Major ocean policy reforms urged

The U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy is recommending substantial reforms that will cost several billions of dollars to address the nation’s dwindling ocean resources, pushing for the creation of a National Ocean Council under the office of the President.

Based on the commission’s recommendation, the council would be composed of all Cabinet secretaries and independent agency directors with ocean-related responsibilities. An Assistant to the President would chair the council.

The commission also recommended the creation of a presidential council of advisors on ocean policy, which shall consist of non-federal government and non-government representatives throughout the nation. The commission urged the U.S. Congress to take immediate action on the proposal.

In a preliminary report on the first comprehensive review of the national ocean policy after 30 years, the commission said that, while major reforms would cost billions of dollars, the benefit from protecting the nation’s ocean resources are even multi-fold.

“In the last 30 years, more than 37 million people, 19 million homes, and countless businesses have been added to coastal areas. Offshore oil and gas explorations have expanded into deeper waters and improved their technologies, the country is ever more dependent on marine transportation, and coastal recreation and tourism have become two of the top drivers of the national economy,” the commission said.

“These developments, however, come with costs, and we are only now discovering the extent of those costs in terms of depleted resources, lost habitat, and polluted waters,” it added.

Estimated cost of the recommendations would reach approximately $1.3 billion in the first year, $2.4 billion in the second, up to a sustained level of $3.2 billion in the following years, according to the commission. It said, however, that the ocean generates multi-billion dollars for the national economy, including tourism.

“Annually, the nation’s ports handle more than $700 billion in goods, and the cruise industry and its passengers account for $11 billion in spending. The commercial fishing industry’s total value exceeds $28 billion a year, the recreational saltwater fishing industry is valued at around $20 billion, and the annual U.S. retail trade of ornamental fish is worth another $3 billion,” the commission said.

It said offshore and gas industry’s annual production, which is valued from $25 billion to 40 billion, contributes approximately $5 billion to the nation’s coffers. It also said the nation’s beaches support a multi-billion-dollar tourism and related industries.

The commission said the recommendations are necessary to improve decision-making and move toward an ecosystem-based approach in protecting ocean resources.

Besides strengthened federal agency structure, the commission highlighted the need to improve the ability of state, territorial, tribal and local entities in ocean policy-making and implementation.

“Many of the nation’s most pressing ocean and coastal issues are regional in nature and require input on planning and management by state and local policy makers and other relevant stakeholders,” the commission said.

Once created, the National Ocean Council should facilitate a flexible process for creating nonregulatory regional ocean councils to start pilot projects in the regions, the commission said.

It also stressed the need to increase federal investment in ocean research, which significantly dropped after more than two decades. It recommended the increase of the current $650-billion annual investment in ocean and coastal research to at least double that level in the next five years.

The commission also said that federal agencies should take the responsibility to promote education and outreach, as the nation implements a new ocean policy.

“To date, there has been a significant under-investment in our marine assets. Implementation of the recommendations found throughout [the commission’s] report will contribute significantly to a future in which our oceans and coasts are rich with promise. Meaningful improvement will require meaningful investment, but the payoff will be sizable for the U.S. economy, human health, the environment, our quality of life, and security,” it added.