Station for Research would like to participate in its future development.

This comment comes from Dr. Robert S. Jones, who has just arrived here from Texas to take up the dual post of Deputy Director and Director of Education at the Ferry Reach facility.

Emphasising that BBSR should not be thought of as a US institution but as a marine laboratory for the whole world, Dr. Jones says he believes there is potential for some kind of cooperation that would enable the Island to take advantage of new trends in tourism.

Noting that BBSR already caters to hundreds of visitors each year, Dr. Jones feels this could be developed.

"People around the world are becoming as fascinated with fish as they are with birds. Bird-watching has become so popular in the States that many hotels that are on bird routes are advertising the fact. There are many birds that come through Bermuda on migratory flights, so the combination of fish and birds could attract a great many people here.'' Some of BBSR's visitors are academic groups while others, such as the Elderhostel programme and Earthwatch, are slanted toward those who like to combine a vacation with a learning experience.

"I shall be very involved with these visiting groups,'' says Dr. Jones. "It broadens the range of BBSR and gives us a good opportunity to work with high school and college students.'' He said that in order to attract a high calibre of research scientists, facilities have to be adequate. "To run BBSR, you have to have rooms and catering staff, and in order to pay for that, these groups are important. I don't think we could exist if we didn't have the flow of people through here. They keep our main job, that of research, going,'' he said.

It is partly BBSR's success in attracting research grants that has led to Dr.

Jones' appointment as Deputy Director.

"The credentials of BBSR are now international. This is quite an achievement because, unlike most of its counterparts in the US, it cannot rely on State funds or massive endowments. BBSR survives on its own wits and by bringing in grants that enable us to pursue our research.'' He said that as Director, it is Dr. Tony Knap's principal job to "chase'' the funds that are vital to the Station's survival.

"Obviously, because of that, Tony has to spend a lot of time overseas so I shall be taking on some of his responsibilities in the day to day running of the facility. These are tough times, fiscally, so that puts him in the hot seat, to go off and find money. When he brings new projects back to Bermuda, it not only benefits BBSR but I believe it also benefits Bermuda as a whole.'' This means, says Dr. Jones that although, initially, he will be concentrating efforts to coordinate those projects to produce greater efficiency and smoother running of the facility, it also ties in with his primary job, that of directing BBSR's education programme.

He has vast experience in both fields, and gave up the prestigious post of Director of the University of Texas Marine Science Institute (his Alma mater) in order to come here "to help out a fellow lab director.'' Dr. Jones confesses that he leapt at the chance to come to Bermuda. "I was getting tired of what I'd been doing for 25 years. Substantial positions are nothing if you're tired of them. A lot of my career was spent in tropical systems (Florida, Guam and Hawaii) and that was the part I enjoyed most. I was hoping to get back into `clear' water before I went for early retirement.'' Now, he admits, the job he has taken on at BBSR is "far bigger than I had thought. But I'm excited about it.'' He feels it is essential that one of his priorities is to verse himself thoroughly in Bermuda's flora and fauna. "So far, I'm on a learning curve! It's very important for the education director to know his local stuff and provide that knowledge to visiting groups.'' He says that one of the things that has impressed him most on Bermuda's marine front is Government's decision to ban fish pots.

"This was a remarkable action for any government to take, especially as you're talking about tradition and culture as well as livelihood. You can't help having sympathy for the families involved, but I think it was very far-sighted and courageous of your government to make these difficult moves now to preserve the Island's environment for the future.'' The importance of getting this message of preservation across will, he says, be one of his chief objectives as Director of Education.

"Very few of the students who come here will end up as marine scientists.

It's an extremely specialised field and even though there are probably 150 marine labs in the US, the number of jobs available is limited. But we ran the marine science programme at the University of Texas just to get scientists. We desperately need teachers to pass on their knowledge.'' He explains that the same philosophy applies to the Bermuda Programme, run for local students and jointly financed by BBSR and the Island's business community.

"They come here so that they can be more aware of what their island is all about. We offer them an appreciation for what Bermuda has and how best to safeguard it -- working with fisheries, conservation societies, tourism, and so on. We have to rely on the children to get this message loud and clear -- it's their future and we have to teach them how to take care of it.'' On the subject of education in general, Dr. Jones says that his years spent as Professor of Marine Science and Director of the University of Guam Marine Laboratory, led him to the conviction that children living on islands would greatly benefit by spending at least one year away in a residential school; failing that, he believes that there should be as much diversity as possible in the teaching staff. He said: "Guam benefited by having expatriate teachers. They present a diversity of view which you need in the isolation of island life.'' Dr. Jones says that he is full of admiration for his predecessor, Dr. Susan Cook, who did so much to advance the cause of education in marine science at BBSR.

"She's a hard act to follow! But I'm very glad to be in Bermuda and at BBSR.

I shall have my work cut out, because several key people have recently returned to the mainland.'' DR. ROBERT JONES -- The new deputy director of the Biological Station.