614 



The National Science Foundation should exercise the Federal 

 responsibility for designation and core support of the regional 

 laboratories, and review and recommend any changes in legisla- 

 tion required to carry out this responsibility. 



(11) The Sea Grant College and Program Act of 1966 should 

 be amended to permit grants for construction and maintenance 

 of vessels and other facilities necessary for research and study in 

 the estuarine zone. 



The State role in estuarine research 



The State role in estuarine research parallels the Federal role in 

 that both governmental entities have the same objectives of estuarine 

 development, use, preservation, and study. Because so much of the 

 needed estuarine research is a cooperative function, much of the 

 previously discussed Federal program also defines the State role. 

 The essential differences lie in the fact that the States are the primary 

 management authority in the estuarine zone and hence possess primary 

 responsibility. As such, they are much closer to the urgency of specific 

 estuarine problems as well as being able to plan more accurately for 

 impending ones. The States' role in estuarine research is thus to 

 implement its portions of the overall national program, to coordinate 

 the research activities of its appropriate agencies, educational institu- 

 tions, and organizations, and to augment and encourage the develop- 

 ment of new knowledge most applicable to its estuaries and their 

 management. 



The overall State role in estuarine research should be : 



(1) To provide encouragement for the enhancement, augmen- 

 tation, and initiation of a State program of research needed to 

 support their portion of a comprehensive management program. 



(2) To provide continuing support and guidance through: 

 {a) Administering grants to interstate and local agencies 



and to institutions, organizations, and individuals meeting 

 the research and study needs of the States' comprehensive 

 management plan. Purposes to be served by these grants are : 



(1) Research and study of estuarine problems. 



(2) Establishment of estuarine zone laboratories. 



(3) Inventory activities in the States' estuarine zones. 



(4) Training of estuarine scientists. 



(5) Coordinating research and study activities of the 

 various agencies and institutions within the State. 



(h) Cooperative activities between State and other agencies 

 and institutions. 



(<?) Technical advice to local agencies and others. 



{d) Promotion of, and guidance and support to, coopera- 

 tion among the various State agencies doing research in the 

 estuarine zone. 



(3) Perform broad estuarine studies of a statewide and local 

 nature. 



(4) Participate in studies of interstate estuaries. An example 

 of this is the activities of the Chesapeake Research Council com- 

 posed of the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory of the University 

 of Maryland, the Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences, and the 



