has been allocated to research and studies in furtherance of the goals 

 and objectives of the act. 



A national plan for the optimum future use and preservation of 

 fishery resources is being formulated by the National Oceanic and 

 Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as a result of 

 recommendations made by the National Advisory Committee on the 

 Oceans and Atmosphere. The Departments of State and the Interior, 

 State governments, and recreation and commercial fisheries 

 organizations are cooperating in the preparation of the plan. 



The preservation of fishery resources depends to a large extent on 

 the conservation and proper management of the coastal 

 environments where many species live at some stage of their 

 development. Coastal zone management is now being advanced by 

 Federal-State cooperation under the Coastal Zone Management Act, 

 signed in October 1972. As of April 1974, NOAA has made its first 

 six grants for management program development. The coastal States 

 receiving the grants are located on the Atlantic, Gulf, Pacific and 

 Great Lakes coasts. By the end of FY 1974, it is expected that about 30 

 States will have received grants. 



Ocean dumping may also have an effect on marine habitats. The 

 first annual report has been submitted to the Congress on monitoring 

 and research regarding the effects of ocean dumping and other man- 

 induced changes to ocean ecosystems. The report, required by the 

 Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972, examines 

 the problems inherent in ocean dumping, reviews the more complex, 

 longer-term impact of man's activities on the ocean, and summarizes 

 relevant Federal programs from enactment of the legislation through 

 December 1973. 



Program Emphasis 



The Federal Ocean Prpgram budget proposed for fiscal year 1975 is 

 $77 million higher than the previous year's. This difference reflects 

 the shift of national attention to energy problems and to other 

 pressing issues. The increase in nonliving resources programs 

 results from the near doubling of the Department of Interior budget 

 for the investigation and appraisal of offshore sources of fossil fuels 

 and minerals and for the leasing and management of OCS lands for 

 oil development. The AEC also plans significant increases in its 

 programs. Most of AEC's additional funds are scheduled to support 

 research investigations related to the siting of offshore nuclear 

 powerplants. Additional energy-related efforts planned for FY '75 

 are the design and construction of deepwater ports, advances in the 

 development and operation of supertankers, and the improvement of 

 coastal charts for these deep-draft vessels. 



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