281 



I further stronoly endorse the recommendation of the Commission 

 that coastal zone laboratories be established in association with appro- 

 priate academic institutions to engage in scientific investigation of 

 estuarine and coastal processes and to be prepared to advise the States 

 in managing the estuaries and coastal zones. This recommendation is 

 actually contained in chapter 2 of the Commission report, but is re- 

 ferred to in chapter ^^>, and certainly is required to attain the goals of 

 elTective management of the coastal zone as outlined in chapter 3. 



The Commission further recommends that the National Oceanic and 

 Atmospheric Agency should have prime responsibility to pro^-ide insti- 

 tutional support for the coastal zone laboratories, and I endorse this 

 recommendation. 



There is a relatively short time connection between the findings of 

 basic research in the estuarine and coastal marine environment and 

 the application of these findings to management of this environment. 

 For this reason I consider it essential that a close relationship exist 

 between such coastal zone laboratories, with their base within aca- 

 demic institutions, and the central management agency for the coastal 

 zone. 



There is at present insufficient communication between the scientists 

 engaged in basic studies of the i^hysical, chemical, geological and bio- 

 logical processes in the estuarine and coastal waters and the applied 

 scientific and engineering personnel responsible within the State 

 agencies for supplying the technical basis for management decisions. 

 I envision the coastal zone laboratories as a means of providing a close 

 working relationship between the research scientist and the manage- 

 ment agency. 



Speaking now strictly as an individual, without any indication of 

 concurrence by the other members of the Committee on Oceanography 

 of the National Academy of Sciences, I would like to briefly comment 

 on the subject of the structure of the proposed centralized Federal 

 agency for administration of the nonmilitary Federal activities in 

 ocean science, engineering and utilization. 



I recognize that Congress must view with some frustration the fact 

 that the scientific community, as represented by the several groups 

 which have provided testimony on the Commission 'Report, has not 

 provided either wholehearted endorsement of the specific structure 

 recommended by the Commission or endorsement for an alternate 

 restructuring of the Federal agencies. I do not believe that the marine 

 scientific community as a whole can reach a consensus on this matter. 

 In many cases the problem of administrative structure falls outside 

 the areas of competence of the scientist. 



Of more importance is the fact that the recommendations of the 

 Commission represent the product of a very large expenditure of time 

 by a group of competent individuals who organized the inj^ut obtained 

 from a significant segment of those concerned with increasing our 

 knowledge of the sea and with the use of the sea and its resources. Only 

 after this group put a considera;ble effort in the digestion of this in- 

 formation, and in thoug^ht and discussion, did they arrive at an agreed 

 proposal for the restructuring of the Federal agencies. 



A different group of equally competent and dedicated individuals, 

 after expending an equal amount of time and etfort, would probably 



26-563 — 69 — pt. 1 19 



