258 SEA GRANT COLLEGES 



I heartily endorse the idea of the sea grant college. The emphasis 

 of this bill and of this idea is to work with existing educational in- 

 stitutions to make full use of the research facilities already involved 

 in the exploration of the sea. This also brings to bear on ocean prob- 

 lems the combined talents and experience of the scholars from many 

 disciplines within a university. It also uses existing organizations of 

 proven capability. 



In my own southern California great steps have been taken to inte- 

 grate the efforts of local government, industry, and the colleges and uni- 

 versities into a common thrust into the mysteries of the ocean depths. 

 The port of Long Beach, the University of Southern California, the 

 California State College System, the famed Scripps Institute of 

 Oceanography, the Los Angeles Harbor Commission, and my own 

 alma mater, the California Institute of Technology are all involved 

 in various efforts to further our understanding of the ocean and to ex- 

 ploit its riches for the welfare of all human beings. 



I am glad to see that the intent of this bill is to solve a real problem 

 without building a large Federal bureaucracy. This bill will put 

 ocean development in the States, where the work is actually going on, 

 and where it belongs. This sea grant concept will involve the Ameri- 

 can people directly instead of leaving ocean development to a group of 

 Federal researchers removed from the laboratories of practical 

 application. 



Tlie urgency of this matter is best illustrated when we compare our 

 progress in ocean development with that of the Soviet Union in recent 

 years. Yhile the United States has maintained a lead in basic scien- 

 tific research, it has been generally realized that the Soviets have 

 emphasized the applications of research, rather than basic investiga- 

 tions. In certain phases of applied research the United States main- 

 tains a lead. Tlie field of oceanographic instruments is one in which 

 this Nation is ahead. Also, the use of computers applied in the 

 assemblage of marine scientific data is an American achievement, 

 though now under study in the Soviet Union today. 



Russia claims some 1,500 oceanographers backed up by 7,500 men 

 and women working full time in the field. The status of sea scientists 

 is being upgraded, and the field is being made more appealing to young 

 people. It should be mentioned that the Soviet Institute of Ocean- 

 ography has been expanded five times from its original size in the past 

 15 years. 



By contrast, it has been estimated that the United States has ap- 

 proximately 700 oceanographers with some 2,000 to 2,500 full-time 

 technicians supporting them. We are increasing our ranks by ap- 

 proximately 10 percent a year. The Soviets may actually be increas- 

 ing by 15 percent per year. 



The United States can also claim a lead in deep sea mining, drilling, 

 and deep sea research vehicles. However, the Soviets are moving up 

 fast in developing vehicles of their own. 



The Russians have declared a technological and commercial war on 

 us — on and under the high seas. In shipping, and in fishing, their 

 intent is quite clear. They wish to become masters of the ocean. 

 'They have been successful in fisheries because they have applied to the 

 fehing operations the tools learned in marine research. With this 

 success, they are encouraging more oceanographic efforts. 



