Apr 23, 6:31 PM

Floridatoday.com  Editorial Page

Save our seas

A landmark study leaves no doubt -- protect the oceans now before it's too late to save them


Space Coast residents don't need to be told that the health of our oceans is at risk.

Tests the past year have shown signs of human sewage in the surf, alarming many and possibly threatening recreation, public health and the tourism that's so vital to Brevard County's economy.

But our local worries are mereley one part of a potentially catastrophic problem:

All of America's coastal waters continue to be ravaged by pollution and overfishing, creating a crisis that's worsening by the day. And unless a serious commitment is made now to attack the ills, the results will be grim and effect everyone.

A landmark report defining that danger came Wednesday when the United States Commission on Ocean Policy said the seas and U.S. coast waters are in "serious trouble" and called for immediate action.

Most importantly, it urged a radical change in the federal-state approach to managing the seas, warning that pollution and overuse will otherwise destroy them.

Critics who may contend this is sky-is-falling rhetoric from environmentalists should take their blinders off.

The bi-partisan panel was formed by President Bush and included a number of Republican businessmen and government officials who joined scientists in crafting the first major review of ocean policy in 30 years.

Among the experts was Shirley Pomponi, acting managing director of the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution in Fort Pierce, who served as a science advisor to the panel.

"Our oceans are in decline, and we have to do something about it. If we don't, it may be another generation before we can, and by then it may be too late," she says.

In some respects, it's already too late.

Each summer, polluted runoff from farms and cities creates an oxygen-depleted "dead zone" the size of Massachusetts off the coasts of Louisiana and Texas in the Gulf of Mexico.

Similar zones exist in many of the nation's large bays and estuaries, with our own Indian River Lagoon under great threat. It's water quality long in decline, dolphins are now suffering from cancers, lesions, ulcers and mysterious ailments.

Meanwhile, wetlands that filter polluted runoff are being erased at a rate of about 60,000 acres a year.

The commission made several key recommendations that must be followed by the White House and Congress, and backed by the public and states such as Florida. Among them:

·  Restructure the maze of agencies that oversee ocean policy, and create a new system to research, identify and solve marine problems.

·  Double federal funding for ocean research to $1.2 billion annually.

·  Manage the seas based on a philosophy of large, inter-connected ecosystems rather than individual fish species.

·  Set measurable goals to reduce water pollution.

·  Increase public education about the importance of saving the seas for natural and economic reasons.

Beyond that, we believe more is needed.

Topping the list is establishing a broad network of off-limits marine sanctuaries to allow fish species to recover from overfishing, such as one off the Dry Tortugas southwest of the Florida Keys.

There also must be tough enforcement of laws to protect sea life and ecosystems, and a ban on oil and gas drilling in critical areas such as those off Florida's west coast, where a spill could devastate fisheries.

The seas play a critical role in the life of the planet, and so in our own.

Their bounty provides food for our tables, jobs for our workers and playtime for our families. Protecting their health is as vital as protecting our own.