312 OCEANOGRAPHY 1961 — PHASE 3 



personally concerned and one of the principal reasons lie wants to add 

 a science adviser to his personal staff is to intensify and coordinate 

 the Department's efforts in this field. 



Secretary Udall wishes me to express to your committee that we 

 will be happy to help you in anyway we can. Thank you very much. 



(The attachment to Mr. Paul's statement follows :) 



NORTHEAST SECTION OF THE AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY, 

 HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA, JUNE 1961 



BUEEATJ OF SpOKT FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE PBOGKAM FOB MAKINE GAME FISH 



Research 



(By Albert H. Swartz, Assistant Chief, Branch of Fishery Research, Division, 

 of Sport Fisheries, Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife) 



A marine game fish research bill was passed in 1959 known as Public Law 

 86-359. This new legislation recognizes the fast-moving trend toward the- 

 excitement and satisfaction of salt-water fishing and the need to know more 

 about the resource on which it depends. Pertinent sections of this act read as 

 follows : 



"An Act authorizing and directing the Secretary of the Interior to under- 

 take continuing research on the biology, fluctuations, status and statistics of the 

 migratory marine species of game fish of the United States and contiguous 

 waters. 



"Be it enacted iy the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States 

 of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Interior is hereby 

 directed to undertake a comprehensive continuing study of the migratory marine 

 fish of interest to recreational fishermen of the United States, including species 

 inhabiting the offshore waters -of the United States and species which migrate 

 through or spend a part of their lives in the inshore waters of the United 

 States. The study shall include, but not be limited to research on migrations, 

 identity of stocks, growth rates, mortality rates, variations in survival, environ- 

 mental influences, both natural and artificial, including pollution, and effects of 

 fishing on the species for the purpose of developing wise conservation policies and 

 constructive management activities." 



Why is game fish research important? There are a number of good reasons 

 which may be divided into the spheres of conservation, economic values, and 

 social values. 



Conservation 



Americans should know all they can possibly learn about their natural re- 

 sources. 



Knowledge is the key to solution of conservation problems now unforeseeable 

 but sure to arise in the future. 



Research can accumulate knowledge in advance of need. The crisis research 

 and "crash programs" which have characterized studies of the commercial fish- 

 eries after failure of a fishery or after massive changes in the environment can 

 be largely avoided. 



The myth of inexhaustibility of renewable resources has been exploded dur- 

 ing this century. Population pressures and shrinking fishing opportunities in- 

 land encourage people to go to the coasts for recreation and relaxation. Fishing 

 pressures are going up, especially in easily accessible fishing spots. With more 

 knowledge about the fish, fishermen will have more freedom to move around, 

 sample new areas, try different species. 



Americans need to know how marine game fish will be affected by agricultural 

 chemical applications along the coasts, other forms of pollution of coastal 

 waters, including radioactive waste disposal, and large-scale industrial and 

 navigation and other developments in the estuaries and coastal marshes. 



Research findings can lead to improved recreational opportunities by de- 

 fining good fishing grounds, explaining and predicting fluctuations in abundance, 

 by preventing unwise or uniformed restrictions, by increasing abundance through 

 scientific habitat improvement or enlargement. 



Economic values 



Marine sport fishing has been called a growing giant, and it is certainly 

 that from the standpoint of all its supporting industries — boats and motors, fuel,. 



