In 1966 the U.S. Congress established the National Sea Grant College Program.
The term “Sea Grant” was chosen to emphasize the parallel between this new
program focusing on the nation’s marine resources, and the Land Grant Program,
which was created more than a century earlier to develop our agricultural
resources.

SEA GRANT ACT. October
15, 1966. An act authorizing the establishment and operation of sea grant
colleges and programs by initiating and supporting programs of education and
research in the various fields relating to the development of marine resources,
and for other purposes.

Sea Grant is a partnership of academia, government, and industry
focusing on coastal and marine resources. It operates through a university-based
network to meet environmental and economic needs. Base funding for Sea Grant
comes from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the
Department of Commerce. This partnership has created a national network of
researchers and educators focused on promoting better understanding and more
informed use of our coastal, ocean and Great Lakes resources.

Today, there are 29 Sea Grant programs, one in every coastal
and Great Lakes state and in Puerto Rico. Sea Grant conducts research, education
and outreach to use and conserve coastal and marine resources for a sustainable
economy and environment.

SEA-GRANT INSTITUTIONS

See also: Morrill
Land Grant Acts
See also: Land Grant Institutions

See also:
Bankhead-Jones Act

Return to the History and Archive web page