Background Paper No.2


 4) Applied research, which to date has been concerned

with marine resources. Two signal projects were a study of

the fisheries potential of the Virgin Islands (Dammann, 1969)

and a spiny lobster management program (Olsen, 1972). Pro-

posals have been submitted for a program of research on

pollination and seed dispersal in Virgin Islands plants of

economic and aesthetic importance (Buchanan, MS).

 5) Undergraduate field studies. These studies, basic-

ally pedagogic and experential in nature, have been season-

ally conducted at the Station by groups from United States

colleges and universities. There is great demand for the

use of the Station facilities by such external groups, and

there is serious contention as to what extent the Station

should serve such purposes. There is no question that the

Station could, and would be justified in serving such a use-

ful role in undergraduate training at the College of the

Virgin Islands; this has not been the case, however, because

of course scheduling and the problem of inter-island logis-

tics.


Department of Conservation and Cultural Affairs.

 The Department of Conservation and Cultural Affairs is

 an agency of the Government of the Virgin Islands, headed by

 an appointed Commissioner, and possessing a Bureau of Fish

 and Wildlife with a professional biologist as Director.

 The staff of the Bureau consists of a number of trained

 fisheries and wildlife management biologists. The Department


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