Oceans Campaign News
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| On September 20th, the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy (USCOP) delivered its final report and recommendations for a coordinated and comprehensive national ocean policy to President Bush. Mandated by Congress in the Oceans Act of 2000, and appointed by the President himself, the Commission's take home message is undeniable - our oceans are in deep trouble. The Bush administration now has 90 days to respond and make policy recommendations to Congress. | |
| The U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, a panel appointed by President Bush, today issued its final report stating that the oceans are in peril and overfishing is a primary factor contributing to the collapse of entire ocean ecosystems. Today's report comes even as the Bush administration is actively seeking to weaken federal standards that protect fish populations from overfishing. | |
| In their report finalized today, the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy (USCOP) confirms the grim truth - our oceans are in trouble. The message is crystal clear: we must make the changes now that are so desperately needed to restore, protect, and conserve our fragile oceans. | |
| Zero federal fish stocks managed solely by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council are known to be healthy, and this number has not changed since 2001, finds a new report released today by Environment Texas and the Marine Fish Conservation Network (Network). | |
| President Bush responded to the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy's (USCOP) report today by signing an executive order to establish a cabinet-level Committee on Ocean Policy. Environment Texas, the new home of TexPIRG's environmental work, commends the White House for recognizing that our oceans are in crisis. | |
| As millions of Americans flock to beaches around the country, Environment Texas reported that beach closings and warnings due to pollution went up last year in Texas, according to the Natural Resource Defense Council’s 18th annual beach water quality report. The group called for increased federal funding and faster testing for beachwater pollution and decried efforts to open protected coastlines to offshore drilling. | |
| Federal data show that in 2007 nearly three out of ten Gulf of Mexico fish species for which there is adequate information were overfished or were caught faster than they can reproduce, a condition known as overfishing. | |
| The Save the Bait Coalition today called on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission (TPW) to protect what has been called “the most important fish in the sea” in Texas’ coastal waters. A diverse coalition of businesses and advocacy groups is seeking a science-based catch limit, observers to document wasteful fishing practices, and accountability measures to make sure catch limits are not exceeded for menhaden, a primary prey fish for finfish, seabirds, and dolphins. | |
