NOAA/NMFS Developments

"Optimum Sustainable Population" ConceptOffered at North Pacific Fur Seal Meeting

The United States Delegation to theApril Conference on North Pacific FurSeals in Washington, D.C.. proposedthat a different management conceptbe introduced in a permanent Conven­tion on the Conservation of North Pa­cific Fur Seals.

The concept of "optimum sustain­able population," which is included asa management objective in the MarineMammal Protection Act of 1972. wouldrequire consideration of the estheticand recreational value of the fur sealsand the necessity of maintaining thehealth and stability of the marine eco­system as well as maintaining the num­ber of seals needed to permit maximumproductivity.

The present Interim Convention onthe Conservation of North Pacific FurSeals requires that the North Pacificfur seals be managed in such a way asto achieve the "maximum sustainableproductivity," so that the fur seal pop­ulations can be maintained at levelswhich will provide the greatest harvestyear after year.

A draft environmental impact state­ment which outlined this different con­cept and how it would affect fur sealmanagement was reviewed by interest-

ed parties throughout the United States.It received favorable comment fromprivate citizens and representativesof States, environmental protectiongroups, and conservationists.

The Interim Convention on the Con­servation of North Pacific Fur Sealsis an agreement entered into in 1957 bythe United States, Canada, Japan, andUnion of Soviet Socialist Republics toregulate the harvest of fur seals in theNorth Pacific. Nearly 80 percent of thenorthern fur seal resource is currentlyassociated with the Pribilof Islands ofthe United States, which are locatedoff the coast of Alaska. The rest of theseals are associated with other UnitedStates or Soviet islands in the Sea ofOkhotsk and the western and easternNorth Pacific.

The four countries could not reachagreement on the U.S. managementproposal or on other alternative pro­posals for a permanent Convention.The delegations agreed to explore thepossibility of meeting again to recon­sider various proposals.

The I'jead of the U.S. Delegation,C.J. Blondin, of the Commerce Depart­ment's National Oceanic and Atmo­spheric Administration, stated that

even though the Commission failed toreach agreement on a permanent Con­vention, he felt that substantial gainswere made in exploring and understand­ing the positions of other governments."The present Convention does notexpire until 1976. Consequently, allmembers have time to assess the posi­tions of the other governments. A meet­ing later in' the year should allow us towork rapidly toward a permanent Con­vention," said Blondin who is assistantDirector for International Fisheries ofNOAA's National Marine FisheriesService.

Project SCORE EyesDeep Coral Reef Wall

A research submersible, an under­water laboratory, and a variety ofunderwater safety stations as well assurface vessels and facilities were mar­shalled for a month-long research proj­ect beginning I April off Freeport, inthe Bahama Islands. Purpose of theproject was to enable scientist-diversto make concentrated studies of thevertical wall of a coral reef to depthsas great as 250 feet.

Project SCORE (Scientific Coop­erative Operational Research Expedi­tion) uses saturation diving, deep airexcursions, and submersible lock-outtechniques for deep reef studies offishes, corals, algae and geology of the

I

Squid Fishery Could Aid New England Economy

A recent economic study conductedby the Department of Commerce'sNational Oceanic and AtmosphericAdministration indicates that a viablesquid fishery off the New Englandcoast could add over $600,000 a yearto the economy of the region.NOAA's National Marine FisheriesService conducted the study for theNew England Fisheries DevelopmentProgram which is a government­industry cooperative effort aimed atdeveloping a market for species ofmarine life found in the area whichare underused by Americans.

Approximately 70 million pounds ofsquid were taken from the waters offthe coast of the northeast United

States by foreign and American ves­sels in 1973. The United States has aquota of approximately 12 million

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28

pounds in the northeast area, how­ever, only about 3.5 million poundswere harvested in 1973. The majorityof squid landed by U.S. fishermen inthe northeastern United States iscaught incidentally while trawling forcod, flounders. haddock, and otherfish and is used for food and bait.

During four trips to test the feasi­bility of a directed squid fishery, acharter boat making 218 tows caughtover 169,000 pounds of squid andover 14,000 pounds of finfish for atotal value of almost $30.000. Thestudy provides evidence that thequota, if taken, could supplement theearnings of about 30 vessels in a sea­sonal squid fishery.

Major U.S. Fish Freezing Plant Agrees toParticipate in Commerce Inspection Plan

reef environment. The project wascarried out cooperatively by the Com­merce Department's National Oceanicand Atmospheric Administration, theHarbor Branch Foundation, Inc., ofFort Pierce, Fla., and the Perry Foun­dation, Inc., of Riviera Beach, Fla.

The Perry Hydro-Lab habitat pro­vided diver teams with an underwater"home," and Harbor Branch's sub­mersible Johnson-Sea-Link shuttledthem from the laboratory to their re­search sites as far as a mile away andto depths 190 feet deeper than Hydro­Lab.

Program Coordinator was JamesMiller, Deputy Director of NOAA'sManned Undersea Science and Tech­nology (MUS&T) program. Opera­tions Director was Robert Wicklundof the Perry Foundation, Inc., andDirector of Submersible Operationsand Training was Roger Cook of Har­bor Branch Foundation, Inc. MorganWells of NOAA's MUS&T was ChiefScientist.

