NOAA - website | Discussion Papers | Full Report 1998 Year of the Ocean |
A Multi-sector, Collaborative Project of Washington, D.C. May 1998 Executive Summary The United States is surrounded by one of the largest, richest, and most diverse marine territories of any nation. From the Arctic Ocean bordering Alaska to the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Pacific oceans framing the mainland, Americans enjoy and prosper from an abundance of marine resources and activities, including productive fisheries, global trade, coastal recreation, mineral and energy production, and diverse marine ecosystems. But today these resources and activities face an array of threats, which at best may result in lost opportunities and at worst can cause irreparable damage. Regrettably, the environmental quality of marine areas and resources, and the economic value of vital ocean and coastal industries such as trade, tourism, and fishing (and the communities that depend on these activities), will be in jeopardy unless effective measures are taken immediately to safeguard, protect, and restore America’s oceans and coasts. After consulting with 200 ocean and coastal leaders from industry, government, academia, and environmental organizations, The Heinz Center Steering Group for the Year of the Ocean has concluded that there is an urgent need for a systematic and comprehensive review of ocean and coastal policies and programs. Unless action is taken now, significant benefits to the economy and quality of life will be lost, and the United States will fall behind other nations in using and conserving the oceans and their resources. An integrated vision, and a plan for achieving it, must be developed for U.S. marine areas, resources, and activities. A restructuring of national, regional, and local mechanisms for managing oceans and coasts may be necessary, along with new investments in science, education, and management. On the positive side, a great diversity of stakeholders, including all levels of government, are interested in helping to develop and implement solutions. Members of the Steering Group believe that an independent commission mandated by the U.S. Congress and supported by the Executive Branch of the U.S. Government offers a means to rethink the nation’s stake in the ocean and decide how to address the related challenges and opportunities. The commission would be charged with making recommendations to rejuvenate the nation’s ocean and coastal policies and programs and realign them for the future. OCEAN ISSUES FACING THE NATION The preeminent challenge for the United States is to achieve integrated management that balances the use of ocean resources with the conservation of those resources. Enormous economic and environmental benefits would result. This challenge can be met if the nation can overcome the obstacles that have blocked progress in the past. The three principal obstacles are the following:
The Steering Group defined the dimensions of these obstacles and explored potential solutions in three national meetings convened to focus on the following broad issues: managing the U.S. coasts for economic and environ-mental prosperity, protecting and restoring fisheries and other living marine resources, and advancing and applying ocean science and technology for the use and conservation of the marine environment. Managing the Coasts for Economic and Environmental Prosperity Every American is affected by the oceans. As vast as they are, the oceans can also be harmed by humans. Changes in oceanic conditions in the far Pacific can determine whether the next growing season for Midwestern farmers will be wet or dry. Conversely, agricultural practices, sewage processing, automobile emissions, and other human activities generate by-products that contain nitrogen or other nutrient elements, which eventually find their way into the ocean. Excess nutrients in coastal waters can trigger harmful blooms of marine organisms that adversely affect coastal water quality and fishery resources. Every year, some Americans have to change vacation plans because of beach closures, or endure "fish scares" in the seafood marketplace, because of broad-based concerns about environmental quality and public health. The United States is by far the world’s largest marketplace. American factories and stores depend on imported goods. Approximately 40 percent of the total value of U.S. foreign trade (and a much larger share by weight, including half of the petroleum that fuels the economy) is carried by ship. These goods and products are funneled through ports, which provide an essential link between land and sea. Yet the economic importance of ports is increasingly transparent to the consumer, who does not always appreciate the need to ensure the efficiency and safety of marine transportation. Many other activities, ranging from beachfront development to ocean-dependent industries, also have economic ramifications. All of these vital activities depend on the nation’s capability to manage marine activities, conserve and protect coastal and ocean resources, and, ultimately, understand the sea. To meet the challenge of protecting and conserving the coastal environment, the United States will need to manage the oceans and coasts in new ways. The economic and other consequences of coastal storms and erosion need to be reduced, and sustainable economic growth needs to be achieved in marine recreation, marine resource development, global trade, and other activities. Progress in these areas increasingly lies beyond direct federal control. A rich experience base is emerging on partnership