Marine scientific organizations in the Indian Ocean

Abstract

In Djakarta we made the acquaintance of the Indonesian Institute of Marine Research (Lembaga Penjelidikan Laut-lnstitute of Marine Research). The Head of the institute is a hydrologist, Dr. E. SOERIAATMADJA (Ed. note : deceased) ; it has a scientific staff of six as well as auxiliary personnel. In addition to a laboratory building the institute also has a marine aquarium in which experimental investigations can be carried out. The institute also has at its disposal a research vessel (200 tons) Samudera (Ocean). Still in its infancy, the institute was formed from a Dutch fishing economy station which was under the supervision of Dr. WYRTKI. The institute is continuing its investigation on the surface salinity distribution in Indonesian seas, supplying vessels putting in at the port of Tangungpriok with bottles, which, when they are returned, contain samples of water. However, the bulk of the work is now concerned with hydrobiological investigations in the sea of Japan and in the coastal waters of the Indian ocean--carried out on the vessel Samundera. In addition, icthyological investigations are conducted. The institute is still in need of qualified scientists and scientific equipment. The construction of new buildings, of which we were shown plans and scale models, is planned for the near future.