Four teams of diver-scientists sat­urated in the Perry Hydro-Lab for fivedays each at a depth of 60 feet. TheJohnson-Sea-Link picked up and trans­ported two members of each team intodeep water, where one locked out anddescended to depths as great as 250feet for up to 45 minutes. Other teammembers swam from Hydro-Lab todepths as great as 200 feet for one hour."The use of air as a breathing mixtureto these depths for extended times rep­resents a significant advance in divingtechnology," said Miller. "The sametechniques are expected to be used inthe offshore oil industry in the nearfuture at comparable depths, to avoidthe expense and complications of exoticgas mixtures."

Dives are uncommon below 200 feetfor scientific research on coral reefs.Those that have been made yieldedspecies of coral, fish, algae, and othermarine organisms new to the area­some previously reported only fromsingle dredge hauls elsewhere. Pre­liminary research on some of the deeperdives also showed that biological zonesare very pronounced at depths in whichmost environmental conditions arerelatively constant.

Scientists conducted experiments,made collections, and photographedthe reef and its inhabitants. Scientificgoals of SCORE were to: (I) extend

oceanographic, geological. chemical,and biological knowledge of the reefenvironment; (2) supplement previousshallow-water studies of species com­position, distribution, abundance, anddynamics; and (3) obtain environmentaldata on reaction of a coral reef com­munity to natural and man-inducedstresses.

Data on the relationships betweenliving organisms and their environmentwill assist scientists in identifying thosefactors that influence the distributionand abundance of the organisms, andtheir ability to survive under differenttypes of environmental stress.

Seneca College of Applied Arts andTechnology, King City, Ontario, pro­vided support divers for the SCOREoperation. Scientist-divers from France

The National Oceanic and Atmo­spheric Administration has announcedthat the Bellingham Cold Storage Co.,Bellingham, Wash., signed an agree­ment to participate in the Departmentof Commerce's Sanitation InspectionFish Establishment (SI FE) program.

The company, which is participatingthrough NOAA's National MarineFisheries Service, is one of the largestfreezing and processing facilities in theUnited States and is the largest coldstorage plant using the sanitary inspec­tion service offered by the Departmentof Commerce. The Bellingham com­plex covers 26 acres of land, has4,260,000 cubic feet of freezing spaceand can freeze 1.8 million pounds ofproduct a day. It services approxi­mately 50 U.S. and Canadian com­panies from Alaska to Georgia.

As a qualified SIFE plant, the com­pany will be listed in the "ApprovedList. Sanitarily Inspected Fish Estab­lishments." This quarterly publicationis distributed to seafood purchasers toaid them in determining sources offishery products that have been pro­duced in plants that have been sanitarilyinspected, approved, and certifiedby the USDC.

More important, since Bellinghamis a SIFE plant, all companies havingproducts custom processed and packedby Bellingham are eligible for contract

29

and Germany participated during twoof the missions.

The decompression schedules forexcursions from the Perry Hydro-Laband for lockout dives from Johnson­Sea-Link were developed by Tarry­town (N.Y.) Labs., and extensivelytested in the hyperbaric chamber facil­ity at Duke University. Medical super­vision was provided by Harbor BranchFoundation Inc., with assistance fromthe Macinnis Foundation of Canada.

Project SCORE brought togetheragain, in ajoint endeavor, two modern­day ocean pioneers, John H. PerryJr. and Edwin A. Link. In 1966 the twomen collaborated in designing and con­structing the Deep Diver submersible,the world's first commercial diver lock­out submarine.

product inspection. Companies whoseproduct has been certified as meetingthe requirements of inspected productsare allowed to display the Federal in­spection marks on their products. Thisassures the consumer that the productcomplies with requirements of whole­someness, cleanliness, sanitation,true weight, and good quality. One ofthe largest troll caught salmon pro­ducers in the Pacific northwest, North­west Halibut Producers Cooperative,Inc., has already taken advantage ofthis by signing a contract for productinspection. These firms join two otherUSDC inspected fishery productsprocessors located in the Bellingham,Wash. area, Vita Food Products, Inc.,and Wakefield Seafoods, Inc.

New York Island StudiedAs Estuarine Sanctuary

The Department of Commerce isconsidering a proposal that 1,200 acreson Grindstone Island in the St. Law­rence River near Clayton, N.Y., bedesignated an estuarine sanctuary, per­mitting them to be maintained in theirnatural state for scientific and educa­tional purposes. If the proposal is ac­cepted by the Office of Coastal ZoneManagement, an agency of the Com­merce Department's National Oceanicand Atmospheric Administration,

Closed Culture System May Make InlandClam and Oyster Farming Possible

Federal funds would be made availabletoward the purchase of the propertyadjacent to Delaney and McCrae Bayson Grindstone Island. The State ofNew York would be expected to pro­vide one-half of the cost.

The Coastal Zone ManagementAct of 1972 encourages states to pre­serve for research and educationaluses examples of the various typesof estuaries found in the United Statesand its territories. Delaney and Mc­Crae Bays are ecologically typical ofestuaries in eastern Lake Ontario andthe St. Lawrence Region and are con­sidered to be in an undisturbed state,that is, natural and unspoiled by man­kind.

Edward T. LaRoe, Estuarine Sanc­tuaries Coordinator and Coastal Ecol­ogist for the Office of Coastal ZoneManagement, said the proposal wassubmitted by State University of NewYork's College of Environmental Sci­ence and Forestry which has a researchstation on Governor's Island about amile from the proposed sanctuary. Thesanctuary would be owned by the Stateuniversity and operated by the collegein cooperation with the New YorkDepartment of Environmental Con­servation. Recreational hunting, fish­ing, trapping, boating, etc., of a lowintensity would be permitted on a con­trolled basis.

