2S0 



contribute powerfully to the achievement by 

 other agencies of their central missions and 

 obviate their need to initiate sea activities 

 oriented to their specific interests. The cen- 

 tral agency, when its capabilities are proven, 

 should then tend to displace the marginal 

 activities of a number of agencies and pre- 

 vent inefficient pi'oliferation. 



The Commission examined many alterna- 

 tive forms of Federal organization. We are 

 convinced that a system relying upon co- 



The sea, whether seen in a mosaic 

 of satellite hurrieane photographs 

 (taken Sept. 11,, 19C,7) or from the 

 deck of a storm-driven ship, is the 

 dominant element of the total global 

 sea-air system. Accordingly, a new 

 agency for the Nation's ocean 

 program should advance under- 

 standing of the total sea-air 

 envelope. 



ordination of organizationally dispersed ac- 

 tivities, no matter how well administered, is 

 not a substitute for a single operating agency 

 having authority and capability commensur- 

 ate with the scope and urgency of the na- 

 tional ocean program. 



The advancement of this Nation's capa- 

 bility to use more effectively its marine en- 

 vironment deserves recognition as a major 

 mission of Government. Because the sea is 

 the dominant element of the total global air- 

 sea system, a new marine agency should 

 embrace atmospheric sciences as well. 



The Commission recommends the creation 

 of a major new civilian agency, which 

 might be called the National Oceanic and 

 Atmospheric Agency, to be the principal 

 instrumentality within the Federal Gov- 

 ernment for administration of the Na- 

 tion's civil marine and atmospheric 

 programs. 



A National Oceanic and Atmospiieric 

 Agency 



Organization and Functions 



The primary mission of the new agency is 

 to ensure the full and wise use of the marine 

 environment in the best interests of the 

 United States. The National Oceanic and At- 

 mospheric Agency should be entrusted with 

 the following functions : 



• To advance the marine and atmospheric 

 sciences and, for this purpose, to explore 

 the global oceans to determine their char- 

 acteristics and behavior and the effects of 

 human activities ufwu them 



• To assist in rehabilitating U.S. fisheries 

 through research, development, encourage- 

 ment of improved management practices, 

 and the establishment of a framework that 

 will enable U.S. fishermen to harvest eco- 

 nomically the resources of the sea. The new 



