82 



Other ships — primarily research vessels from universities and fish- 

 eries vessels — will use special nets to collect floating debris; plastics 

 and tar balls, for weighing and analysis in laboratories ashore. 



As the system is proposed, it may be expanded to other more com- 

 plicated procedures. In this way, the world's fleet can be used to as- 

 sist in the detection of marine pollution in the shipping lanes — where 

 pollution problems are most likely to arise. 



Another international cooperative program just begun is the global 

 investigation of pollution of the marine environment, GIPME, of 

 the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, This is a coopera- 

 tive program of scientific research concerned with marine pollution, 

 carried out primarily in the national laboratories of the cooperating 

 nations. It deals with sources and inputs of pollutants into the ocean, 

 their transfer and transformation by physical, chemical and biological 

 processes, their effects on marine organisms, and their fate in the ma- 

 rine environment. 



The investigation is directed primarily toward the coastal ocean 

 and — where appropriate— toward the open ocean. It takes into account 

 the consequences of marine pollution; especially those related to hu- 

 man health, living resources, and their exploitation, climatic effects 

 and amenities as well as more indirect ecological effects. Finally, 

 GIPME and its various national programs provides the basis for 

 global programs of marine pollution monitoring. 



In addition to its major research efforts on regional problems, 

 GIPME will also provide an assessment of the present state of the 

 ocean — a report on the health of the ocean, so to speak. 



One example of the Nation's commitment to international efforts is 

 the International Field Year in the Great Lakes, IFYGL. In that 

 program, which is completing the field observation phase, we and the 

 Canadians have joined together to study the dynamics and water 

 quality of Lake Ontario. Analysis of the information from the proj- 

 ect will continue for some time. But we believe that it will be in- 

 valuable in forecasting long term responses of the lake to man's use 

 and management. 



By the effective use of NOAA's ships, selected ships-of -opportunity, 

 satellites, and environmental data buoys combined with those from 

 other nations, we can expect to further use the resources of the ocean 

 to meet national needs and at the same time to protect the world ocean 

 from the abuses of marine pollution. 



Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



Senator Stevens. Do you have any questions. Senator? I have a 

 couple if you don't. 



Senator Hollixgs. You go ahead. I wanted to ask Dr. Royce a couple 

 of questions on things we Avere getting into yesterday. 



Senator Stevens. Dr. Hirsch, I was told recently that the state of 

 the art, as far as removing oil from ballast water is about the level of 

 10 parts per million. Is that correct? 



Dr. Gross. I have also heard that figure. Senator. I can't personally 

 speak to it. Can you. Dr. Hirsch ? 



Dr. Hirsch. I believe that is approximately correct. Senator; yes. 



Senator Stevens. And we have had the system, as Ave know from the 

 history of tanker operations in the ])ast, they used to discharge their 

 ballast at sea, and we do not allow that in this country any more, and 



