Floating islands: a unique fish aggregating method

A fish aggregating device made of aquatic weeds and grass (Phoom) is used in Loktak lake in the northeastern region of India. It has been used successfully in this very productive fishery for centuries. Today, the fishery itself is under pressure from overexploitation, soil erosion leading to siltation and a hydroelectric project that has blocked the migratory route of the fish that used the lake as a breeding ground.

Effect of thermal pollution on the hydrological parameters of River Jhelum (J & K)

The Buniyar hydroelectric project and the lower Jhelum Barrier at Gantamulla constructed across river Jhelum are in operation from several years. The two power stations have changed the hydrological features of the area where dam is situated. Therefore, the impact of hydroelectric projects on fishery resources of river Jhelum is a matter of great concern. The treated water from the power house is released through turbines, having cooling effect on them. The change in the hydrological parameters such as increase in temperature, depletion of oxygen etc. might have brought fishes under stress which is the main cause in decreased population of finfishes from site to site. The golden mahseer, Tor putitora which was once an abundant species in river Jhelum has disappeared due to human intervention. The prevailing water quality around hydroelectric projects is unsuitable for finfishes of river Jhelum.

“El Niño” study based on analysis of ocean surface temperatures 1935-57

ENGLISH: The following report describes the findings of an "El Niño" project carried out at the Department of Meteorology of the University of California, Los Angeles, at the request of, and with funds provided from, the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission. The project was, in its early stages, supervised by Professor M. Neiburger, but was in June 1959 transferred to Professor J. Bjerknes, who thereby became the sole author of this final report. Readers who may be interested in the general background of knowledge of the maritime meteorology of the Eastern Pacific are herewith referred to Professor Neiburger's final report of the "Subtropical Pacific Meteorology Project." That report, submitted in September 1958 to the Office of Naval Research, summarizes the results of all the meteorological soundings released at sea since 1949 from California in the north to Peru in the south. The soundings off Ecuador and Peru were all taken by the "Shellback" expedition during July 1952. Important as this first exploration of the atmosphere over the Eastern Equatorial Pacific was, it did not even begin to explore " El Niño " itself, which is confined to the southern summer season and, moreover, only reaches catastrophic proportions in a few exceptional years. SPANISH: Este estudio da a conocer los resultados de una investigación que, bajo el nombre de Proyecto "El Niño", ha sido efectuada en el Departamento de Meteorología de la Universidad de California, Los Angeles, a solicitud de la Comisión Interamericana del Atún Tropical y con fondos provistos por ésta. En sus primeras etapas, el proyecto fué supervisado por el Profesor M. Neiburger, pero en junio de 1959 fué transferido al Profesor J. Bjerknes, quien de este modo vino a ser el solo autor de este informe final. A los lectores interesados en los conocimientos de fondo de la meteorología marítima del Pacífico Oriental se les recomienda consultar el informe final del Profesor Neiburger intitulado "Subtropical Pacific Meteorology Project". Este informe, sometido a la "Office of Naval Research" en septiembre de 1958 sumariza los resultados de todos los sondeos meteorológicos efectuados en el mar desde 1949 en el área entre California en el norte y Perú en el sur. Todos los sondeos frente al Ecuador y el Perú fueron hechos por la Expedición "Shellback" durante el mes de julio de 1952. Importante como fué esta primera exploración de la atmósfera sobre el Pacífico Ecuatorial del Este, ni siquiera comenzó a explorar "El Niño" en sí, que se confina a la estación de verano en el sur y, más aún, sólo alcanza proporciones catastróficas en unos pocos años excepcionales.

Oceanographic observations for the Mazatlan Project: October 1966 - August 1967

ENGLISH: To learn more about the early life of yellowfin tuna in their immediate environment, the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission initiated a 2-year cooperative investigation with the Direccion General de Pesca e Industrias Conexas (DGP) of Mexico in August 1966. The project called for monthly cruises of about 5 days duration to be made in a triangular track between Mazatlan, Cape San Lucas and the Tres Marias Islands. Laboratory space for the field work was provided by the DGP in their biological station in Mazatlan and the research vessel Yolanda, property of the DGP, was made available for the monthly cruises. SPANISH: Con el fin de obtener un conocimiento mas avanzado sobre la vida temprana de estos atunes aleta amarilla, y del ambiente que los rodea, 1a Comision Interamericana del Atun Tropical inicio una investigacion colaborativa de 2 anos con la Direccion General de Pesca e Industrias Conexas (DGP) de Mexico, en agosto de 1966. El proyecto requirio cruceros mensuales de unos 5 dias de duracion para que fueran realizados en un rumbo triangular entre Mazatlan, Cabo San Lucas y las Islas Tres Marias. La Direccion General de Pesca ofrecio amab1emente las facilidades del laboratorio para el trabajo experimental en la estacion biologica de Mazatlan, y e1 barco de investigacion Yolanda para los cruceros mensuales. (PDF contains 256 pages.)

