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cated yachtsmen, conducts similar acti\aties, 

 but tliey are more aligned to education than 

 inspection. Its educational pFograms are an 

 important part of the Nation's recreational 

 boating safety program. 



The Commission recommends that the 

 States adopt and enforce the Model State 

 Boat Act prepared by the National Asso- 

 ciation of State Boating Law Administra- 

 tors and that the Congress enact legisla- 

 tion recently proposed by the Coast Guard 

 to establish minimum safety standards in 

 the manufacture of pleasure boats. 



Underwater Safety 



The number of sport divers is rapidly ap- 

 proaching two million and may be expected 

 to increase rapidly as equipment becomes less 

 expensive and as persons become aware of 

 the pleasures of safe diving. Sport diving 

 should be recognized as a permanent and 

 growing part of American recreation, and 

 suitable provision should be made for safety 

 by assuring that the diver has the option to 

 select Federally certified equipment. 



Safety in sport, diving is primarily the 

 responsibility of the individual. The Com- 

 mission notes that such organizations as the 

 Underwater Society of America, the Profes- 

 sional Association of Diving Instructors, the 

 YMCA, many sport diving clubs, and many 

 stores selling divnng equipment have made a 

 strenuous effort to ensure proper training for 

 sport divers. However, these commendable 

 voluntary activities would be strengthened by 

 some minimum Government oversight to 

 monitor the quality of diving equipment and 

 to a,s.sure that the users of this equipment have 

 appropriate training. 



p]ven with these precautions, the mimber 

 of scuba accidents is likely to increase with 

 the growth in the popularity of the sport and 



in the work of commercial divers. In order 

 to minimize fatalities, specialized equipment 

 and medical care will be needed. Currently, 

 only the Navy is equipped to deal with diver 

 emergencies. Tlie (^onunission urges that the 

 Coast Guard and Public Health Service co- 

 operate with private groups to assure the 

 availability of eciuipnient for emergency de- 

 compression and treatment. 



The Commission recommends that the 

 National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

 Agency (CG) provide for certification of 

 sport diving equipment at the option of 

 the manufacturer and cooperate with the 

 various diving associations to ensure 

 adequate diver training and emergency 

 medical facilities and services. 



Policing and Enforcement 



The Coast (ruard originated as an agency 

 to enforce customs and immigration laws. It 

 remains the Federal Government's principal 

 marine enforcement agency, but its mission 

 has been expanded to include enforcement of 

 marine safety regulations, pollution and 

 sanitation measures, procedures governing 

 dangerous cargoes, and provisions of inter- 

 national fisheries agreements. 



The Army Corps of Engineers promul- 

 gates and enforces regulations i)ertaining to 

 new construction in navigable waterways. 

 The Department of the Interior oversees the 

 industrial safety aspects of offshore drilling 

 and also has the lead role in Federal pollu- 

 tion control. The T'.S. Navy polices militarj- 

 sea areas. The Public Health Service and 

 the Food and Drug Administration have im- 

 portant but limited enforcement functions 

 concerning food and drugs from the sea. 



Many of the enforcement activities in tide- 

 water areas are in the hands of the States. 

 Most have fisheries and wildlife agencies with 



