MARINE SCIENCE 29 



The conservatism contained in these conclusions and recommenda- 

 tions was intentionaL As practicing marine scientists we all recog- 

 nized the many limitations and uncertainties in the data and observa- 

 tions regarding the behavior of the oceans that had to be evaluated in 

 making a quantitative estimate of permissible rates of disposal and 

 further, we felt that the recommendations of the genetics panel, to 

 the effect that the accumulated dose by man should be kept as far be- 

 low 10 r as practicable, should be heeded. 



Despite the limitations in our present knowledge of the behavior of 

 the oceans, we feel that it is possible to recommend procedures that 

 will be safe so far as protecting man from hazardous levels of radio- 

 active materials coming from the sea is concerned, primarily in ma- 

 rine food products, yet which undoubtedly must be restrictive so far 

 as this use of the sea as a natural resource is concerned. 



The thought that the capacity of the oceans to receive radioactive 

 wastes is a natural resource, that can and should be exploited, appears 

 to be distasteful to many people. Nevertheless, it is so being used by 

 at least two countries, the United States and England, and plans for 

 controlled disposal into the seas are being made by the Japanese in 

 connection with their nuclear power production program. 



The contamination of the world's oceans is therefore assured. 



The level of contamination at present certainly is well below haz- 

 ardous levels; nevertheless, if the United States is to retain leader- 

 ship in the nuclear fields and in all aspects of the utilization of the 

 marine resources, it seems to me to be essential that we have detailed 

 information regarding the consequences of disposal into the oceans. 

 Not only must we be able to assure ourselves that our own actions are 

 safe, but also we need a firm basis for the formulation of international 

 agreements governing the joint use of the world's oceans. 



The Chairman. Is that on the agenda of the Geneva Conference, 

 this waste disposal ? 



Mr. Carritt. I don't believe it is. 



Mr. Chairman. We will look it up. I was just curious whether it 

 was. We should be looking toward some international agreement 

 on disposal. 



Mr. Carritt. There was a meeting in Monaco this past year, a meet- 

 ing at which no agreements were made, but at which there was ex- 

 change of information by many of the countries who are involved in 

 power production. 



At the present time we can recommend safe but restrictive proce- 

 dures. We are, however, unable to ansAver with any degree of cer- 

 tainty what the consequences mii^ht be if we, or some other nation, 

 were to adopt procedures drastically different from those recom- 

 mended. 



The reason for this stems from our ignorance concerning the de- 

 tailed behavior of many parts of the marine environment. The truth 

 is that despite the large amounts of effort, time, and money that has 

 been expended in exploring and studying the oceans there remain 

 many areas in which we have practically no knowledge even of the 

 simplest properties. 



In 1958 the Committee on Oceanography of the National Academy 

 of Sciences-National Research Council started a study designed to 

 focus attention on the state of both our knowledg-e and our ignorance 



