09 



1 



The U.S. Government assisted in construction of the 297-foof, 3,12i)-ton 

 freezer stern trawler Scafreeze Atlantic and licr -sister sliij) the Seafreeze 

 Pacific under the WO.'f Fishing Fleet Inijirovement Act. Christened in 

 1968, they are the largest in the U.S. fishing fleet. 



The program is needed also to establish the 

 basic datum for manaofinfc fish resources on a 

 rational basis. Only l)y delineating resource 

 potentials can overfishing be detected before 

 the damage is done and new fishing grounds 

 be iilentified to relieve the pressures on the 

 old. 



The speed -.vith which potential fishing 

 areas can be systematically evaluated depends 

 on funding, personnel, the availability of 

 ship time, and the efficiency of survey tecli- 

 niques. A survey program which gives pri- 

 ority to species and areas in which U.S. 

 vessels might have a strong competitive 



advantage has been outlined for the Com- 

 mission by the Btireau of Commercial Fish- 

 eries (BCF). By adding 11 chartered vessels 

 to its fleet, BCF could map completely the 

 groundfish and shellfish resources of the U.S. 

 continental shelf and complete preliminary 

 work on pelagic and midwater fisheries with- 

 in 10 yeai-s. The Conunission endorses this 

 proposal. 



Surveys and exploratory fishing designed 

 to re\eal potentially exploitable stocks must 

 be accompanied by basic studies in population 

 dynamics in order to evaluate the long-term 

 value of a new fisherv. The al)undance of the 



