1014 
Don’t you believe, Doctor, that this Commission in the 2 years that 
they gave to the study of this problem, studied the alternatives with 
respect to Government operation or organization ? 
Dr. McExroy. I am sure they did, but they arrive at a different posi- 
tion than a previous study did. Their position differs from a previous 
study on this. 
Mr. Lennon. Doctor, what did the administration do to try to m- 
plement the results of the previous study that you said was made in 
what years ? 
Dr. McExroy. In 1965 and 1966. 
Mr. Lennon. What did you do about those recommendations ? 
_ Dr. McExroy. Well, as a matter of fact, I would say that the fund- 
ing had increased tremendously until a couple of years ago, and then 
the budgets were cut. I would like to mention that we requested, be- 
fore the House of Representatives, increased funds for our oceano- 
graphic programs which were cut in previous years. 
Asa matter of fact, the NSF budget was cut by almost one hundred 
million dollars last year, but we maintained the Sea Grant College 
program at the level we requested even so. 
Mr. Lennon. Now yousay who cut it ? 
Dr. McEtroy. The House of Representatives first, and then the 
Congress. 
Mr. Lennon. You mean below the authorization figure? 
Dr. McEtroy. Yes. 
Mr. Lennon. And below the budget authorization ? 
Dr. McEtroy. And below the President’s budget that was sub- 
mitted, yes, sir. 
Mr. Lennon. What period are you talking about? 
Dr. McEtroy. This was the NSF budget in its totality that was 
cut one hundred million dollars. As I say, we asked for $6 million for 
sea grant and maintained it as $6 million. 
Mr. Lennon. I noted in your statement your concern about the 
proposal in the Commission’s report to remove from the Department 
of the Interior and move to the new Government structure the Bureau 
of Commercial Fisheries and certain elements of the Bureau of Sport 
Fisheries and Wildlife. You say that in your judgment rather than 
remove these particular affairs from the Department of the Interior, 
“  . it seems to me at least as appropriate to reconstitute the De- 
partment of the Interior so that it would be responsible for natural 
resources development.” 
Haven’t they had that authority all these many years? Hasn’t the 
Department of the Interior had this authority to move forward in the 
very direction you stated all these years, and now I ask you to sum 
that up by saying how effective has the Department of the Interior 
been when we are now in sixth place in the commercial fisheries in 
the world and we import, I think, in round figures 70-odd percent of 
all the edible seafoods that we consume in this country ? 
How effective have they been? You say they ought to be more 
effective. 
Dr. McEtroy. I would say in answer to the first part of the question, 
sure. they have had the authority, but unfortunately they haven’t had 
the funding to do the job that J think the Commission has asked to be 
done. It has been a few years since I have looked into the activities of 
the fisheries. 
