VI-214 



regional laboratories, and review and recommend any 



changes in legislation required to carry out this 



responsibility. 



(11) The Sea Grant College and Program Act of 1966 



should be amended to permit grants for construction and 



maintenance of vessels and other facilities necessary 



for research and study in the estuarine zone. 



The State Role in Estuarine Research 



The State role in estuarine research parallels the Federal role in 

 that both governmental entities have the same objectives of 

 estuarine development, use, preservation, and study. Because so much 

 of the needed estuarine research is a cooperative function, much of 

 the previously discussed Federal program also defines the State role. 

 The essential differences lie in the fact that the States are the 

 primary management authority in the estuarine zone and hence posess 

 primary responsibility. As such, they are much closer to the 

 urgency of specific estuarine problems as well as being able to plan 

 more accurately for impending ones. The States' role in estuarine 

 research is thus to. implement its portions of the overall national 

 program, to coordinate the research activities of its appropriate 

 agencies, educational institutions, and organizations, and to augment 

 and encourage the development of new knowledge most applicable to its 

 estuaries and their management. 



