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interstate or regional organizations' management of interstate estu- 

 aries, such as Long Island Sound or Chesapeake Bay. While some saw 

 the local role as the actual management, it was more frequently seen 

 as being cooperation with the State and the planning and develop- 

 ment of sewer systems and waste treatment facilities, as well as moni- 

 toring for water quality maintenance. County or State government 

 would carry out zoning and activity-regulating programs, in the view 

 of most witnesses. 



It was the contention of some of the speakers that no one type of 

 organization would be best in all estuaries, nor would any set assigna- 

 tion df roles have any more validity. These people wanted to see a 

 primary coordination of eifort among the various governmental levels, 

 and action and method dictated by conditions in the particular estuary. 



Regardless of recommended management organization or roles, the 

 primary concern was for coordination to avoid duplication of pro- 

 grams and functions. It was generally felt that the State and local 

 effort and investment should be increased, and that the Federal effort 

 should be primarily as a backup — providing technical and financial 

 assistance, minimum standards, and operating guidelines, and being 

 prepared to step in and manage those estuaries which the States and 

 localities fail to manage. 



Section 6. Summary Analysis of Recommended Role of the 



Private Sector 



While the analysis of the public meetings was not designed to bring 

 forth recommendations specifically as to action that should be taken 

 by individuals and nongovernment organizations, institutions, and 

 business, a number of opinions on the subject can be extrapolated from 

 the replies to several of the questions. 



Without the concerned interest of the private sector, and the citizens 

 comprising it, no management program can succeed. 



Public attitudes toward estuaries and marshlands, and the general 

 lack of knowledge about these vitally productive areas, are two of the 

 major problems faced in the development of a management program. 

 Therefore, there is a need for people to learn of the resources and 

 potential of the estuaries, and the importance of the estuaries to 

 themselves. 



Accordingly, the private sector's first action should be to become in- 

 formed about the values of the estuaries — ^to learn that an acre of estu- 

 arine marsh, without human intervention, is 2 to 7 times as productive 

 as an acre of cultivated farmland, and that virtually all seafood is 

 dependent on the estuarine invironment during at least part of the 

 life cycle. 



The informed private sector can be of great assistance in bringing 

 about the kind of comprehensive long-range management plans needed 

 by spreading information, by putting pressure on those having respon- 

 sibility for the laws and ordinances required to effect such plans, by 

 making enforcement officials aware of violations, and by supporting 

 strong protective measures at all levels of government, among other 

 things. 



One segment of the private sector, industry, is beginning to recognize 

 the importance of treating its wastes and acting to improve the envi- 



