resources on land, and we must take a hard look to see at what point 

 and under what circumstances these will become available 

 economically. 



4. The extraordinarily complicated, emerging area of problems and 

 knowledge which many consider to be the most important aspect of 

 all — the combined environment of air, water, and land viewed as a sys- 

 tem. I recognize that "system" is now the word of the day,_ but we 

 are compelled nonetheless to look at these several parts, their inter- 

 actions, and their behavior in combination and conjunction. This in- 

 cludes problems relating to the advancement of meteorology, the 

 conservation of shorelines, and the pollution of estuaries. 



5. The current level of private investment in marine exploration, 

 technological development, and the utilization of resources, with par- 

 ticular concern for means to encourage private enterprise through in- 

 vestment incentives, legal measures, and technical assistance. 



6. International aspects and problems relating to the future devel- 

 opment of the total marine environment. 



7. The current state and adequacy of education and training to 

 meet the needs of marine science and technology. 



Each panel is composed of from two to four members of the Com- 

 mission with professional staff and consultant support. Hearings and 

 conferences are being held throughout the country to afford ample 

 opportunity for an expression of views on the marine sciences and 

 their future needs. Several panels have in addition plans to send in- 

 quiries to selected individuals and organizations to solicit their in- 

 formal opinions, and a program of interviews has been undertaken 

 with outstanding scientists, engineers, economists, industrialists, edu- 

 cators, and legislators on one aspect or another of marine problems. 



I might say personally that, in the end, the Commission has to make 

 up its own mind and has to arrive at its own views on the basis of the 

 evidence. This is not to be a Gallup poll. "We do feel very strongly the 

 importance of giving these various segments of our total society — 

 public and private, academic and industrial — an opportunity to ex- 

 press their views. 



The Commission has been meeting, as a whole, 2 days of each month. 

 The results of panel activity are now begimiing to flow in and to 

 provide a basis of our broader discussion. 



Our most difficult and pressing task at this juncture is to sharpen 

 and reduce in number the key issues to be dealt with in our final report. 

 At the moment there is a maze, a jungle, as you gentlemen well know, 

 of issues, questions, positive and negative views, and possibilities. The 

 range and variety of questions with which we must come to grips can 

 be illustrated by the following abbreviated list : 



1. What is the significance of the oceans to national interests? 

 Should the United States undertake major new programs of research 

 and development to meet economic, political, military, or scientific 

 needs in the marine environment ? 



2. What can be done to enlist private capital and initiative more 

 effectively in the development of marine resources? Do new technolo- 

 gies offer a basis for the development of new industries which will 

 prove to be both competitive and self-sufficient ? 



3. Are the prospects of significant advances in environmental pre- 

 diction and control sufficient to warrant at this stage a major invest- 



