2 
The pelagic marine vertebrate work primarily involved fish. Fish were 
caught at depths of over a thousand fathoms by using anchored vertical sets 
and horizontal free vehicle gear. The free vehicle sets are carried to the 
bottom by disposable anchors which are connected to the gear by a magnesium 
link. The magnesium link is milled to such a size that it will oxidize 
completely in about 12 hours, freeing the fishing gear. The gear is buoyed 
and upon release from the anchors floats to the surface. Trawls, both deep- 
and mid-water, were also used in sampling fish populations. 
Deep-water fishing was done daily. The very nature of this fishing 
keeps the ship in the same area for extended periods. Much time was spent 
waiting for free vehicle gear to surface and searching for it. The search 
patterns were not charted because of repeated traversing of the same water. 
Thus, linear mileages were not recorded. Densities have been figured on a 
temporal basis rather than the usual birds/linear mile. I do not believe 
these density figures are indicative of actual populations, as continual 
ship activity in a restricted area, over an extended period of time, prob¬ 
ably drives birds from the area. These data should therefore be viewed 
for their qualitative value, placing restrictions on quantitative inter¬ 
pretations . 
Arctic Loon Gavia arctica l4 + 7 
Fourteen birds were seen off the Coronado Islands on 5 May. These 
birds were all flying low over the water in a northwesterly direction. 
Two flocks contained 13 and 7 birds and one bird was seen flying alone. 
All were migrating. Dr. Carl L. Hubbs has observed the birds in migration 
in this area often and states that the birds are always flying northwest. 
He believes that the birds fly up the coast until they reach the Coronado 
Islands area, then head northwest, flying on through the Channel Islands 
and reaching land again at Point Conception where they then fly northward 
along the coast. ~~ - 
Black-footed Albatross Diomedea nigripes 
This species was seen on most days. They were not abundant, and 
chumming failed to attract any concentrations. We attempted unsuccessfully 
to cat.ch albatross for banding, using baited hook and line. Since much time 
was spent on station and trawling at slow speeds, it is likely that fewer 
albatross were attracted to the ship. Also, since we worked for extended 
periods in the same general locality some of the birds may have been re¬ 
corded on different days. 
On 29 May Black-footed Albatross were observed feeding on red crabs 
( Pleuroneodes planiceps ). These crabs apparently came to the surface with 
the scattering layer the night before and remained near the surface until 
mid-morning. 
On 27 April one bird followed the ship briefly. The ship was travel¬ 
ling about one and one-half miles offshore of Guadalupe Island. The bird 
did not continue to follow when the ship put into Northeast Bay, Guadalupe 
Island. 
j 
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