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Oceans report calls for massive changes
Commission: Billions of dollars needed for
research
BY TIMOTHY O'HARA
Citizen Staff Writer
A federal
commission is asking Congress and the president to increase its $650
million annual funding of ocean research to $1.3 billion, implement a
strategy of managing fisheries based on stronger scientific basis and
reconfigure and strengthen the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration in order to better protect oceans and coastlines.
The U.S.
Commission on Ocean Policy also recommended creating a national
ecosystem-based fishery management plan that is similar to what already
is being done in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The program
would look at managing marine ecosystems as a whole, as opposed to
supervising them on a species-by-species basis.
Tuesday in
Washington D.C., the commission released a 500-plus page policy report,
with 24 pages of recommendations. Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
Superintendent Billy Causey was among the 440 ocean scientists and
researchers, environmental and business leaders, citizens and government
officials who provided input for the study.
The report
called for the adoption of a new national policy that would protect
beaches, coral reefs and fisheries. Commissioners called U.S. fisheries
"over exploited."
The
preliminary cost to implement the policy would be $1.3 billion for the
first year, $2.4 billion the second year and $3.2 billion in ongoing
costs after that, the report states. It suggests the money could come
from taxes on the offshore oil and mineral mining industries. The
commission recommended creating a trust fund for ocean conservation and
research.
"Chronic
underinvestment has left much of our ocean-related scientific
infrastructure in woefully poor condition," the report states.
Current
funding is well below the level needed for the United States to remain a
world leader in ocean science and marine technology and meet today's
ocean and coastal information needs, the report states. As the country
moves toward an ecosystem-based management approach, managers'
requirements for additional scientific information will only grow,
commissioners said.
"To date,
there has been a significant underinvestment in our marine assets," said
retired Navy Adm. James D. Watkins, the commission chairman. "Meaningful
change will require a meaningful investment. ... We believe our oceans
are in trouble. Our nation needs a new strategy to handle these
troubles."
The report
calls for regional fishery councils to fall under the auspices of a
national fishery council. The regional councils should be made up of
members of the science community, not just fishermen and others with
mandates, the report states.
The report
comes out as Florida Keys governments and marine agencies are striving
to protect the island chain's reef tract and nearshore waters from
pollution, overfishing and coral diseases. The report also addresses a
Keys issue — cruise ships and pollution. Commissioners called for
"effective government oversight" of the cruise ship industry.
Congress
should amend the Clean Water Act to establish a new national regimen for
managing wastewater discharges from large passenger vessels, including
uniform discharge standards and waste management procedures and thorough
record-keeping requirements to track waste management processes, the
report states.
The report
noted a cruise ship industry practice called flags of convenience, which
allows cruise companies to incorporate in other countries to avoid U.S.
labor and environmental laws.
"These flag
states become havens for owners of substandard vessels seeking to avoid
meaningful oversight," the report states. "An [United Nations
International Maritime Organization] research study completed in 2001
also found an unexpectedly high incidence of fraudulent crew
certification documents."
The U.S.
Commission on Ocean Policy report came as a mandate by Congress through
the Oceans Act 2000. The report is the first comprehensive review of
U.S. ocean policy in 35 years.
tohara@keysnews.com |
