52 



leading to improved understanding of the nature and behavior of 

 estuarine and coastal resources, their interrelationship, and so forth. 

 Continuing studies directed toward appraising and improving Federal, 

 State, and local management of the estuaries and coastal areas also are 

 a cr^itical need and a special responsibility of groups outside 

 government. 



The third broad area of responsibility is to support the objectives 

 of the national policy through public, but nongovernmental, acquisi- 

 tion of estuarine and coastal sites which should be preserved in their 

 natural state and to demonstrate new ways of achieving balanced 

 development, conservation, and preservation of estuarine and coastal 

 resources. 



RESPONSIBILITIES OF PRIVATE INTERESTS 



From private interests — ranging from the largest national indus- 

 trial corporations to the local individuals developing real estate in the 

 estuarine and coastal zone — ^there is an equally important need for 

 action in four broad areas. These are, first, to recognize that the 

 pubic interest often is identical with the true private interest, partic- 

 ularly if the latiter is viewed in the perspective that includes all other 

 private interests and the long run; and further, to recognize that 

 where such is not the case, the private interest must be subordinated 

 to the larger public interest. 



A second responsibility, and one private interests share with gov- 

 ernmental and other public entities, is to consider in advance the 

 effects of proposed actions in the estuarine and coastal zone on other 

 uses of estuarine and coastal resources and to minimize, wherever 

 possible, the adverse effects upon these other uses. 



Third, as special beneficiaries of the development and use of es- 

 tuarine and coastal resources for their own private purposes, private 

 interests have the responsibility of joining in research and educational 

 programs aimed at broadening and improving the general public's 

 understanding of the importance and nature of estuarine and coastal 

 resources. To make this possible there is need for support for research 

 institutions affiliated with academic institutions to provide to govern- 

 ments at the Federal, State, and local level the knowledge necessary 

 for management. There should be governmental and private partici- 

 pation in such institutions and part of the States' goals should be the 

 training of both professional and technical personnel in the problems 

 of the estuarine and coastal zone. 



Finally, it is the responsibility of the private sector to participate 

 in political and governmental processes so as to insure the proper recog- 

 nition, both in the national program and in use and management plans 

 for specific estuarine and coastal areas, of legitimate private interests. 



Responsibilities and Recommended Role of the Federal Govern- 

 ment IN THE Comprehensive National Estuarine and Coastal 

 Zone Management Program 



The responsibility for leadership in defining the policy and objec- 

 tives of a national program for the comprehensive management of the 

 estuarine and coastal zones of the United States rests with the Federal 

 Government. It is also the responsibility of the Federal Government to 

 implement its portion of the announced national program ; to coordi- 



