OCEANOGRAPHY 1961 — PHASE 3 309 



tions the fact that you do not get results, I think you can point with 

 pride to the establishment of the National Oceanographic Data Cen- 

 ter which resulted from last year's hearings. 



The Interagency Committee on Oceanography has already testified 

 on the bills under consideration and rather than repeat our official 

 comments on the details of proposed legislation I will discuss in gen- 

 eral terms the biological aspects of the national oceanographic pro- 

 gram — particularly as they relate to inshore and estuary areas and 

 what is being done to meet these needs in the Department of Interior. 



I believe we can all agree that the necessity for expanding the na- 

 tional oceanographic research effort has been established beyond any 

 doubt. Our problem now is to plan and cany out a program that 

 will truly meet our national interest in the oceans of the world. 



Last year in testimony to your subcommittee when I was wearing a 

 different hat I stressed the need for — 



(1) Recognizing that the primary Federal responsibility is for 

 basic research particularly in the biological phases of the national 

 oceanographic program. 



(2) Broadening the scope of the projected fishery studies to make 

 sure that species important to sport as well as commercial fishing are 

 included. 



(3) Encouraging more emphasis on basic ecological studies on the 

 inshore and estaurine areas that are the most important economically 

 and will be most affected by man's acti\dties. 



I have been genuinely pleased at the progress made toward these 

 objectives since last year. In particular, there has been substantia] 

 progress in the salt water sport fish research program established 

 by Mr. Lennon's bill in 1959 that may be of particular interest to your 

 committee. 



To bring you up to date. I think you will be interested in the 

 progress that has been made. Salt water sport fishing has a tremen- 

 dous recreational potential, as we know. The 1960 hunting and fish- 

 ing survey, which has not been published, has shown a growth in 5 

 j'^ears from 58 million man-days to more than 80 million man-days 

 of salt water sport fishing annually. This represents an increase of 

 more than 35 percent or 7 percent a year, much more than is the case 

 in fresh water. It is estimated that marine anglers caught nearly 

 one-half billion pounds of fi^sh and spent more than that in dollars for 

 the privilege. The preliminary data indicates that last year for the 

 first time the salt water sport fish catch exceeded the total fresh water 

 sport fish catch in pounds of fish. 



The oceans are our last frontier and our new frontier for recrea- 

 tional fishing. Projections of our population's growth show that we 

 will have 330 million people in the United States by the year 2000 

 and that from 90 to 95 percent of this will be concentrated in urban 

 areas, to a large extent along our coastlines. Inland waters will sim- 

 ply not be able to absorb the fishing demand and it is abundantly clear 

 that the oceans, the bays, sounds, and tidal areas must take on an in- 

 creasing share. At the same time it is equally clear that the marine 

 fishes are not an inexhaustible resource. 



Increasing pressures from commercial and recreational fishing are 

 already threatening the supply. Even more important, most of our 

 favored species are tied to the coast and its environs in some stages of 



6S965 — 61 12 



