106 



provide for collective defense and mutual help by combining resources 

 in these areas. 



Mr. EoTH. What is the source of your authority for making this 

 international exchange of data, and is there, in your opinion, a need 

 for further enabling authorities ? 



Admiral Waters. The authority for engaging in these international 

 exchanges of oceanographic data is the individual treaty, or agreement 

 to which the United States is signatory. On the whole, the present 

 International mechanisms through which we operate to promote 

 mutually profitable exchanges of oceanographic data are working quite 

 well. Additional authority to pursue these efforts is not considered 

 necessary, 



Mr. LENNOisr. Mr. Keith? 



Mr. Keith. Admiral Waters, you mentioned that the Navy is con- 

 ducting field programs in the North Pacific and North Atlantic 

 'Oceans. Using these programs as examples, if another government or 

 private agency seeks specific information from the location where these 

 programs are being conducted, would it be possible for that agency to 

 liave the Navy obtain this information for it ? 



Admiral Waters. The Navy would be more than pleased to consider 

 the needs of other agencies for specific information in the areas in 

 which these, as well as other programs, are being conducted. Of course, 

 it must be recognized that, in honoring requests for additional informa- 

 tion from other groups, time and costs involved must be considered 

 l>ef ore definite commitments can be made. 



In practice, the schedules of our ships and those of institutions we 

 support have been included in the ICO document, oceanographic ship 

 operating schedules, which is published annually. It has been the in- 

 tent of this publication and our included schedules to advise people of 

 the types and areas of operation being planned during the coming 

 fiscal year for oceanographic ships. Hopefully, we can obtain greater 

 use of the country's fleet of oceanographic ships by groups taking ad- 

 vantage of the published schedules in the manner you have asked 

 about. 



Mr. IvErrH. I would also like to know what efforts, if any, are made 

 -to coordinate with other agencies before the Navy begins a research 

 project that is not of a classified nature. 



Admiral Waters. Our unclassified research projects have been 

 coordinated with other agencies through the panel structure of the 

 Interagency Committee on Oceanography (ICO) . The Eesearch Panel 

 of the ICO'has served as the mechanism for such coordination. We ex- 

 pect that this type of coordination will now continue through the 

 newly constituted Interagency Committee of Marine Eesearch, Edu- 

 cation, and Facilities (ICMEEF), under the National Council on 

 Iklarine Eesources and Engineering Development. _ 



Mr. Keith. The greatly increased use of civilian submersibles for 

 commercial and recreational purposes is a virtual certainty in the not 

 too distant future. Do you feel we are developing with sufficient speed 

 a capacity for underwater rescue operations to deal with this situation 

 •adequately when it becomes a more serious problem? 



Admiral Waters. As you know, the Coast Guard has the primary 

 responsibility for safety and rescue of civilian craft on the oceans, al- 

 tihough the Navy stands ready to assist whenever called upon. Present- 



