NOTES 
299 
United States Committee on the Oceanography of the Pacific 
The first meeting of the United States Com¬ 
mittee on the Oceanography of the Pacific was 
held on June 19 and 20, 1948, at the California 
Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, California. 
This committee was established in 1947 by the 
National Research Council through the Pacific 
Science Board to replace the former American 
National Committee on the Oceanography of 
the Pacific. Members of the reconstituted com¬ 
mittee are Thomas G. Thompson (chairman), 
Director of the Oceanographic Laboratories, 
University of Washington; Richard H. Fleming, 
Chief, Oceanographic Division, Hydrographic 
Office, Department of the Navy, Washington, 
DC.; Robert C. Miller, Director, California 
Academy of Sciences, San Francisco; Charles J. 
Fish, Supervisor, Pacific Oceanic Biology Project, 
Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole; Oscar 
E. Sette, Director, Pacific Oceanic Fishery In¬ 
vestigation, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
University of Hawaii, Honolulu; Roger Revelle, 
Associate Director, Scripps Institution of 
Oceanography, La Jolla; and Robert W. Hiatt, 
Chairman, Department of Zoology and Ento¬ 
mology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu. Har¬ 
old J. Coolidge, Executive Secretary of the 
Pacific Science Board, met with the Committee. 
The organization of American participation 
in oceanography and marine biology at the 
Seventh Pacific Science Congress to be held in 
New Zealand during February, 1949, occupied 
most of the agenda. It was decided that presen¬ 
tations at the Congress should be classified in 
three categories: (1) over-all reports covering 
the decade since the last Congress, (2) local 
regional programs, and (3) the high seas Pa¬ 
cific Basin program. Suitable titles covering 
these phases were formulated and scientists ac¬ 
tive in the various fields were asked to prepare 
papers for presentation at New Zealand. Two 
symposia, one concerning conservation of ma¬ 
rine resources and the other involving marine 
biogeographical provinces in the Pacific Basin, 
were recommended for inclusion in the pro¬ 
gram. 
A second topic on the agenda dealt with the 
need for standardization of gear and methods, 
and methods and arrangements for correlation 
and integration of programs involving the 
oceanography of the North Pacific Basin. Since 
the absence of Japanese scientists from the New 
Zealand Congress precludes the possibility of 
considering these items in detail, it was deemed 
advisable to hold a conference on this subject 
after the Congress at a time when investigators 
from all nations who would participate in 
oceanographic research in the North Pacific 
Basin would be able to attend. A subcommittee 
composed of Charles J. Fish (chairman), Robert 
W. Hiatt, and William C. Herrington was ap¬ 
pointed to consider the matter. 
Continuation of the work between Congresses 
was considered highly desirable, and to this end 
a recommendation will be made to the Science 
Congress that each country appoint a represen¬ 
tative to serve as a member of a "Standing 
Committee on Oceanography.” It is hoped that 
implementation of suggestions for co-ordinated 
work made at each Congress will be facilitated 
through such special channels. 
A special report by R. W. Hiatt on the de¬ 
velopment of the Hawaiian oceanographic re¬ 
search and training program in relation to the 
establishment of the Hawaii Marine Laboratory 
and the initiation of the vast program of re¬ 
search on tunas undertaken by the U. S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service was presented. Plans have been 
formulated or are being formulated for co¬ 
operation with several mainland institutions in¬ 
cluding the University of California and the 
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. C. J. 
Fish reported on the progress of the Pacific 
Oceanic Biology Project which was created by 
the Office of Naval Research upon recommen¬ 
dation of the Pacific Science Conference and is 
being carried out under contract with the Woods 
Hole Oceanographic Institution. Plans being 
developed for continuation after September, 
1948, emphasize training of oceanic biologists 
who are needed before field work can begin. 
Arrangements have been made with Rhode 
Island State College and its Narragansett Ma¬ 
rine Laboratory to provide academic training 
and field experience for graduate students prior 
to their assignment for study under specialists 
at Woods Hole. Close co-operation with the 
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Ha¬ 
waiian training program will be maintained.— 
R.W.H. 
