Toward a National Marine Education Policy

The development of marine education in the United States has been severely handicapped by lack of a national position which states that marine education is important. Marine education refers not only to the motivation, training and education of marine specialists capable of meeting national needs at all levels but to an informed citizenry sufficiently aware of the importance of the oceans and marine environment to take part in or to influence national marine policy. The Sea Grant Program, working closely with the Commissioner and Office of Education, is the proper Federal Program to assume leadership in development of such a policy. For a national marine education policy to be accepted and implemented, the educational system of the nation must be involved in its preparation. In essence, policy development means creation of a marine education constituency with a much broader base than the present relatively small group of educators (less than a thousand) with a commitment to marine education. The Sea Grant network of colleges and institutions is the means of reaching out into the communities to build such a constituency. The process of policy development should create a new awareness of the importance of the oceans and marine environment to the nation in the inland states as well as along the coasts. The ultimate goal is a marine-literate society as well as the manpower pool of marine specialists essential to national needs.