1. 1 An Ocean Blueprint for the 21st Century Presented by ADM Richard West, USN (Ret.) President, CORE Hydrographic Services Review Panel 15-16 November 2004

2. 2 U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy 16-member, independent, bi- partisan group 26 scientific advisors 16 public meetings 18 regional site visits Extensive scientific and stakeholder review process

3. 3 Held open public meetings with 450 invited experts and public comment in all coastal areas of the U.S. (Sept. 2001 – Oct. 2002) 9 Regional Meetings– Mid-Atlantic/South Carolina; Caribbean & Southeast/Puerto Rico & Florida; Gulf of Mexico/New Orleans; Southwest/Los Angeles; Pacific Islands/Hawaii; Northwest/Seattle; Northeast/Boston; Alaska; and Great Lakes/Chicago 18 site visits in addition to regional meetings in every coastal area of the U.S. Information Gathering Was Extensive

4. 4 Major message - Oceans and coasts in serious trouble Report calls on President, Congress, federal agencies, states and locals to take action 212 recommendations No unfunded mandates – proposes Ocean Policy Trust Fund to pay for implementation Commission Released Final Report, Recommendations on Sept. 20, 2004

5. 5 The Report’s Cross-cutting Themes Ecosystem-based Management More Effective Governance Improved Science for Decision Making Strengthened Educational Programs

6. 6 Improved Science Considered Critical Double U.S. investment in ocean research Strengthen NOAA and improve federal agency structure Strengthen the link between coastal and watershed management

7. 7 Double U.S. Investment in Ocean Research Increase ocean and coastal research, including socioeconomic studies Support ocean exploration Implement the national Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) Expand and integrate the national monitoring network, including good coverage of coastal areas

8. 8 Costs and Revenues Total new cost to implement Commission recommendations is approx. $3.9 billion per year Commission proposed creating an Ocean Policy Trust Fund in the U.S. Treasury to support both state and federal responsibilities Source of Revenue: Approx. $4 billion in offshore oil and gas revenues plus any revenues generated by new offshore uses

9. 9 Our Vision of the Future Economically vibrant coastal regions Healthy, productive, diverse ecosystems Improved public health and safety Science-based decisions Higher student achievement and a widespread stewardship ethic Strong U.S. involvement in international ocean policy

10. 10 Next Steps White House response to report due Dec. 19 Ongoing Congressional support critical to successful implementation of recommendations

11. 11 The Time to Act is Now Collective and sustained efforts by stakeholders at all levels are needed Embrace the report as a whole We can build on the current political interest and receptiveness Additional fiscal resources will be needed WWW.OCEANCOMMISSION.GOV