LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL 



TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES: 



Pursuant to P.L. 89-454, I am herewith transmitting the 1975 

 annual report on the Federal OceanProgram. The report represents 

 a summary of national efforts to comprehend, conserve and use the 

 sea, and lists significant activities of the Federal Government 

 related to the marine sciences in 1974 and early 1975. 



During this period, the United States: 



— intensified programs to appraise energy resources of the 

 oceans and assess the environmental impact of their development; 



— expanded geological and geophysical research programs 

 which broaden our knowledge of the earth's evolutionary process 

 and provide information of practical importance; 



— continued development of the capability to mine deep 

 seabed minerals without damage to the environment; 



— enhanced opportunities for ocean-related recreational ac- 

 tivities; 



— strengthened our ability to forecast marine environmental 

 conditions; and 



— began formal negotiations with other nations in the UN Law 

 of the Sea Conference during a two-month session in Caracas, 

 Venezuela. 



The report which I am transmitting emphasizes these 

 achievements and provides additional information on the Federal 

 Ocean Program budget for fiscal years 1974-1976, as well as on the 

 National Sea Grant Program and the status of the federally 

 supported marine research fleet. 



Subsequent to the period covered by this report, there have been 

 several developments of importance to Federal Ocean Policy 

 including: 



— the completion of three additional substantive negotiating 

 sessions of the UN Law of the Sea Conference; 



— the enactment of the Fishery Conservation and Manage- 

 ment Act in April 1976 which, effective March 1, 1977, will extend 

 our fisheries jurisdiction to 200 miles. 



— the leasing of Outer Continental Shelf areas for oil and gas 

 exploitation; and 



