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D. Ocean-Wide Surveys* 



The ocean-wide survey program has caught the interest 

 of two agencies — the u. S. Hydrographic Office and the 

 Coast and Geodetic Survey. The Coast & Geodetic Survey 

 has initiated a special open ocean survey designed to test 

 procedures for both the "continuous underway" and the 

 "stop and go" type of survey. The Coast & Geodetic Survey 

 ship, PIOOEER, started this "pilot" study between the 

 Aleutians and Hawaii this spring. Similar work with the 

 Hydrographic Office ship, REHOBOTH, in the equatorial 

 Pacific from 120° to 180° west and 10° south to 20° north 

 was also started during the spring of 1961. 



Planning 



A J.S. ocean-wide survey program is well along in 

 the planning stage staffed and sparked by the Hydrographic 

 Office. Although still under development, the program 

 mainly reflects the operational requirements of the 

 agencies. However, the U.S. program mus t recognize the 

 need for close international cooperation and coordination. 

 We must be able to justify priority assignments on scien- 

 tific and international cooperative grounds when we go 

 into the international arena to negotiate the necessary 

 coordination of planning and exchange of data. 



In planning the survey program the value of recon- 

 naissarce surveys should not be overlooked. The areas of 

 high priority for reconnaissance surveys will be different 

 than the priority areas for detailed surveys. Priorities 

 for the latter may depend on navigational limitations and 

 immediate military and fisheries requirements. But 

 general knowledge of a relatively unknown area can become 

 very important almost overnight and time and inaccessibility 

 may not allow proper investigations after the information 

 is needed. 



Although the llavy, the Coast & Geodetic Survey, the 

 Atomic Energy Commission, the Weather Bureau, the Coast 

 Guard, the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, and the scien- 

 tific community are cooperating in planning this program, 

 only the first two have any new money in their budgets for 

 surveys. 



* Comments in this section apply to our Chapters 1 and 9 

 and mainly to programs of the llavy and the C&GS. 



