12 



and Marine Observations and Information Systems; Environmental Hazards Mitiga- 

 tion; and a World-Wide Environmental Information Network. 



Globally, aquaculture accounts for about 15 percent of fisheries production and 

 about one-third of gross revenues. Stock enhancement in coastal waters using aqua- 

 culture techniques supports valuable fisheries in some counties such as Japan and 

 Norway. Dwindling domestic and world wild/natural production, static or incremen- 

 tal increases in consumption, and increased population have resulted in increasing 

 demand and imports oi cultured products. Yet marine aquaculture and stock en- 

 hancement are almost insignificant in the United States-. 



The Committee has expressed interest in discussing proposals to strengthen the 

 marine aquaculture ef forts of NOAA, including NMFS programs aimed at enhance- 

 ment and development of an environmentally sound inaustry, and the National Sea 

 Grant College Program. In FY 1995, NOAA requests an increase of $1.25 million 

 to begin the process of accelerating the growth of U.S. marine aquaculture. Assess- 

 ments of the potential production from wild stocks, population growth and demand 

 for seafood, clearly inoicate an increasing dependence on aquaculture-based food 

 production and a need for stock enhancement in the future. As enunciated in its 

 strategic plan, NOAA will coordinate agency aquaculture activities, identify over-ex- 

 ploited species and candidates for commercial culture; foster the development and 

 transfer of environmentally sound, cost-efTective intensive commercial aquaculture 

 systems and advance fisheries enhancement programs through technology develop- 

 ment involving new hatchery rearing techniques, genetic improvements, develop- 

 ment of feeds with improved conversion rates, and comprehensive health manage- 

 ment. In addition, the National Sea Grant College Program sponsors research fo- 

 cused on exploring technological approaches to cost-efTective aquaculture in closed 

 systems, developing computer monitoring and control systems, developing hatchery 

 technology, and defining physiological endocrinological and nutritional controls on 

 development, growth, and reproduction of aquacultural species. A cohesive NOAA 



erogram, relying primarily on NMFS and Sea Grant, will provide the impetus for 

 LS. aquaculture production to meet the seafood demands of the 21st century, and 

 allow the United, States to assert its leadership role in environmental stewardship. 



Environmental Systems Convergence / Dual Use 



Today, due to increasing budget pressures, especially in the Department of De- 

 fense, there is an opportunity for NOAA to address this challenge with relatively 

 modest investments by leveraging significant existing investments other agencies 

 have already made. This leveraging involves both a dual use of some assets and a 

 convergence of others (such as environmental satellites and the transfer of T-AGOS 

 vessels from the Navy to NOAA). resulting in a more efficient national infrastruc- 

 ture. Convergence of the Nations civil and military polar-orbiting environmental 

 satellites is a good example. As you are probably aware, a Presidential Decision Di- 

 rective was recently signed dircting the convergence of NOAA and DOD's polar-or- 

 biting satellites, with the inclusion of NASA's Earth Observing System platform. 

 The Presidential Decision Directive (PDD) will allow the government to reduce the 

 cost of acquiring and operating polar-orbiting environmental satellites systems, 

 while continuing to satisfy U.S. operational requirements for data from these sys- 

 tems. The PDD directs the Departments of Commerce and Defense and the National 

 Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to create an IPO for the converged 

 polar-orbiting operational satellite system by October 1, 1994. The IPO will be re- 

 sponsible for the management, acquisition, and operation of the converged system. 

 The IPO will be under the direction of a System Program Director (SPD) who will 

 report to a Triagency-Executive Committee (EXCOM) at the Under Secretary-level. 

 The EXCOM will act as the Board of Directors for the program to provide policy 



fuidance; ensure sustained agency support; and approve the management plan, 

 udget, acquisition strategy, operations concept, ana baselines (e.g., cost, schedule 

 and performance, etc.) requirements. 



Environmental Information 



NOAA is in the process of initiating a long-term, agency-wide program to improve 

 its dissemination of information products and services and to integrate its data into 

 new products. The improved dissemination will take full advantage of connection to 

 the Nation's emerging National Information Infrastructure. 



Global Partnerships for Fuirdling the Goals of the Earth Summit (UNCED) 



In 1992, the United States along with other members of the international commu- 

 nity made commitment? at the Earth Summit to take actions toward environ- 

 mentally sustainable development. NOAA's principal contribution to the inter- 

 national aspect of implementation of the commitments made in Rio will be in the 

 area of cooperative programs, involving cost effective advancement of NOAA's mis- 