approaches that build on the roles and capabilities of the private sector; the knowledge base provided by scientific researchers; and the conservation and economic development tools of local, state, and federal governments. Solutions and innovations today often require the participation of all stakeholders, including every level of government. The process of learning to achieve progress through cooperation more routinely and more effectively will be a major undertaking, with important implications for governing institutions at every level. Protecting and Restoring Fisheries and Other Living Marine Resources The nation also faces a difficult challenge in developing a management regime that ensures sustainable fisheries and fishing communities while also protecting and nurturing marine biodiversity. Many U.S. fish stocks are still overutilized despite some successful restoration efforts. Although the commitment to conservation has been strengthened in recent legislation, a great deal of work remains to be done to ensure that this resolve is honored in practice. Fishery managers today need to muster the resources and political will to identify and protect essential fish habitat, address the problems of overfishing and excess fishing capacity, minimize bycatch, address the future of aquaculture and its potential impacts on the marine environment, and apply management techniques that work across jurisdictions and conserve ecosystem values such as the protection of biodiversity. Advancing and Applying Ocean Science and Technology Advances in ocean science and technology can be applied to gain important new knowledge that will help build a sustainable future. With new technologies and observing systems, new levels of accuracy are becoming possible in the prediction of natural disasters and climate change. With new knowledge of plate tectonics, scientists have begun to understand the evolution of the Earth and the implications for predicting earthquakes and the distribution of mineral resources. The recent identification of exotic life forms around deep-sea hydrothermal vents suggests that the oceans still harbor many undiscovered treasures, perhaps including clues to the origins of life. The growing understanding of the complexities, fragility, and resilience of ocean ecosystems positions humanity to use the living resources of the sea without adversely affecting their sustainability. But to realize the full potential of ocean science, new investments in research, education, facilities, and international collaboration will be required. MOVING FORWARD Americans care deeply about the oceans and coasts. The Year of the Ocean, 1998, provides a unique opportunity to reflect on, and chart, a new and more effective course for managing them. Essential roles in this endeavor are already being performed by industry, government agencies at all levels, research and educational institutions, and nongovern-mental organizations. Buoyed by strong public interest, all are poised to continue to work together toward America’s new ocean future. The best chance for achieving their shared vision lies in the establishment of an independent com-mission composed of the nation’s ocean leaders, who can recommend the most economically and environmentally bene-ficial directions for U.S. ocean policy and programs in the next century.
Overview The bounty and hazards of the oceans that surround the United States make their presence known daily. The fish in the local supermarket, the day at the seashore, the cruise to the Caribbean or Alaska are but part of the ocean’s bounty. The national economy and the well-being of citizens depend on ocean-borne trade in fuels, consumer products, and other goods that enhance daily life. On the other hand, the oceans are frequently a cause of devastating hazards. Through their effects on the weather and climate, the oceans influence droughts and floods and are the source of hurricanes, storm surges, and tsunamis. They are also receptacles for the wastes of humanity, sometimes with adverse effects on complex marine ecosystems. Less frequently, and primarily in times of international tension, Americans are reminded of the critical role that the oceans play in protecting national security. The importance of the oceans has been widely documented. They are an integral part of the hydrological cycle that drives weather and climate. They contain the majority of the Earth’s biomass and are a wellspring of ecological diversity. Scientific discoveries in and around the oceans have shed light on the origins of the Earth and even life itself. Human exploration of the ocean, and growing understanding of life and other treasures in the sea, awes and inspires millions. Ecological studies have confirmed that coastal waters are among the most productive and valuable of all habitats. Ocean activities are comparable in economic importance to other sectors of the economy, such as agriculture. Thirty years have passed since the last comprehensive review of the nation’s relationship to the sea (President’s Commission on the Oceans, 1969). Since that time, the world has changed so profoundly that a new examination of this relationship is warranted. The Year of the Ocean, 1998, and the prospect of a national commission on the oceans, offer the opportunity to reevaluate the nation’s stake in the conservation and use of the oceans. The Heinz Center Project on the Year of the Ocean As a result of discussions with the Ocean Principals’ Group, The Heinz Center established a 22-member Steering Group to develop themes and issues for the Year of the Ocean. The Steering Group—benefiting from a diverse membership representing industry, gov-ernment, academia, and environmental organizations—sought to identify what is working well and what is not working with regard to the nation’s ocean activities and interests, and also to identify the needs and opportunities. The Steering Group proposed three strategic steps for assessing the nation’s stake in the ocean:
