Marine Science Affairs 



— developing a comprehensive marine science program involving 

 Federal agencies working in cooperation with the entire spectrum of 

 non-Federal organizations including State and local governments, pri- 

 vate research institutions, and industry; 



— conducting long-range studies of the potential benefits to our economy, 

 security, health, and welfare from ocean activities and of the legal 

 aspects of resource management; and 



— evaluating the total national program in terms of the legislative 

 mandate and reporting annually to the Congress on accomplishments, 

 budgets, and needed legislation. 



Developing a Concerted National Effort 



To advise and assist the President with these tasks the statutory National 

 Council on Marine Resources and Engineering Development was promptly 

 activated. Since its initial session August 17, 1966, the Council has met 15 

 times. The Vice President, who serves as Chairman, has presided at 12 

 sessions. 



The Council has endeavored to: (a) identify unmet needs and oppor- 

 tunities to which Federal marine science programs could be directed, especi- 

 ally gaps in programs that cross agency lines; (b) recommend priorities 

 on a government- wide basis by selecting areas deserving additional emphasis; 



(c) identify impediments to progress and strategies for their circumvention; 



(d) develop policies by which the objectives and programs of one agency 

 will not inadvertently conflict with equally valid but independent activities 

 of another; (e) recommend^ — in those cases where missions of several agen- 

 cies may overlap — that one agency assume a lead responsibility for govern- 

 ment-wide planning, guiding, coordinating, and assuring fiscal support; 

 (f) coordinate — through a committee structure — programs which are of 

 concern to many agencies; (g) insure that the appropriate resources of the 

 Federal Government are brought to bear on mutually agreed upon goals; 

 (h) evaluate programs so as to eliminate marginal activities; and (i) develop 

 background, legal, economic, and technological studies for identifying al- 

 ternative policies and criteria for choice. 



The Council has also carried out policy planning functions for the Sea 

 Grant Program, established by P.L. 89-688 and administered by the National 

 Science Foundation, and coordinated Federal programs of international 

 cooperation, such as the International Decade of Ocean Exploration. 



The Council Chairman developed a number of concepts concerning the 

 Council's role and method of operating : 



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