23 



It turns out that many outside private companies have the tech- 

 nology and the equipment to do surveying so that we could do char- 

 tering of that surveying and get a better job with better equipment 

 than we could with our in-house equipment. 



We have been offered now, in the last couple of years, several of 

 the Navy's T-AGOS vessels to see if we could actually use those. 

 And so we have on our plate a number of new opportunities. We 

 have two or three very critical reports about where we stand with 

 the plan. And it seemed to me, having been involved in the pro- 

 curement of many large systems in the past, that it would make 

 sense for us to at least spend a year trying to understand and put 

 together a plan that I can come up here and be fully enthusiastic 

 about, and a plan that you would agree is a sensible plan. 



And so we did not try to put in additional funds for the construc- 

 tion of vessels this year. We have a temporary slow down in the 

 plan while we try to put together — a very sensible plan. 



Now, I have a lot of experience in oceanographic ships. I have 

 spent a lot of my time sitting around the ward room of various 

 ships talking to expert captains about what it is that makes a good 

 oceanographic ship, and I am talking about fishery research ves- 

 sels, mapping and charting vessels, and oceanographic research. 

 And there are many ways that we can solve the problems. 



I believe that the answer is going to be a strong use of these 

 Navy vessels that we have because these are wonderful ships. They 

 can be used, and they come to us at zero cost. You cannot beat a 

 ship at zero cost. We built a whole oceanographic research fleet in 

 the United States with zero cost vessels after World War II. 



We have a need for fisheries research vessels to replace the ones 

 we have. We have an opportunity to do a certain amount of chart- 

 ing from existing private vessels, but we are going to have to have 

 some new ones. Arid we are going to have to solve the problem of 

 how we do mapping and charting with new technology as well as 

 from our ships and small launches. 



Now, this has to be put together into a credible plan. We do not 

 have a credible plan for you right now, and that is the reason that 

 we have the budget proposed. This is a very high priority for us 

 and we are working very hard on it. 



Senator Kerry. Well, that sounds good. If there is a plan emerg- 

 ing and it is more sensible and more technologically state-of-the- 

 art, that makes sense obviously, and I do not think that we can 

 complain about the fact that you are trying to conceivably save 

 money or provide for a greater efficiency. 



But I take it then that there is even the potential that some of 

 the fleet may be deemed unnecessary or scrapped. Is that accurate? 



Dr. Baker. That is certainly on the table; yes. 



Senator Kerry. What is the timeframe on our having a sense of 

 this? 



Dr. Baker. Months, a few months. 



Senator Kerry. Senator Stevens. 



Senator Stevens. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. 



Dr. Baker, I just left the Senate surgeon and he said it would 

 be wise if I just went to bed, but there are too many other things 

 on my plate today. T hope you will just bear with me as I try to 

 be brief with the voice I have got. 