The Need to Reassess the Nation’s Stake in the Ocean A remarkable thing happened when 200 leaders from industry, government, academia, and environmental organizations came together under the auspices of The Heinz Center to discuss the nation’s ocean future. The four sectors are seldom convened in this way. And yet, despite their diverse backgrounds and interests, these leaders joined together to note the profound changes in virtually every aspect of American life, including the nation’s governance structure and environment, in the brief time—just 30 years—since the last comprehensive examination of the nation’s stake in the sea. These stakeholders agreed on many points, including the nature of the problems that have arisen over the past several decades and what must be done to address them. The convergence of opinion underscores the urgency of the need to address the nation’s ocean future. This need is driven primarily by changes that have taken place in both the natural environment and approaches to marine governance. Ocean issues also have important implications for inter-national security and commerce. Changes in the Natural Environment and Perceptions of It The quality and well-being of many marine areas and resources have declined over the past several decades, and, partly in recognition of this degradation, there has been a shift in how these areas are perceived. Marine resources are now understood to be finite, even fragile. The interconnectedness of all resources on or near the coast, and even far upstream, is becoming increasingly apparent. Among the most profound changes has been the encroachment of humanity on the seas. Millions of people take advantage of the amenities found in coastal areas and the economic activities that thrive there. The increase in coastal populations has been accommodated by additional pavement and infrastructure—roads, recreation facilities, residential homes, and businesses—all of which place stresses on the coastal and marine environments. Sensitive habitats, which nurture marine life and buffer the shoreline, are encroached upon, degraded, and sometimes lost. A balance between resource use and conservation is often sought, but rarely achieved. One of the hopeful trends amid these changes is the growing understanding of ocean and coastal environments and processes. This new knowledge is due in large part to an array of increasingly sophisticated technologies, ranging from remote-sensing instruments on satellites and aircraft to highly equipped underwater platforms and vehicles. The improved observational capabilities, combined with exponential increases in computational power, have reduced the costs of acquiring information and increased the accuracy of weather predictions. Additional investments are needed, however, to exploit fully the potential of these rapidly evolving technologies for ocean science. Changes in Ocean Governance Opinion surveys have documented that most Americans care deeply about the environment. The depth of concern and care for the environment has grown and matured over the past 30 years. This concern is now shared by all sectors of society. Environmental organizations on the local, regional, national, and international levels have become a potent political force, perhaps the strongest single political force influencing ocean policy. The rise in influence of the environmental advocacy community is one of the fascinating institutional developments of the past decades. Moreover, these predominantly private-sector interests are willing to work with both landowners and government agencies to conserve and manage the environment, and they have considerable technical and managerial capabilities and resources to offer. This phenomenon is only one aspect of the growing number and diversity of organizations with roles in managing or using the marine environment. Indeed, the whole approach to marine governance is changing. The traditional players¾ federal and state governments, industry, and academia¾ have been joined at the table by regional and local governments as well as the environmental community. Federal bud-gets and roles are no longer viewed as the sole answer. Solutions and innovations today may be devised and used by all stakeholders, including multiple levels of government. States are assuming larger roles in planning and managing ocean areas and uses. Still relatively untapped is the private sector’s capability to address problems and concerns through market forces. In the future, management pro-grams will increasingly need to recognize the limits of the federal budget, the constraints on states, and the power for change that could be unleashed through market forces. Building on these new realities, a realigned management framework is emerging that strives to balance ocean uses and conservation. Glimmers of that framework can be seen, for example, in the zoning of the Florida Keys to protect fragile natural resources while guaranteeing the rights of ocean users to continue their activities. It is also evident in habitat protection and species recovery plans developed in many regions and political venues that recognize the linkage between land and water systems and address real problems at the appropriate scales. At the same