9 



markets, and establish a viable commercial FPC system in at least 

 one country. 



Also, other nations and private interests will be encouraged to ex- 

 pand upon this demonstration program wherever feasible. 



A second area of increased emphasis relates to the capability of our 

 Navy to operate in the deep oceans. This initiative must be considered 

 in the broader perspective that defense will continue to present a 

 major requirement for ocean sciences and engineering. Such require- 

 ments anticipate that future strategic forces are likely to rely heavily 

 on ocean-based systems and that we need to continue updating anti- 

 submarine capabilities. Both operations are intrinsically limited by 

 the understanding of environmental conditions which affect perform- 

 ance of surveillance sensors and weapons systems. 



Operations at great depths are related to broad defense objectives. 

 Both the loss of the Thresher and the more recent loss and recovery 

 of an unarmed nuclear weapon near Spain revealed limitations of our 

 deep ocean engineering capability. Current Navy efforts in deep sub- 

 mergence are thus being strengthened both for the recovery of lost 

 equipment and to provide a general deep ocean engineering capability. 



A third area concerns upgrading of the Nation's oceanographic data 

 system. The rational flow of information from collector to consumer 

 is the lifeblood of marine research. If intensified but necessarily dis- 

 persed efforts are to be successful — to understand complex ocean phe- 

 nomena, marine life and the ocean-atmosphere interaction — and if 

 understanding is to foster application, data handling must be re- 

 sponsive to a wide variety of user needs. 



The marine sciences information system involves connected functions 

 of data acquisition, standardization, tests for accuracy, storage, re- 

 trieval, analysis, and synthesis. Studies have shown that the Nation's 

 oceanographic data handling processes can be considerably improved. 

 The Council took action authorizing its staff to undertake a compre- 

 hensive study of oceanographic data requirements and management 

 steps that can meet a wide variety of user needs. 



The study is being conducted primarily on a contract, with funds 

 contributed by various Federal agencies. The initial phase was begun 

 this June. A second major phase will be initiated around the first of the 

 year. 



A fourth area of special emphasis derives from the National Sea 

 Grant College and Program Act of 1966. This legislation is aimed at 

 advancing education, training, applied research and information 

 transfer — in phase with accomplishment of the overall purpose of a 

 viable marine sciences activity. 



The National Science Foundation is administering the program. 

 The Marine Sciences Council, however, is called upon by the legisla- 

 tion to advise and assist the Foundation with respect to sea grant pol- 

 icies, procedures, and operations. 



The Council fulfilled this responsibility last fall, and took two ac- 

 tions. It adopted as an area of special emphasis the immediate imple- 

 mentation of the Sea Grant Act and, second, went on to establish — 

 in partnership with the Foundation — a broad set of criteria as policy 

 guidance set forth in the President's marine sciences report. 



As a final example of our areas of special emphasis the Council 

 recommended utilization of a proposed replacement vessel for the ice 



86-705— 6S — pt. 1 2 



