It was in this situation in 1966 that the Congress, recognizing the need to strengthen the Nation's capabilities in marine science and technology, with particular emphasis on ocean exploitation, passed the National Sea Grant College and Program Act (Public Law 89-688) which was signed into law October 15, 1966. The legislation amended the Marine Resources and Engineering Development Act and became the first operating program provided under the basic legislation.

The purpose of this Act is threefold-to strengthen the pool of trained manpower, to strengthen applied research, and to improve the process of information transfer.

Attainment of these objectives will be a long-term process, for the needed manpower resources cannot be developed quickly. But the Sea Grant Act is intended to begin the move toward those objectives and, ultimately, to accelerate application of scientific discoveries to all fields relating to the seas: defense, shipping, food, prospecting and mining, pharmaceuticals, transportation, recreation, weather prediction, and other useful areas.

The National Science Foundation is charged by law with initiating, developing, and supporting the programs authorized by the Sea Grant Act. The Marine Sciences Council is required to advise the Foundation with respect to the policies, procedures, and operations of the Foundation in carrying out its functions.

As a matter of policy, the Council and Foundation agreed that the sea-grant program should be largely oriented to national purposes, such as those dealing with food from the sea, ocean-related environmental forecasting, Continental Shelf exploitation, and multiple use of the seacoast (specifically addressed to pollution problems). The Council also recommended that existing legislative authorization for two years, ending fiscal year 1968, be extended for another finite interval of at least two years.

Features of the Program

In some respects the Sea-Grant concept is similar to existing programs, but in its mode of support, the Sea-Grant concept is new. Its novelty derives both from its focus on ocean engineering and, as suggested in Figures 11 and 12, on its cross-disciplinary and information transfer elements. Figure 11 is a traditional, two-dimensional view of ocean training, with disciplines matched against fields. Our purpose in representing ocean training on a three-dimensional grid, as in Figure 12, is to show that the Sea-Grant concept embraces a greater number of disciplines, including law, economics, and so on, and that

CHEMISTRY

BIOLOGY

PHYSICS

GEOLOGY

ETC.

FIGURE 11.-Two dimensional pattern of conventional ocean training.

it is the collaborative effort of all these skills that will give the total marine enterprise its strength.

The Sea-Grant Program will be carried on in the universities, but there will be continuous interaction between the Federal Government, State governments, academic institutions, and industry to examine common problems and to pool diversified resources, facilities, and specialized talents for their solution. The program would thus augment rather than replace existing programs of support—and provide a "cement" for these ongoing efforts. It could provide excellent opportunities for "seed projects" that will attract private funding participation.

Industrial firms in widely diverse fields could participate in the program, enabling students to pursue on-the-job training in conjunction with their normal educational programs. Industrial requirements will help to shape the direction of the program and, indeed, the National Science Foundation looks to industry for the feedback so essential to accurate planning. Thus, the Sea-Grant Program will help to support existing industries through provision of trained manpower, new techniques, and concepts.

In short, the Sea-Grant legislation provides for grants and contracts to public or private institutions of higher education, institutes, and laboratories for the functions of education, applied research and information transfer aimed at marine resource development. Matching funds equal to half of the Federal grant or contract; i.e., one-third

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FIGURE 12.-Sea grant training—a three dimensional pattern.

of the total, must be provided by the recipient. Federal funds may not be used for construction of new facilities or rental.

Participants in any one State may not receive more than fifteen percent of the total appropriation to the Foundation for the Sea-Grant Program in any single fiscal year.

Funds are authorized for support of programs at Sea-Grant Colleges and at other suitable institutions. The term "Sea-Grant Colleges" is defined in the Act as encompassing public or private institutions of higher education which engage in a comprehensive set of related activities focused on resources development. Sea-Grant Programs, on the other hand, may embrace individual projects to meet any one of the three functional goals; i.e., trained manpower, applied research, and information transfer.

Although it is too early to describe the precise nature of the program, typical features could include the following:

-Location in a region with marine-related industry (e.g., fishing, boating);

-Evidence of support by host institution;

-Regular, part-time participation by faculty from allied departments;

-Defined study curriculum;

-Planning devoted at least partly to regional problems such as utilization of local marine resources;

-Programs of applied research;

-Related public information activities including workshops, seminars, etc.;

-Provision for multi-institutional collaboration.

Implementation

Sea-Grant College support will be granted to a limited number of institutions that qualify competitively to carry out comprehensive programs in both training and technology. They must have the ability to undertake advisory programs related to development of marine resources. Support will be provided successful applicants by means of a single broad grant to an institution. The appellation "Sea-Grant College" may be conferred upon an institution after the formative phases of the program and visible accomplishment. However, to achieve any degree of effectiveness, this three-faceted (research, training, information transfer) program anticipates considerable continuity of support. Within limits of appropriations, continuing support for a comprehensive Sea-Grant College program in an institution would ordinarily be provided as long as high-quality performance is maintained. Reviews will be conducted annually, and levels of support will depend on both promise and achievement.

The law stipulates that grantor contribution will be limited to twothirds and that the grantee must provide at least one-third of funds required for an approved program. Institutions will be encouraged to provide even greater amounts, particularly from private sources.

Funding

For fiscal year 1967, the Congress is being requested to authorize the National Science Foundation to reallocate $1 million from its current regular appropriation to initiate the program. This would permit several small grants to begin activities at participating institutions, especially for necessary planning.

For fiscal year 1968, $4 million is being requested of the Congress. With such funds, the Foundation would provide grants up to several hundred thousand dollars each (supplemented by cost-sharing funds provided by the recipient) to several institutions. These funds will

ual Sea-Grant projects.

Criteria

The National Science Foundation has developed, and the Council has endorsed, criteria by which proposals for such grants will be judged. These criteria, soon to be announced by the Foundation, are stated only in general terms, to encourage maximum flexibility and imagination on the part of applicants.

These criteria consider:

1. Existing resources.-The institution should have a substantial ongoing program in some area related to objectives of the Sea Grant Act, such as oceanography, marine biology, ocean engineering, etc. Additionally, any necessary facilities such as laboratory buildings, ships, and docks must be available, since the Act forbids Sea-Grant funding of such facilities. It must also demonstrate capabilities for interdisciplinary activities. In some cases, needed facilities might be provided by a consortium of institutions.

2. Capacity for development.-The institution should demonstrate the ability to plan and implement a new or augmented program. Each applicant will be required to submit a long-range plan, supported by appropriate statistical material, showing how its sea-grant activities will develop in relation to overall institutional plans.

3. Commitment to program goals.-Sea-Grant College support will be given only to those institutions which are prepared to conduct comprehensive programs encompassing the education, research, and information transfer objectives of the Act. This must be demonstrated not only by a willingness to share costs as required by the Act but by full commitment of responsible senior officials to an effective program. This commitment should be accompanied by a well-developed consideration of the proposed program's potential for contributing to the health and welfare of the Nation as well as to the Nation's economic strength in marine-related activities.

4. Regional factors.-Institutions conducting Sea-Grant College programs will be responsible for serving as regional centers for strengthening the marine resources utilization program. Each institution requesting support for a Sea-Grant College program will be expected to have examined thoroughly the needs and capabilities of its region. It must also consider national needs and services relating to the marine aspects of transportation, fisheries, mining, and other economic endeavors. Institutional programs will be expected to provide advisory services to regional economic and governmental interests as may be appropriate.