151 



vanced to areas beneath 285 feet of water, and will advance to 345 

 feet in the near future. 



In the case of hard minerals, current technology has permitted 

 production to depths of about 150 feet. However, a phosphate lease has 

 been granted off the California coast, in 240 to 4,000 feet of water. In 

 the Department's view, these actions are compatible with provisions of 

 the Continental Shelf Convention. 



It is the Department's view that any change in the legal regime of the 

 ocean bottom outside the limits of the continental shelf should be 

 made only after careful study. It recognizes that there is insufficient 

 knowledge of the qualitative and quantitative distribution of deep- 

 ocean mineral resources. 



The presence of manganese nodules in many areas of the deep sea 

 has triggered industrial interest. The technology to economically 

 recover these nodules does not presently exist. They are the only known 

 minerals of potential value on the deep-sea floor. 



It is expected that teclinology will eventually make feasible the 

 exploitation of mineral resources of the deep-sea bed. When this de- 

 velopment occurs, there must be internationally acceptable principles 

 at hand to guide the exploration and exploitation of these resources. 



Insofar as is possible, these principles should be compatible not 

 only with the needs of the interna^tional community, but with U.S. 

 policy objectives. However, widespread exploitation of deep-sea bed 

 mineral resources is not foreseen for at least a decade. As the explora- 

 tion of this new environment proceeds, new problems are bound to arise 

 for which internationally acceptable solutions do not exist. 



The Department recognizes that the United Nations is a suitable 

 forum for development of international la,w for use of the oceans' 

 resources. We believe that in the present state of our knowledge of 

 the resource of the deep-sea bed and the problems that may be involved 

 it is premature to consider international control over these resources, 

 and for that reason we do not support the treaty as proposed by Malta. 



On the other hand, increased acquisition of knowledge of the deep- 

 sea bed resources is urged, as well as the development of internation- 

 ally acceptable legal principles for peaceful exploration and exploita- 

 tion of these resources. 



The State Department has indicated that the administration is pur- 

 suing a course of action designed to keep open for further study and 

 deliberation the subject of control of deep-ocean resources. Much more 

 needs to be done before definitive action is taken. The State Depart- 

 ment has indicated that the enactment of legislation such as House 

 Joint Resolution 816 may not be necessary and we defer to their judg- 

 ment, 



Mr. Fascell. Thank you. Dr. Cain. 



Mr. Terry or Mr. Layton, do you have anything you would like to 

 add to what Dr. Cain has said ? 



Mr. Layton. No, sir. 



Mr. Terry. No, sir. 



Mr. Fascell. Mr. Frelinghuysen. 



Mr. Frelinghuysen. Dr. Cain, it is not clear to me just how the 

 Department goes about issuing leases. On what basis does it decide 

 whether or not to issue a lease ? Is it simply a question of an individual 



