On January 9, 1969, the Commission had presented its report, "Our 

 Nation and the Sea," ^ to the President and the Congress. The Commission 

 had been established under provisions of Public Law 89-454, to "make a com- 

 prehensive investigation and study of all aspects of marine science in order 

 to recommend an overall plan for an adequate national oceanographic 

 program that will meet the present and future national needs." The Com- 

 mission's report contained a total of 122 recommendations in the areas of 

 marine science, marine technology, manpower development, scientific and 

 technical information, coastal management, coastal development, pollution 

 control, living resources, mineral resources, Government-industry relations, 

 research and exploration, global monitoring and prediction, environmental 

 modification, technical and operating services, and organization for the 

 national ocean program. 



The Marine Sciences Act assigned responsibility to the Marine Sciences 

 Commission to recommend an overall, long-range plan for the national 

 ocean program, including a recommended governmental organizational 

 plan for the national program. Among the Commission's broad-ranging 

 recommendations was the call for Federal Government reorganization in the 

 marine sciences bringing together many of the organizationally separated 

 Federal agencies in a new civilian agency, the National Oceanic and Atmos- 

 pheric Agency (NOAA) , which was proposed to serve as the principal instru- 

 mentality within the Federal Government for administration of the Nation's 

 civil marine and atmospheric programs. 



Following review of the Commission's recommendations by the Federal 

 agencies, the President asked the Chairman of his Advisory Council on 

 Executive Organization to evaluate the proposal for a NOAA in the con- 

 text of a broader review of Federal organization, taking into account related 

 environmental and natural resource areas. 



The organizational views of the Federal agencies are under review. The 

 President's Advisory Council on Executive Organization is scheduled to 

 report its recommendations on organization of Federal environmental, nat- 

 ural resource and oceanographic programs to the President by April 15, 1970. 



Following careful governmental review of the report, the Vice President 

 recommended that Federal agencies take the Commission's program rec- 

 ommendations into account when developing their fiscal year 1971 and 

 future programs and priorities. 



In May, 1969, the President requested the Marine Sciences Council to 

 encourage further improvements in the coordination of Federal marine 



* "Our Nation and the Sea," report of the Commission on Marine Science, Engi- 

 neering and Resources, U.S. Government Printing Office, January 1969; and Panel 

 Reports of the Commission, available as a set from the U.S. Government Printing 

 Office: Vol. 1 : Reports of Panels on Basic Science, Environmental Monitoring, Man- 

 agement and Development of the Coastal Zone, and Manpower, Engineering and 

 Training; Vol. 2: Reports of the Panels on Industry and Private Investment and 

 Marine Engineering and Technology; and Vol. 3: Reports of the International Panel 

 and the Panel on Marine Resources. In keeping with the provisions of the Marine 

 Resources and Engineering Development Act, the Commission ceased to exist 30 

 days after the submission of its report. 



