26 



the most demanding tasks of marine science 

 is to conduct large, multidisciplinary efforts 

 far from bases of logistic support and often 

 in hostile environments. The growing sophis- 

 tication of research tecliniques under such 

 difficult conditions requires large complex 

 facilities, well-equipped ships, large stable 

 platforms, deep-drilling vessels, deep submer- 

 sibles, underwater laboratories, large arrays 

 of buoys, exijerimental structures of several 

 kinds, extensive shore facilities, and open 

 areas where experiments in environmental 

 modification and control may be conducted. 



In brief, marine science has became big sci- 

 ence even though its facilities' requirements 

 still may be modest compared to those for 

 the space, nuclear energy, and national health 

 programs. 



Creation of big science capability in a few 

 efficient centers is more economical than pur- 

 suing the major scientific tasks on a scattered 

 project-by-proj-ect and facility-by-facility 

 basis. Yet the nature of funding by the Fed- 

 eral Government often has hampered the de- 

 velopment of such centers. In general, funds 

 have been furnished to support specific proj- 

 ects or facilities rather than institutions. 

 Sometimes capital grants have been provided 

 without following up with sufficient operat- 

 ing funds to support the facilities' use. Fund- 

 ing limitations often have made it impossible 

 to take advantage of unexpected develop- 

 ments or to support a scientist with an in- 

 terest outside the specified scope of the funded 

 project. 



To ensure the availability of money and 

 the ability to plan ahead, the laboratories 

 must be assured of an adequate level of in- 

 stitutional support for broad program pur- 

 poses. Individual research projects could be 

 funded separately, as at present. 



Large facilities and guaranteed support 

 are not needed by all institutions or scientists 

 engaged in marine research. However, the 



Marine scievcc in the United States 

 hat undergone a natural growth in 

 faciUtiex requirements. 

 Introduetion of the School of 

 Fisheries at the I'nivcrsity of Rhode 

 Island in 1967, for example, required 

 an additional rexeareh I'cssel and 

 her gear. 



Commission concludes that the Nation does 

 need a small group of geographically dis- 

 tributed laboratories that will be given such 

 facilities and support to develop a high 

 capability for ocean research. The labora- 

 tories should be located to cover different 

 parts of the ocean efficiently and to be readily 

 available to other scientists and institutions. 

 The direct management of these labora- 

 tories, which might be designated as Univer- 



