[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 15, Volume 3]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 15CFR917.21]

[Page 79-81]
 
                  TITLE 15--COMMERCE AND FOREIGN TRADE
 
CHAPTER IX--NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT 
                               OF COMMERCE
 
PART 917--NATIONAL SEA GRANT PROGRAM FUNDING REGULATIONS--Table of Contents
 
                      Subpart C--National Projects
 
Sec. 917.21  National needs and problems.

    (a) The Administrator will, periodically, publish in the Federal 
Register the identified national needs and problems with respect to 
ocean and coastal resources at a given point in time.
    (b) Suggestions from the general public as to the identity of 
national needs and problems may be submitted to the Office of Sea Grant 
at any time. These suggestions will be reviewed by the Office of Sea 
Grant and the Sea Grant Review Panel, and those receiving a positive 
critique will be forwarded to the Administrator. In addition, 
suggestions concerning the identification of national needs and problems 
will be requested from the Sea Grant Program Directors.
    (c) The Administrator has identified the following as currently 
being national needs and problems with respect to ocean and coastal 
resources:global and regional climate and primary productivity.
    (1) Improve the prediction of extreme natural events and their 
effects on

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ocean coastal and continental shelf locations as well as analogous 
regions of the Great Lakes.
    (2) Improve the predictability of global sea-level change and 
determine the impact of this change on coastal areas.
    (3) Define the processes that determine ocean variability on the 
time scale of a few weeks to a few years, and the relationship to 
fluctuations in global and regional climate, primary productivity, and 
fisheries production.
    (4) Improve understanding of the flow fields and mixing processes on 
the continental shelves of the United States.
    (5) Develop an increased understanding of the arctic and antarctic 
environment and a capability to predict the special hazards posed to 
transportation and resource development.
    (6) Develop and increased capability to characterize the engineering 
properties of ocean botton sediments.
    (7) Reduce the recurring economic loss due to corrosion of 
structures, vessels, and other devices in the marine environment.
    (8) Gain a fundamental understanding of the processes by which 
biological fouling and associated corrosion are initiated upon material 
surfaces exposed to seawater.
    (9) Investigate methods to improve man's underwater capability to 
conduct undersea research and perform useful work.
    (10) Investigate the wider application of remotely operated and 
artificial intelligence techniques for vehicles for undersea activities.
    (11) Expand/improve remote sensing technologies for use on the ocean 
and Great Lakes.
    (12) Advance knowledge of acoustics in the ocean and ocean bottom in 
order to exploit the burgeoning acoustics technologies.
    (13) Develop techniques for in-situ monitoring of biological, 
chemical, and physical processes in the Great Lakes, oceans, and their 
connecting waterways which are cost effective and provide data in real 
time.
    (14) Improve the position of the U.S. seafood industry in world 
seafood markets.
    (15) Design more efficient mechanisms to allocate U.S. fish 
resources to achieve optimum yield and minimize industry dislocations.
    (16) Gain a fundamental understanding of the biological productivity 
of estuarine and coastal waters.
    (17) Conduct research leading to the restoration and/or enhancement 
of heavily exploited fishery stocks.
    (18) Improve the capability for stock assessment, predicting yield, 
age-class strength, and long-term population status of important 
fisheries.
    (19) Conduct research to increase the economic potential of low-
value, high-volume fish products.
    (20) Develop productive and profitable aquaculture industries in the 
United States and technology that can be exported to less developed 
nations of the world with different climate, cultural, and economic 
constraints.
    (21) Explore marine biochemicals as source of chemical feedstocks, 
enzymes, pharmacological substance, and other bioactive agents such as 
pesticides.
    (22) Apply modern biotechnology to exploiting marine plants, 
animals, and microorganisms for good and services.
    (23) Develop rapid, efficient, and specific methods for assaying the 
potential of marine organisms to communicate disease to humans.
    (24) Develop innovations that would promote safe, nondestructive, 
recreational access to and use of marine and Great Lakes water.
    (25) Re-examine the ocean as an appropriate place for the disposal 
of wastes from land-based society.
    (26) Develop an increased understanding of the impacts of low 
density, nonbiodegradable, solid wastes on marine and Great Lakes 
species.
    (27) Conduct research for realizing the economic potential of the 
nonliving resources of the U.S. 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone.
    (28) Investigate the effect of seafloor hydrothermal systems on the 
seafloor, oceans, and atmosphere.
    (29) Develop a better understanding of the value the marine sector 
contributes to the U.S. economy and culture.
    (30) Improve the competitive position of American ports in the face 
of rapid technological and social change.

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    (31) Improve the capability of developing nations to address their 
marine resource needs.
    (32) Develop eductional programs to increase application of marine 
sector research.
    (33) Develop syntheses of and better access to existing 
multidisciplinary marine and Great Lakes information.

[43 FR 15307, Apr. 11, 1978, as amended at 51 FR 35210, Oct. 2, 1986]