210 



mission on Marine Science, Engineering and Eesources, by Dr. J. A. 

 Stratton, Chairman of the Commission, which will follow in the 

 record of these hearings. 



(The letters referred to follow :) 



The Vice Pbesident, 

 Washington, Octoher 27, 1{>67. 

 Hon. Dante B. Fascell, 



Chairman, Suhcotnmittee on Organizations and Movements, Committee on Foreign 

 Affairs, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. 



Dear Mr. Chaibman : As Chairman of the National Council on Marine Re- 

 sources and Engineering Development, I am pleased to i-espond to your invita- 

 tion to report to the Subcommittee on International Organizations and Move- 

 ments of the Committee on Foreign Affairs on the activities of tlie Federal 

 Government pursuant to the Marine Resources and Engineering Development Act 

 of 196G. 



The legislation was developed almost entirely through Congressional initia- 

 tive and this first year of operating experience has confirmed the soundness 

 of the organic Act, Public Law 89-454, and the amendment that established 

 Sea Grant Colleges and Programs. The legislation singled out international 

 cooperation for particular emphasis in recognition of new opportunities to work 

 with other nations in using the seas to advance world peace, understanding 

 and economic development at home and abroad. 



Shortly after signing Public Law 89-454, the President asked me to activate 

 the Council and assume the statutory responsibility to advise and assist him 

 in marine science affairs. The President asked not only for action, but for 

 immediate action. He requested that the Council submit both budget nnd legis- 

 lative recommendations that could be embodied in his FY 1968 program. He 

 also assigned to the Council the responsibility of preparing the annual report 

 describing Federal marine science activities and budgets. 



The President's initial recommendations set forth in his report to the Congress 

 in March reflect our awareness that the benefits of the sea can and must 

 increasingly serve the needs of our growing and increasingly urbanized society — 

 the needs for food, minerals, energy, and recreation ; for commerce and economic 

 growth; and for strengthened national security and improved international 

 understanding. 



Let me briefly review some of these challenges that face our Nation and 

 the world today : 



There are one and one-half billion hungry people in the world. The full 

 food potential of the seas, seriously neglected in the past, must be realized 

 to combat famine and despair. Technologies now at hand can be directed toward 

 increasing the world's flshing catch and enriching the diets of the underfed. 



Seventy-five percent of our population lives along our coasts and Great Lakes. 

 Nine of our fifteen largest metropolitan areas are on the oceans and Great 

 Lakes and three are on ocean tributaries. Twenty million children live on 

 these metropolitan areas within sight of potential water recreation areas but 

 are often denied their use. Only three percent of our ocean and Great Lakes 

 coastline has been set aside for public use or conservation. 



More than 90 percent by value of our intercontinental commerce travels by 

 ship. Although there have been rapid changes in the character of ocean cargoes 

 and technologies of cargo handling, the average age of our port structures is 

 45 years and the average age of our merchant ships is 19 years. 



The continuing threats to v^^orld peace require our Navy to maintain a high 

 level of readiness and versatility through a sea based deterrent and undersea 

 warfare capability. Middle East conflicts following closure of the Gulf of 

 Aqaha vividly emphasize the urgent need for a strengthened code of interna- 

 tional law of the sea. 



Thirty million Americans swim in the oceans, eleven million are saltwater 

 sport fishermen, and eight million engage in recreational boating in our coastal 

 states, yet industrial wastes being dumped into ocean tributaries will increase 

 seven-fold by the year 2000 unless there are drastic changes in waste handling. 



Ocean-generated storms cause millions of dollars of damage annually along 

 our coasts, but marine weather warning services are available to less than one- 

 third of our coastal areas. 



