stations and contiguous land stations are routinely made available to 

 the other countries of the Arctic. Also, the International Ice Patrol, 

 through research and observation, makes data available to reduce 

 navigation hazards in the North Atlantic. 



Our understanding of the Arctic basin, however, is still in its in- 

 fancy. The oceanographic research capability to be included in the 

 new Coast Guard ship will be a significant step in enhancing our in- 

 vestigations of near- Arctic waters. As we improve our capabilities 

 to operate in the Arctic, we look forward to collaboration with other 

 polar countries for we have much to learn from their extensive 

 experience. 



International Use of the Great Lakes 



We have worked with Canada for many years to preserve one of 

 our greatest inland resources, the Great Lakes. Many countries of the 

 world use the Great Lakes as a trade artery. Millions of Americans 

 and Canadians rely on the lakes for water supply, recreational activi- 

 ties, fishery products, transportation, and electric power generation. 

 At the same time, industries and mimicipalities often use the Great 

 Lakes as a convenient dumping ground for waste products. 



The American-Canadian International Joint Commission is devot- 

 ing considerable attention to pollution and to the maintenance of 

 water levels. Through the efforts of the Great Lakes Fishery Com- 

 mission, the sea lamprey population has been reduced by 90 percent in 

 Lake Superior ; treatments were recently completed in Lake Michigan 

 and are well undervvay in Lake Huron. The U.S. Geological Survey 

 is planning a collaborative project with Canada in connection with 

 the International Hydrological Decade to study the physical dy- 

 namics of one of the Great Lakes. 



Table VIII indicates the Federal agencies supporting research in the 

 Great Lakes. 



Bilateral and Multilateral Foreign Assistance 



Coastal fishing and other maritime activities play a significant role 

 in the economies of most coastal nations of the world. Technical as- 

 sistance programs can help the lesser developed of these countries, 

 particularly if the programs incorporate the principle of self-help. 

 Also, the programs must be formulated within the context of the over- 

 all needs and directions of the country's economy, for harbors without 

 boats, fishery products without marketing mechanisms, and scientists 

 without laboratories make little sense. 



On a limited bilateral basis, we have provided precision equipment 

 and specialists for harbor surveys in Latin America and aided on-the- 

 job training for local specialists. We have similarly supported harbor 

 improvement, navigation, and desalting projects. 



30 



