6 



sify efforts to utilize marine resources more deliberately and to 

 strengthen ocean-based industries to serve our national purpose. 



During the past 6 years this Nation developed world leadership in 

 scientific achievements, an unexcelled fleet of research ships and labora- 

 tory facilities, and a vigorous base of professional talent. Now we seek 

 to apply these capabilities to the broad purposes of our Nation — to 

 the economic, political, and social goals that transcend the geographic 

 demarcation between land and water. 



Expressed another way, since man's problems do not stop at the 

 water's edge, neither should the solutions. Thus, we find in marine 

 science affairs the same diversity and complexity of scientific disci- 

 plines and techniques, the wide range of activities and institutions 

 that characterize man's activities on land. 



These concern national security; maritime transportation; develop- 

 ment of fishery resources; minerals, oil, and gas; urban redevelop- 

 ment ; recreation ; pollution abatement and control ; health and safety ; 

 expansion of man's knowledge about his own environment ; domestic 

 economic growth; foreign economic development; and international 

 cooperation and collaboration. 



It is thus not surprising that marine science activities evolved 

 historically in 29 bureaus of 11 different Federal departments and 

 agencies and are of direct interest to a number of different congres- 

 sional committees; numerous State, regional, and international or- 

 ganizations ; many universities ; and a wide variety of industries. 



This new legislation provided a coherent purpose to this diversity 

 of activity, institutions, and competing interests that derive a unity 

 from a common marine environment. The act also established a clear 

 focus for national leadership. No new operating agency was estab- 

 lished. Pending completion of studies now underway, the present 

 Federal agency structure is continued, with responsibility for over- 

 all policy planning and coordination placed in the Office of the Presi- 

 dent, with advice and assistance of the Council. 



I am pleased to report that as one consequence of the legislation 

 each Federal agency has reviewed its own programs, its internal 

 priorities and its internal machinery — both to be more responsive to 

 the goals set forth by the new mandate, and to articulate its activities 

 with those of sister agencies more harmoniously. 



Since this committee intends to receive additional testimony from 

 officials of these agencies, I shall defer to them for details as to their 

 administrative actions and programs. At the same time, the agencies 

 are endeavoring to meet these goals, individually they are working 

 collectively through the Council. 



In accordance with the legislation, the Council is composed of five 

 Cabinet officers and three department and agency heads having sig- 

 nificant maritime-related activities. The Vice President has invited 

 as observers: the Directors of the Bureau of the Budget, and of the 

 Office of Science and Technology; the Chairman of the Council of 

 Economic Advisers ; the Administrator of NASA ; the Secretary of 

 the Smithsonian Institution; and the Administrator of the Agency 

 for International Development. 



The role of the Council is to assist the President by identifying 

 Government-wide issues, by evaluating alternative policies, and by 

 formulating a balanced and consistent set of marine science priorities 



