104 



MARINE SCIENCE 



Concerning the actual funding and operations, the committee recommends: 



(1) A higher percentage of longer term funding must be made available in 

 oceanographic research. Past funding has been inefficient, and has held back 

 much longer term imaginative research. A reasonable portion (30 to 50 percent) 

 of the annual operating budget should include 5-year money which is refreshed 

 annually. Existing laws permit allocation of many funds on a 5-year basis. 

 The military is accustomed to making long-term commitments of 5 to 10 years 

 when they adopt a new weapons system and it is equally essential that they 

 make long-term commitments for research. 



(2) Administrators of research and laboratory directors must have a higher 

 percentage (25 to 50 percent) of their funding free to spend on those good re- 

 search problems which emerge without the benefit of planning. 



(3) Government organizations which presently fund or carry on extensive 

 research and development in oceanography should continue to do so in the field 

 of their special interests. For example, the Navy, the Atomic Energy Commis- 

 sion, and the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries all have their own important 

 oceanographic problems. It is recommended that each bureau and organization 

 sponsor and finance much of the research which it needs to meet the demands 

 of its present and future objectives. Any duplication of effort which might be 

 involved appears trivial compared to the value of insuring that scientists are 

 in close touch with changing bureau problems. 



(4) There will still remain a need for a great deal of research which should 

 be funded by the National Science Foundation. This agency should carry a 

 much heavier portion of the long-term basic research in the Nation. A reason- 

 able percentage of grants should be made to individuals and a reasonable portion 

 should be allocated for long-term funding of institutional activities such as 

 vehicles, facilities, and major expeditions. 



(5) Foundations, States, and industries should take an active part in the 

 support of marine research. Their support is particularly valuable in new and 

 unusual research programs, in filling technological gaps and through appropriate 

 assistance insuring that private laboratories and academic groups do not be- 

 come solely dependent on Federal assistance. 



Table 17. — Summary of budgets for new oceanographic activity ^ 



[Millions of 1958 dollars] 



1 Not including special funds for basic research projects involving extensive international cooperation 

 sucii as the proposed year-long international expedition to the Indian Ocean (estimated cost: $2,000,000), 



2 Plus ship time charges of $11,700,000 to be subtracted from other categories. 



