74 
teristics of tides for all the tidal waters around the Soviet Union. 
In 1941 the Hydrographic Directorate of the Soviet Navy published 
tide tables for all the oceans and seas in the world.® 
Soon after the war, Soviet oceanographic work was intensified. In 
1947 Soviet scientists began their work aboard ships of the Slava 
Whaling Flotilla during its operations in the Antarctic. Almost 1,000 
hydrologic stations were made in Antarctic waters during the period 
1947-57. During this time, many hydrologic stations were also made 
in the Pacific Ocean. Soviet oceanographic research in the North 
Atlantic began in 1951, utilizing fishing trawlers. It was sharply in- 
creased in 1954, when the observations began to be conducted simul- 
taneously by several ships, assuming the character of oceanographic 
surveys. Soviet oceanography was very active during the International 
Geophysical Year, 1957-59. 
Between the Revolution and World War II Soviet oceanographic 
research, primarily hydrographic in nature, was conducted mainly in 
the contiguous seas. Although not far behind the world level of that 
period, Soviet oceanography did not distinguish itself, except for the 
scope of the Arctic research and the resulting knowledge. Since World 
War II, however, the Soviet Union has gradually and steadily inten- 
sified its oceanographic efforts, placing initial emphasis on expeditions 
and the collection of much needed data. 
FISHING INDUSTRY 
Fish have always been an important part of the Russian diet. Prior 
to the 1917 October Revolution, fishing was rather well developed 
in Russia, especially in the areas adjoining seas and along large rivers 
and lakes. Expensive fish such as sturgeon, and fish products such 
as caviar, were among the famous Russian export items. Most of 
the catch was brought by individual fishermen, though fishing by 
specially formed communes and fishing villages was also quite com- 
mon. The amount of “fresh water’ fish far exceeded ‘‘salt water” 
catch. Immediately after the Revolution, the Soviet Government in- 
itiated a number of measures designed to increase the supply of fish. 
By special decree of the Council of People’s Commissars, dated 
December 9, 1918, the Main Directorate for fishing and the fishing 
industry known as Glavryba, headed by a special collegium, was or- 
ganized. Soon, however, due to the ineffectiveness of that organization 
and the urgent need to increase the fish supply, another decree of 
the Council of People’s Commissars of May 31, 1921, liquidated the 
state monopoly on fishing and gave Glavryba greater independence 
over the administrative, financial, and business aspects. 
Starting in 1926, Gosplan issued the first “control figures” for 
developing the fishing plan. In 1928, the first 5 Year Plan for the 
development of the fishing industry was worked out. The main goals 
of the plan were: accelerated catch growth, reduced cost of fishing, 
development of fishing fleet, and complete removal of private Soviet 
capital from the fishing industry (foreign concession rights were left 
temporarily untouched). Under a new order from the Soviet Govern- 
ment, however, the 5 Year Plan for the fishing industry was drastically 
*2“Morskoy Sbornik”’ No. 7, 1967, pp. 47-49. 
