Oceans Commission Chair Urges Closure Before Election Day

By J.R. Pegg

WASHINGTON, DC, May 25, 2004 (ENS) – The nation’s governors are unlikely to get another extension to submit comments on the draft report of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, says Commission Chair and retired U.S. Navy Admiral James Watkins. “This is not an end game - this is the start of a political process,” Watkins said. “But we want to get this in the political process this year.”

The Commission has already extended the comment period through June 4, Watkins told a House panel Thursday. He rejected calls by House Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo to grant the governors an additional 60 days.

Pombo told Watkins the extension through June 4 is not sufficient, citing a request by the National Governors Association for more time.

“Many of the state agencies will be closed over the long weekend of Memorial Day,” said the California Republican. “I implore you to give them that extension.”

California Congressman Richard Pombo chairs the House Resources Committee (Photo courtesy Office of the Congressman)

The Commission gave all 55 state and territorial governors the 514 page report six days before it was released to the public on April 20.

The legislation creating the Commission only called for the report to be reviewed by coastal governors, Watkins said, but the commissioners felt it was vital to give all governors a chance to comment.

With the extension until June 4, they will have had “50 days of opportunity to comment on this,” Watkins said. “We have to terminate this commission at some point,” he told Pombo, noting that further delay would push the final report out to the fall and get it mired in the presidential election.

The retired Admiral said the Commission devised the report in an open and public manner that included 15 public meetings and provided many opportunities for input from local, state and regional stakeholders.

In addition, in the 90 day period after receiving the Commission’s final report, the President is directed to consult with state and local governments, and other interests, prior to giving Congress his statement of proposals to implement or respond to the Commission’s recommendations.

Admiral James Watkins recently retired as the president of the Consortium for Oceanographic Research and Education, an organization of more than 60 U.S. marine research institutions. (Photo courtesy U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy)

Current U.S. ocean policy is a haphazard mix of federal, state and local authorities and regulations. More than 60 congressional committees and subcommittees oversee some 20 agencies and permanent commissions with responsibilities related in some way to the ocean. These 20 entities are governed by more than 140 federal ocean related statues.

“The current management regime is outdated and incompatible with emerging understand of ecosystems,” Watkins told the committee. “There is a lack of coordination, goals and funding at all levels.”

This has caused widespread mismanagement under a framework ill equipped to respond to new environmental, economic and policy challenges.

As a result many species are overfished, coastal wetlands and estuaries that serve as nurseries are polluted and disappearing, commercial fishing interests are suffering, and invasive species are gaining a stronger foothold in many ecosystems.

“Our oceans and coasts are national assets in trouble,” Watkins said.

The report calls for the creation of a National Oceans Council within the Executive Office of the President as a means to elevate oceans issues to a higher political priority.

Sea and sky are the realm of these surf fishermen near Vandenburg Air Force Base, California. (Photo by William Folsom courtesy NOAA)

New Jersey Republican Jim Saxton told the committee he has introduced a bill to move NOAA from Commerce to Interior as a way to “provide a center for discussion on this very important issue.”

Watkins did not say he opposed the move, but said the Commission was focused on recommendations it thought were more politically palatable.

“It is more important to get NOAA strengthened before we tell it where to go,” Watkins said.

The Commission calls for a doubling of investment in ocean research, strengthening the link between coastal and watershed management, and implementing the national Integrated Ocean Observing System.

The cost of the Commission's recommendations is about $1.3 billion in the first year, $2.4 billion in the second year, and $3.2 billion annually thereafter.

The Commission's report calls for an Oceans Trust Fund to be established to pay for implementation of its recommendations.

Fish squeezed through a net by the tons of fish trapped within the main body of the net. (Photo courtesy Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Marine Observer Program)

Although there has been bipartisan praise for the efforts of the Commission, many lawmakers have raised doubts about the political feasibility of implementing its recommendations.

Lawmakers appeared skeptical of the plan to create the National Oceans Council and even less certain there will be support for setting aside a dedicated Oceans Trust Fund.

New Jersey Democrat Frank Pallone signaled concern about the use of funds from activities in federal waters to help fill the trust fund for the oceans.

“Many of my constituents fear that using these funds will only provide incentives to exploit our oceans even further and I agree,” Pallone said.

“We are not encouraging any of that,” Watkins responded. “Absolutely not.”

Future activities – namely aquaculture – are likely to occur, Watkins said, and if so Congress should use that money to pay for improved oceans research and management.

When asked by colleagues if the Resources Committee would act to implement any of the Commission’s recommendations this year, Pombo expressed his doubts.

“I am not sure it is possible to mark up legislation this session,” Pombo said. “They have not listened to anything the governors have had to say or anything the administration has had to say.”

Read the Commission on Oceans Policy's Preliminary Report online at: http://oceancommission.gov/documents/prelimreport/welcome.html