635 
The preocupation of the severely overworked MARNR staff, in particular 
with data collection, adversely affects their capacity to consider and 
introduce the available advanced technology of data collection and 
processing by combining data from various interrelated fields. Such 
techniques have been extensively applied elsewhere, resulting in 
significantly higher efficiencies in the data collection activities, 
particularly in the area of hydrology and meteorology as indicated in 
Reference 2 (Solomon and Cordery, 1984). 
In view of the above, it was considered as eminently opportune to 
organize, in the framework of MARNR, a Computerized Information System of 
the Environment (Sistema de Información Computarizada del Ambiente 
SICA). Such a system will help solve, or significantly alleviate, the 
above mentioned problems and the efficiency of all MARNR departments. The 
tremendous decrease in hardware costs paralleled by an increase in 
capacity and reliability, and advances in software make possible the 
development and implementation of such a computerized information system 
without excessive budgetary and staff strain.