The university would utilize a com­bination of fee simple acquisition, con­servation easements, and life estatepurchases to provide the degree of landcontrol necessary for the sanctuary.Owners of property adjacent to thearea already have been approached byState representatives. Delaney andMcCrae Bays include open water; avariety of submerged, floating, andemergent aquatic vegetation; tall, slen­der shrubs; flooded leafy trees; andadjacent agricultural upland. Numerousspecies offish, including northern pike,bass, yellow perch and brown bullheadsare in the waters of the bays, which alsohave such waterfowl as herons, ducks,and hawks, and mammals includingmuskrat and beaver.

Under a proposed study program,the water level of Delaney Bay wouldbe artificially controlled, while that ofMcCrae Bay would be allowed to fluc­tuate naturally. Comparison studieswould be conducted, including periodicsampling of plankton, plant and animal

life, and water physics and chemistry.The goals of the study would be to bet­ter understand the effects ofdisturbanceand development on freshwater coastalestuarine areas so that the coasts can bemore effectively managed.

In addition to the cost ofland acquisi­tion, funds would be required to con­struct and maintain water level controls

Fresh oysters and clams grown inDes Moines or, for that matter, anyother noncoastal city in the UnitedStates could become a reality if SeaGrant scientists at the University ofDelaware are on the right track.

A team of Delaware aquaculturists,working under a grant from the Com­merce Department's National Oceanicand Atmospheric Administration, hascompleted work on the first stage of aunique project to produce fast-growing,palatable, disease-resistant oysters andclams that can be reared at a competi­tive plice in a totally self-containedenvironment. When successfully de­veloped, this prototype would be avail­able for commercial adaptation any­where in the United States.

Eight groups of 250 shellfish each arewell into their second year of growth.thriving on diets of laboratory-rearedalgae in a closed (recycled) seawatersystem. So far, the clams are growingthree to five times faster than they doin Delaware Bay, and the oysters aboutone-and-one-half times faster. Some ofthe clams in the initial crop alreadyhave grown to marketable cherrystonesize.

The NOAA-supported Sea Grantteam, consisting ofbiologists, chemists,engineers, nutritionists, economists,and an attorney is under the leadershipof Melbourne R. Carriker, Professorof Marine Studies at the University ofDelaware.

In addition to providing the poten­tial for a new industry, the aquaculturesystem could be used to produce seedfor boosting natural stocks of oystersand clams, and possibly increasingcommercial catches.

Groundwork for the aquacultureprogram got underway in the late1960's, after an endemic disease hadseverely depleted the natural oyster

30

at Delaney Bay and for other opera­tional costs.

The Coastal Zone ManagementAct authorizes the Secretary of Com­merce to make grants up to 50 percentof the cost of acquisition, developmentand operation of estuarine sanctuariesfor the purpose of creating natural fieldlaboratories for scientific research.

stocks in Delaware Bay. To prevent arepetition of such a disaster, the U ni­versity of Delaware set out to establisha new system for producing shellfishthat would be free of the vagaries ofnature that could destroy the industryalmost overnight.

"Duplicating in the laboratory whatit has taken thousands of years of evo­lution to develop is a considerable chal­lenge," said Carriker. "Our most se­rious problems involve determining theideal shellfish diet, anticipating thethreat of disease, and monitoring andcontrolling waste products. We alsohave to consider certain factors thatnature doesn't worry about, such askeeping costs in line with those of nat­urally grown shellfish, examining thelegal problems of commercial aqua­culture development, and eventuallyusing natural, less expensive energysources. "

But if the project has its challenges,it also has its advantages. One of themost obvious benefits to the consumerwould be the year-round availabilityof fresh shellfish. "Another great valueof a closed-cycle aquaculture system,"explains research engineer Gary Pru­der, "is that almost every aspect of therearing process can be controlled. Toxicmetals can be eliminated, uniformgrowth can be maintained throughoutthe year, even the organic shellfishwastes can be used productively as asource of nutrients for the algal feed."

In addition, Pruder points out that,unlike traditional flow-through aqua­culture systems, in which seawater ispumped through once and then dis­charged, the location of a closed-cyclesystem need not be restricted to theshoreline nor to a readily availablesupply of clean water. This, he says,is vital if commercial application is tobecome a reality. Not only does coastal

Key Largo, Fla. Marine Sanctuary Nominated

property tend to be more expensivethan an inland site but coastal areas aregenerally subject to more legal re­straints.

The National Sea Grant Program isdesigned to enhance the developmentof the nation's marine resources in theoceans, the Gulf of Mexico, and theGreat Lakes. To accomplish this,NOAA awards grants for marine-re­lated programs to universities, lab­oratories, and others. At least one­third of the funds for each Sea GrantProgram must come from non-Federalsources.

FISH CATCH WASTEREDUCTION SOUGHT

For every pound of shrimp that aGulf Coast shrimp fisherman catchesin his trawl, he throws back from threeto four pounds of usable but unwantedfish that have been caught unintention­ally, Sea Grant scientists at Texas A& M University have found.

According to Vito J. Blomo and JohnP. Nichols, leaders of an investigationsupported by the National Oceanicand Atmospheric Administration'sSea Grant Program, the so-called inci­dental catch comprises a variety ofspecies ranging from porgies, whichcould have ended up on someone'sdinner table, to menhaden, which couldhave been processed into fish meal andfed to chickens.

