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Ever since the program's inception, I have been deluged with demands high- 

 lighting above all else, desperate need for ocean technicians — persons competent 

 to go to sea, to make observations, to record data, to process data, to run in- 

 struments, to repair instruments, and to assist in the construction of oceano- 

 graphic apparatus of all kinds. This is a prime mission to which we in the Sea 

 Grant Program are already addressing ourselves. We hopefully predict signifi- 

 cant output of technicians in about three or four years. 



In conclusion, Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen of the Committee, the excitement, 

 the interest, and the reorientation of institutions to pracical problems of the 

 oceans already have shown the potential effect of the National Sea Grant Pro- 

 gram on the nation's welfare. You, and your counterparts in the Senate, have 

 created what can become a superb vehicle for involving academia, industry, busi- 

 ness, national organizations, and State and local governments in cooperative 

 ventures to exploit and to use the marine environment in most productive and 

 useful ways. You have created a program which serves as a catalyst, to bring 

 together groups which have much to offer jointly, but which do not normally 

 communicate. Y'^u have created a mechanism of great scope and flexibility which 

 can serve to fill many of the important gaps remaining after the implementation 

 of the programs of the mission-oriented agencies. Perhaps most important of all, 

 through the National Sea Grant Program you have given new incentive and new 

 hope to many dedicated people who have wanted to solve economic, legal, man- 

 power, technical, and scientific problems of marine resource development, and 

 who have lacked support — in many cases only a little support — and encourage- 

 ment to get on with the job. It is up to the Sea Grant staff, and our associates 

 in the Foundation, to realize the truly enormous potenial of the Naional Sea 

 .Grant College and Program Act. I can only assure you that, with your help, we 

 will do our very best. 



Mr. Abel. I am most happy to appear before you this morning to 

 discuss the status of the national sea-grant program. Of course, you 

 are all familiar with the history of its concept and formation. There- 

 fore, I would propose to concentrate on the more recent developments 

 which followed the passage of the Sea Grant Act on October 15, 1966, 

 and its signing into law on October 17 of the same year. 



During the 3 months following the act's passage, the National Coun- 

 cil on Marine Resources and Engineering Development which has been 

 mentioned here several times this morning considered this program, 

 considered the National Science Foundation's plans for its imple- 

 mentation and endorsed these plans to the President. At that time a 

 budget level of $4 million was established for the executive budget and 

 in its report to the President, the Marine Science Council stated that 

 the sea grant program should be implemented immediately and en- 

 dorsed it as one of their new initiatives. 



Chapter 6 of that report entitled, "Marine Science Affairs, a Year of 

 Transition,-' placed the program for the first time in the perspective 

 in which it would be viewed and implemented by the executive branch 

 of the Government. Accordingly with your permission, I would like to 

 offer that chapter for the record. 



Mr. Downing. Without objection, it will be incorporated in the 

 record. 



( The information follows : ) 



