491 



and warehousing requirements. The Mississippi Test Facility complex includes 

 data acquisition capability, a test control center, rocket test stands, acoustic 

 labox-atories, a data handling center, an electronics and instrumentation center 

 along with numerous office, administrative and support systems. Mississippi 

 borders on the sea body which is one of tlie richest habitats of fish as well as the 

 center of the greatest activity for offshore oil production in the world. Pascagoula 

 is the location of the Exploratory Fishing and Gear Research Base of the Bureau 

 of Commercial Fisheries. Tliis base concerns itself with expanding present fishing 

 grounds, locating new grounds and developing new harvesting and utilization 

 techniques. Its research covers basic ocean engineering concepts and animal 

 behavior, promising to lead to dramatic new harvesting techniques. Much of the 

 direction of fishery development over the next decade will evolve from the activ- 

 ities now in progress at Pascagoula. 



The Waterways Experiment Station of the U.S. Corps of Engineers at Vicks- 

 burg offers a tremendous facility for river, estuarian studies and water resource 

 ecology. The Navy Seabee Base at Gulfport is a fine support facility for marine 

 engineering and training for marine activities. 



To further document the long term assessment of our nation's oceanographic 

 goals, Mississippi took a positive and dramatic step this year. On April 10, 1969 

 I created the Mississippi Council for the Development of Marine Resources by 

 executive order. This select body of academic, industrial and state leaders will 

 evaluate consultant studies already completed and establish the programs to 

 enhance and develop marine science programs in Mississippi over the next ten 

 years. 



To further document Mississippi's interest and direct purpose in oceanography 

 Executive Order No. 45 describes and si)ecifies the function and authority of the 

 Mississippi Council for the Development of Marine Resources. 



Thank you. 



Mississippi Executive Department, Jackson 



executive okdeb no, 45 



By virtue of the authority vested in me as Governor of the State of Mississippi. 

 and pursuant to the Constitution and applicable statutes of the State of 

 Mississippi, it is hereby ordered as follows : 



1. There is hereby created and established within the Mississippi Agricultural 

 and Industrial Board the Mississippi Council for the Development of Marine 

 Resources until such time as enabling legislation is adopted to establish the 

 Mississippi Council for the Development of Marine Resources. 



2. Because of the existing and increasing opportunities to the State of 

 Mississippi through participation in the field of Oceanographies, it is essential 

 that an orderly and diligent study be made of what avenues are open to the 

 people of Mississippi in their achievement of their goals in this field. 



The pui'pose of this procedure is to provide for the rendering of mutual aid 

 between educational institutions and the Marine Resources Council and with the 

 Federal government with respect to providing suitable skilled professionals 

 and labor in this area of development and the taking of such steps as necessary 

 and appropriate to carry out the provisions of this Order. 



It is further declared to be the purpose of this Order and the policy of the 

 State that all present plans and future programs involving the field of marine 

 sciences be coordinated with comparable functions of the Federal government, 

 including its various departments, and agencies of other states and localities 

 and all private agencies so that the most effective, eflacient and economical par- 

 ticipation by the State of Mississippi may be made in the field of marine 

 resources. 



3. The Executive Director of the Mississippi Agricultural and Industrial Board 

 shall be the administrator of the Council. 



Such technical, administrative, stenographic, clerical and other personnel in 

 the employ of the Mississippi Agricultural and Industi'ial Board and compen- 

 sated thereby shall be made available to the Council in the performance of its 

 duties. 



4. The members of the Mississippi Council for the Development of Marine 

 Resources shall serve in an advisory capacity to the Governor and to the 

 Mississippi Agricultural and Industrial Board. 



