COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE 



SECRETARY OF COMMERCE ON THE 



FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OF THE NATIONAL 



ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON OCEANS 



AND ATMOSPHERE 



PREFACE 



Public Law 92-125, which established the National 

 Advisory Committee on Oceans and Atmosphere 

 requires that the annual report of the Committee "shall 

 be submitted to the Secretary of Commerce who shall 

 within 90 days after receipt thereof transmit copies to 

 the President and to the Congress with his comments 

 and recommendations." Accordingly, the following 

 comments are submitted. The comments have been 

 organized to parallel the presentation in the Committee 

 report and under the same chapter headings. 



INTRODUCTION 



The First Annual Report of the National Advisory Committee 

 on Oceans and Atmosphere (NACOA) has focused on four 

 critical oceanic and atmospheric issues confronting our Nation — 

 the Law of the Sea, the Rehabilitation of our Fisheries, Weather 

 Modification, and Coastal Zone Management. The findings and 

 recommendations of the Committee warrant thoughtful consider- 

 ation as new policies and programs are formulated and imple- 

 mented. They provide a basis for further discussion on some of 

 the key economic and environmental issues facing the Nation and 

 a basis for immediate action on others. 



The issues are complex. The way in which they are resolved 

 will have an impact on the future economic and social welfare 

 of the United States. The outcome of present international de- 

 liberations within the United Nations on the Law of the Sea 



