NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PROGRAM—1965 
533 
APPENDIX A 
THE INTERNATIONAL COOPERATIVE INVESTIGATION 
OF THE TROPICAL ATLANTIC 
Prepared by Vernon E. Brock, International Coordinator, ICITA 
BACKGROUND 
In early 1961, two programs were proposed 
for oceanographic and fishery studies in the Gulf 
of Guinea: 
1. A study of the demersal fisheries off the 
west coast of Africa, by the Commission for 
Technical Cooperation in Africa, South of the 
Sahara (CCTA). 
2. An investigation of the pelagic fishes of 
the Gulf of Guinea by the Bureau of Commercial 
Fisheries (BCF). 
Each proposal included plans for supporting 
physical, chemical and marine biological stud- 
ies. When a request for support to the Agency 
for International Development (AID) by CCTA 
brought its program to the attention of the 
Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, it was pro- 
posed that the CCTA and BCF investigations be 
carried out cooperatively. In late 1961, ata 
meeting in Lagos, Nigeria, the details of coop- 
eration between these programs were formu- 
lated. 
The Bureau's proposed program was pre- 
sented to and accepted by the Inter-Agency 
Committee on Oceanography and approved by 
the National Academy of Sciences Committee on 
Oceanography. 
In February, 1962, the BCF held a meeting 
of oceanographers from the eastern United 
States to determine their interest in a coopera- 
tive investigation of the waters of the Tropical 
Atlantic. At this meeting a high level of interest 
was apparent, augmented plans for research 
were developed, and it was proposed that these 
be submitted to the Intergovernmental Oceano- 
graphic Commission (IOC) for consideration as 
an international effort. 
The plans were presented to the Bureau of 
the IOC in April, 1962, and at the suggestion of 
this Bureau the U.S. Department of State issued 
an invitation to interested Member Nations and 
activities of the IOC to send representatives to 
a Working Group Meeting in Washington, D.C. 
33 
The representatives met in June, 1962, and de- 
veloped plans for the International Cooperative 
Investigations of the Tropical Atlantic (ICITA) 
which were adopted at the Second Session of the 
IOC in Paris in September, 1962. Nomination of 
Mr. V. E. Brock of the Bureau of Commercial 
Fisheries as International Coordinator by mem- 
bers of the International Coordination Group for 
the ICITA was approved by the Secretariat of 
the IOC. 
The ICITA plans developed at the Working 
Group Meeting in June, 1962, and adopted by the 
IOC involves mid-winter and mid-summer, mul- 
tiple vessel, synoptic surveys of the Tropical 
Atlantic, from Africa to South America and from 
18° N to 18° S latitude. The first of these two 
surveys, designated as EQUALANT I, was 
scheduled to start on February 15, 1963; the 
second, EQUALANT II, on August 1, 1963. 
EQUALANT I involves two 15-day synoptic 
surveys; separated by a 15-day period. EQUA- 
LANT II will involve one 15-day, multiple ves- 
sel, synoptic survey. 
Fourteen vessels from seven nations are 
scheduled to participate in EQUALANT I. These 
include five from the United States (CHAIN, 
CRAWFORD, EXPLORER, GERONIMO and 
OREGON), three from the Soviet Union (LOMO- 
NOSOV, ZVEZDA and OLONEZ), two from 
Brazil (BAEPENDI and BERTIOGA) and one 
each from Argentina (A.R.A. COMODORO 
LASERRE), Republic of Ivory Coast (REINE 
POKOU), Nigeria (KIARA), and Republic of 
Congo, Brazzaville (OMBANGO). See Figure 1 
for vessel tracks, EQUALANT I. 
It is anticipated that 16 vessels from 10 
nations will participate in EQUALANT II. These 
include five from the United States (ALAMINOS, 
GERONIMO, PILLSBURY and possibly the 
HORIZON and one U. S. Coast Guard vessel, 
three from the USSR, one each from Republic 
of Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Republic of Congo 
(Brazzaville) and possibly one each from Brazil, 
Argentina, Spain, Japan and Poland. 
In brief, the plans forthe programs common 
to all vessels call for oceanographic stations to 
