The Shark: Barbarian and Benefactor

derstanding of the biology and behavior of sharks. To activate and implement these recommendations, the AIBS Shark Research Panel' was formed and much of the impetus given to shark research in the past decade has stemmed directly from the activity of this panel. From its inception the Shark Research Panel has been concerned not only with the development of protective measures man might employ in shark infested waters but also with basic research programs that lead to a better understanding of the species. Under the able direction of Leonard P. Schultz, a Shark Attack File for the world was set up at the Smithsonian Institution and to date nearly 1500 case histories are on file. From the documentation in this file we hope to learn more about those environmental conditions under which attack takes place as well as the behavior patterns of swimmers that attract sharks. Information in the file is now being transferred to IBM cards for use in a data retrieval system and the file is presently located at the Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota in the charge of Captain H. David Baldridge, USN. Other activities of the Panel have