1966 Fascinating Marine Biology Scientific Logbook and Reports of a Research Team on the Pacific Ocean Completing a Multi-Year Oceanography Study

On offer is a manuscript logbook of extensive notes plus two typed reports from the Director of Investigations of an environmental commission responsible for the conservation and management of marine resources in the eastern Pacific Ocean. This collection feels particularly important when one considers the 21st century focus on environmental protection and climate change. 

This collection was compiled as part of a large project commissioned by the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC). The IATTC was initially established as a treaty between the United States and Costa Rica in 1949 with a mission to conduct research on marine resources in the ocean. According to its website, its reason for being is, “responsibility for the conservation and management of tuna and other marine resources in the eastern Pacific Ocean from Canada in the north to Chile in the south”. Additionally, the IATTC has significant responsibilities for the implementation of the International Dolphin Conservation Program. 

Between 1965 and 1966, the IATTC carried out four Augmented Colombian EI Nino Oceanography (ACENTO) research cruises. The ACENTO project was intended to study the area of the Panama Bright to determine correlation between tuna availability and environmental conditions. All four research cruises took place on the ship Bocas de Cenzia, which was owned and operated by Empresa Puertos de Colombia, and had previously been used by the United States Army during World War II. 

The 1965 cruises took place in May, August and November of 1965. The fourth and final cruise was scheduled for February of 1966. The collection on offer contains the printed report on the itinerary and findings of the November, 1965 cruise as well as all the field notes and final typed report of the February, 1966 cruise. 

The IATTC researchers on the 1966 cruise were lead by Director of Investigations, Eric D. Forsbergh. His scientific team included Witold L. Klawe, Enrique L. Diaz and Cuthbert M. Love. The expedition also included a large naval team to run ship operations. Finally, the research cruise was attended by Tuna Commission guests, including two professors from the University of Valle (Universidad de Valle del Cauca) in Cali, Columbia.

The Scientific Logbook contains detailed, near constant handwritten notes from all four scientists. The notes take the reader through the minute to minute work of the research team. Through their notes we know exactly when they arrived at each research station and what they accomplished in each location. We get a sense of their ongoing challenges, such as nets that are not properly tied, mandated government labels that don’t stick to samples, challenges with the supplied specimen bottles that have leaks causing the oxygen to aerate, wire getting caught in their nets and compromising their abilities to catch fish, a broken down gas-powered alternator, inclement weather, and injuries to crew members. An excerpt that gives the flavor of how these issues are described in the logbook follows:

“Dr. Patino and Regalado plan to get off…Dr. Regalado has been quite seasick…a Coke bottle fell on a crew member and broke his nose. He will also be let off at Tumaco for treatment at Hospital” [Feb 21, 1966]. 

Through the notes the reader not only gets a deep sense of the research being accomplished, but also of the personalities of the research team. For example, head investigator Eric D. Forsbergh becomes increasingly frustrated by technical issues on the ship, noting ongoing issues in all-caps and eventually using a red pencil crayon to write “THERE MUST BE A CURSE ON US ON THIS WRETCHED SHIP” [Feb 23, 1966]. Forsbergh also notes non-research related events at the research station. For example, at Station #18 on Gorgona Island, he writes “Yesterday the prisoners revolted…killed some guards and took over a boat” [Feb 23, 1966]. 

An example of the scientific research notes follows:

“Apparently there is a very strong under current at bearing 00 which screwed up the nice timing we had made in the previous ACENTO cruises. Moved the boat several times until the direction of the current was estimated. Changed weights to a very heavy one ( <100 lbs ? ) Zooplankton haul went smoothly and got 5 bottles of samples; this seems to be a rich area” [p 8].

Accompanying the manuscript logbook are two reports on the ACENTO missions, prepared and typed by Forsbergh. It seems that Forsbergh used his 1965 report for reference during the 1966 expedition. The 1966 report summarizes and expands upon the notes in the scientific logbook. One can assume the 1965 report does the same, though we do not have that logbook to compare. 

These are excellent examples of the work that was being done in the mid-1960s in an effort to monitor and manage tuna fishery in the Pacific. Through its Alcotines Laboratory, the IATTC provides a unique research ability for tuna and other pelagic species. For marine scientists or biologists, these reports offer a terrific view of the level of work being done at that time and an interesting comparison point to work being done today.

The report consists of a hardbound notebook accompanied by two type-written reports. The notebook measures 10.5 inches by 8 inches. It contains 72 pages and is approximately 85% complete. The notebook is in good condition with undamaged covers, intact binding and legible handwriting. The two accompanying reports are single-sided, typewritten pages. They are seven pages and six pages respectively. The notebook contains data recorded from an expedition in February, 1966 and the two reports are dated Dec 1965 and March 1966 respectively.

BIO NOTES ON DIRECTOR FORSBERGH: Eric D. Forsbergh. Forsbergh was a biological oceanographer who worked as a senior scientist with the IATTC. He was a Harvard graduate with a B.A. in biology and he lived in San Diego, California, until his death in 2014 at the age of 86. In his role with the IATCC, Forsbergh co-published several papers on topics associated with marine biology.