NATIONAL OCEAN POLICY
On June 12, President Obama created the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force.  The Task Force, led by the Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), was charged with developing a national policy and implementation strategy for conserving and managing the United States ocean territory and the Great Lakes.  The policy will govern ocean and Great Lakes resource management and coordinate efforts among countless federal, state and local agencies.
 
The Task Force's Interim Framework for a National Ocean Policy was out for public review and comment until Feb. 12, 2010.  The single most obvious flaw in the original report is the omission of responsibly regulated recreational fishing as a key activity for the oceans and the Great Lakes.  In addition, as a national policy document governing the oceans and Great Lakes, the report is skewed toward a preservationist policy of locking up public waters instead of one that promotes sustainable uses such as recreational fishing.
 
Coastal Conservation Association has been involved in this issue from its announcement and has been discussing the issue at length with the highest levels possible to insure that the voices of recreational anglers are heard and their concerns addressed. To read more about the Ocean Policy Task Force and CCA’s involvement and positions click here.

Interested in what CCA is doing at a National level? Click here.