Public Law 89-688

October 15, 1966 [H.R. 16559]

An Act to amend the Marine Resources and Engineering Development Act of 1966 to authorize 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.

National Sea Grant College and Program Act of 1966. Ant.p.203 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled. That the Marine Resources and Engineering Development Act of 1966 is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new Title:

Short Title

Sec. 202. The congress hereby finds and declares —

(a) that marine resources, including animal and vegetable life and mineral wealth, constitute a far-reaching and largely untapped asset of immense potential significance to the United States; and

(b) that it is in the national interest of the United States to develop the skilled manpower, including scientists, engineers, and technicians, and the facilities and equipment necessary for the exploitation of these resources; and

(c) that aquaculture, as with agriculture on land, and the gainful use of marine resources can substantially benefit the United States, and ultimately the people of the world, by providing greater economic opportunities, including expanded employment an d commerce; the enjoyment and use of our marine resources; new sources of food; and new means for the development of marine resources; and

(d) that Federal support toward the establishment, development, and operation of programs by sea grant colleges and Federal support of other sea grant programs designed to achieve the gainful use of marine resources, offer the best means of promoting pro grams toward the goals set forth in clauses (a), (b), and (c), and should be undertaken by the Federal Government; and

(e) that in view of the importance of achieving the earliest possible institution of significant national activities related to the development of marine resources, it is the purpose of this title to provide for the establishment of a program of sea gra nt colleges and education, training, and research in the fields of marine science, engineering and related disciplines.

The provisions of this title shall be administered by the National Science Foundation

Research programs, etc.

The Foundation shall exercise its authority under this title by initiating and supporting programs at sea grant colleges and other suitable institutes, laboratories, and public or private agencies for the education of participants in the various fields re lating to the development of marine resources with preference given to research aimed at practices, techniques, and design of equipment applicable to the development of marine resources; encouraging and developing programs consisting of instruction, pract ical demonstrations, publications with the object of imparting useful information to persons currently employed or interested in the various fields related to the development of marine resources.

The term development of marine resources means scientific endeavors relating to the marine environment, including but not limited to the fields oriented toward the development, conservation, or economic utilization of the physical, chemical, geological an d biological resources of the marine environment, the fields of marine commerce and marine engineering, the fields relating to exploration or research in, the recover of natural resources from, and the transmission of energy in, the marine environment; t he fields of oceanography and oceanology and the fields with respect to the study of the economic, legal, medical or sociological problems arising out of the management, use, development recovery and control of the natural resources of the marine environm ent. The term marine environment means the oceans, the Continental Shelf of the United States, the Great Lakes, the seabed and subsoil of the submarine areas adjacent to the coasts of the United States to the depth of two hundred meters or beyond that limit.

The term Sea Grant Program means any suitable public or private institution of higher education conducting any activities of education, research and advisory services oriented toward imparting information in fields related to the development of marine res ources supported by the Foundation.

Sea Grant Improvement Act of 1976

Purpose – It is the purpose of the Congress to achieve the objective of this title by extending and strengthening the national sea grant program.

At this point, it became part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Amended again in 1978 and 1980.