a systematic effort to strengthen Federal-State cooperation as it affects man- 

 agement of living resources. The National Science Foundation (NSF), 

 through its ties with the academic community, continues to be a strong 

 partner in such efforts. 



Activities on the international scene during 1971 reflected the growing 

 concern that pollution observed today off most nations' coasts could be the 

 precursor of general, global pollution of the ocean. The United States is 

 continuing its preparation for international conferences, such as the Stock- 

 holm, Sweden, United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in 



1972 and the IMCO Conference on Marine Pollution in 1973. Also of great 

 significance is the United Nations' Law of the Sea Conference scheduled for 



1973 to clarify jurisdictional and other legal questions which profoundly 

 affect the way we use and conserve the sea and its resources. The United 

 States also continues to participate in fisheries commissions and various 

 other international bodies and proceeds with several international scientific 

 endeavors, in particular, the first projects under the International Decade of 

 Ocean Exploration (IDOE) which got underway during 1971. 



Institutional Adjustments 



The year 1971 saw important institutional changes designed to make the 

 Federal Ocean Program more effective. The National Council on Marine 

 Resources and Engineering Development (the "Marine Sciences Council") 

 terminated its activities. To undertake a continuing review and overall as- 

 sessment of the progress of the Nation's marine and atmospheric activities 

 as well as to advise the Secretary of Commerce on NOAA's programs and 

 objectives, the National Advisory Committee on the Oceans and Atmosphere, 

 (NACOA) was established by the President in October 1971, pursuant 

 to Public Law 92-125. NACOA, whose membership consists of 25 dis- 

 tinguished citizens knowledgeable in various aspects of marine and atmos- 

 pheric science affairs, will submit its reports annually to the President and 

 Congress through the Secretary of Commerce. It is anticipated that NACOA 

 will provide invaluable assistance in the formulation of national program 

 plans. (The NACOA charter and membership appear in appendix C.) 



To meet the continuing need for interagency coordination of marine 

 science activities at the policy level, the Chairman of the Federal Council 

 for Science and Technology formed the Interagency Committee on Marine 

 Science and Engineering (ICMSE) in mid-1971. Among its first-order con- 

 siderations, ICMSE is examining Federal programs in coastal zone research 

 and engineering, the multifaceted Chesapeake Bay area, and marine en- 

 vironmental quality. (The ICMSE charter and membership appear in 

 appendix D.) 



Other institutional changes during 1971 included: 



— Establishment of the Office of Ocean Affairs (OOA) in the De- 

 partment of Defense; headed by the Under Secretary of the Navy, 

 OOA was responsible for preparing Department of Defense recom- 

 mendations for the 1973 Law of the Sea Conference, ocean affairs 

 policies. Department of Defense positions on international marine 



