Washington, DC – Congressman Sam Farr (D-Carmel), chair of the House Oceans Caucus and whose district includes the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, released the following statement today after the Obama Administration released their National Ocean Policy Implementation Plan:
“Healthy oceans help build healthy economies. Today is a great day, not just for our oceans and the coastal communities they support but for our entire country. The White House has taken many of the priorities that we first laid out with the ‘Oceans 21’ agenda and turned them into actionable public policy. Thanks to the administrations leadership, we now have a plan to efficiently manage and better maintain our marine ecosystems.
“On California’s Central Coast, we understand the role that the ocean plays in supporting our local community. From tourists visiting the Monterey Bay to the fishing industry that relies upon strong marine fish populations, our local economy is dependent upon the jobs created by a healthy, well managed ocean environment. And when the economies of our coastal communities thrive, the entire country reaps the benefits.
“But for too long, the management of our oceans has been handled by a confusing and often competing mix of federal agencies. This plan finally gets all of the relevant federal agencies on the same page, allowing them to coordinate their missions and provide for more efficient stewardship of our oceans. It also opens the lines of communications between the federal government and the states and local communities that are directly impacted. By working together and taking a holistic, science based approach to the management of our marine ecosystems, we not only build a stronger economy now but ensure the oceans’ long-term sustainability to benefit future generations.”
To read the Implementation Plan, please visit www.whitehouse.gov/oceans.
To read the White House’s release, please visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq/Press_Releases/April_16_2013