capital, manpower, domestic and international 
competition, and availability of alternative sources 
of food and minerals ashore. Government policy is 
an additional and important factor in marine 
development but cannot be truly effective unless 
supported by other determinants. Government 
policy cannot create, for instance, a thriving ocean 
mining or fisheries industry in the absence of an 
economically sound market situation. 
Public policy sets the tone for industrial prog- 
ress. The Government, through its establishment 
and interpretation of the political environment, 
determines the ultimate climate for industrial 
growth within its jurisdiction. This climate can be 
promotional or restrictive depending on the priori- 
ties established. Many phases of Government 
action can be used to promote ocean progress. At 
a minimum, Government has a responsibility to:8 
—Enunciate National policies and objectives con- 
cerning U.S. marine interests. 
—Assist in planning for optimum use of limited 
public resources and adjudication of conflicting 
uses of the sea. 
—Adopt regulatory policies which will not dis- 
courage private investment. 
—Provide special incentives to certain marine 
industries in their embryonic phase when in the 
National interest. 
—Undertake and improve the description and 
prediction of the marine environment and assess 
possibilities of modifying it for the ultimate 
mutual benefit of all users of the sea and coastal 
zones. 
—Initiate, support and encourage education and 
training programs to provide competent manpower 
on all necessary levels for marine-related activities. 
—Provide for protecting life and property at sea. 
—Sponsor programs to obtain basic information 
for industry’s delineation and development of 
8 The Government role defined here is substantially in 
agreement with the role stated by the President’s Science 
Advisory Committee, Panel on Oceanography, in “‘Effec- 
tive Use of the Sea,” p. VIII, June 1966. 
marine resources as well as ensuring proper conser- 
vation practices. 
—Aid in the advance of science and basic technol- 
ogy necessary to operate within the marine envi- 
ronment. 
—Negotiate acceptable international arrangements 
to conduct marine industrial activity. 
—Assure that National security is given proper 
consideration in ocean development policies. 
B. Industry Role 
Based on the profit motive, industry is the 
instrument that gives economic value to ocean 
resources. Discovery of new resource potentials 
will be of no benefit without the capability to 
exploit them economically. Development of an 
efficient marine industry, on the other hand, not 
only can make the riches of the seas accessible to 
this Nation and to the world, but also can assist 
U.S. economic development and help strengthen 
this Nation’s position in international trade. 
The traditional and proper role of industry is 
to: 
—Generate the ideas, methods, and risk capital 
required for continued industrial progress. 
—Discover, delineate, develop, and market marine 
resources within the constraints of proper conser- 
vation practices and equitable solutions promul- 
gated to solve multi-user problems. 
—Provide capital equipment and services funda- 
mental to ocean operations. 
—Contribute to the support of scientific research 
and technological development. 
—Participate in development of manpower for 
ocean operations through in-house training pro- 
grams and aid to education and research within the 
universities. 
