Marine Science Affairs 



— California, Washington, Florida, and other States, industrial associa- 

 tions such as the National Security Industrial Association, profes- 

 sional societies, and other non-governmental bodies have taken steps 

 to strengthen and broaden the marine science activities within their 

 purview. 

 Underlying this re-awakened effort to realize more clearly our role as a 

 maritime power is the mandate of the Marine Resources and Engineering 

 Development Act of 1966 "to develop, encourage, and maintain a coordi- 

 nated, comprehensive, and long-range national program in marine sciences 

 for the benefit of mankind to assist in : 



— protection of health and property; 



— enhancement of commerce, transportation, and national security; 

 —rehabilitation of our commercial fisheries ; and 

 — increased utilization of these and other resources." ^ 

 This mandate of the Congress and the President further identifies eight 

 objectives related to these goals: 



— the accelerated development of the resources of the marine 



environment; 

 — the expansion of human knowledge of the marine environment; 

 — the encouragement of private investment enterprise in exploration, 

 technological development, marine commerce, and economic utiliza- 

 tion of the resources of the marine environment; 

 — the preservation of the role of the United States as a leader in 



marine science and resource development; 

 — the advancement of education and training in marine science; 

 — the development and improvement of the capabilities, performance, 

 use, and efficiency of vehicles, equipment, and instruments for use 

 in exploration, research, surveys, the recovery of resources, and the 

 transmission of energy in the marine environment; 

 — the effective utilization of the scientific and engineering resources 

 of the Nation, with close cooperation among all interested agencies, 

 public and private, in order to avoid unnecessary duplication of 

 effort, facilities, and equipment, or waste; and 



^ Following are some abbreviations and definitions generally used in the marine 

 sciences field: 



The Act is customarily called the Marine Sciences Act. 



The National Council on Marine Resources and Engineering Development is usually 

 abbreviated to the Marine Sciences Council. 



The Commission on Marine Science, Engineering, and Resources is usually re- 

 ferred to as the Marine Sciences Commission. 



Marine science is a term employed in Public Law 89-454 to describe scientific re- 

 search, engineering, and technological development related to the marine environment. 



The marine environment is considered to include the oceans, the Continental Shelf 

 and estuaries of the United States and its territories, the Great Lakes, and the re- 

 sources of the oceans and Great Lakes. 