The researchers in the CommerceDepal1ment agency-funded study cal­culated that shrimp fishermen discardbetween 52 and 368 million pounds offish per year in the Western Gulf alone-an area that yields about 45 percentof the approximately 220 million poundsof shrimp landed annually in the Gulf ofMexico.

Seeking ways to prevent continuedwaste of such large amounts of valuableprotein, the Texas A & M Sea Grantscientists evaluated the possible mar­kets for the discarded trawl fish andestimated the potential volumes thatcould be marketed. They concludedthat the majority of the discarded trawlfish could be used only for processinginto fish meal, fish oil and solubles, andpet food. However, they pointed outthat, depending on the particular spe­cies, some of the incidental catch couldbe suitable as more valuable seafood-

fresh and frozen fillets, fish sticks andportions, and whole fresh fish. The SeaGrant scientists found two major ob­stacles to be overcome if the discardsare to be put to profitable use-neithera working market structure nor eco­nomically feasible systems of using theshrimpers' incidental catch exist.

Texas A & M and the SoutheastUtilization Research Center of theNational Marine Fisheries Servicehave drawn up a memorandum ofunder­standing relating to technological re­search on these species. The joint SeaGrantJNMFS project began by mincingvarious species of Gulf groundfish totest their frozen shelf Ii fe. The prob­lems of rancidity, texture and colorof minced fish flesh are being deter­mineu and solutions devised for over­coming them. Later research will dealwith commingling various combina­tions of Gulf groundfish. Continuing

The largest living coral reef in con­tinental United States coastal waters­a major tourist attraction and a valuablescientific resource-may become thefirst marine sanctuary of its kind in theNation, according to the U.S. Depart­ment of Commerce. The NationalOceanic and Atmospheric Administra­tion's Office of Coastal Zone Manage­ment has received a nomination todesignate as a sanctuary an area ap­proximately 100 square miles in sizeoff Key Largo, Fla. (see map).

The area, up to 5 miles wide andabout 21 miles in length, is adjacentto the John Pennekamp Coral ReefState Park and overlaps the Key LargoCoral Reef Preserve. Its nomina tion asa marine sanctuary, submitted by theFlorida Department of Natural Re­sources, is a move to preserve the reefsecosystem, parts of which are currentlywithout protection.

Earlier this year the site of the wreck­age of the Civil War gunboat USS Moni­tor, off Cape Hatteras, N .c., wasdesignated as the country's first marinesanctuary, for its historic value. Thecoral reefs would be designated fortheir value as a natural resource.

Under Jaw, the Secretary of Com­merce is empowered to designatemarine areas as sanctuaries to preservethem for their conservation, recrea-

31

their study, the researchers are examin­ing the cost considerations involved inusing this incidental fish catch, in orderto determine its economic feasibility.

The National Sea Grant Program isdesigned to enhance the developmentof the Nation's marine resources in theoceans, the Gulf of Mexico and theGreat Lakes. To accomplish this,NOAA awards grants for marine-re­lated programs to universities, labora­tories, and others. At least one-third ofthe funds for each Sea Grant Programmust come from non-Federal sources.

The Texas A & M scientists havereported on the first part of their studyin "Utilization of Finfishes CaughtIncidental to Shrimp Trawling in theWestern Gulf of Mexico. Part I: Evalua­tion of Markets" is available for $3.00from Depal1ment of Marine ResourcesInformation, Texas A & M University,College Station, TX 77843.

tional, ecological or esthetic values.NOAA's Office of Coastal Zone Man­agement is responsible for handlingand processing nominations. The coralreef nomination is a modification of anearlier one by Dennis M. O'Connor ofthe University of Miami, and RezneatM. Darnell of Texas A&M University.The original nomination was consideredto cover too large an area and, with thenominators' agreement, was modifiedand re-submitted by the state.

Within the area, which is seawardof John Pennekamp Coral Reef StatePark, is a wide variety of plant and

Table 1.-U.S. IIshery Imports, by quantity, In 1973 (percentages In declining order).

u.s. Edible Fishery Imports Told for 1973

Country Percent Country Percent Country Percent

Japan 25.2 Ecuador 1.0 Netherlands 0.5Canada 21.7 Korea, Rep. 01 1.0 Malaysia 0.5Iceland 4.8 Philippines 10 Guyana OAMexico 4A British Pac. lsI. 09 Poland OANorway 4A Ghana 0.9 Nicaragua 0.3Denmark 3.5 Spain 08 Colombia 0.3South Africa 28 Portugal 08 Canary Islands 0.3China (Taiwan) 1.9 Australia 0.8 EI Salvador 0.2UK 1.5 Malagasy Rep. 0.7 New Zealand 0.2Panama 1.1 Mauritius 0.6 Other countries 14.0India 1.1 Greenland 0.5Brazil 1.0 Venezuela 0.5 TOTAL 100.0

Source: Bureau olthe Census, U.S. Department of Commerce.

Table 2.-U.S. imports of edible fishery products by continent and country of origin.

