6 OCEAN SCIENCES AND NATIONAL SECURITY 



Rosources in and under the sea are so little known that questions of 

 eventual ownership seem remote. Nevertheless, without an inventory 

 of these resources, there is no assurance that the problem will not arise, 

 and in that event, despite the 1958 Geneva Convention which places 

 sovereignty of the seabed in the hands of coastal states, claims for 

 owmership of resources in the open ocean might well emanate from 

 precedence in their exploitation. The country there first might well 

 be able to establish a superior legal claim. To prevent these national 

 rivalries from becoming inflamed, the oceans may some day be subject 

 to the same sort of treaty now being considered for international con- 

 trol of the Antarctic. But there is some reason to believe that any 

 such agreement depends on the United States holding some claim by 

 virtue of its own explorations. 



Still another reason for maintaining a position of scientific leader- 

 ship in ocean research rests with the yet undeveloped biological re- 

 sources in the sea. Man}' nations balance their economy on products 

 derived from the sea. I^arge segments of the world population are fed 

 from the sea. But in the face of population pressures, additional 

 sources of protein for human consumption must l)e sought and the sea 

 is held to ofl'er an important palliative to this problem. Thus, as part 

 of our program of international assistance and cooperation, the United 

 States, through research in the sea, might well provide knowledge con- 

 cerning the location and habits of fish, more efficient techniques of 

 their capture, and even the possible systematic cultivation of life in 

 the sea to help feed the hungry of the world. 



In this perspective, research in the oceans has become a matter of 

 more than ordinary concern to the C^ongress. The far-reaching mili- 

 tary, economic, political, and scientific elements of oceanic research 

 are of interest to a number of connnittees in both the House of Repre- 

 sentatives and tlie Senate. All, however, have parallel interest in 

 identifying, in as specific and concrete terms as possible, the current 

 state and level of oceanographic research in the United States and 

 some dimension of the need. On this basis. Congress, in carrying 

 out its constitutional responsibilities, would thus be able to determine 

 the extent to which research in the sea demands special attention, 

 the question of whether existing statutory authority is adequate to 

 assure steady progress toward research goals and if so the extent to 

 which these current laws are being properly implemented. If statu- 

 tory authority is inadequate, then reference is necessary to further 

 background ui order that corrective legislation be prepared. 



This study has been prepared at the request of the House Committee 

 on Science and Astronautics, particularly to provide such back- 

 ground information. The scope was intended — 



1. To establish the perspective of oceanic researcli as an ele- 

 ment in the national security. 



2. To inventory present capabilities in oceanography. 



3. To identify the nature and content of future programs that 

 have been proposed by Government agencies and by scientists 

 as a basis for a concerted national effort. 



4. To analyze the need, the present size eft'ort, and plans to 

 increase that eft'ort, as background to assist the Congress in 

 determining tlie (^xtent to which sucli programs will answer the 

 needs. 



