MATERIALS AND METHODS
The time and extent of the collections were determined
by the availability of the vessel.
The areas sampled were
based upon fallout patterns and the restrictions on navigation
imposed by Joint Task Force Eight.
The locations of the sta-
tions occupied during the four cruises are shown in Figure 1
and the details of the sampling schedule are given in Table l.
The Charles H. Gilbert,
under the command of Captain
|
William Tanaka and Field Party Chief Robert T. B. Iverson,
collected fish and plankton at two stations
the start of Operation Dominic.
(Cruise 55) before
Two members of the Laboratory
of Radiation Biology participated in later cruises,
two during
the testing period (Cruises 56 and 57) and one after the test
series had been completed
(Cruise 59).
Cruises 56 and 57 were
made to the north and to the southeast of Christmas Island
along the path of the prevailing upper winds; Cruise 59 was made
to the west in the direction of flow of the surface water currents.
The Charles H. Gilbert,
a 120-foot vessel,
is equipped for
oceanographic investigations as well as long-line fishing,
live-bait fishing,
and stern chamber.
for
and for underwater observations from a bow
Tuna and other climax predators were caught
mostly by Japanese long-line fishing methods which have been
described in detail by Mann
(1955).