Continent Thousand Continent Thousandand country pounds Percent and country Pounds Percent

North America AsiaCanada 520,914 21.7 Japan 605.128 25.2Mexico 106,540 4.4 China. Rep. 01Panama 26.163 1.1 (Taiwan) 44.999 1.9Nicaragua 7.528 0.3 India 25.316 1.1Greenland 12,834 0.5 Korea, Rep. of 24.637 1.0EI Salvador 5,918 0.2 Philippines 24,314 1.0Other 51.627 2.1 Malaysia 11.700 0.5

Other 56,074 23Total 731.524 30.3

Tolal 792.168 33.0South AmericaBrazil 24,400 1.0 AustraliaEcuador 24,451 1.0 and OceaniaGuyana 10,458 0.4 Australia 19.603 08Venezuela 12,110 0.5 New Zealand 5.311 0.2Colombia 7,241 0.3 British Pac. lsI. 20,648 0.9Olher 81.219 3.4 Other 31,616 1.3

Total 159,879 6.6 Total 77,178 3.2

Europe AlricaIceland 115.408 4.8 South Africa,Norway 106.565 4.4 Rep. 01 66.016 2.8Denmark 83.838 35 Mauritius 13.575 0.6United Kingdom 35,078 1.5 Malagasy Republic 15.824 07Spain 19,225 0.8 Canary Islands 8.146 03Portugal 19,374 0.8 Ghana 21,428 0.9Netherlands 11.145 05 Other 63.702 2.6Poland 10,439 0.4Olhe, 46.535 1.9 Total 188.691 7.9

Total 447.607 18.6 Grand total 2.397.047 1000

Source: Bureau of the Census, U.S. Department 01 Commerce.

32

Asian nations contributed 33.0 percentof the total, North American countriessupplied 30.3 percent, European coun­tries provided 18.6 percent, Africannations contributed 7.9 percent. SouthAmerican countries supplied 6.6 per­cent, and Australia-Oceania shipped3.2 percent (Table 2).

public hearing held in Florida at whichinterested parties could speak to theproposed designation. Public approvalcould mean designation of the area as amarine sanctuary by the end of thisyear. Copies of the nomination may beobtained from Kifer at the Office ofCoastal Zone Management, NationalOceanic and Atmospheric Adminis­tration, Rockville, M 0 20852.

In 1973 the United States imported2.4 billion pounds of edible fishery prod­ucts valued at $1.4 billion, accordingto statistics compiled by the Bureauof the Census, U.S. Depal1ment ofCommerce. Canada and Japan ac­counted for more than 46 percent ofthis amount (Table I). By continent,

affect water quality and subsequenthealth of the coral reef ecosystem.

Kifer said copies of the nominationhave been sent to appropriate govern­ment agencies for their review and toprivate individuals and organizationsfor their information and consideration.If reaction to the nomination is favor­able, he said, an environmental impactstatement would be prepared and a

animal life, featuring coral but rangingfrom plankton to giant jewfish andpredatory shark. Of great importanceis the fact that the reef is still "alive,"the coral continuing to grow and de­velop. Coral reefs recently have comeunder considerable stress from a varietyof man's activities, which in some caseshave killed reefs.

Under proposed terms of the nomi­nation. removal or destruction ofnatural resources and marine life otherthan fish would be prohibited, as woulddredging, filling, or polluting. Fish­ing, skin diving and boating would bepermitted under limited conditions,and the proposed sanctuary could betemporarily closed to public use toallow recovery from overuse and topermit scientific research relating toprotection and management.

Robert R. Kifer, Maline SanctuaryCoordinator for OCZM, said the nomi­nation proposes that the sanctuarybe administered by the Florida Depart­ment of Natural Resources, Divisionof Recreation and Parks. This agencywould be joined by the state's Divi­sion of Marine Resources and the U.S.Coast Guard in enforcement of rulesand regulations, according to the nomi­nation.

Once the sanctuary is designated, itis proposed that permits would be is­sued for educational endeavors, scien­tific and industrial research, commer­cial fisheries activities, and recreationalactivities, all consistent with the rulesand regulations. An advisory boardfor the sanctuary also would be created,with members representing the Na­tional Park Service, the U.S. CoastGuard, the State Divisions of Recrea­tion and Parks and of Marine Re­sources, the Board of Trustees of theState Internal Improvement TrustFund, the State Department of Pol­lution Control, and OCZM.

Violators of any rules and regulationsof the sanctuary would be liable to afine of not more than $50,000 for eachday of violation. Regular monitoring ofuses of the sanctuary, and researchon the effects of particular uses of thecoral reef ecosystem will be conductedto ensure that the primary purpose­to preserve those ecosystems-carriedout. Additionally, surveillance of de­velopment activities along the coast ofKey Largo will be conducted to makesure these activities do not adversely

U.S.-USSR Fisheries Discussions Terminatewith Middle Atlantic Fisheries Accord

Japan's fish product exports 10 the United Stales.

Following three weeks of discussionin Washington, D.C., the United Statesand the Soviet Union on February 26reached agreement on Middle Atlanticfisheries issues but failed to agree onPacific coast fisheries issues.

The Atlantic agreement extendsprevious arrangements but calls forstricter enforcement of U.S. regula­tions regarding U.S. Continental Shelffishery resources and strengthens mea­sures to lessen gear conflicts betweenU.S. and Soviet fishermen. Former

Arrowtoothflounder

Block 237.3 1.454.1 - 83.7Fillel 1.630.8 4.383.4 - 628

Total 1.868.1 5.837.5 -146.5

PollockBlock 17,3482 29,146.8 - 40.5Fillet 314.4 145.7 +115.8Ground 434.2 636.9 - 31.8Minced 7,0760 14,048.1 - 49.6

Total 25,1728 43.977.5 - 6.1

TurbotBlock 1.463.9 2.508.9 - 41.7Fillet 20.2391 27.659.1 - 26.8

Total 21.703.0 30,168.0 - 68.5

Grand tolal 48.743.9 79,983.0 -221.1

stop overfishing on many resources offthe Pacific coast."