time, a new vision of innovative partnerships among stake-holders is emerging. But realizing its full potential will involve difficult choices as well as different priorities for fiscal and human resources and realignments of responsibilities among government agencies, between levels of government, and between government and the private sector. Long-term trends in federal domestic discretionary spending add urgency to the need to develop partnership approaches to governing and managing marine areas and resources. Despite expanding missions and increasing costs, most federal, state, and local agencies involved in ocean management and protection have had flat or declining budgets for years. In virtually every mission area, federal agencies have had to do more with less. For example, in constant dollars, the federal budget for basic research in ocean science grew less than 1 percent between 1982 and 1997, even as the federal budget for basic scientific research overall nearly doubled (in constant dollars). Additional evidence of the budget squeeze can be seen in the backlog of nautical charts that require updating, unmet needs for fishery stock assessments, and many other deficiencies. While ocean governance structures continue to evolve, an entirely new framework must be devised for vast areas of coastal ocean that at one time were essentially unmanaged. The most sig-nificant event in marine governance in the last generation has been the extension of U.S. jurisdiction out to 200 miles off the coast for the purposes of resource management. This Exclusive Economic Zone must be managed wisely and sustainably to preserve resources and values for future generations. International Security and Commerce In marked contrast to the 1960s, the United States no longer faces the prospect of war with a military peer. Yet the U.S. military is increasingly called on for peacetime engagement, deterrence, conflict prevention, and the control of regional crises. The capability to sail anywhere and project power remains important, and knowledge of the ocean, especially the marginal seas and coastal areas, has become increasingly critical to national defense. The military’s need for accurate, detailed information is an important driver of the use of advanced technologies in ocean science. Meanwhile, the globalization of the world economy has intensified the use of the oceans for the transport of goods and services and transformed the shipping industry, heightening the need for modern, efficient ports and waterways. Ships have become critical links in a time-sensitive global distribution chain. Congestion in U.S. ports, the result of continued trade growth with insufficient modernization of the infrastructure, triggers delays in shipping and imposes economic penalties. U.S. ports need to be modernized to the level of the nation’s most sophisticated trading partners (and economic competitors), with deeper and wider channels, modern traffic management systems, and improved intermodal connections through the port to highway and rail transportation. Achieving a Balance of Ocean Uses and Conservation The remaining chapters in this report address three broad ocean-related challenges that the nation will face over the coming years. Each chapter is organized somewhat differently, reflecting the dimensions of the particular topic and the nature of the discussions at the national meetings convened by The Heinz Center. Chapter 2, "The Challenge of Sustainable Coasts," discusses the difficult problem of managing the coast so that both the economy and environment prosper. Topics include enhancing and sustaining coastal environmental quality, shoreline management, producing energy from the ocean, and maintaining and modernizing the nation’s ports. The chapter concludes with a discussion of approaches to developing workable, integrated management frameworks for addressing and balancing these diverse coastal issues. Chapter 3, "Protecting and Restoring Marine Fisheries," identifies the key issues that must be addressed if the management of particular fisheries is to be successful over the long term. These issues include overfishing, over-capitalization, bycatch, habitat protection, aquaculture and its impacts on the environment, managing fisheries across jurisdictions, and the trend toward ecosystem management. Chapter 4, "Science and Technology—Key to Ocean Understanding," describes some of the many ways in which knowledge of the oceans benefits society, especially the contributions to a productive economy and thriving environment. Other topics include the national capacity to gain and apply knowledge of the sea, international dimensions of ocean science and technology, research and educational facilities and institutions, and human and fiscal resources. The following chapters represent the Steering Group’s synthesis of the results of the three national meetings convened by The Heinz Center. In addition to outlining what is working and not working today, the chapters identify the major issues and questions that remain to be addressed, important cross-cutting themes, and the organizational structure and fiscal means necessary to achieve national goals. It is hoped that a national commission on the oceans will find this information helpful. Download full report,
in Adobe pdf format National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 1998. Year of the Ocean Discussion Papers. Washing-ton, D.C.: NOAA Office of the Chief Scientist. President’s Commission on the Oceans. 1969. Our Nation and the Sea: A Plan for National Action. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. |