Oceanographic and meteorological observations for project Little Window: March 1970

ENGLISH: Project Little Window was planned to provide some answers to the important scientific question of whether or not the HRIR (high resolution infrared radiometer) sensors aboard NASA and NOAA satellites can provide useful data for much of the oceanographic community. The sensors aboard these satellites were designed in response to the initial needs of meteorologists for temperature measurements integrated over a distance of 5-10 nautical miles and extending over a range from 30°C to about -75°C (i2-4°C). To this end the sensors have been a very powerful tool to the meteorologist in preparing daily weather advisories and in carrying out research. SPANISH: El proyecto Little Window fue planeado para suministrar algunas respuestas al importante tema científico sobre si los captadores (ltsensors") infrarrojos de alta resoluci6n (IRAR) a bordo de los satélites NASA y NOAA, pueden o no proveer datos útiles para la mayor1a de los oceanógrafos. Los captadores a bordo de estos satélites fueron concebidos en respuesta a las necesidades iniciales de los meteor6logos para obtener mediciones de temperatura integradas sobre una distancia de 5-10 millas náuticas, y entre 30°c y aproximadamente -75°C (~2-4°C). Con este fin los captadores han sido un instrumento poderoso para el meteor6logo en la preparaci6n de las informaciones diarias de tiempo y en la realizaci6n de las investigaciones. (PDF contains 171 pages.)

Oceanographic, meteorological, satellite and aircraft observations for project Little Window 2: May 1971

ENGLISH: In May 1971, a joint united states - Mexican experiment, Project Little Window 2, (LW-2) involving data collected by satellite, aircraft and ship sensors was made in the southern part of the Gulf of California. LW-2 was planned as an improved and enlarged version of LW-l (conducted the previous year; Stevenson and Miller, 1971) with field work scheduled to be made within a 200 by 200 km square region in the Gulf of California. The purposes of the new field study were to determine through coordinated measurements from ships, aircraft and satellites, the utility of weather satellites to measure surface temperature features of the ocean from space and specifically to evaluate the high resolution infrared sensors aboard N~ 1, ITOS 1 and NIMBUS 4 and to estimate the magnitude of the atmospheric correction factors needed to bring the data from the spacecraft sensors into agreement with surface measurements. Due to technical problems during LW-2, however, useful data could not be obtained from ITOS 1 and NIMBUS 4 so satellite information from only NOAA-1 was available for comparison. In addition, a new purpose was added, i.e., to determine the feasibility of using an Automatic picture Transmission (APT) receiver on shore and at sea to obtain good quality infrared data for the local region. SPANISH: En mayo 1971, los Estados Unidos y México realizaron un experimento en conjunto, Proyecto Little Window 2 (LW-2), en el que se incluyen datos obtenidos mediante captadores de satélites, aviones y barcos en la parte meridional del Golfo de California. Se planeó LW-2 para mejorar y ampliar el proyecto de LW-l (conducido el año anterior; Stevenson y Miller, 1971), realizándose el trabajo experimental en una región de 200 por 200 km cuadrados, en el Golfo de California. El objeto de este nuevo estudio experimental fue determinar mediante reconocimientos coordinados de barcos, aviones y satélites la conveniencia de los satélites meteorológicos para averiguar las características de la temperatura superficial del océano desde el espacio, y especialmente, evaluar los captadores infrarrojos de alta resolución a bordo de NOAA 1, ITOS 1 Y NIMBUS 4, y estimar la magnitud de los factores de corrección atmosféricos necesarios para corregir los datos de los captadores espaciales para que concuerden con los registros de la superficie. Sin embargo, debido a problemas técnicos durante LW-2, no fue posible obtener datos adecuados de ITOS 1 y NIMBUS 4, as1 que solo se pudo disponer de la información de NOAA 1 para hacer las comparaciones. Además se quiso determinar la posibilidad de usar un receptor de Trasmisión Automático de Fotografias (APT) en el mar para obtener datos infarojos de buena calidad en la región local. (PDF contains 525 pages.)