138 



the State level in California, and about a third, on the national level 

 in various advisorj^ capacities around town, and about a third of the 

 time working with international agencies on ocean research. 



As a consequence, I see a rather board cut of what goes on. I am 

 not very pleased about the effect of the U.S. activities in respect of 

 the ocean and its use. Our commercial fisheries have stayed approxi- 

 mately static for a little over 30 years. Our merchant marine has deteri- 

 orated sharply. It can't be kept alive without heavy subsidies. 



Our enviromnent, as Mr. Train said, and which I can vouch for, is 

 going to pot rapidly, more rapidly than we are learning how to take 

 care of it. Our fisheries have decreased not only from bad economic 

 treatment, but also from overfishing, bad management practices, or 

 lack thereof. 



I particularly do a good deal of work with Eussian colleagues in 

 ocean research and fishery development fields. It is somewhat irritating 

 to me to see the Russians moving ahead so vigorously in all aspects 

 of the use of the sea. They passed us a long time ago in fisheries. They 

 are passing us presently in merchant marine. 



While vre are laying up our new research vessels, they are hiunching 

 new ones, better than the ones we are laying up. Their environmental 

 sciences are going ahead more rapidly than ours, in mj opinion. The 

 Russian Navy seems to be moving ahead fairly accurately. 



I just don't like the ]~»osture of the ILiited States in respect to the 

 ocean. I think we are doing poorly at home and poorly abroad. I think 

 one of the reasons for this is that we depend upon the executive branch 

 of the U.S. Government for a great deal of our stimulation, guidance, 

 and so forth, and we get very little in the ocean field. 



First off, we don't get any money. The taxes go to the Federal Gov- 

 ernment, but v/e don't get very much back in handling our ocean 

 responsibilities. The Bureau of the Budget ]jas been notably reluctant 

 to let any money out in this field. There has been a flat level for 4 

 years, no matter what the propaganda says, in ocean research, and we 

 are not getting any better. 



The token statement the other day of the Vice President didn't 

 malie me happy at all. Included in this for the funding for the Inter- 

 national Decade of Ocean Exploration was the U.S. funding, and it 

 is being funded at a much lower level than the scientists who were 

 asked to direct the program said was possible. 



There is no program or laboratory in the United States that is not 

 starved for money. As I say, we are laying up research vessels. Our 

 ]3rograms are floundering. The young people we have educated_ are 

 looking for other employment opportunities after we have trained 

 them. 



So I am not happy with all this business. I would like to entertain 

 some comments from the audience. 



Dr. Knauss ? 



Dr. Knauss. You have indicated that the President and Yi^e Presi- 

 dent accepted one part of the Stratton Commission report with respect 

 to encouraging the States to establish coastal programs. There was 

 another part of that recommendation which indicated there should be 

 a single Federal agency that should be the interface for these coastal 

 management authorities. 



It was indicated there were something like 24 Federal committees 



