seas as a source 

 of food, in order to feed rapidly growing and sometimes hungry popu- 

 lations. The necessity for looking to the sea, which covers about 

 seventy per cent of the surface of the earth, as a source for additional 

 food is now being realized by many political leaders, and other far-seeing 

 individuals in many countries. For the Pacific area this has been espe- 

 cially significant since the 7th Pacific Science Congress. Stressed also 

 is the importance of collaboration for research, conservation and the 

 free exchange of scientific information. 



The seas may be searched far and wide, shallow and deep to find 

 the habitats of the fish. This is the historical method. Fish are where 

 you find them. This method is not very efficient for tire fish are here 

 today and somewhere else tomorrow. 



If dependence is to be made upon the fisheries for an assured food 

 supply, the optimum conditions for each particular fishery must be 

 known as well as when and where such conditions will occur. The 

 adaption of proper and economical fishing methods for the different 

 fisheries in various areas must receive detailed attention and study, al- 

 though the methods of the commercial fisheries are not in the realm 

 of oceanography. 



The oceanographer reasons that the fish will seek those parts of 

 the sea where the food of the fish is most plentiful, where optimum 



^ Professor of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle 5, Washington, U.S.A. 

 - Oceanographer in Charge, Pacific Oceanographic Group, Nanaimo, B.C., Canada. ' 



