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tions and under the law of the sea, we have some freedoms that 

 we don't want to lose, where we may operate — and it's different 

 with different countries. It's different in different places. It is very 

 complex, depending on how you draw baselines and other things. 



The one thing we want to be sure of in defense is that we don't 

 lose the prerogatives and the abilities that we have because to 

 work off those 240 ship-years requires that we continue to have the 

 ability to get where we need to get with, and sometimes without, 

 the permission of coastal states. 



So it is a difficult problem. 



There is some work under the law of the sea and under current 

 law that only we can do. And so we need to be sure that we are 

 the ones that are doing it. 



When a university tries to do it, when NOAA would try to do it 

 or someone else, it would not be possible. And I don't see that 

 changing. 



We are, and I think it's somewhat related to your question, we 

 are upgrading other agencies, other people, to be able to do the 

 work that they can do. We're trying to help with that so that we 

 don't have to do it all. 



For example, we've delivered six new ships to universities in the 

 not too distant past. As we've downsized our Navy in some of the 

 things we do, some of the shipbuilding that was pretty far along 

 in these kinds of ships have been turned over to people who can 

 do good work in areas that Mr. Kennedy is talking about. And we 

 obviously don't want to work off our coasts right now. We have 

 other places to work. 



So I think you're on to something. I think we need to be very 

 careful about exactly who does what because there are some things 

 that only some of us can do. 



I would not, for example, want to work in bays and in coastal 

 waters of the United States. There's absolutely no reason for me to 

 do that, and it would use up resources that I can use better with 

 these overseas-deployed eight ships. 



So it is extremely complex, that's my point. And we have to co- 

 ordinate what we do and we have to get coordinated guidance back 

 from you so we can do it. 



Mr. Kennedy. Thank you. Dr. Alberts? 



Dr. Alberts. Mr. Kennedy was pleading for science and sci- 

 entists to get together and provide interpretations of what science 

 means for people like you and what it means for our nation. 



I should remind you that the National Academy of Sciences was 

 chartered by President Abraham Lincoln to do exactly that. We do 

 it with 6000 volunteers, scientists and other people working at any 

 one time. 



More specifically relevant to your point is that last year we saw 

 it was important enough to deal with this issue of sustainable ma- 

 rine fisheries world-wide, to take nearly half a million dollars of 

 our own endowment funds and investment in a major study that 

 we expect to be completed this August on providing you the kind 

 of advice that you're asking for on the fisheries issue. 



And so I'm looking forward to providing that to you late this 

 summer. 



Mr. Kennedy. Thank you. I look forward to receiving that. 



