Marine Science Affairs 



The uses of the sea thus become the primary motivation for expanding 

 our comprehension of it. While the focus of our research is primarily on 

 possible applications for national security, economic growth, and attainment 

 of social goals, we also recognize the inherent human curiosity about the 

 world around us — the desire to explore and seek adventure. Also, knowledge 

 and understanding of the seas are sought in order to avert potential con- 

 flicts between uses of the oceans for different purposes before they arise, and 

 to settle them if they arise. 



To provide a perspective for the Federal Government's $528 million 

 marine science program described in later chapters, this chapter seeks to 

 present an abstract of man's uses of the sea. An attempt has been made to 

 quantity these uses wherever reliable statistics are available although the 

 presentation is necessarily incomplete. 



These uses derive their unity from the common environment in which 

 they take place — namely, the oceans of the world and their coastal margins. 

 In brief, this chapter sets forth the present status of the ocean's relationship 

 to people. 



The Global Geography of the Ocean 



From space, the earth appears as a globe substantially covered by water. 

 The vastness of the ocean is sometimes difficult to comprehend. As suggested 

 in Figure II-l, we know that the sea covers some 140 million square miles 

 or 71 percent of the earth's surface; continental masses and lesser islands 

 occupy less than 29 percent of the total surface. These land masses are sur- 

 rounded by water with depths averaging two-and-one-half miles. The 

 submarine landscape encompasses vast topographic features including conti- 

 nental shelves and slopes, canyons, seamounts, and broad abyssal plains. 

 The deepest trench is further below sea level than the highest mountain 

 is above. 



A generalized geological cross section of the ocean near land is depicted 

 in Figure 1 1-2 ; it should be recognized that the land-sea profile varies greatly 

 from place to place. 



The underwater extension of the continents to a depth of 100 fathoms 

 is equivalent in area to approximately one-fourth the area of the continental 

 land masses. The breadth of these submarine extensions varies from coast- 

 line to coastline. Offshore the United States, there are about 850,000 square 

 miles at depths less than 100 fathoms: off Alaska 550,000 square miles, off 

 the Atlantic Coast 140,000 square miles, off the Gulf Coast 132,500 square 

 miles, and off the Pacific Coast 26,500 square miles. Table II-l identifies 



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