Figure IV-1-Landward Limit of the Coastal Zone

temperate climate and opportunities for swimming, sport fishing, and boating. Tens of millions live or vacation at coastal resorts, retirement homes, and beach cottages. Millions regularly head for beaches on weekends. Many others find business opportunities there. Figure IV-2 exemplifies the increasing demand for coastal recreation facilities.

Regrettably, any description of the Coastal Zone must also include a description of deterioration of the environment itself-by pollution of bays and estuaries, by hurricane damage and wave erosion, and by inadvertent human abuse of a fragile ecology that forms the habitat of important fish and wildlife. For example, the Coastal Zone is the most important habitat of domestic commercial fishery resources supplying 90 to 95 percent of the total U.S. catch; but our estuaries are being altered, directly threatening many of these valuable fishery resources.

The scope, diversity, and significance of activities in the Coastal Zone are so broad that practically all institutions of our society have become involved in its use and management-private individuals who own shoreland; industrial, conservation, and recreation interests; local and State governments; and the Federal Government. Despite obvious advantages, Coastal Zone lands and waters have only rarely been subjected to coordinated

Figure IV-2 Shilshole Bay Marina in Puget Sound, developed jointly by the Port of Seattle and the Corps of Engineers, is typical of expanding recreational facilities in the Coastal Zone. The demand for such facilities exceeds their current availability; Shilshole is filled to capacity with 1250 boats, and more than 500 boatowners are on a waiting list for moorage.

planning and controlled development. Further, the planning which has been done has not always resulted in effective allocation of resource uses among competitors. As a consequence, the trend has often been toward

single-purpose uses, determined by immediate economic advantages to individuals, firms, and local governments, without long-term or broader consideration of alternatives.

In the early stages of a shoreline's development, single actions may have relatively little impact on other potential users. But in time, the resource base for certain uses is dissipated. Expansion of private ownership and development has frequently reduced public access to beaches. The physical destruction of estuarine habitats by dredging and filling has often decreased a region's fishing potential; and the pollution of estuarine and coastal waters has begun to destroy much of their usefulness for water supplies, fish and wildlife, and recreation. What we seek are opportunities for multiple, compatible uses of our coastal ribbon and for maintaining as many options for future uses as possible. Science and technology can become tools to assist in accomplishing this goal.

Because of the diversity of Coastal Zone activities in which the Federal Government has a responsibility, almost every member and observer agency of the Marine Sciences Council is directly concerned with some aspect of the Coastal Zone. Figure IV-3 summarizes funding levels for Federal marine science activities in the Coastal Zone. Other components of the marine science program related to the Coastal Zone, such as fisheries, port and channel development, tidal prediction services, and basic research are discussed in other chapters. Detailed information on Federal funding for Coastal Zone activities is also presented in Appendices A-4, A-5, and A-6.

Significant advances in Federal activities require an interagency approach which has been reflected in the emphasis given the Coast Zone, including the Great Lakes, by the Council.

Opportunities for Conservation and Recreation

The National Park Service system now includes 20 areas contiguous with a coastline-11 national parks and monuments devoted to resource protection and nine national seashores and lakeshores for both protection and recreation. Biscayne National Monument in Florida and Redwood National Park, which includes a 30-mile stretch of the California coastline, were authorized for addition to the system by the 90th Congress. Other areas along the seacoast and the shores of the Great Lakes have been proposed or are under active consideration. Additionally, in 1968 the National Park Service participated in the following Federal surveys of potential conservation and recreation areas:

-the bioluminescent bays of Puerto Rico;

--the Canaveral Seashore at the Kennedy Space Center; and

-the Gulf Islands region of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana.

35

Figure IV-3—Federal Funding for Marine Science, Use of Coastal Zone

'68 69 70
Total

'68 '69 '70 Conservation and Recreation

'68 '69 '70
Water
Quality

'68 '69 '70
Coastal
Engineering

10

5

The National Wildlife Refuge System includes 42 estuarine refuges, containing 18 million acres devoted to management programs for waterfowl and other wildlife, and particularly preservation of endangered species. Approximately 16,000 acres are scheduled for early acquisition for estuarine refuges under the accelerated Wetlands Acquisition Program.

During FY 1968, 8,000 acres of coastal land were set aside for public use pursuant to Federal programs. The Bureau of Outdoor Recreation plays a central role in promoting Federal-State cooperation and coordination in planning and in the acquisition of lands devoted to public recreation. A Nationwide Outdoor Recreation Plan will soon be completed and will provide a framework for Federal, State, and local and private outdoor recreation programs, including those directed to marine recreation. Also, an inventory of U.S. islands was completed and several thousand identified as having significant local, State, or Federal recreational potential.

329-466 0-69 -6

The Bureau administers the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 which was amended last year to authorize use of revenues from the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to assist in assuring the availability of funds for Federal acquisition of recreational land and for grants to States for outdoor recreation.1 A portion of these funds has been used to acquire land for public recreation within the Coastal Zone. All States have prepared comprehensive Statewide Outdoor Recreation Plans, many of which include provisions for meeting marine-related recreation needs and the preservation of significant coastal areas. Based upon these plans, the Bureau has assisted over 2,000 State and local outdoor recreation projects.

In recognition that more than 20 million people now participate in recreational boating in coastal waters, the Coast Guard has established an Office of Boating Safety which will emphasize equipment standards and increased Federal-State coordination. Also, the Coast Guard has established a membership goal of 100,000 for the Coast Guard Auxiliary by 1973-a four-fold increase. The Recreational Boating Safety Bill introduced last year reflects concern over the need to protect recreational boating participants while at the same time providing financial assistance to State boating safety programs. Among the research areas of particular concern are boat construction, fuel and ignition systems, operator visibility, and boat stability and load capacity. Also, ESSA provides small craft nautical charts and marine weather forecasts and warnings.

The activities of the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries in the Coastal Zone provide additional benefits for water-oriented recreation, including sport fishing and hunting, for management of fishery resources, and for contributing toward the long-range planning for multi-use development and management of the Coastal Zone. The Bureau assists other Federal agencies and States to assess proposed estuarine alterations to prevent damage to the fishery resources.

Two recent surveys published by the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife illustrate the increasing importance of saltwater sport fishing. During 1965, 8.3 million anglers spent $800 million to catch 1.7 million tons of fish. The Bureau's research efforts in support of sport fishing include billfish tagging programs, preparation of an Atlantic marine fish atlas, and studies of predators.

The design for the National Fisheries Center and Aquarium, to be located in Washington, D.C., has been completed and construction is scheduled to begin in 1969.

'P.L. 90-401 authorizes an annual appropriation of $200 million and provides for use of Outer Continental Shelf revenues to make up any difference between actual appropriations and $200 million.