Environmental groups enthusiastically support federal management of our fisheries, starting with the oceans, coastal waters and the Great Lakes.
They now are pressuring President Barack Obama to bypass Congressional oversight and public discussion and instead issue an Executive Order endorsing the recommendations of his Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force and the creation of a massive federal bureaucracy.
This should come as no surprise, since members in many of these organizations favor creation of "marine protected areas," where all uses — including recreational angling — are banned.
Almost certainly they envision these being an integral part of the "spatial planning" strategy created by the task force and to be enforced by a National Ocean Council.
What might come as a surprise, though, is that these same groups produced a "wish list" document, Transition to Green, shortly after Obama's election. And what has happened since, starting with the President's creation of the task force, suggests that this special interest group — with little to no public input — is controlling public policy on a staggering scale.
Here are a couple of excerpts from Transition to Green that show a clear connection with the Interim Report and Interim Framework for Effective Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning produced by the task force:
"Under the new Administration, NOAA (National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration) should support legislation and initiatives to promote a coordinated, cross Federal and State agency, systematic approach to protecting, maintaining, and restoring marine ecosystem health and resilience.
"This type of 'whole ocean' ecosystem approach could be pursued through a variety of administrative and legislative vehicles and conservation tools, including the establishment and implementation of a national ocean policy to protect, maintain, and restore marine ecosystem health and resilience, and the creation of Federal-state partnerships directed to implement priority needs under such a policy. This could enhance the effectiveness of marine spatial as a critical tool for promoting ocean health and resilience ...
"Well-designed protected areas are a proven method of protecting and restoring habitat and the diversity, resilience and productivity of marine life and promoting overall ocean health. These areas can also improve scientific understanding of marine functions.
"Establishing a domestic and international system of marine protected areas is critical in the face of mounting cumulative pressures from fishing, pollution, coastal and ocean development and industrialization, climate change, and ocean acidification."
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