Ocean Zone News Blog

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary
____________________________________________________
For Immediate Release June 12, 2009

MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES

SUBJECT: NATIONAL POLICY FOR THE OCEANS, OUR COASTS, AND THE GREAT LAKES

The oceans, our coasts, and the Great Lakes provide jobs, food, energy resources, ecological services, recreation, and tourism opportunities, and play critical roles in our Nation’s transportation, economy, and trade, as well as the global mobility of our Armed Forces and the maintenance of international peace and security. We have a stewardship responsibility to maintain healthy, resilient, and sustainable oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes resources for the benefit of this and future generations.

New York Times

By ALLISON WINTER, Greenwire

Congress should create an ocean zoning system to protect marine resources from expanded offshore energy development, according to Duke University researchers.

At issue is how to address demands for energy development on the outer continental shelf.

Some lawmakers have proposed offshore zoning, or “marine spatial planning.” Several advocacy groups are working to put marine zoning language that would mandate an ecosystem-based management approach into an energy bill this year.

Nature Conservancy Blog

A Sea Change for Ocean Management?
Written by Robert Lalasz
Published on May 4th, 2009 in Australia, Conservation Issues, Europe, Oceans & Coasts, Policy, South America, The Nature Conservancy

The Washington Post today has an interesting story (registration required) about how the Earth’s oceans are getting crowded with competition for use — and how more and more ocean experts are pushing ocean zoning as the answer.

But even though such zoning (which experts call by the unlovely name “marine spatial planning”) has high-level support within the Obama administration, it’s anything but easy.