■27- 



a. Organisms eaten (qualitative and quantitative 

 analyses of stomach contents). 



b. Standing crop of nekton (qualitative and quan- 

 titative analyses of mid- water trawl collections). 



c. Standing crop of zooplankton (qualitative and 

 quantitative analyses of zooplankton collections). 



d. Phytoplankton productivity (C^^ uptake). 



3. Investigate subpopulations (serology of apex predators: tunas, 

 billfish, and sharks). 



k. Distribution and abundance of larval and juvenile fish (plankton 

 and night-light collections) . 



5. Zoogeography of zooplankton and zooplankton forms as biological 

 indicators (distribution and abundance of selected zooplankters 

 such as copepods of the genus Candacia) . 



6. Taxonomy, occurrence, and distribution of demersal fishes and 

 invertebrates. 



This program will be carried out by personnel of the Bureau's 

 Biological Laboratory, Honolulu, aboard the ANTON BRUUN. On cruises 

 2 and ^, a party of 8 fishermen and 3 scientists will be embarked to 

 engage in longline fishing as follows: 



a. On each cruise, fish 60 baskets of gear at each station. 

 Occupy 16 stations along each of two meridian; I3 of 



the stations to be at 5° latitude intervals and remaining 

 3 stations to be occupied in areas of high abundance. 



b. Data and biological samples to be collected. 



(1) Catch (by species) and effort, 



(2) Length and/or weight of each fish. 



(3) Sex and general state of maturation. 



(k) Preserve stomachs in 10 percent formalin. 



(5) Preserve ovaries in 10 percent formalin. 



(6) Preserve blood samples for serological studies. 



(7) Preserve selected whole specimens for taxonomic studies, 



