- 3 - 
are similar all the way around the lagoon and the stations occupied 
indicate a similar abundance of fishes, except possibly at the 
eastern end where fewer were taken. 
The ocean reef is not as luxuriant a habitat for fishes on the 
windward side as on the leeward side of the atoll. This is indicated 
in the index of abundance off Bikini and Romuk Islands where it is 
low as compared with the leeward side, showing more than ten times 
more fish per square yard. 
The lagoon reefs occur only toward the western end of the atoll 
making it impossible to run similar stations at the eastern end. 
Such stations, no doubt, would have been of little significance 
anyway because of the extensive blasting of coral heads and shoals 
at the eastern side of the lagoon. 
Isolated tidal pools are very scarce on Bikini Atoll. Three such 
places were located; that at Bokon Island on the eastern side had 
a lower index value as compared with that at Namu and Cherry Islands. 
Such tiflal tools permit a high concentration of fishes during low 
tides, which accounts for the high values. 
The reef fish studies indicate and are corroborated by other 
observations that the fish fauna of Bikini Atoll is scanty on the 
windard side but more abundant on the leeward side* 
It may be safely concluded that any change in the reef fish 
abundance will not be detectable except when a gross change occurs. 
The te a! "° Cn iS S ° biS that the atom bomb ex Plosions may not produce 
a dectable change in the fish pouplations on the reefs swept by 
every high tide. 
• 9 • 
* i r. rt'W 
* ' * */» 
