CSIRO Division of Fisheries and Oceanography (1956 - 1981)

Summary

The Division of Fisheries and Oceanography was formed in 1956, after the Division of Fisheries changed its name in order to incorporate Oceanography. In 1981 it was decided to separate the Fisheries and Oceanography components of the Division, each becoming a separate Division.

Details

From "CSIRO research for Australia" (1962) pdf pages 16-17:
In the mid-1950s " A number of small research vessels became available and work on the open sea fisheries was resumed. The scope of the Division's research widened to include some oceanographical topics, and when Dr. G. F. Humphrey succeeded Dr. Thompson in 1956 the Division was renamed "Fisheries and Oceanography".

Oceanographical research received a tremendous fillip in 1959 when the Royal Australian Navy decided to allow
two of its frigates to participate in oceanographical research. These two ships, H.M.A.S. "Diamentina" and H.M.A.S. "Gascoyne", have been fitted with laboratories, and their cruises of 40,000 miles per annum are planned with the object of gaining new scientific information in the fields of fisheries, navigation and meteorology.

The results of fisheries and oceanograpbical research are generally unspectacular, but the gradual accumulation
of knowledge of the habits and movements of whales, open sea fish, coastal fish, fresh water fish, shell fish and crustaceans has provided a basis for planning the rational utilization of living aquatic resources. Similarly, studies of the temperature, the salinity, the currents and the plankton population of the oceans are building up a clearer picture of the seas from which the fish are harvested."

Chronology events from "CSIRO at sea" (1988) pages 213-215

Chronology

January 1956

Event - George Frederick Humphrey appointed Chief; Division renamed "Division of Fisheries and Oceanography"

September 1956

Event - Derwent Hunter recommissioned for oceanographic research

1957

Event - Hamon salinometer invented

1958

Event - Division hosts Conference on the Oceanography of the Coral and Tasman Seas

1959

Event - RAN frigate HMAS Diamantina (based in Fremantle for Indian Ocean work) loaned to CSIRO

1959

Event - Derwent Hunter returns to fisheries research

1960

Event - Division participates in International Indian Ocean Expedition (until 1965)

1960

Event - Geoffrey L. Kesteven appointed Assistant Chief

1960

Event - RAN frigate HMAS Gascoyne (based in Sydney for Tasman Sea Surveys) loaned to CSIRO

1961

Event - George Humphrey, Head of Australian Delegation to Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (for 12 years)

July 1961

Event - Humphrey elected President of Special (Later Scientific) Committee on Oceanic Research

October 1961

Event - First Fisheries Field Officers' School held at Cronulla

November 1961

Event - First Western Fisheries Research Committee meeting

February 1962

Event - Camberwell Laboratory (Melbourne) established

March 1981

Event - Division of Fisheries and Oceanography split into two separate divisions

Related entries

Timeline

 1937 - 1940 CSIR Fisheries Investigations Section
       1939 - 1956 CSIR/O Division of Fisheries
             1956 - 1981 CSIRO Division of Fisheries and Oceanography
                   1981 - 1988 CSIRO Division of Fisheries Research
                   1981 - 1997 CSIRO Division of Oceanography
                         1988 - 1997 CSIRO Division of Fisheries
                         1997 - 2005 CSIRO Marine Research
                               1997 - 2005 CSIRO Marine Research
                               2005 - 2014 CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research

Published resources

Books

• CSIRO, CSIRO research for Australia: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (Canberra: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Organisation, 1962), 64 pp, https://www.eoas.info/bib-pdf/ASBS15940.pdf. Details
• CSIRO Marine Laboratories, Prawn tales: stories of the people and their research achievements at the CSIRO Cleveland Marine Laboratories (Collingwood, Vic.: CSIRO Publishing, 2011). Details
• McKay, Andrew, Surprise and Enterprise: Fifty Years of Science for Australia: CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australia) (Melbourne: CSIRO, 1976), 48 pp, https://www.eoas.info/bib-pdf/ASBS00655.pdf. Details
• Schedvin, C.B; Trace, K., Historical Directory of Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, 1926-1976 (Canberra: CSIRO, 1978), 101 pp. https://csiropedia.csiro.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/csiro_historical_directory_1926_1976.pdf. Details

Edited Books

• Mawson, Vivienne, Tranter, David J.; and Pearce, Alan F. eds, CSIRO at Sea: 50 Years of Marine Science (Hobart: CSIRO Marine Laboratories, 1988), 216 pp. Details

Journal Articles

• Austin, R. H., 'History of CSIRO Division of Fisheries and Oceanography', Australian and Marine Science Bulletin, 74 (1981), 8-10. Details

Resources

• Wikidata, http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q55758099. Details
• VIAF - Virtual International Authority File, OCLC, https://viaf.org/viaf/122516871. Details
• Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-783682. Details

Resource Sections

• 'Primary description of agency CA 7837; CSIRO, Division of Fisheries and Oceanography. Registration of entity: 4 November 1993', in RecordSearch, National Archives of Australia, 2000, https://RecordSearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?Number=CA%207837. Details