HELFRICH AND RAY tions of nuclear technology. There was a need. for more conditioned instrument room containing microscope processes which might lead to the transport of radioactive contaminants in the atoll system to man. More fundamental was the acknowledged inadequacy of our understanding of the systematics and ecology of the highly diverse atoll biota. Early records of environmental monitoring during the test series included entries such as “red fish” and “green filamentous algae,” reflecting the lack of any pertinent taxonomic descriptions of the local biota. The College of . Fisheries of the University of Washington, under contract to the AEC, had conducted studies at Bikini and Enewetak of the interaction of environmental radioactivity with various species znd had made substantial contributions to the other field equipment. Being a sponsored tenant i complete knowledge: of the dynamic biogeochemical literature regarding these nuclear-affected atolls (Hines. 1962}. There remained, however, a need for a broader base of information about the systematics, ecology, andlife history of the atoll flora and fauna. Details of the discussions leading to the establishment . _of EMBL are unavailable. In the early 1950s, however, the eminent biologist, H. Burr Steinbach, then of the Univer- . sity of Chicago and later of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, was asked by Sidney Galler of the Office of Naval Research to travel to Enewetak Atoll to explore the feasibility of establishing a marine biological laboratory. Steinbach’s trip and his subsequent report recommending the establishment of a laboratory on Enewetak Atoll were instrumental in AEC’s action to contract with the University of Hawaii to establish and operate the EMBL. The contract, signed on June 3, 1954, required the university to manage the laboratory and to direct and coordinate its scientific programs. Policy direction and sponsorship were provided “by the Division of Biology and Medicine of the AEC Headquarters in Washington, D. C. Robert W. Hiatt, Director of the Hawaii Marine Laboratory, became the first director of EMBL. The first orders of business were to provide supplies, equipment, and work areas for visiting investigators and to establish a reference collection of animals and plants with an ecological index for their use. To facilitate scientific investigations of terrestrial and _ intertidal biota, two islets on_Fneweta!rAtoll—Ikuren-and Mut-—were‘séf aside as reserves for the exclusive use of EMBL scientists. This was done to ensure that a continu: ously available source of typical fauna and flora would be protected, to the extent possible. from proving ground _ activities. During these early years, EMBL scientists were permitted to use the laboratory only in the intervals between test series. However, marine scientists from the ‘University of Washington Applied Fisheries Laboratory. under separate contract to the AEC, were in residence during the actual test events. Their work at Eneweiak and elsewhere in the Pacific is recounted by Hines (1962) and is reported in numerous published papers. The laboratory was first quartered in a rectangular metal building, with an aquarium lanai. located on the southwest shore of Medren Island The building was equipped with a simple seawater system. a singie air- 5002429 7 aw Ze - ee small library, and an assortment of nets, diving gea Qi proving ground—which in peak periods accomme%s hundreds of scientists, technicians, and supporfi sonnel—the laboratory enjoyed superb facilities for & a housing, recreation, and medical care. During the 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s, the k tory was operated on a part-time basis, with the periods generally dictated by tiniversity class se ecm Thus, most investigators visited during the summer ris and the periods of winter or spring academic Also during this period, visit authorizations were hokg restr to male U. S. citizens who had passed a security sey ing. Travel to Enewetak from Honolulu was by militagg military charter aircraft. The flight time from Honobahy ‘Enewetak was about 10 hours, usually with stops at Jam ston Island and at Kwajalein and/or Wake Island.7 noteworthy that, despite considerable resistance to! invasion by women of what had been traditionally exclusively male territory, arrangements were a accommodate the eminent zoologist EF. Alison Kay al Enewetak Laboratory in December 1970. Her arrive naled a new era in which the merits of the scien research proposed were the only criteria for acceptancell a researcher at EMBL. q Initially, the research emphasis at EMBL was towa the establishment of a reference collection of the Kaa marine flora and fauna. This was accomplished by spec: ists, who made extensive collections of particular group animals and plants, identified the individual specimeo (including those new to science), labeled, cataloged ‘z preserved them, and placed them in the laboratory colid tion room. To complement the reference collection, a sm library was established on site, providing convenient aco not only to published references and texts but also to works, both published and unpublished, of visiting invest gators. Notices placed annually in the journal Scienggm served to call this facility and its superb atoll enviro to the attention of the community of marine scientisty zs This early research and subsequent publicity_regarding * oy EMBLfacility, combined with the availability of modegag aa research grants, brought an enthusiastic response. Froggy 1954 until this writing, 1028 scientists have worked # : Enewetak, many returning for several periods offield aoe lection and investigation. Notable was the response of teny: perate zone biologists who had nct previously workedI the tropics. Entering the strikingly clear lagoon waters ‘Kg the first time, with no more complex equipment thea face mask, was an exciting experience. Examination of . coral pinnacle, with its enormous diversity: of organi corought a whole series of new dimensions to the work @ ensCee 6 these scientists. The limitations of the physical soni and the remoteness of the EMBL field station were offsegy by an abundance ofexciting research opportunities and virg tual freedom from the pressures and distractions of cafitg pus life. These features resulted in alevel of scientific prog ductivity unequaled in the experience of most researchers.3m