Ill 



2. The universities and the Federal laboratories do not have unique 

 roles, but must work together to further this understanding. 



3. The cost of doing something now is much less than the ultimate 

 cost of doing nothing. 



4. Future value judgments on the uses of our coastal zone must 

 depend for their validity on a basic understanding of the area as a 

 total system. 



5. The coastal zone research work of the various Federal laboratories 

 must be adequately supported and adequately coordinated to insure 

 that the several efforts are all working cooperatively toward the same 

 goal of coastal zone understanding, an absolute essential for coastal 

 zone management. 



The problems related to the coastal zone constitute what is probably 

 the major marine science problem facing the United States today. 



In an era when the socially relevant problems are the ones that get 

 the attention and support, it behooves the Nation's oceanographers 

 to direct at least a portion of their attention to problems in this 

 category. 



For the Federal laboratories, it is essential that their research relate 

 to the missions of their parent agency. For many of the Federal agen- 

 cies this means research in the coastal zone, and a vigorous program 

 of coordinated coastal zone research is absolutely essential if our 

 estuaries, harbors, and near-shore areas are not to become part of "The 

 Tragedy of the Commons." 



Thank you. 



Dr. Fyb. Thank you, Dr. Stewart. 



Next we will hear from Dr. Kobert Abel, of the sea-grant program. 



STATEMENT OF DR. ROBERT ABEL, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL SEA- 

 GRANT PROGRAM, NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION 



Dr. Abel. Thank you, Paul. 



Good afternoon, diehards. 



You know, the last man always has the option of simply saying, "I 

 agree with everybody else," and closing the book. However, I don't 

 choose to pick up this option, and in fact would like to speak not 

 only from my position in the national sea-grant program, but also 

 based upon my former experience with the Interagency Coinmittee on 

 Oceanography, which, as you know, was itself concerned with coastal 

 zone problems. 



It sometimes seems that the greatest difference between the situation 

 in oceanography today and the situation a decade ago has to_ do with 

 several exhaustive reviews, examinations, and analyses which have 

 now been made of all aspects of marine science and technology in the 

 United States. 



In this specific instance I refer to the outstanding report, "Our Na- 

 tion and the Sea," of the Commission on Marine Science, Engineering, 

 and Eesources, and particularly its supporting document, volume I, 

 "Science and the Environment." 



In addition, in developing my thesis, I have relied on more recent re- 

 ports prepared under the aegis of the National Council on Marine Re- 

 sources and Engineering Development. 



