106 NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PROGRAM—1965 
Mr. Bauer. How far behind the taking of the boat sheet in your 
surveys of the coastal waters of the United States are you before the 
neitaaon of the finished chart involving all of that data—how many 
years? 
Commander Nyeren. Until all that data is applied, you have a sub- 
stantial lag. The critical information is immediately applied to the 
charts so there is no danger, or hazard, to navigation. Less critical 
information is not applied. The charts of the Coast and Geodetic 
Survey we are speaking of. 
Mr. Bauer. Yes. 
Commander Nyeren. I believe we have quoted a figure in the past, 
some cases it might be 5 to 6 years before the complete information 
from the surveys is applied to the chart. However, this is a matter of 
economy of operation. It is undesirable to spend a great deal of 
time and money putting relatively insignificant data on the chart. 
The critical information goes on immediately. 
Mr. Baver. What is the timelag on critical data ? 
Commander Nyeren. The boat sheets are received in the office. 
They are photostated. This is put on the charts as soon as possible. 
This is a matter of weeks or months, and this again depends on the 
degree of criticality of the data. If something 1s discovered that is 
obviously a hazard to navigation and a danger to life and so forth, 
this information is transmitted to mariners. The mariner puts it on 
his own chart in this case. ; 
Mr. Bauer. I am aware of the great work the Coast Survey and 
Admiral Karo have done, particularly in this northeast storm re- 
charting of coastline which was substantially changed, and also the 
work being done as a result of the Alaskan earthquake. 
However, this question of survey goes over and beyond the question 
of safety of navigation, does it not ? 
Commander Nyeren. Yes, sir. 
Mr. Baurr. If we wanted to find out what the continental structure 
is—we will say the Hudson Canyon and various canyons that exist 
on the continental slopes of the country and the world—then we would 
have to wait 6 years before that information would be available? 
Commander Nyeren. No, sir. I would not want to let that stand in 
the record. This is a matter of relative priority. We cannot do 
everything on a first priority basis. We have to weigh the needs of the 
consumer in this case. Asa small example, but one that might be well 
mentioned, this report for the Equalant I, which was mentioned by 
various previous witnesses, was printed and published by the Coast 
and Geodetic Survey and has been released in a matter of weeks be- 
cause it was considered to be an element of considerable priority. We 
have issued provisional charts of areas in a matter of a very few 
weeks or months where it was a high priority necessity. 
Mr. Bauer. For example, the survey that was made by the Coast 
Guard off the Siberian coast 2 years ago, and the Bering Sea area, 
that material has been published, has it not? Was this survey by the 
Coast Guard coordinated by the Survey Panel of the Interagency 
Couiniiunes under the Coast Guard, or more or less did it do it on its 
own ? 
Commander Nyeren. The Coast Guard, of course, did it within its 
own authority and the authority of the Navy Department. The Sur- 
