NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PROGRAM LEGISI>ATION 99 



a study of the legal problems of management, use, and control of the 

 natural resources of the oceans and ocean beds. 



This legislation does not appear to affect the progi'ams of this 

 Department, and we defer to the Aaews of those agencies concerned 

 with this matter. 

 Sincerely, 



Wilbur J. Cohen, 



Assistant Secretary. 



U.S. Department of the Interior, 



Office of the Secretary, 

 Washington, B.C., April 30, 1965. ■ 

 Hon. Herbert C. Bonner, 



Chairman, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, 

 House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. 



Dear Mr. Bonner: Your committee has requested our views and 

 recommendations on H.K,. 5175^, a bill providing for a study of the 

 legal problems of management, use, and control of the natural re- 

 sources of the oceans and ocean beds. 



The bUl directs the U.S. Coast Guard to conduct a study of the 

 legal problems relating to the management, use, and control of the 

 natural resoiu-ces of the oceans and ocean beds. 



A study of this kind would directly involve the interests of this 

 Department because of its responsibilities with respect to petroleum, 

 fisheries, and the resources of the outer Continental Shelf (43 U.S.C. 

 sec. 1331 et seq.) (the act of May 20, 1964, 78 Stat. 194). Under^ 

 these and other authorities the Department has substantial resource 

 management functions. 



The matters to which this legislation is addressed were the subject 

 of intensive study, extending over a period of several years, by the 

 International Law Commission, a group formed under the sponsor- 

 ship of the General Assembly of the United Nations. As a result of 

 the findings and recommendations of the Commission, a United 

 Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea was held at Geneva from' 

 February 24 to April 27, 1958. 



The 1958 Geneva Conference on the Law of the Sea led to the 

 formulation of five international agreements which are set forth and 

 described in summar}- in Senate Executives J to N, inclusive, 86th 

 Congress, 1st session. These international agreements are identified 

 as foUows: 



(1) Convention on the Territorial Sea and the Contiguous Zone. 



(2) Convention on the High Seas. (Entered into force on Septem- 

 ber 30, 1962.) 



(3) Convention on Fishing and Conservation of the Living 

 Resources of the High Seas. 



(4) Convention on the Continental Shelf. (Entered into force on 

 June 10, 1964.) 



(5) Optional Protocol of Signature Concerning the Compulsory 

 Settlement of Disputes. (Entered into force on September 30, 1962; 

 not in force for the United States.) 



These agreements and the work of the International Law Commis- 

 sion which preceded their formulation indicate the depth to which the 



