42 



Any comprehensive national program for the estuarine and coastal 

 zones must provide flexibility in many ways to fit regional and local 

 conditions and situations, but regardless of variables it must establish 

 a guiding policy and a set of objectives. Regardless of variables, in 

 order to be effective the program must provide for: (1) planning and 

 implementation; (2) active administration in terms of regulation, 

 control, coordination, and financing; and (3) the development of the 

 knowledge and data necessary as a basis for all action. 



This report does not recommend any particular type of organization 

 at the State level but only what it must accomplish. The particular 

 organization, it is felt, will vary to fit the situation. Also, there is 

 awareness that some States have established estuarine and coastal 

 management programs and that others have them in the planning 

 stage. These programs, where known, have been studied, and their 

 ideas included herein. 



The Elements of a OoMPKEHENsrvE National Program 



It follows, therefore, that any program of management must contain 

 at least the following elements : 



(1) Mutually agreed-upon policy, objectives, and functions. 



(2) Le^slative authorization to carry out the program's func- 

 tional activities. 



(3) Development of the basic knowledge necessary for effective 

 management. 



(4) Provisions for planning and implementation. 



(5) Active administration m terms of regulation, control, and 

 coordination. 



(6) Financial and manpower resources. 



(7) Public awareness and acceptance. 



The mutually agreed-upon policy and objectives are the basis and 

 the reason for this study, and is described below, as a national 'policy, 

 not a Federfd policy. 



The remaining elements are contained in the roles and recommended 

 responsibilities to be assumed at the various levels of government. For 

 most activities required, there is a continuous series of concurrent 

 Federal, State, and local jurisdictions. This is present now under cur- 

 rent law, and it must be assumed that the situation will continue to 

 exist, as many functions must be carried out at each level of govern- 

 ment. There is also that essential element of public awareness, the 

 nongovernmental public and private interests, whose support of a 

 national program through political and social processes can bring 

 much progress toward better management. 



It must be kept in mind that the importance of the estuarine and 

 coastal areas is not limited to the coastal States and communities. The 

 economic, social, and environmental use and well-being of the estua- 

 rine and coastal zones of the Nation are of vital interest to the inland 

 States as well. It is for these reasons that there must be a national 

 program that gives adequate consideration to this breadth of interest 

 and which embraces well-defined roles for the Federal, State, and 

 local levels of government as well as for public and private interests. 



Any recommended national policy must reflect the fact that there is 



