r

in Fikini.

This situation should be kept in mind in planning

for any future negotiations concerning Bikini.4

Bikini Atoll Today and Its Economic Potential
|

I will not go into details of the condition of Bikini
today. These have been covered in my daily log and in
Agriculturist James Hiyane's final report of the Bikini Survey.
A few salient points should be made here however.
The coconut trees and other food-bearing trees and plants

nave been almost completely destroyed.

Most of the islands

have become overgrown with vegetation.
The potential agricultural areas Will have to be cleared
and completely replanted.

This will be a formidable task,

which wiil extend over a long period of

time.

outlined a preposed program to accomplish this.

Mr.

Hiyane has

I concur with

Hiyane but think the scale of the program should be greater,

All available areas of the atoll should be cleared and planted
asp quickly as

possible.

This will hasten the relocation of

the exiled Bikinians on their home atoll and in the long run
will be more economical.
The

large

islands of Bakini,
potential.

Eneu,

They were

and Nam have

the

greatest

economic

tne main copra-producing

islands,

and the main sources of vegetable foods in the past.

The smaller islands toward the southwest,
Enedrik,

were also valuable

such as Aer&kdj and

sources of copra and

food

plants

in

4 See Tobin, J.A., Tne Bikini People, Past and Present, Majuro,
Marshall Islands,

October 1952,

I009608

for more detailed information.

Select target paragraph3