tion to review progress of the Federal Government during the past year toward 

 implementation of the Marine Resources and Engineering Development Act. 



The legislation was developed almost entirely through Congressional initiative 

 and this first year of operating experience has confirmed the soundness of the 

 organic Act, Public Law 89-454, and the amendment that established Sea Grant 

 Colleges and Programs. 



Shortly after signing Public Law 89-454, the President asked me to activate 

 the Council and assume the statutory responsibility to advise and assist him in 

 marine science affairs. The Council met first on August 17 — exactly one year 

 ago today — and has convened six times since that date. The President asked 

 not only for action, but for immediate action. He requested that the Council re- 

 view the recommendations of his Science Advisory Committee for more effective 

 utilization of the sea and to submit both budget and legislative recommendations 

 that could be embodied in his FY 1968 program. He also assigned to the Council 

 the responsibility of preparing the annual report describing Federal marine 

 science activities and budgets. 



The President's initial recommendations set forth in his report to the Congress 

 in March reflect our awareness that the benefits of the sea can and must in- 

 creasingly serve the needs of our growing and increasingly urbanized society — 

 the needs for food, minerals, energy, and recreation ; for commerce and economic 

 growth ; and for strengthened national security and improved international 

 understanding. 



Let me briefiy review some of these challenges that face our Nation and the 

 world today : 



There are one and one-half billion hungry people in the world. The full food 

 potential of the seas, seriously neglected in the past, must be realized to combat 

 famine and despair. Technologies now at hand can be directed toward increasing 

 the world's fishing catch and enriching the diets of the underfed. 



Seventy-five percent of our population lives along our coasts and Great Lakes. 

 Nine of our fifteen largest metropolitan areas are on the oceans and Great Lakes 

 and three are on ocean tributaries. Twenty million children live in these metro- 

 politan areas within sight of potential water recreation areas but are often 

 denied their use. Only three percent of our ocean and Great Lakes coastline has 

 been set aside for public use or conservation. 



More than 90 percent by value of our intercontinental commerce travels by 

 ship. Although there have been rapid changes in the character of ocean cargoes 

 and technologies of cargo handling, the average age of our port structures is 45 

 years and the average age of our merchant ships is 19 years. 



The continuing threats to world peace require our Navy to maintain a high 

 level of readiness and versatility through a sea based deterrent and undersea 

 warfare capability. Middle East conflicts following closure of the Gulf of Aqaba 

 vividly emphasize the urgent need for a strengthened code of international law 

 of the sea. 



Thirty million Americans swim in the oceans, eleven million are saltwater 

 sport fishermen, and eight million engage in recreational boating in our coastal 

 States, yet industrial wastes being dumped into ocean tributaries will increase 

 seven-fold by the year 2000 unless there are drastic changes in waste handling. 



Ocean-generated storms cause millions of dollars of damage annually along 

 our coasts, but marine weather warning services are available to less than one- 

 third of our coastal areas. 



During the past year I have discussed these challenges with scientists, engi- 

 neers, business leaders, and local, State, and Federal officials here in Washington, 

 at oceanographic installations in nine coastal states, and in the capitals of six 

 countries of Western Europe and one in Asia. 



The problems of the sea are complex, and they involve every type of concern 

 and institution that exists on the landward side of the shoreline. Thus, we must 

 solicit the varied ideas, the advice, and the participation of universities, industry, 

 and all elements of government, just as we have found this mixture an essential 

 ingredient for the vitality and progress of our Nation on shore. 



For seven years, the Congress and the scientific community have insisted on 

 more intensive action to reap the benefits of the sea. Now the Administration is 

 responding to the Congressional mandate — ^building on long-standing capabilities 

 within eleven Federal departments and agencies and accelerating our progress 

 with a new enthusiasm and determination, a new sense of direction and momen- 

 tum. We are : 



— identifying goals, and milestones to reach these goals 

 — setting priorities 