Schoning, who also serves as a U.S.Commissioner on the InternationalPacific Halibut Commission, said thatseparate talks on halibut were helt!between the U.S., Canada, and theUSSR during the time of the U.S.­USSR bilaterals. The U.S. and Canadamade an urgent request for conservationmeasures to reduce the impact ofSoviettrawl fisheries on depleted stocks ofhalibut in the eastern Bering Sea andGulf of Alaska. Schoning expressedserious concern that the halibut talksfailed to produce meaningful action bythe USSR.

The U.S. Delegation, led by ThomasA. Clingan, Deputy Assistant Secre­tary of State for Oceans and FisheriesAffairs, included representatives fromthe Departments of State and Com­merce, the Coast Guard, State govern­ments, and industry. The SovietDelegation was led by Vladimir M.Kamentsev, Deputy Minister of Fish­eries. Both countries agreed to meetlater this year.

datory land use element, provides finan­cial assistance to comprehensive plan­ning at the state, regional and locallevels of government.

A key element of the agreement,which is expected to simplify stateefforts, is HUD's willingness to acceptapproved coastal zone managementprograms as meeting the minimumland use planning requirements neces­sary for states to remain eligible inHUD's 701 program. In effect, coastalzone management programs approvedby the Secretary of Commerce wouldconstitute accepted portions of H U Dland use elements for the geographicareas concerned.

Additionally, the two agencies agreedthat both H U D and OCZM will par­ticipate in reviewing state coastal zonemanagement and 70 I program applica­tions, and that the staffs of both agen­cies will work towards establishingprocedures to facilitate developmentof both programs. The agencies alsoagreed to explore the possibility ofjoint funding of pilot projects withincoastal states.

Pacific coast agreements relating tocrab fishing in the eastern Bering Sea,arrangements to prevent gear conflictsnear Kodiak Island, and the fisheries ofthe northeastern Pacific extending fromAlaska to California were extendedto I July 1975.

Robert W. Schoning, Director, Na­tional Marine Fisheries Service, and amember of the U.S. Delegation, ex­pressed serious concern about the levelof Soviet fishing off the Pacific coastand the lack of agreement. He notedthat it was the view of the U.S. Dele­gation that Soviet fishing in the NorthPacific be reduced to conserve impor­tant stocks of interest to U.S. fishermenin the area.

"Countries with which we have noagreements have begun fishing in theNorth Pacific," said Schoning. "This,coupled with the failure of the UnitedStates and the Soviets to agree on mean­ingful catch and fishing effort limita­tions, seriously complicates efforts to

NOAA and HUD Sign Joint Agreement toCoordinate Coastal Planning, Management

An agreement to help coastal statescoordinate their planning and manage­ment activities assisted by the Com­merce Department's National Oceanicand Atmospheric Administration andthe Department of Housing and UrbanDevelopment's Office of CommunityPlanning and Development has been

signed in WaShington, D.C. The jointagreement for coordination was signed19 February 1975, by Robert W.Knecht, Assistant Administrator forNOAA's Coastal Zone Management,

and David O. Meeker, Jr., AssistantSecretary for HUD's CommunityPlanning and Development. The agree­ment is expected to help make stateplanning and management more ef­fective and less costly for coastal areas.

Both agencies are involved in as­sisting states develop comprehensiveplanning programs. The Office ofCoastal Zone Management is con­cerned specifically with helping statescreate programs for managing the lands

and waters 10 their coastal zones.HUD, with its recently added man-

33

Percent

Comparison1974/19731973

Year

Short tons

1974

U.S. Buys Less FrozenFlounder, Pollock, Turbotfrom Japan in 1974

Japanese 1974 exports of frozenarrowtooth flounder, pollock, and tur­bot to the United States totaled 48,743.9short tons, a decline of 39.1 percentfrom 79,983.0 short tons in 1973, ac­cording to the Office of InternationalFisheries, National Marine FisheriesService, NOAA.

Japanese trade journals considerthe decline normal in view of the ex­ceptionally strong demand for fish in1973 resulting from the meat shortageand the high meat prices. By contrast,1974 was a relatively normal year, andhigh inventories were carried over from1973. There were also some cases dur­ing 1974 of Japanese exports being ofpoor quality which may have had anadverse effect on sales. Statistics for1974 with comparisons for J973 areshown in tabular form.

Table 1.-Japanese violations of U.S. fishing limits.

vessel occurred on 20 March 1974. Apenalty of $300,000 was assessed on theEbisu Maru. On 5 September 1974 aJapanese fishing vessel violated the

Source: Law Enforcement Division, NMFSlNortheast Region'Contiguous Fishing Zone

U.S. Contiguous Fishing Zone (CFZ)off the coast of Maine. A $450,000 bondwas posted by the owners before thevessel was released (Table I).

