436 



PKEFACE 



THE SEA — ^boundless source of energy, water, food, joy and \N'onder ; engine 

 of weather ; highway for commerce ; avenue of attaclv ; bastion of defense ; re- 

 ceptacle of society's wastes ; repository of earth's soil ; theater of history ; scroll 

 of the ages; cradle of life— It is Important— It Must Be Known. THIS IS THE 

 BUSINESS OF MARINE SCIENCE. 



THE PAST 



Virginia was colonized via the sea, her early economic, social and political 

 development was near the shores of the sea, her connection with the mother 

 country was through the sea, protection and severance from a wrathful and 

 oppressive government was provided in significant measure by the sea. Virginians 

 have been succored, amused, and terrori2ied by the sea and her major cities are 

 on tidal tributaries of the sea. Despite this, Virginia's chief attention was directed 

 landward early and this direction persisted for many years — well into the present 

 century. Now attention is finally returning to the marine environment. It is being 

 forced to. 



Except for casual mention of marine fishery products, when development, use 

 and conservation of natural resources are considered, soils, forests, mineral re- 

 sources, and wildlife receive the chief attention, often in that order. Though 

 no one will deny the importance of these terrestrial resources it is necessary and 

 timely that the marine resources receive their portion of our attention. This need 

 is becoming increasingly apparent. Dramatic events of recent j'ears have demon- 

 strated that our tidal waters are not as inexhaustible or indestructible as was 

 once thought. 



ECONOMIC ASSETS OF TIDEWATER VIRGINIA 



Though aesthetically displeasing to some, it often helps to focus attention on a 

 subject by citing its economic and social impacts. Dollars talk ! Forcefully — 

 and sometimes crudely, roughly and thoughtlessly. For a complete breakdown of 

 the economic assets of Maritime Virginia see Appendix I. 



Tidewater or Maritime Virginia consists of those counties, cities and towns 

 located at the fall line and eastward to the sea. Included are approximately 33 — • 

 about a third — of her counties and the largest cities and suburban areas. Almost 

 60 percent of the people live in Tidewater, where the greatest population and 

 industrial growth in Virginia has occurred. Almost seven billion dollars change 

 hands in Maritime Virginia each year. Much of this commerce is directly related 

 to activities oriented toward marine resources. The capitalized value of marine 

 resources, whether self -renewing or depletable and of marine oriented industrial, 

 residential and commercial activities is great, exceding several hundred billions. 



VIRGINIA'S MARINE RESOURCES 



What are Virginia's marine resources? "What makes Tidewater so important 

 and enables it to make the major contribution to the economic well-being of the 

 entire Commonwealth ? 



The marine waters 



The marine waters, themselves, are important. Virginia has responsibility over 

 or ready access to 13,000 square miles of sea water. These waters serve as sea 

 lanes, as highways, to float and facilitate movement of the merchant and naval 

 fleets of the United States and half the countries of the globe. They receive, re- 

 move and purify, within limits, the wastes of these fleets. They provide water to 

 eool the poAver plants and clean and succor the sailors. It is because of the 

 importance of these waters to coastal and international commerce and communi- 

 cations that the ma.ior industrial units, the military bases and the major com- 

 munities of eastern Virginia have arisen. Growiing recreational fleets make use 

 of these attributes. 



The lovely waters of the Virginian Sea (Captain John Smith's name for the 

 mid-Atlantic between Capes Hatteras and Cod), Chesapeake Bay and the tidal 

 rivers stretching far inland are sources of wonderment and l)eauty and provide 

 the setting for shorebound beauties or even serve as the main attraction, 

 aesthetic value, of eastern Virginia. People are fascinated, rested and restored or 

 rejuvenated by the ageless, limitless, inconsistent face of the sea. This attribute 

 in itself is of great, though not readily calculable value to society. Despite the 



