Report by Dr. John ©. idwher Director, Division of arch 31, 195) logy and Medicine tomy Q - LEPCTS OF PACIFIC TESTO ON COMMERCIAL TUNA FISHING The purpose of this memorandum is to review the recent events in the Pacific related to the provlems of the marketing of tuna fish, and ea statement of our current activities with respect to this subject. While the Commission nas for seven years conducted researci: on the effects of the Hanford operations on the salmon of the Columbia River and has sponsored recurring surveys of the effects of nuclear detonations on the marine biological balance of both dikini and Eniwetok atolls, it appeared that, with the impending tests of large yield weapons in the Pacific when the thermonuclear program was advanced sufficiently to indicate that such weapons were possible, an expansion of our imowledge of marine biology was needed. Since the food supplies of large populations, both in Asia and North America as well as the islands of the Pacific, are derived from the sea, any significant radiological contamination of any portion of thase food chains would be of serious concern to uBe Therefore, prior to Operation CaiTLi I initiated an expansion in the amount of marine biological studies which would be conducted ocrior to the test as well as after the conclusion of operations. A plan for the establishment of a Marine Jological Station on Eniwetok was presented to the Advisory Committee for Biology and edicine and was recommended by them on March 14, 1953. Construction of this small laboratory was berun after the completion of Operation IVY and is now in existence and being actively utilized for the marine work during the current test series. The purpose of this station is te permit marine biologists from universities, after proper clearance, to make use of the facilities at :niwetok for the conduct of marine studies of all Kinds that are especiailiy pertinent to the biological pattern of the atoll. This should add substantially to the reneral knowledge of the fauna of this area, and in particular should jive us quantitative information which wiil be invaluable in years to come. At the same time, a general increase in emphasise on marine studies was begun witn specific reference to the uptake of fission preducts by plankton, shellfish, and other portions of the human food supply from the sea. This has been conducted at various marine research centers such as woods Hole, the University of Vashinzton at Seattle, the liniversity of Hawaii, and the University of North Carolina. Steps have veen taken with the Smithsonian Institution to conduct certain related studies in both fresh and salt water marine problews at the only tropical biological station possessed by the United states - that at sgarro Colorado Island in the Canal Zone.