Statement of Richard H. Stroud, Executive Vice President, Sport Fishing 

 Institute, on H.R. 4276, To Enact an "Oceanographic Act of 1961" 



Mr, Chairman, I am Richard H. Stroud, executive vice president, Sport Fish- 

 ing Institute, Washington, D.C. I am addressing your committee in my official 

 capacity as SFI's chief executive officer in order to add my organization's support 

 to that of other witnesses urging early creation of a comprehensive national 

 oceanographic research program. 



Extensive hearings were held during the last Congress on several proposals 

 (H.R. 9361 by Mr. Pelley, S. 2692 by Senator Magnuson, H.R. 10412 by Mr. George 

 Miller, and similar House bills) to authorize a 10-year $600 million program of 

 intensified oceanography studies recommended by a Joint Committee on Ocean- 

 ography of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Research Council. 

 This is a complex issue because various segments of the vrork would be done 

 by several Government agen<;ies under a number of administrative heads, in 

 several departments. The hearings were directed toward developing a balanced 

 and substantial plan of action, with appropriations to be secured for various 

 aspects through regular departmental budgetary channels. Effective coordina- 

 tion becomes an extremely important aspect of need in. such a program. 



Sport Fishing Institute was among the organizations which testified at the 

 hearings last year. Mr. Robert M. Paul, then a member of my stafiE in the 

 capacity of executive secretary, presented the institute's testimony at that time. 

 That statement was carefully prepared by the SFI staff and represents this or- 

 ganization's considered views on the general proposal at hand, and on key ele- 

 ments which we believe must be built into any program under any authorizing 

 legislation. With your permission, Mr. Chairman, I should like to attach a copy 

 of that testimony as a supplement to my present statement, to summarize briefly 

 the key points made last year and to add one further recommendation. 



Last year's hearings revealed a number of weaknesses in the proposed program 

 which need to be accounted for under H.R. 4276. As I read the bill, but noting 

 that I have no professional legal skills, the language would appear reasonably 

 adequate to do the job. As we see it, the overall program objective is highly 

 commendable. There needs only to be certain that these weaknesses revealed in 

 previous testimony are overcome in implementing actions, viz : 



1. Lack of an equitable balance between the biological and physical aspects of 

 the program, the former being relatively neglected. 



2. An overemphasis on applied research as distinct from basic research, with 

 a need to emphasize the ecological aspects. 



3. A preoccupation in fishery aspects with trade-oriented research on com- 

 mercially important species to the exclusion of species equally or more important 

 for other interests. 



4. Limitation of some types of research to laboratory studies excluding field 

 studies necessary for adequate knowledge. 



5. Inadequate attention to inshore and estuarine areas through preoccupation 

 with deep sea situations. 



It should be noted, too, that both the American Fisheries Society and the U.S. 

 Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Advisory Committee expressed 

 concern last year with these deficiencies. Each body adopted resolutions which, 

 while commednatory of the general proposal for intensified oceanographic re- 

 search, urged that added emphasis be placed on biological research in order to 

 strengthen the program and increase its overall value. 



Further, Mr. Chairman, a conferen<?e of North Atlantic State and university 

 marine biologists, convened in January 1961. at the New Jersey State Fishery 

 Laboratory (at Lebanon. N.J.), recognized the need to overcoroe these deficien- 

 cies. The suggestion was advanced there that what is needed is a coastal bio- 

 logical oceanographic "year." similar in concept to the recent IGY and its 

 subsequent continuation in substance. It was conceived to embrace the coastal 

 salt waters from the heads of estuaries to the outer edge of the Continental Shelf 



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