OCEANOGRAPHY AND FISHERIES 75 



Because of marked differences in environmental conditions between the Pacific and 

 Atlantic coasts, the West Coast working group felt it necessary to reevaluate many of the 

 processes affecting the dispersal and concentration of radioactive materials introduced into the 

 sea. Their report will include recommendations concerning various types of source materials 

 and will indicate the amounts that can be introduced at various distances from the coast and 

 in various depths of water. It is expected that this report will be issued by the Academy- 

 Research Council in 1960. 



2. Recommendations Concerning the Disposal of Wastes from Nuclear-Powered Vessels. 



In June 1958, the U. S. Atomic Energy Commission requested the Committee on Ocea- 

 nography of the National Academy of Sciences — National Research Council to consider the 

 problem of disposal of radioactive wastes from nuclear-powered ships into the marine en- 

 vironment, and to present recommendations that might aid in developing design criteria and 

 operating doctrine relative to waste disposal from such vessels. This request was referred to 

 the Committee on the Biological Effects of Atomic Radiation on Oceanography and Fisheries, 

 which appointed a special working group. The report of the working group was issued in 

 1959(3). 



This report was an evaluation of: 



1. The nature and amount of radioactive waste materials that could conceivably be in- 

 troduced into the sea through normal operations of nuclear-powered ships. 



2. The routes by which such introduced activity would return to man from the sea. 



3. The portion of the maximum permissible dose to man, allotted to the peaceful uses 

 of nuclear energy, that should be permitted to originate from waste disposal operations from 

 nuclear-powered ships. 



4. The concentration by marine organisms of the various significant isotopes in the 

 wastes. 



5. The processes of dispersion of the wastes within the various subdivisions of the marine 

 environment. 



6. The permissible rate of introduction of radioactive waste materials into the various 

 subdivisions of the marine environment. 



The report dealt specifically with the wastes which would originate from a water-cooled 

 reactor. 



The following subdivisions of the marine environment considered, and the permissible 

 seafood concentrations recommended were: 



1. Harbors, estuaries, and coastal waters out to two miles from the shoreline: permis- 

 sible concentrations in seafood of radioisotopes from nuclear-powered ships shall not exceed 

 those for drinking water. 



2. The coastal area, between 2 miles and 12 miles from the coastline: permissible con- 

 centrations in seafood of radioisotopes from nuclear-powered ships shall not exceed those for 

 drinking water. 



3. The outer continental shelf, extending from 12 miles offshore outward to the 200- 

 fathom depth contour, in known fishing areas: permissible concentrations in seafood of 

 radioisotopes from nuclear-powered ships shall not exceed twice the values for drinking water. 



4. On the outer continental shelf, outside of known fishery areas: permissible seafood 



