US Receives Bad Report Card on Ocean Protection and Management

The Joint Ocean Commission Initiative (JOCI) gave the United States a C- in its Ocean Policy for 2006. The good news is that the grade is up from a D plus in 2005. The JOCI is made up of both the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy and the Pew Oceans Commission and answers to Congress as to what can be done to improve the Federal Government policy on ocean management and restoration, which also includes the Great Lakes and coastlines of the United States.

The JOCI's report points to a severe lack of funding for ocean science and management, and recommends that the budgets going to ocean science be increased by nearly three-quarters of a billion dollars for the 2008 Federal Budget. The JOCI also blames the failure of the enforcement of new policies in the low overall grade for the Ocean Policy.

The breakdown among several different categories includes an D minus for International Leadership in Ocean Policy. Considering the United States relies heavily on two oceans, this failure of becoming a leader in how the government can help and support the oceans is lamentable, as well as the F given to New Funding for Ocean Policy and Programs. Among the higher grades given, the US did receive an A minus for Regional and State Ocean Governance Reform, as well as a B plus for Fisheries Management Reform, which is up from a C plus the previous year.

The National Resources Defense Council has offered suggestions on how the US can improve its ocean management, including ratifying the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The Convention calls for coastal nations to manage the seas responsibly in regards to fishing and mining. The NDRC also recommends that the US better address over-fishing, both legally in US waters and illegally in international waters.

President Bush has called for an increase in spending on ocean policy, after cutting the budget the year before. His increase however does not make up for the cuts made previously, and the JOCI is recommending an additional $750 million be added to the budgets of all ocean science and management agencies, which includes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Vikki Spruill, President and CEO of the Ocean Conservancy, a pro-oceans advocacy group, points out that advances on the state level is very encouraging, but that "the country is still lacking a coordinated national ocean policy." Environmentalists are also encouraged by the new Democratic-controlled congress in order to get more pro-ocean legislation passed, notably the Oceans-21 bill in the House. The bill will put into law many of the recommendations made by the JOCI.