170 OCEANOGRAPHY 



uses of information derived from this program are applied and classified. I would 

 be pleased to present the classified aspects of our program to this subcommittee 

 should it so desire. This presentation, however, will be unclassified. 



As you can see from the exhibit, the Navy has a continuing need for basic 

 research information leading to the development of new and improved materials. 

 techni(iues, and equipments for the prevention of marine biological deterioration 

 and fouling. The Navy, since World War II, has been successful in develop- 

 ing a niunber of improved protective agents for reducing marine biological de- 

 terioration and fouling. However, continuing technological developments of 

 high i)erformance equipments and vehicles required in naval operations present 

 new deterioration and fouling problems which can best be met by encouraging 

 basic hydrobiological research aimed at obtaining a better understanding of 

 the behavior of marine animals and plants, and thereby yielding scientific 

 information which ultimately will be useful in controlling them. 



The next illustration indicates how a wide variety of marine animals ranging 

 from very small forms up through the largest marine mammals can inter- 

 fere with the transmission and reception of acoustic energies under water. 

 This is an important hydrobiological problem in the fields of submarine and 

 antisubmarine warfare, mine countermeasures, etc. It is considered essential 

 that we obtain more information regarding those animals which either actively 

 or passively can interfere with the propagation of acoustic energies. Not only 

 must we identify these organisms, but we must have sufficient basic informa- 

 tion regarding their behavior and population distribution throughout the year 

 in all geographic areas of interest to the Navy so that we may be in a better 

 position to predict the types and degree of biological interference with under- 

 water acoustics which the Navy may expect to encounter in a specific locality 

 at any given time. 



The next picture illustrates another complex of problems of continuing concern 

 to the Navy — namely, the protection of naval personnel against poisonous, 

 venomous, and carnivorous marine animals. This involves not only our obvious 

 and continuing concern with the protection of survivors at sea against attacks 

 from sharks, but also it includes the necessity for building up a body of basic 

 information which can be used to protect the underwater swimmer against 

 sharks, barracuda, moray eels, poisonous sea urchins, and corals, and a whole 

 host of other dangerous marine animals which increase the operational hazards 

 of the underwater swimmer. Closely related is the problem of protecting naval 

 personnel as well as civilian populations residing in geographic areas that are 

 under the administrative jurisdiction of the Navy against ichthyotoxism, or 

 so-called fish poisoning. I am not speaking about the toxological effects of 

 ingesting rancid or decayed food products. This problem is concerned with the 

 fact that many species of edible fish may, at certain times of the year and in a 

 manner not yet understood, become toxic, producing serious physiological upsets 

 and sometimes resulting in the death of a person who may eat the fish. This 

 was a very serioiis problem in the Pacific theater of operations during World 

 War II when the military and civilian populations attempted to augment the 

 food supply from local sources. It still is an oft-recurring problem. 



Marine bioluminescence is also of interest to the Navy, as you can see from 

 the next illustration. Frequently, populations of marine organisms will emit 

 light when disturbed mechanically as, for example, by a submarine at periscope 

 depth, the movement of a surface ship, or the action of underwater swimmers. 

 The result is that our movements can be detected by enemy aircraft flying 

 overhead. 



The Navy supports basic hydrobiological research in an effort to utilize certain 

 marine organisms or their products. A number of the applications in this cate- 

 gory are classified. However, as you can see from the next illustration, we are 

 making an effort to obtain basic hydrobiological data, specifically on the seasonal 

 and geographic distribution of various marine animals and i)lants that can be 

 utilized to sustain naval personnel under emergency survival conditions at sea. 

 Similarly, the Navy is supporting marine microbiological research including 

 investigations of marine and fresh-water algae in an effort to determine the 

 feasibility of develoi)ing photosynthetic gas exchangers suitable for maintaining 

 viable atmospheres in submarines. In addition, data resulting from the hydro- 

 biology program has led to the discovery of a new antibiotic which was derived 

 from marine algae. This antibiotic in laboratory tests appears to be a very 

 potent substance against a broad spectrum of pathogenic bacteria, including the 

 staphylococcus organisms. 



The third i)hase of the Navy's interests in hydrobiology is depicted in the 

 next illustration. As you know, manv marine animals as well as land animals 



