146 SEA GRANT COLLEGES 



ernment to administer and manage the resources of the Outer Conti- 

 nental Shelf. This applies particularly, under the Outer Continental 

 Shelf Act, to the mineral resources, but does not exclude responsibility 

 for research and study of the li^dng and nonliving resources in the sea. 



A brief description of present programs will show the strong paral- 

 lel that exists between Interior's responsibilities in the marine sciences 

 and the intent of S. 2439. The Bureau of Commercial Fisheries has 

 extensive fishery research in coastal and offshore watei"S with the in- 

 tent of increasing natural and world protein supplies. The Bureau 

 of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife carries out research for the purpose of 

 improving marine recreational fishing. Funds for fishery oceano- 

 gaphic research in fiscal year 1966 totaled $17 million and involved $3 

 million in direct support to universities and colleges. 



Examples of recent accomplishments in research, surveys, and ocean 

 engineering carried out by the Bureau of Commercial Fislieries are : 



(1) Use of new understandings of large scale variations in the 

 physical properties of the ocean to make predictions of the availability 

 of a nmnber of commercially important species of fish ; 



(2) Discovei-y of large unexploited fishery resources such as hake 

 and anchovy off Washington, Oregon, and California, or shrimp in 

 the Aleutians or off South America ; 



(3) Engineering development of fishing gear permitting, for the 

 first time, tlie capture of large quantities of fish in midwater, such as 

 the Pacific coast hake. 



Programs in marine geology and marine minerals research and de- 

 velopment, while of modest scale at the present time, have been ex- 

 panding and are beginning to show promising results. 



The Geological Survey has mapped and undertaken a comprehen- 

 sive study of the geology and geophysics of the Atlantic Continental 

 Shelf and slope off the United States. 



If any of your are interested, by the way, I have brought a copy of 

 that map with me that we can show you later. 



An example of the practical utility of this program was the delinea- 

 tion of a large gravel deposit in shallow water off the New Jersey 

 coast. Private sand and gravel interests have already begun studies 

 of the feasibility of dredging the gravel for use in areas of the east 

 coast having short supplies of concrete aggregate. 



A very recent Geological Survey publication reports a vast pave- 

 ment type deposit of manganese on the Blake Plateau off the northern 

 Florida and Georgia coasts extending throughout an area of about 

 1,900 square miles. The thickness of the deposit isn't known as yet 

 but some materials that were dredged from the deposit suggest the 

 pavement may be as much as 4 feet thick in places. This deposit is of 

 exceptional interest to industry because it lies in relatively shallow 

 water, is near land and appears to be sufficiently extensive to become an 

 economic resource. 



As is well known, the Department has the saline water conversion 

 program which is now reaching stages of practical application in many 

 areas. 



As I have mentioned, the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act in- 

 volves the leasing of Federal offshore lands for the development of oil, 

 minerals, and chemicals and the management of these resources. The 

 Department has its future policy considerations and responsibilities 



