in this respect, and have been concerned with boating and marina 

 operations and the economic impact of recreation and tourism on the 

 coasts. 



DOI is the Federal Government's major natural-resource manag- 

 ing agency. Its multidisciplinary program offers numerous oppor- 

 tunities to the outdoor recreation seeker. The National Park Service 

 currently manages 28 coastal areas that provide a wide variety of 

 recreational choices. These areas include eight on the Atlantic, four 

 on the Gulf, seven on the Pacific coasts, five along the Great Lakes, 

 and two each in the Caribbean and Hawaii. They offer the 

 recreationist experience in marine environments that vary from the 

 megalopolis gateways of New York and San Francisco to the 

 rockbound coast of Maine, the Everglades of Florida, and the 

 underwater trails of the Virgin Islands. 



BLM, the Nation's largest landholder, offers considerable 

 shoreline for the recreation seeker on all coasts, particularly on the 

 Pacific, which includes the King Range National Conservation Area. 

 In addition to Pacific holdings, BLM owns some fine beaches on the 

 Gulf of Mexico. 



The third major DOI landholder, FWS, offers a wide assortment of 

 National Wildlife Refuges on all four coasts. Although the primary 

 purpose of these areas is to provide nesting, resting, and wintering 

 areas for waterfowl, shore birds, and other bird or other animal 

 species, such areas do afford great opportunity for the outdoor lover 

 who is interested in boating, photography, nature trails, and other 

 outdoor activities. 



FWS also administers the Pitman-Robinson Act of 1937 and the 

 Dingell-Johnson Act of 1950. These acts provide matching monies to 

 the States to enhance and manage their fish and wildlife resources by 

 acquisition and development of lands and waters for hunting and 

 fishing. Over the years, these two Federal assistance programs have 

 contributed greatly to increasing the State coffer of lands and waters 

 available for outdoor recreation. Although the primary purpose of 

 these acts was oriented to fish and wildlife programs, other outdoor 

 activities that have benefited include wildlife photography, boating, 

 swimming, birdwatching, and many other activities. Of equal 

 importance, however, money through these acts has been used to 

 acquire lands and waters for the protection of many of our unique 

 areas such as estuaries and wetlands. 



DOI also provides much indirect support to recreation programs. 

 For example, the Office of Water Research and Technology, in fiscal 

 year 1975, supported eight research projects that related to such 

 matters as the impact of pesticides and logging on water quality, 

 control of mosquito larvae, eutrophication, and groundwater 

 resources. 



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