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2. The very small number of small-scale laboratory 



studies of the survival of young of coiranercially im- 

 portant marine pelagic species has not significantly 

 increased in the past two years. Hov;ever, there is 

 provision for a modest start on this important problem 

 at several BCF laboratories in the 1962 budget. In- 

 formation to be gained from such investigations is 

 crucial to understanding fluctuations in populations 

 and hence to intelligent management and use of 

 fishery resources. 



3. Interest in fish behavior studies has increased and 



some projects are underway. Lack of both adequate 

 a^^uarium facilities and sufficient trained personnel 

 impede development in this field. 



4. Some progress has been made on the development and uce 



of anchored unmanned recording buoys.* Two or three 

 prototype instruments are currently in operation off 

 California, and Baja California, financed, in part, by 

 the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries. They are still 

 far from the stage of development where they can be 

 reliably employed in a wide-spread netv/ork. This 

 stage could be reached soon if additional vigorous 

 effort were devoted to their development. Equipment 

 costs appear to have been correctly estimated. It is 

 still too early to verify estimates for servicing and 

 data reduction, /another buoy, financed by a national 

 Science Foundation grant to the University of Washing- 

 ton is being developed for use on Cobb Searaount. The 

 Uoods Hole Oceanographic Institution is developing 

 buoys. 



5« Only very preliminary consideration has been given to 



the development and employment of mesoscaphes.* Design 

 and planning of such devices should be accelerated. 

 Although the iTavy should have a major interest in such 

 devices, their uses for research on the living resources 

 of the sea are also important. Ilesoscaphes should be 

 designed, built and operated by both the ilavy and BCF. 



'See also Section E. 



