Marine Science Affairs 



Sciences Council has during the past two years given high priority to im- 

 proving government-wide capabilities for handling all types of maritime 

 information produced by an expanding national program to meet the spe- 

 cialized needs of a wide variety of users. 



Environmental Data Labyrinth 



Collecting, processing, and distributing marine environmental data are 

 functions currently performed within a complex, loosely structured frame- 

 work which has evolved over time in response to a variety of separate and 

 sometimes unique requirements. While the collection and use of environ- 

 mental data previously involved a small number of research scientists, in- 

 tensified interest and activity in the oceans now demands more complete, 

 accurate, and timely data for science, economic development, defense, and 

 other interests. 



The modes of data transfer are almost as numerous as the uses of the 

 data. For example: ocean scientists may obtain data directly from col- 

 leagues to supplement data collected personally or acquired from scientific 

 journals or centralized data banks; government agencies design their data 

 systems to respond to specific agency missions, utilizing, with increasing fre- 

 quency, highly automated processing facilities as a central link; industrial 

 organizations are developing selective information dissemination techniques 

 to serve individual employees and units while exercising tight control over 

 public release of proprietary data about ocean resource distribution; and 

 the general public turns to maps and bulletins concerning nearshore weather 

 conditions. 



The "data problem" and associated costs thus become more serious as data 

 traffic increases, more variables are measured and must be inter-related 

 faster, and the data commodity must be shared with a broader, more diver- 

 sified clientele. Additionally, international exchange of data is becoming 

 more important (Figure XIII-1). 



Environmental Data Repositories of Federal Agencies 



Several Federal agencies maintain data repositories. Table XIII-1 shows 

 funding for four of the larger centers; Table XIII-2 indicates the extent 

 of some of these data files. 



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