180.000115.00050.00045.00035.00030.00010.000

3.5005.5005.000

Penalty

$450.000 (bond)300.000230.000

4-7-7211-1-719-27-708-20-708-18-706-20-706-22-696-3-696-3-697-16-67

Date

9-5-743-20·749-16-73

3Territorial sea'Alaska Region

CFZ'TS'CFZ

Violation

CFZCFZCFZCFZCFZCFZCFZCFZCFZCFZ

Region

FAKFAKFAKFAKFAKFAKFAKFAKFAKFAK'

FNE'FAKFAK

Vessel

Taiyo MaruEbisu MaruMitsu Maru 1130Kohoka Maru.Ryuyo MaruRyusho Maru 115Kyoyo MaruKiyo Maru 1116Kaki MaruAkebono MaruMatsuei MaruKoai MaruZenpo MaruTenyo Maru 113

Japanese LonglinerSeized off Alaska

The Japanese longliner, Eikyu MaruNo. 33, was seized by a U.S. CoastGuard cutter (with a National MarineFisheries Service enforcement agentaboard), about 3 miles off Great Sit kinIsland in the western Aleutian Islands,Alaska, on April 4. The 42-meter, 230­GRT Japanese vessel was reported tohave been sighted in U.S. territorialwaters. The 24-metric ton catch onboard consisted primarily of sablefish.The vessel was taken to Kodiak,Alaska.

The last reported violation of theU.S. Territorial Sea (TS) by aJapanese

NOAA Fleet Tells New Ocean InvestigationsA fleet of 25 NOAA ships has

launched a new season of ocean in­vestigations ranging from a study ofthe environmental effects of oil ex­ploration and development in Alaskanwaters to searching for shrimp off theBrazilian coast. In between, these ver­satile vessels will also engage in suchactivities as searching for sunkenwrecks, studying the spawning of her­ring, assessing the environmental ef­fects of deep sea mining of manganesenodules, charting coastal waters, andanalyzing the Atlantic seabed.

They comprise the fleet of the Na­tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad­ministration, a Commerce Departmentagency whose programs are aimed atimproving man's comprehension anduses of the physical environment andoceanic life. The NOAA Fleet is op­erated by NOAA's National OceanSurvey, and is manned by 1,139 officers,scientists, technicians, and crew. Itsships range in size from a 73-foot, 125­ton fisheries research vessel to a 303­foot, 3959-ton deep sea oceanographicfloating laboratory. The ships' activitieswill take them through America's coast­al waters and estuaries from Maine toAlaska, across the Atlantic and throughthe Pacific, and along the northeastcoasts of Latin America.

Some of the work will be glamorous;much of i, will be routine, but essential.Scientists will probe the massivemountain ranges, canyons, and frac­tures in the earth at the bottom of the

sea and seek additional evidence ofthe movement of continents and seafloor spreading. Others will conductinvestigations necessary for managingfisheries resources in accordance withnumerous international fisheries agree­ments. And while this is going on, mil­lions of soundings will be taken of thewaters which lap the shores of the U.S.,its tidal fluctuations and circulatorypattern will be studied and the physicalproperties of the water analyzed, paltof a never-ending process of gatheringthe data for scientific research and forthe nautical charts on which the safetyof America's seagoing commerce de­pends.

Of interest to scientists is the workbeing done by the Researcher, a deep­sea vessel which will examine the geo­physical and geological environmentalong a trans-Atlantic corridor extend­ing from the U.S. to Africa. The geo­physical investigation continues intoits fifth field season a study of a largesection of the earth's crust along anentire ocean basin in a corridor stretch­ing from Cape Hatteras, N.C., to Af­rica's Cape Blanc, the apparent pathof separation of North America andAfrica as the continents have driftedapart over the past 200 million years.Researcher will also conduct circu­lation and chemical transport studies inGulf of Mexico waters and participatein a continuing international studyof mesoscale currents in the SargassoSea.

While these activities are underway,NOAA vessels will be engaged in im­portant fisheries surveys along theU.S. east coast, off Brazil and theGuianas, in the Caribbean, Gulf ofMexico, Baja California. the U.S. westcoast and Alaska, and throughoutthe Pacific. Nine fisheries researchvessels will be engaged in these activ­ities: the Oregon and Oregon II,David Starr Jordan, John N. Cobb,Geort<e M. Bowers, Murre II, Town­send Cromwell, Albatross IV, andDelaware II.

They will make comprehensive sur­veys of fish migrations and growth;seek out the spawning grounds of her­ring and other fish; investigate the sup­ply of shrimp, lobsters, clams, andother shellfish; and study the activitiesof ocean mammals. When the seasonends, much more will be known aboutthe marine life of skipjack tunas, deep­water shrimp, hake, pollock, crabs,haddock, cod, flounder, striped bass,and weakfish, to name a few of the ben­thic, pelagic and anadromous specieswhich will be investigated. This re­search will aid the American fishingindustry and assist the United Statesin negotiating with foreign nations.

The NOAA Fleet supports primarilythe activities of three NOAA agen­cies-the National Ocean Survey,the National Marine Fisheries Serviceand the Environmental Research Lab­oratories. The vessels are based princi­pally at Norfolk, Va., Miami, Fla.,

34

and Seattle, Wash. Smaller vessels insupport of NOAA's vast marine pro­grams are located at various ports wherefisheries laboratories and researchcenters are maintained. Included isthe Great Lakes Center at Monroe,Mich., which conducts limnology re­search and nautical charting surveysof the Great Lakes.

