Chapter 4 Organization 
The following ideas on organization represent 
the input to the Commission from its Panel on 
Marine Engineering and Technology. An effort has 
been made to emphasize only comments that 
relate to the organizational needs to promote and 
encourage progress in marine engineering and 
technology. However, it is recognized that several 
thoughts would affect much broader areas of 
future marine programs. 
1. NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE 
Overall national management of ocean resource 
development and the related supporting marine 
engineering and technology need strengthening. 
Because of the decentralized character of ocean 
activities, the important contributions of the 
States and regions, private enterprise, and the 
academic community must be recognized. These 
complement the well-established role of the U.S. 
Government. 
To date major Government contributions in 
marine engineering and technology have come 
from the Navy, chiefly because of its requirements 
for knowledge and skills associated with the 
oceans. However, the past two decades have seen 
efforts of the private sector, led in this area by 
the petroleum industry, expand such that their 
expenditures are greatly in excess of non-military 
Government efforts. 
The need for national participation as opposed 
to a predominantly Government approach to 
marine programs became clearly apparent during 
the panel’s investigations. The States and regions, 
private enterprise, the academic community, and 
the U.S. Government all have vital roles to play. 
These roles can be responsive and coordinated 
only if they are provided with a means for 
cooperative long-range planning and National guid- 
ance. 
Il. NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONAL STRUC- 
TURE 
A. General 
With the diverse scope of national activities in 
the ocean it is unwise and impractical to consoli- 
date all U.S. Government activities associated with 
the oceans into one organization. Rather, it is 
necessary to take advantage of the competence 
that presently exists and to selectively cluster 
where appropriate to provide additional strength. 
Regardless of the amount of clustering, the Navy 
should remain separate to support its military 
obligations. In the civilian sector several organiza- 
tions have limited interests in the ocean and 
therefore could not fit logically into a single 
civilian marine agency. 
The. panel feels two basic principles must be 
satisfied to respond to the diverse character of 
marine activities and the critical need for advanced 
technology to support future activities. First, a 
mechanism must be established to provide national 
perspective and guidance to the Nation’s engineer- 
ing and technology efforts. Second, recognition 
must be made of the necessity of continual 
additions to fundamental technology. This latter 
principle leads to the importance of assuring that 
funds to support fundamental technology develop- 
ment are adequately distinguished from agency 
general operating funds so that a steady and 
continuing fundamental technology program can 
be assured without interruption. 
B. National Advisory Committee for the Oceans 
(NACO) 
It is essential that a mechanism be established 
that can ensure orderly development and execution 
of a national ocean program. Such a mechanism 
should be responsible for providing advice on the 
planning and coordination of a national program 
including ocean science, technology, environ- 
mental services, and ocean resource development. 
It would be concerned with the marine programs 
of all U.S. Government agencies, States and 
regions, private enterprise, and the academic com- 
munity and would provide a continuing statutory 
means for furnishing a representative input from 
all sectors. Specifically, the panel recommends a 
National Advisory Committee for the Oceans. 
Regardless of action taken to consolidate Federal 
Government agencies, this committee is needed. 
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