|
|
April 21, 2004
Gainesville Sun
Sea change for state
National ocean report could have big impact on Florida
By GREG C. BRUNO
Sun staff writer
Florida environmental
groups urged Gov. Jeb Bush on Tuesday to endorse the recommendations of a
presidential commission that has called for sweeping improvements to the
nation's ocean management policies.
Coming just hours after the release of a highly
anticipated review of U.S. marine and coastal protection programs, supporters of
the proposed overhaul appealed to the governor to demonstrate his commitment to
safeguarding Florida's coastal resources by endorsing the federal
recommendations.
"Protecting the oceans should be a priority at the
highest levels," said Ken Lindeman, a Miami-based scientist with Environmental
Defense, a national environmental advocacy group. "This is an extraordinary
leadership opportunity for Gov. Bush as well as the president."
The recommended changes outlined in the 514-page document
include the establishment of an ocean trust fund from oil and gas revenue to pay
for research and marine protection programs; creation of a White House National
Ocean Council to coordinate ocean policy; and the implementation of a federal
water quality monitoring network.
Recommended changes that would directly impact Florida,
environmentalists say, include the strengthening of protections for endangered
and threatened marine species; enhanced coral reef management plans; and a $650
million observation system that could predict ocean events, such as global
warming, fish kills or dolphin deaths.
Mark Ferrulo, director of the Florida Public Interest
Research Group in Tallahassee, said support from Bush should be forceful and
swift.
"Florida's vibrant coastal communities depend on a
healthy Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico," Ferrulo said in a statement. "Gov.
Bush should seize this opportunity to call on the commissioners, the President
and Congress to pursue the most aggressive recommendations set forth in the
report."
A governor's office spokesman, reached by telephone, said
that while Gov. Bush had not yet reviewed the report, he looks forward to
working with national leaders to improve state and federal ocean policy.
"Our state depends on our world-class beaches and coral
reefs to support our $53 billion tourist industry," Jacob DiPietre said. "The
governor recognizes the importance of clean water to our economy and believes
that Florida has taken important steps to strengthen coastal protections over
the last five years."
Bush will have 30 days to comment on the preliminary
report, which was mandated by the Oceans Act of 2000 to develop a comprehensive
and coordinated approach to managing the nation's oceans.
Released to each of the nation's 50 governors Tuesday,
the report was prepared by the 16-member U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, a
bipartisan group of national marine scientists and policy-makers.
Commission members were appointed by President Bush, and
spent nearly three years studying coastal areas, the Great Lakes and 4.4 million
square miles of ocean.
Their report, available at
http://www.oceancommission.gov/, is the first comprehensive review of U.S.
ocean policy in 35 years.
Like other recent oceans reports, the commission's
findings said that pollution, depletion of fish stocks, habitat destruction and
introduction of non-native species were all threatening long-term ocean health.
In addition, the commission found that policy-makers must
focus more on "ecosystem-based" decisions, taking into account how management
decisions impact living creatures, including humans.
"If the recommendations contained in our report are
adopted, we will create sustainable oceans and coasts for many, many years,"
retired Admiral James Watkins, chairman of the ocean policy commission, said in
a news release accompanying the report.
"We will create sustainable ocean resources; sustainable
fisheries; sustainable recreation for our children and their children;
sustainable economic development; and a sustainable future for our oceans and
coasts."
Greg Bruno can be reached at
374-5026 or
greg.bruno@gvillesun.com. |
