70 



The advantages of placing the Coast Guard within NOAA could be fully real- 

 ized only by a real merger. The fact that the Coast Guard is a uniformed corps 

 does not pose unsurmountable diflBculties. The Coast Guard's uniformed officers 

 would benefit from the expanded opportunities that operations under NOAA 

 would offer. 



FISHERIES PROGRAMS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 



The Federal Government's support of marine living resource development is at 

 present concentrated mostly in the Bureaus of Commercial Fisheries (BCF) and 

 Sport Fisheries and Wildlife (BSFW) of the Department of the Interior. The 

 National Sea Grant Program sponsors some applied fisheries research. BCF's pro- 

 grams can be broadly categorized as : 



Financial and technical assistance to industry. 

 Biological research on individual species of fish. 



Its industry assistance activities include financial aid, technical assistance, har- 

 vesting studies and techniques, and economic analysis. Its biological research 

 includes studies of marine finfish and shellfish and habitat investigations. The 

 Bureau's annual budget of approximately $50 million is divided about equally 

 between industry assistance and biological research. 



The Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife is a larger organization responsible 

 for laboratory and field investigations to develop, manage, and maintain a national 

 system of fish hatcheries and wildlife refuges ; regulate the taking of migratory 

 birds and game ; and develop a national program to provide public opportunities 

 to understand, appreciate, and use fish and wildlife resources. The emphasis on 

 wildlife conservation is particularly pronounced in the programs of assistance to 

 the States, which include a small program of matching grants to the States for 

 approved anadromous fishery projects. There is an annual expenditure of only 

 about $900,000 for in-house biological research related to marine sport fish species. 



The marine components of other Department of the Interior programs are rela- 

 tively minor extensions of activities oriented to the Nation's interior. In contrast, 

 BOF's interior interests are concentrated upon a handful of fresh water species 

 and are minor ad.iuncts to its essential salt water orientation. 



The rehabilitation of U.S. fisheries, which is a major Congressional objective, 

 depends upon good sea science and new, improved marine technology to define, 

 locate, manage, and harvest the living resources of the sea. Fisheries research 

 involves physical and chemical oceanography and marine geology and biology. 

 Modern marine technology, including advanced instrumentation, deep submer- 

 sibles, and underwater habitats must be used to advance fisheries research. 



In Chapter 4, the Commission proposed a number of important actions to re- 

 habilitate the U.S. fisheries. The many-sided aspects of these proposals require 

 that they be concentrated within NOAA. 



The Commission concludes that the Federal programs relating to marine and 

 anadromous fisheries should be managed within a single administrative struc- 

 ture, as was the situation prior to the creation of the separate bureaus for com- 

 mercial and sport fish in 1956. The separation has created more problems than it 

 has solved. Integrated plans are now necessary to save some species threatened 

 with decline. Both sport and commercial fishing interests should participate in 

 research and management plans. The combination of marine commercial and 

 sport fishing functions in NOAA will best accomplish these objectives. 



Commercial fishing sometimes conflicts with sport fishing. Some species are 

 valued by both groups, but other species are of either sport or commercial in- 

 terest. Sport fishermen become commercial fishermen when they sell some or all 

 of a catch to dealers or restaurants. 



BSFW laboratories for study of marine and anadromous fisheries are separate 

 from its other facilities and conduct much valuable research. An excellent pro- 

 gram conducted by BSFW's Sandy Hook Marine Laboratory charts the location 

 of species by monthly temperature variations along the Atlantic coast, relying 

 on the Coast Guard to provide temperature monitoring and photography aircraft. 

 Such research has obvious value to all aspects of living resources development. 



Aquacultural research for both plant and animal species now is conducted or 

 sponsored by BCF and the National Sea Grant Program. Close cooperation has 

 prevented duplication, but with the two programs under single management in 

 NOAA, coordinated planning can take place to develop the full potential aquacul- 

 ture offers. 



