707 . 
Governor Scorr. This council is composed of private citizens who 
are interested in the development of our marine science potential, and 
it is primarily a coordinating agency to bring together all of the activi- 
ties going on in the State-supported and privately-supported endeavors 
in order that our thrust might be of the same general direction. 
The council, itself, does not have any great authority in terms of 
what it can say to any specific agency, “You can or cannot do this.” 
But it is more or less a coordinating agency and just that, a council 
where the views of these various institutions and the programs that 
are going on can be expressed hopefully to prevent a lot of duplica- 
tion and any potential conflicts that might arise. 
Mr. Downtnc. How many people are on this council 
Governor Scott. Twenty-one. 
Mr. Downtine. Are they paid? 
Governor Scorr. No, sir; they are not. We have an executive director. 
Mr. Downine. How often do they meet ? 
Mr. Jonus. There is no set time at this point in time of the activities. 
The council and the technical committee that has been serving with 
it to date have been more or less devoting themselves to putting to- 
gether a statewide long-range plan for the development of marine 
sciences and marine resources. We meet when we have had enough 
planning to call the council together to advise with them and advise 
the Governor. 
Governor Scorr. This is Mr. Walton Jones, who is the executive di- 
rector of the council. 
Mr. Downine. That is most interesting. When and if the coastal 
zone concept becomes law, would you need this council then ? 
Governor Scorr. I think it would depend upon how the coastal zone, 
itself, was established and its makeup and the governing body. It could 
very well be that the council, itself, would be absorbed into the govern- 
ing body of the coastal zone. 
Again recognizing that the marine sciences program going on in 
North Carolina involves both private and State sectors and it involves, 
of course, research in our institutions of higher learning, it involves 
both basic and applied research, it involves the coordination with the 
sea grants program and all of this, unless the coastal zone would incor- 
porate the type of coordination that we anticipate having under this 
council, then I would think that maybe there would be a place for the 
council to continue particularly in the development of long-range 
plans and what itis we hope to accomplish. 
Mr. Downrne. The Council has no authority ; does it? 
Governor Scorr. It has no real teeth in it; no. It is a planning and 
coordination agency. 
Mr. Downine. And advisory ? 
Governor Scorr. That is correct. May I ask Mr. Jones to comment 
further on that. He is familiar with it and has been working with it 
since it was established. 
Mr. Jones. Let me say that when you say it has no teeth, it has the 
teeth to the extent that we can convince the Governor as an advisory 
body to the Governor that this should be done and then it has the full 
backing of the Governor, and we have no authority except that we 
advise the Governor and he says this should be done and then this has 
a tremendous amount of authority. 
