n 



of marine resources. Instruments alone, how- 

 ever, cannot perform all necessary science and 

 exploration tasks. Man himself must go to 

 the ocean depths for observation, and Jie must 

 remain for extended i>eriods. The Nation 

 should anticipate the fiittire by starting now 

 to develop deep submersibles with ocean 

 transit capabilities for use as research and 

 exploration platforms at depths to 20,000 feet 

 under the sea and to study the feasibility of 

 manned deep ocean stations. 



Environmental Modification 



Tiie Nation needs a focus for understand- 

 ing and exploring the feasibility and conse- 

 quences of environmental modification. It 

 must also establish the scientific capability, 

 facilities, and monitoring networks to make 

 possible an assessment of the global conse- 

 quences of man's activities, such as the burn- 

 ing of fossil fuels, the use of pesticides and 

 insecticides, and the effects of particulate and 

 gaseous pollutants. Similarly, it is urgent 

 that the Nation explore a wide range of pos- 

 sibilities for environmental modification that 

 can be brought about by our new technologi- 

 cal capabilities. The Commission recom- 

 mends that NOAA undertake the necessary 

 comprehensive efforts. 



Organizing for Action 



-V i^lan for national action must be based 

 on national policy established by the Presi- 

 dent and the Congress and implemented by 

 tlie exercise of Federal leadership and sup- 

 port. The very existence of the Commission 

 is an expression of the intent of the Congress 

 and the President to develop a national ocean 

 program worthy of a great sea nation. 



Marine missions have proliferated 

 throughout the Federal Government, but 

 most i)rograms are too small to achieve real 

 effectiveness. There are voids and overlaps. 

 Until the advent of the National Sea Grant 



Program, there was no broad Federal agency 

 mission concerned with using the sea more 

 effectively to meet public needs. Yet the na- 

 tional objective is "to develop, encourage and 

 maintain a coordinated, comprehensive, and 

 long-range national program in marine sci- 

 ence for the benefit of mankind," which pre- 

 supposes an orientation of national marine 

 activities to broad human needs, not simply to 

 those concerned with food, transport, or 

 minerals. 



The Commission finds that the present 

 Federal organization cannot meet the chang- 

 ing, broadening aspects of marine affairs. In 

 the past, the Federal agencies have concen- 

 trated on science, surveys, some technology, 

 supporting services, and minimal and fre- 

 quently inadequate support for fisheries. By 

 far the largest part of the Federal ocean 

 budget has been that of the Navy. For the 

 most part, the agencies have performed their 

 fragmentary missions well, within the limits 

 of inadequate funding and — too frequently— 

 a lack of strong support from the heads of 

 agencies with primary concerns other than 

 the oceans. 



Recognition of the lack of proper Federal 

 organization is not new. Measures were 

 taken, starting with the creation of the In- 

 teragency Committee on Oceanography by 

 the Federal Council for Science and Tech- 

 nology nearly a decade ago. In 1966 the Na- 

 tional Council on Marine Resources and 

 Engineering Development was established by 

 the Congress to initiate and oversee Federal 

 programs until such time as the Commission 

 had completed its study and the President 

 and the Congress had decided on the final 

 organization required to meet the Nation's 

 marine needs. The Council should continue 

 to perform these functions until that decision 

 is reached. 



Despite the Council's value and the excel- 

 lence of its staff and committees, experience 



