for the national goal of the effective use of the sea by man. Achieving 
this capability will be worth the problems. 
10.5. LEGAL PROBLEMS 
In several sections of this report Panel recommendations envisage 
action in the oceans which might involve political and legal problems 
arising either from the present structure of the international law of the 
sea or from demands for changes in that law. The frequency and 
gravity of possible legal problems are now difficult to project, since 
much depends upon the type, scope, and timing of ocean operations 
which may be undertaken in the future by this and other countries and 
upon attitudes and practices of other nations. However, there is 
realism in present concern about these possibilities, because the existing 
international legal structure was largely developed under conditions 
that differ greatly from those likely to prevail in the foreseeable future. 
The task of adapting this legal structure to rapidly changing condi- 
tions can quite conceivably generate stress in relations between nations 
in the form of lively, perhaps dangerous controversy. The strategic 
significance of the ocean environment and the urgent need for acquir- 
ing greater knowledge of it, emphasized throughout this report, com- 
bine to warrant apprehension lest developments in international law 
adversely affect the national interest. It is partially for these reasons 
that the Panel recommends Federal support of Marine Study Centers. 
Relevancy of law to the national ocean program may be illustrated 
by discussing one of the Panel’s major recommendations, as well as 
certain of the more specific subsidiary recommendations, from the 
standpoint of legal considerations involved. 
(1) The need for greater knowledge about and understanding of 
the oceans. 
Although the Panel recommends pursuing scientific investigation 
for describing and understanding marine phenomena, processes and 
resources (see sec. 1.1) as a separate goal of the national ocean pro- 
gram, it is apparent that increased knowledge and greater understand- 
ing are fundamental to achievement of all our objectives in use of the 
oceans. Therefore, significant interference with scientific research 
from the existing or future legal regime of the sea could pose serious 
obstacles to the entire national ocean program. That there is occasion 
for concern about this matter is plain. As this report amply demon- 
strates, for purposes of scientific inquiry, observation, and detailed in- 
vestigation throughout the area and volume of the vast oceans are re- 
quired, including the benthic boundary. But for purposes of political 
authority the oceans are now fragmented into parts, sometimes only 
vaguely defined, some of which are not accessible for scientific re- 
search. Thus, the territorial sea and internal waters of various na- 
tions with limits varying from nation to nation and measured by 
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