Five of NOAA's ships are carryingout environmental impact studies inpotentially oil-rich waters of the Gulf

of Alaska and the Bering and Beaufortseas. The Discover, Surveyor, MillerFreeman, Townsend Cromwell, andRainier are making in-depth studies

of the environmental impact of theexploration and development of oil

and gas resources in these sub-Arcticand Arctic waters.

Eight ships will conduct the nauticalcharting surveys essential to safe navi­gation. They will gather data in Amer-

Foreign Fishery Developments

ica's coastal waters. estuaries, baysand lakes for the two million charts theNational Ocean Survey issues eachyear. These are the Fairweather,Rainier, Mt Mitchell, Whiting, Peirce,McArthur, Davidson, and Ferrel, andseveral smaller vessels. Their work will

take them to the waters of New Jerseyand New York, the Florida Keys,Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Gulfof Mexico. Puget Sound, the WestCoast and Alaska, and the Great Lakes.

Essential also to safe navigation arethe wire drag surveys for underwater

hazards, including wrecks, conductedby the Rude and Heck along the south­east coast and in the Gulf of Mexico,

and the current circulation surveyscarried out by the F arel in ChesapeakeBay, Oregon Inlet, N. C. , and the Great

Bay-Portsmouth Harbor Estuary in

New Hampshire. These three vesselsare unique, the only ones of their kind

in the country, built specifically fortheir specialized work.

Some of the studies engaged in bythe NOAA Fleet will seek to extendman's understanding of the ocean andthe atmosphere, to evaluate the livingmarine resources of waters off the Unit­ed States and South America and inthe eastern and mid-Pacific; and toassess the environmental impact ofactivities in submerged coastal areas,such as man-made pollution in the NewYork Bight. the 11,500-square-milearea of coastal and outer continentalwaters extending from Montauk Point,Long Island, N. Y., to Cape May, N.J.And far off the southern Californiacoast, the deep sea research vesselOceanographer will seek to determinethe effects of deep sea mining for man­ganese nodules on the sea environment.Some studies will involve other U.S.agencies, educational institutions, andforeign countries.

Japan: Soviet Talks and Fishing Protest; Tuna Prices and Exports

JAPAN-USSR FISHERY TALKS

The 19th Annual Meeting of the Ja­pan-Soviet Fisheries Commissionopened in Tokyo, Japan, on 3 March1975 according to the Suisan KeizaiShimbun and Shin Shimbun. The focalpoints of this year's negotiations were:I) allocation of salmon catch quotas;2) enforcement of salmon regulationsin the Area B (south of lat. 45°N) of theNorth Pacific treaty waters; and 3)regulations of the herring fishery in theOkhotsk Sea.

This year's salmon talks were ex­pected to be tough since Japan wanteda 91 ,ODD-met ric-ton quota (the same asin 1973, the previous year of good Asianpink salmon runs), whereas the SovietUnion was expected to demand a cutto correct the imbalance in the salmoncatches of the two countries. The SovietUnion was also likely to insist on send­ing their patrol vessels into Area B,a move which Japan strongly opposed.The crab and sea snail fishery negotia­tions opened in Moscow on March 3rd.

FISHERMEN PROTEST

About 1,000 irate Japanese fishermenon 28 February 1975 staged a rally in

Tokyo to protest what they called theSoviet fleet's "reckless" fishi ng inJapanese waters, the Suisan KeizaiShimbun and Minato Shimbun report.In recent years, Soviet trawlers fish­ing for Alaska pollock, mackerel, andother fish off the Pacific coast of Japanfrom Hokkaido to Chiba Prefecturewere reported to have caused damagesto vessels and fishing gear totaling 300million yen (U S$1.05 million).

At the rally, the fishermen adopteda resolution calling for: (I) immediatewithdrawal of Soviet fleets operatingoffJapan; (2) compensation for damagesto vessels and gear; and (3) early estab­lishment of a 12-mile territorial sealimit. A recent aerial patrol by the Mari­time Safety Agency sighted 135 Soviettrawlers and motherships off easternJapan.

TUNA PRICE PLAN

The Federation of Japan Tuna Fish­eries Cooperative Associations (whosemembers include most of the Japanesetuna longJine vessel owners), antici­pating a sharp decline in skipjack andalbacore prices in Japan owing to stag­nant sales to the United States, hasdeveloped a tuna supply adjustment

35

plan, according to reports in theSuisanKeizai Shimbun and Kanzueme Joho.From March until August, the Federa­tion plans to store, frozen, over 20,000metric tons of skipjack and 10,000 met­ric tons of albacore if the bidding pricesfor the landings fall sharply.

The prices at which the storage op­eration will begin are reported to bearound ex-vessel 150 yen per kilogram(US$481 per short ton at 283: I) for skip­jack and 220 yen per kilogram ($705a short ton) for albacore. The prefec­tural tuna associations will also par­ticipate in this plan. Funds neededto finance the undertaking are estimatedto reach 15,200 million yen ($53.7 mil­lion), for which the Federation intendsto seek emergency ,low-interest govern­ment loans. Monetary losses resultingfrom the supply adjustment plan willbe apportioned to the members, whowill be assessed 2 yen/kg ($6.4/shortton) for their landings for one year be­ginning I March 1975. Also included inthe plan is the storage of canned tuna.The Tuna Federation's price supportingmeasure is being closely watched byJapanese tuna packers, who have beenhopeful that raw tuna prices would de­cline in the future.