the sea and those interested in legal, social, and economic aspects. We 
therefore recommend establishment and funding of Marine Study 
Centers to examine a wide range of problems associated with activi- 
ties in the sea but not to be degree-granting organizations (see sec. 9.5). 
Research is particularly needed on economic aspects of ocean science 
and technology. 
Ships for Oceanographic Research. <A substantial portion of the 
personnel in numerous oceanographic institutions is concerned with 
administration and operation of ships. Ship time is more readily 
available to members of an institution than to scientists at universities 
and other organizations not directly connected with such an institution. 
Within the institutions ship operations are no longer as flexible or as 
responsive to scientific objectives as they were 5 or 10 years ago. Op- 
erating costs of many ships are met by a conglomeration of grants and 
contracts. Because of administrative difficulties, we recommend com- 
prehensive block-funding for oceanographic vessels (see sec. 10.6). 
The funding should imply a commitment for the operating cost of 
the ship for its expected life. Operating moneys should be funded 
separately from the oceanographic project for which the ship is used. 
Block-funding will facilitate more effective planning and schedul- 
ing of oceanographic ships. It does not, however, solve the problem of 
access to ships by qualified scientists regardless of institutional affilia- 
tions. Therefore, we recommend that oceanographic ships be grouped 
generally into regional fleets of reasonable size. Perhaps three or four 
such fleets would serve the Nation’s needs. Fleets should be assigned 
to independent regional organizations representing user groups from 
oceanographic laboratories and universities. Every effort should be 
made to include in user groups those institutions which at present do 
not have formal activity in ocean science and technology (see sec. 
10.6). 
Organization of Oceanography Within the Federal Government. 
No natural advocate for oceanography was found within the Federal 
establishment; responsibility for oceanography is diffused through a 
number of agencies. The Navy, of course, must maintain a strong 
oceanographic effort in order to meet its mission requirements. How- 
ever, if the goal of effective use of the sea for all purposes now pur- 
sued on land is to be achieved, present methods of supporting civilian 
portions of the program are inadequate to the task, and basic revision 
of the system is necessary. In particular the Panel recommends that 
activities now included in the Environmental Science Services Ad- 
ministration, Geological Survey (regarding land and ocean activities), 
Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, oceanographic activities of the Bu- 
reau of Mines, and a portion of the oceanographic activities of the 
Coast Guard be combined in a single agency (see sec. 10.4). Such 
an agency would be competent to deal with the four governmental 
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