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Support Better Ocean Management

Your Representative sits on a key committee that will be considering important ocean legislation this week. This bill, H.R. 21 would guide our nation’s oceans management to be more holistic and to protect, maintain and restore the health of our marine ecosystems.

Please contact your Representative and ask him/her to support Oceans 21.

November 21, 2009

Subject:

Dear Representative,

Our oceans mean so much to us – as individuals, communities, and the nation.  They provide us places to swim, surf, and fish, provide a critical food source, and support coastal economies and traditions.  According to the congressionally established United States Commission on Ocean Policy, in 2000 the ocean economy contributed more than $117 billion to American prosperity and supported well over two millions jobs.

For years the scientific community and popular media have reported that our oceans are in serious trouble, and that we need to take strong and immediate action to address the threats facing America’s oceans and marine resources.

Unfortunately, we do not have mechanisms in place to ensure that our ocean ecosystems and resources become and remain healthy and productive.  You have a chance to turn this situation around.  I urge you to support Oceans-21, the Ocean Conservation, Education, and National Strategy for the 21st Century Act (H.R. 21).  Oceans-21 would protect and restore our ocean and coastal ecosystems and resources, and the economies, communities and families they support.

Our oceans are currently managed under 140 laws implemented by 20 federal agencies without a unifying vision to ensure the overall health and productivity of ocean ecosystems and resources and the services they provide.  Oceans 21 would provide that vision and the mechanisms to implement that vision.  It establishes a national policy for the protection, maintenance, and restoration of marine ecosystem health and calls for implementation of that policy at the federal level and through regional ocean partnerships.

Please support and cosponsor Oceans-21.  The time has come to bring U.S. ocean policy into the 21st Century.

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