OCEANOGRAPHY IN THE UNITED STATES 99 



graphic research more effective and more expansive would probably 

 be in tlie interest of the country as a whole. 



Mr. McKernan. Yes. 



Mr. Olrer. Thank you veiy much. 



That is all I have. 



Mr. Miller. Mr. Pelly. 



Mr. Pelly. Mr. McKernan, are we going to go through this in 

 connection with Alaska, too? Are you transferring any vessels to 

 the new State or discontinuing any operations up there? 



Mr. McKernan. We are transferring our management vessels to the 

 new State for their use and we have deactivated two rather obsolete 

 vessels in Alaska. 



Mr. Pelly. Are those vessels operated with civil ser\^ice employees ? 



Mr, McKernan. Yes. 



Mr. Pelly. In other words, there are no openings available for 

 transfer ? 



Mr. McKernan. No. 



Mr. Pelly. Do you anticipate that you will have further reduc- 

 tions in the xVlaska operations in vessels ? 



Mr. McKernan. Yes, we will, Mr. Pelly. 



Mr. Pelly. Are those budgetary or in connection with the State? 



Mr. McKernan. Those are in connection with the transfer and, of 

 course, the budgetary picture for us changes with the transfer of func- 

 tions as it well shoidd. 



Here again we are attempting to work with the new State and 

 again bring about a painless transfer of these personnel everywhere 

 possible but, as yet, there are problems involved in the pay scales 

 and benefits and various other matters. I am sure that the new State 

 will take the position that they wish to pick and choose with respect 

 to the employees and will not want to take them over in toto. They 

 iiave indicated such. 



Mr. Pelly. You had prior to statehood how many vessels there? 



Mr. McKernan. I think we had a total of about 30. I am pulling 

 this out of my memory, Mr. Pelly, because I am not prepared to answer 

 in detail. I think there are about six major vessels in Alaska, one or 

 two of which have been carrying on research and will remain with 

 us. 



Mr, Pelly. How many have you transferred to the new State ? 



Mr. McKernan. We have made arrangements to transfer all of 

 the remainder that are not used for research, but you may remember 

 that that transfer of authority has not taken place, so that most of 

 those vessels are still being used by us. 



There were two of them that were old and we felt were inefficient 

 to operate and we have decommissioned those. 



One, I think, is being loaned to the State of Washington. 



Mr, Pelly, Were those vessels all manned with civil service per- 

 sonnel ? 



Mr. ^IcKernan, Yes, they were excepted personnel exactly in the 

 same classification as the New England people. 



Mr. Pelly. What is the budgetary situation, then, as far as the 

 management of the Fish and Wildlife Commercial Division in 1960 

 as against 1959? 



Mr. McKernan. It remains approximately the same. 



