"There is one thing stronger than all the Armies in the World, and that is an idea whose time has come." -VICTOR HUGO Chapter I MARINE SCIENCES AND THE Federal Government has continued a broad set of action programs in response to the mandate of the Marine Resources and Engineering Development Act of 1966 "to develop, encourage, and maintain a coordinated, comprehensive, and long-range national program in marine science for the benefit of mankind to assist in: -protection of health and property, -enhancement of commerce, transportation, and national security, -rehabilitation of our commercial fisheries, and -increased utilization of these and other resources." This mandate of the Congress and the President further identifies eight objectives related to these goals. Specifically, the marine science activities of the United States should "contribute to the following objectives: -The accelerated development of the resources of the marine environment. -The expansion of human knowledge of the marine environment. -The encouragement of private investment enterprise in exploration, technological development, marine commerce, and economic utilization of the resources of the marine environment. -The preservation of the role of the United States as a leader in marine science and resource development. -The advancement of education and training in marine science. -The development and improvement of the capabilities, performance, -The cooperation by the United States with other nations and groups Role of the Marine Sciences Council The Marine Sciences Council, in the Executive Office of the President, assists the President in policy planning and coordination of the activities in 24 bureaus of 11 Federal departments and agencies (see Table I.1) by seeking to: (a) identify unmet needs and opportunities to which Federal marine science programs could be directed, especially gaps resulting from programs that cross agency lines; (b) recommend priorities on a Government-wide basis by selecting areas deserving additional emphasis; (c) identify impediments to progress and strategies for their circumvention; (d) develop policies by which the objectives and programs of one agency will not inadvertently conflict with equally valid but independent activities of another; (e) recommend-in those cases where missions of several agencies may overlap that one agency assume a lead responsibility for Government-wide planning, guiding, coordinating, and assuring fiscal support; (f) coordinate through a committee structure-programs which are of concern to many agencies; (g) insure that the appropriate resources of the Federal Government are brought to bear on mutually agreed upon goals; (h) evaluate programs so as to eliminate marginal activities; and (i) develop background legal, economic, and technological studies to help in identifying alternative policies and criteria for choice. The Council has met 11 times since August 1966. It has developed a number of program and policy recommendations discussed in subsequent chapters. Most of its attention has been devoted to isolating urgent problems deserving priority attention, planning programs, and insuring that necessary funding and leadership are provided. 1 PL 89-454. To strengthen these governmental marine science programs, the Council created four interagency committees to coordinate policies and programs and to develop recommendations as to issues requiring Council-level attention. These committees, which report to the Vice President, are: 2 Marine Research, Education, and Facilities Ocean Exploration and Environmental Services Multiple Use of the Coastal Zone Additionally, at the request of the Vice President, the Secretary of State has established a fifth committee on International Policy in the Marine Environment, to serve the mutual interests of the Council and the Department of State. The Marine Sciences Council's professional staff of 14 persons includes specialists in ocean sciences, engineering, national security affairs, public administration, law, economics, and international relations. The Council staff serves to identify policy issues, to develop and analyze facts, and to propose alternative plans for Council deliberation and action. More than 40 consultants contribute as needed to the work of the Council. Council staff maintains communication with many public and private groups with the Congress, key officials of the Executive Office of the President, Federal and State agencies, industry, the academic community, and professional societies to insure that considerations affecting all marine science interests are brought to the attention of the Council, and to interpret Government-wide plans and policies. Consultations have also been undertaken with senior policy officials in more than a dozen countries and numerous international bodies with which the U.S. has or contemplates cooperation in marine science policies and programs. Role of the Marine Sciences Commission The Marine Sciences Act also provides for an independent advisory Commission on Marine Science, Engineering, and Resources, to be comprised of fifteen members appointed by the President from Federal and State Governments, industry, laboratories, and other marine science institutions, together with four members of Congress designated to serve as advisers to the Commission.3 "Details of scope are given in Appendix C. These committees were established on September 18, 1967, as the successors to the Interagency Committee on Oceanography of the Federal Council for Science and Technology. The President appointed the Commission on January 9, 1967. Dr. Julius A. Stratton, Chairman of the Board of the Ford Foundation, was named Chairman, and Dr. Richard A. Geyer, Head of the Department of Oceanography, Texas A&M University, Vice Chairman. Other members of the Commission are: Dr. David A. Adams, |