OCEANOGRAPHY IN THE UNITED STATES 



THTTESDAY, MARCH 12, 1959 



House of Representattves, 

 Special Subcommittee on Oceanography, 

 OF THE Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, 



Washington^ D.G. 



The subcommittee met at 10 a.m., pursuant to recess, in room 219, 

 Old House Office Building, Hon. George P. Miller (chairman of the 

 subcommittee) presiding. 



Present: Representatives Bonner (chairman). Miller (chairman of 

 the subcommittee) , Oliver, Flynn, Dorn, Pelly, and Curtin. 



Staff members present : John M. Drewry, chief counsel, Bernard J. 

 Zincke, counsel, and William B. Winfield, clerk. 



Mr. Miller. The committee will please come to order. 



A few weeks ago, almost coincident with the release of the first por- 

 tion of the compreliensive report of the Committee on Oceanography 

 of the National Academy of Sciences, the Bureau of Commercial Fish- 

 eries announced that the biological and oceanographic research ship, 

 Alhatross III^ was being deactivated. This circumstance was high- 

 lighted by recent reports disclosing the fact that the United States 

 has very few research vessels engaged in the increasingly important 

 field of oceanography. Our shortage of such vessels is such that rec- 

 ommendations have been made for early replacement of existing ves- 

 sels with specially designed new ones, and a considerable increase in 

 the total number of such vessels. 



Thus, the news of the deactivation at this time of an active operating 

 research vessel raises certain very obvious questions. 



Protests regarding the deactivation of the Albatross III have been 

 raised in the press and made to a number of Members of Congress. 

 This hearing has been called this morning in response to such protests, 

 to hear from the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, Fish and Wildlife 

 Service, an explanation of the action which has been taken in this 

 case, and to ascertain the effect the loss of the vessel will have on im- 

 portant current research programs. 



We have limited time this morning, since the House meets at 11 

 o'clock. Therefore, we will confine attention as closely as possible 

 to this one matter. We will have a further appearance from the Fish 

 and Wildlife Service to receive a more comprehensive understanding 

 of their various activities in the field of oceanography later. 



The witness this morning is Mr. Donald L. McKeman, Director, 

 Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, Fish and Wildlife Service, who 

 will be accompanied by the Assistant Director, Mr. Andrew W. An- 

 derson. 



Mr. McKeman, will you and Mr. Anderson come forward together* 



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