Title 33, Navigation and Navigable WatersRelease 119-102

§1103 Executive Responsibilities; Utilization of Staff, Interagency, and Non-government Advisory Arrangements; Consultation with Agencies; Solicitation of Views of Non-federal Agencies

Title 33 › CHAPTER 22 — SEA GRANT COLLEGES AND MARINE SCIENCE DEVELOPMENT › SUBCHAPTER I — MARINE RESOURCES AND ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT › § 1103

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

The President, with help from the Council, must review all major federal marine science work and make a single, full program for it. That program must cover things like exploring and predicting the ocean, using and protecting marine resources, marine engineering, air‑sea interaction, energy transmission, and communications. The President must name which agencies do which jobs, settle disputes between agencies, study legal issues about using marine resources, look at long‑term benefits and costs to the nation, and review federal marine science work every year. In planning and running the program, the President and the Council must use needed staff, work with other federal agencies, and get advice from non‑federal groups and experts such as states, schools, and industry.

Full Legal Text

Title 33, §1103

Navigation and Navigable Waters, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In conformity with the provisions of section 1101 of this title, it shall be the duty of the President with the advice and assistance of the Council to—
(1)survey all significant marine science activities, including the policies, plans, programs, and accomplishments of all departments and agencies of the United States engaged in such activities;
(2)develop a comprehensive program of marine science activities, including, but not limited to, exploration, description and prediction of the marine environment, exploitation and conservation of the resources of the marine environment, marine engineering, studies of air-sea interaction, transmission of energy, and communications, to be conducted by departments and agencies of the United States, independently or in cooperation with such non-Federal organizations as States, institutions and industry;
(3)designate and fix responsibility for the conduct of the foregoing marine science activities by departments and agencies of the United States;
(4)insure cooperation and resolve differences arising among departments and agencies of the United States with respect to marine science activities under this subchapter, including differences as to whether a particular project is a marine science activity;
(5)undertake a comprehensive study, by contract or otherwise, of the legal problems arising out of the management, use, development, recovery, and control of the resources of the marine environment;
(6)establish long-range studies of the potential benefits to the United States economy, security, health, and welfare to be gained from marine resources, engineering, and science, and the costs involved in obtaining such benefits; and
(7)review annually all marine science activities conducted by departments and agencies of the United States in light of the policies, plans, programs, and priorities developed pursuant to this Act.
(b)In the planning and conduct of a coordinated Federal program the President and the Council shall utilize such staff, interagency, and non-Government advisory arrangements as they may find necessary and appropriate and shall consult with departments and agencies concerned with marine science activities and solicit the views of non-Federal organizations and individuals with capabilities in marine sciences.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This Act, referred to in subsec. (a)(7), is Pub. L. 89–454, June 17, 1966, 80 Stat. 203, which, at the time this section was enacted, consisted only of sections 1 to 9, which are classified generally to this subchapter. Pub. L. 89–688, § 2, Oct. 15, 1966, 80 Stat. 1001, redesignated the Act as title I and made conforming

Amendments

, substituting references to title I for previous references to the Act as a whole, but not in subsec. (a)(7) of this section. Pub. L. 89–454 was amended by Pub. L. 89–688 by adding title II, which is classified generally to subchapter II of this chapter, and later by Pub. L. 92–583 by adding title III, which is classified generally to chapter 33 (§ 1451 et seq.) of Title 16, Conservation. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.

Amendments

1966—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 89–688, in par. (4), substituted “this title” for “this Act”, which, for purposes of codification has been changed to “this subchapter”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Termination of CouncilNational Council on Marine Resources and Engineering, established under section 1102 of this title, terminated Apr. 30, 1971, for lack of funds. See Codification note set out under section 1102 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

33 U.S.C. § 1103

Title 33, Navigation and Navigable Waters

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102