Chapter 2 Major Findings and Recommendations 
The major findings and recommendations of 
the Marine Engineering and Technology Panel are 
summarized under the following categories: 
A. General 
B. Fundamental Technology 
C. Facilities 
D. Special Deep Ocean Considerations 
E. Special Nearshore Problems 
F. Great Lakes Restoration 
G. Industrial Technology 
These categories relate directly to the report’s 
major marine technology discussions, most of 
which are concerned with surface or relatively 
shallow operations to 2,000 feet. Such operations 
are expected to dominate national ocean activities 
during the remainder of this century. Within each 
group, findings are presented first, followed by 
recommendations. This chapter summarizes the 
current state of marine technology, its potential, 
and a valid approach to advancing the nation’s 
capability to explore and utilize the oceans fully. 
A. General 
The oceans are the promise of future genera- 
tions; they are the arena for achieving a major 
advancement in world gross product. Ocean devel- 
opment is a major concern—more compelling to 
today’s national interest than space development— 
integral to the solution of urban, transportation, 
health, foreign aid, and world nutrition 
problems—and vital to national defense. 
The present overall undersea capability of the 
United States is extremely limited relative to the 
potential of marine technology. Given a funda- 
mental technology program and a commitment to 
the oceans, the United States could produce 
systems in 10 to 15 years that would duplicate on 
the continental shelves many productive terrestrial 
functions while attaining substantially improved 
operating capabilities throughout the oceans at all 
depths. 
Industrial, scientific, and military undersea 
technology are closely linked. A properly man- 
aged, balanced, comprehensive, dynamic marine 
engineering and technology development program 
over the next 10 years could provide the United 
States a wide range of industrial, scientific, politi- 
cal, and military technological options. 
Without such an accelerated undersea explora- 
tion and development program, a critical national 
technological deficiency will develop. Moreover, 
instead of an orderly development, a crash reac- 
tion would become necessary should some other 
nation demonstrate an internationally important 
undersea capability. 
The goals stated in this report will not be 
achieved unless a much greater national commit- 
ment to the oceans is made. U.S. ocean activities 
presently include substantial private, State, and 
regional efforts. Therefore, the oceans deserve a 
different approach than military and space endeav- 
ors which have been strictly Federal responsi- 
bilities. 
Overall undersea capability could advance more 
rapidly if affirmative efforts were made to publish 
government-developed technology. Unclassified re- 
search and engineering data are sometimes not 
released because funds are insufficient to prepare 
public reports, manpower limitations hamper ex- 
traction of unclassified technological data from 
classified documents, or the U.S. Government 
(especially the military) chooses to withhold un- 
classified data from general distribution. 
Recommendations: 
1. A National Advisory Committee for the Oceans 
(NACO) should be established with representation 
from the States and regions, private enterprise, the 
academic community, and the U.S. Government. 
Its principal functions would be to (1) advise all 
U.S. Government agencies with missions in the 
oceans on the planning and implementation of the 
national marine efforts, (2) inform the Congress, 
(3) assist the States and private interests, (4) guide 
the fundamental marine technology development 
program, and (5) submit a periodic report assessing 
the national ocean program. Advice should be 
given in such areas as national goals and long-range 
plans, facilities, manpower, National Projects, 
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