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Dr. John C, Bugher

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September 22, 1952

Xarl HM. Wilbur

-PERMANENT BIGLCQY PROGRAM FOR TMZ EWIWETCK AREA

The recent meetings af the Amerfesn Institute of Biological Sciences
at Cornell afforded en opportunity to disouss the possibility of an
AEC biclogical facility at Eniwetok with persons conversant with

problems fm Pacific marine researeh. These included Dr. R. Fleming,
former Chief, Division ef Oceancgraphy, Navy Depertment, Dr. 0. E.

, Ohief, Division of Biologieal Ssiencses, OMR, Dr. Charles
Fish, Head of the Narragansett Oceanographic Institute and now serving

with the Pacific Science Board, and Dr. Tf. H, Bullock, UCLA, who took
pert in the Enivetok survey in 1948. Dr. Douglas Whitaker, Vice
President of Stanford University, has also been consulted,

All of these persons felt that the AEC would be rendering a very
considerable service in making the Enivetok area available to biologists,
In the discussions we specifically asked for opinions as to the needs
that would be met by studies in that partiowlar area as contrasted
with studies which could be carried out in marine laboratories in this
country. The chief points advanced were the following:

TS Soireeerrs Toeco SeerreneTeese

2.

1.

Information concerning the biology of the Enfwetok area of
the Pacific is minimal and studies along several lines are
needed, This also applies to poisonous and food fishes.

2.

Studies of coral reef formation could be profitably studied
both by following growth of corals marked by fission products
and by gevliogical studies. Dr. John Wells of Cornell has
begun geological stuiies of ccrals fn the area; and he and
others would be interested in further studies,

3.

Ecological and physiologiaal studies could be pursued to great
advantage because of the abundance and diversity of fauna.
Such studies would supplement and provide comparative data
for similar studies in wore northerly latitudes,

4.

Gontinuing studies of the distribution and fate of fission
products are desirable fn their own right and to provide
training for individuals in this general line of study.

The desirability of having a permanent biological facility avaflable

in area
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oqlear, Also there isgood indication tha@=

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