12 



review, analysis, and recommendations 

 should take into account sport fisheries 

 interests. 



The Commission proposes that the States 

 continue to be responsible for managing fish 

 stocks in the waters of the coastal zone but 

 that NOAA be authorized to assume regula- 

 tory jurisdiction over endangered fisheries if 

 the States fail to take necessary conservation 

 measures. To rehabilitate U.S. fisheries, fish- 

 ermen must be relieved of the requirement to 

 use only U.S. -produced vessels in domestic 

 fisheries; U.S. fishermen should be permitted 

 to take advantage of better gear, improved 

 boats, and lower prices wherever they can be 

 obtained. 



Research, Technology, and Survey Pro- 

 grams Our knowledge of the availability 

 and distribution of marine species is totally 

 inadequate. We do not know the optimum 

 annual harvest consistent with conservation 

 of many valuable species. We lack informa- 

 tion on life cycles and on the ecological rela- 

 tionships among species. We do not under- 

 stand fully how estuarine-dependent species 

 are affected by man-induced changes; yet 

 about 70 such species account for about two- 

 thirds of the catch landed by U.S. fishermen. 

 The Commission recommends that NOAA 

 initiate the studies necessary to supply this 

 information and particularly that the agency 

 seek to delineate underutilized fisheries off 

 U.S. coasts. Once located and sustainable 

 yield determined, the fish should be caught 

 with maximum efficiency, carried to market 

 in the best condition, and ultimately retailed 

 or processed. New technology is needed to 

 improve each step along the way. To expand 

 use, new fish stocks, new processes, and new 

 markets must be created. The Commission 

 recommends that NOAA develop its survey 



and technology programs to accomplish these 

 ends. 



Aquacultural Research and Development 



The controlled i-earing of aquatic animals 

 using aquaculture and animal husbandry 

 techniques can produce enormous yields. 

 Although the harvestable surplus of natural 

 stocks is limited, cultured species harvests 

 are limited only by the acreage to be 

 farmed and the ability to compete econom- 

 ically with other marine stocks. For this 

 reason, aquatic culture of certain species can 

 contribute substantially both to the economy 

 and to the war on hunger. 



Aquaculture of marine animals has a long 

 history, but its potential is still to be realized 

 through the development and application of 

 modern techniques. Sea plants already have 

 proven of industrial value, but many promis- 

 ing commercial uses are still limited by the 

 availability of seaweed supplies. There is evi- 

 dence, however, that a number of useful sea- 

 weeds can be cultured. 



Although research is rapidly demonstrat- 

 ing the feasibility of aquaculture, full-scale 

 commercial application is limited by legal, 

 organizational, political, and technical con- 

 straints. As these constraints are removed, 

 aquaculture should become a powerful new 

 global resource. The Commission recom- 

 mends that NOAA be given explicit responsi- 

 bility for advancing aquaculture. 

 Drugs from the Sea Both plants and ani- 

 mals of the sea contain active substances 

 which are potential sources of drugs for the 

 treatment of human suffering. The Commis- 

 sion recommends that a new Institute of 

 Marine Medicine and Pharmacology be 

 established in the Department of Health, 

 Education, and AVelfare to screen these sub- 

 stances and to establish the basic information 

 needed by the pharmaceutical industry to 

 carry forward its work. 



