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MALCOLM S. GORDON
about 100-150 atm. The severity of depression during and following exposures to higher pressures depended to considerable extents upon both
the duration of the compression and the speed of pressure buildup and
release. Almost immediate death resulted from exposure to pressures
higher than 300-400 atm.
Fontaine also measured oxygen consumption by small individuals of
several species of shallow water marine fishes at pressure up to 150 atm.
The rate-pressure curves agreed well with the behavioral observations.
D. Explosions
The literature on the pressure-related effects of explosions upon fishes
is probably substantial, but a large part of it must be buried in internal
reports to government agencies. The only published experimental study
the author knows of is that by Hubbs and Rechnitzer (1952).
Hubbs and Rechnitzer investigated the ability of conventional explosives (dynamite, Hercomite, black powder) to kill a variety of marine
shallow water fishes when detonations of varying sizes were set off
under varying conditions. The major interest was in trying to develop
recommendations for procedures to be used in geophysical explorations which would minimize mortality to fishes. Results indicated that
slow burning explosives such as black powder are much less destructive
than the other types. The reasons for this appeared to be a combination
of the slower rate of rise to peak pressures in the compressive shock
waves of black powder explosions and the lesser development of negative
pressure waves by these explosions.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author wishes to thank Mr. John C. Marr, Director, and the staff of the
Biological Laboratory, U.S. Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, Honolulu, Hawaii for
facilities and assistance with the preparation of this chapter.
REFERENCES
Belyi, N. D. (1963). Development of bream and pike-perch larvae at great depths.
Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR 149, 373-374 (English Trans.).
Bigelow, H. B., and Schroeder, W. C. (1948). Sharks. In “Fishes of the Western
North Atlantic” (J. Tee-Van et al., eds.), Mem. 1, No. 1, pp. 5 M 4 6 . Sears
Found. Marine Res., Yale Univ., New Haven, Connecticut.
Bigelow, H. B., and Schroeder, W. C. (1953). Sawfishes, guitarfishes, skates and
rays. Chimaeroids. In “Fishes of the Western North Atlantic” (J. Tee-Van et al.,
eds.), Mem. 1, No. 2, pp. 1588. Sears Found. Marine Res. Yale Univ., New
Haven, Connecticut.
MALCOLM S. GORDON
about 100-150 atm. The severity of depression during and following exposures to higher pressures depended to considerable extents upon both
the duration of the compression and the speed of pressure buildup and
release. Almost immediate death resulted from exposure to pressures
higher than 300-400 atm.
Fontaine also measured oxygen consumption by small individuals of
several species of shallow water marine fishes at pressure up to 150 atm.
The rate-pressure curves agreed well with the behavioral observations.
D. Explosions
The literature on the pressure-related effects of explosions upon fishes
is probably substantial, but a large part of it must be buried in internal
reports to government agencies. The only published experimental study
the author knows of is that by Hubbs and Rechnitzer (1952).
Hubbs and Rechnitzer investigated the ability of conventional explosives (dynamite, Hercomite, black powder) to kill a variety of marine
shallow water fishes when detonations of varying sizes were set off
under varying conditions. The major interest was in trying to develop
recommendations for procedures to be used in geophysical explorations which would minimize mortality to fishes. Results indicated that
slow burning explosives such as black powder are much less destructive
than the other types. The reasons for this appeared to be a combination
of the slower rate of rise to peak pressures in the compressive shock
waves of black powder explosions and the lesser development of negative
pressure waves by these explosions.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author wishes to thank Mr. John C. Marr, Director, and the staff of the
Biological Laboratory, U.S. Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, Honolulu, Hawaii for
facilities and assistance with the preparation of this chapter.
REFERENCES
Belyi, N. D. (1963). Development of bream and pike-perch larvae at great depths.
Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR 149, 373-374 (English Trans.).
Bigelow, H. B., and Schroeder, W. C. (1948). Sharks. In “Fishes of the Western
North Atlantic” (J. Tee-Van et al., eds.), Mem. 1, No. 1, pp. 5 M 4 6 . Sears
Found. Marine Res., Yale Univ., New Haven, Connecticut.
Bigelow, H. B., and Schroeder, W. C. (1953). Sawfishes, guitarfishes, skates and
rays. Chimaeroids. In “Fishes of the Western North Atlantic” (J. Tee-Van et al.,
eds.), Mem. 1, No. 2, pp. 1588. Sears Found. Marine Res. Yale Univ., New
Haven, Connecticut.