Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force Information

On July 19, 2010, the White House's Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force released its final report on a new national policy with the stated goals of ensuring protection, maintenance and restoration of the nation’s oceans, coastal areas and the Great Lakes.

Over the past year, the recreational fishing and boating community provided substantial input to the Task Force and advocated that the social, economic, public health and conservation benefits of sustainable use of our nation’s public resources receive priority consideration in the new coastal and ocean management policy. Through KeepAmericaFishing.org, anglers and boaters have sent over 60,000 emails to the Task Force, the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), stating their concerns and urging them to include recreational fishing as a priority activity in the national ocean policy.

Following the release of the new report on July 19, 2010, President Obama issued an Executive Order to implement the policies in the report.

Background
In June, 2009, President Obama created the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force. The Task Force, led by the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), was charged with drafting a national ocean policy and developing a framework for marine spatial planning 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 was given 90 days to develop these basic recommendations, and 180 days to develop a comprehensive framework for coastal and marine spatial planning.

• Interim Report
  The Task Force released its Interim Report on September 17, 2009 which was open for a 30-day public review and comment period. The single most obvious flaw in the report was the omission of responsibly regulated recreational fishing as a key activity for the oceans and the Great Lakes. This is of concern to America's 60 million anglers, whose conservation, economic and social contributions should be recognized as a key component of the policy.
  
  In addition, as a national policy document governing the oceans and Great Lakes, the report was skewed toward a preservationist policy of locking up public waters instead of one that promotes sustainable uses such as recreational fishing.
  
  
• Interim Framework
  On December 9, 2009, the Task Force then released its Interim Framework for Marine Spatial Planning. A coalition of ten of the leading recreational fishing and boating organizations submitted joint comments on the Interim Framework.
  
  
• Final Report
  On July 19, 2010, the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force released its final report on a new national policy.
  
  The initial report of the Task Force did not include a single reference to recreational fishing. The term ‘recreational’ now appears over 50 times in the final report, and there is a general theme that promoting recreational fishing and stewardship is an important national ocean policy objective. However, the top-down tone of the policy is clear while significant concepts that could set the foundation for vast areas closed to angling and public recreation remain vague and undefined.
  
  

KeepAmericaFishing's Goal and Purpose for the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force

The sportfishing community strongly supports healthy and abundant ocean, coastal and fishery resources which have a direct impact on sustaining vibrant local coastal communities. Sportfishing is an integral part of coastal economies throughout this nation and therefore should be included as a priority in any national ocean policy.    

It is a long-standing policy of the federal government to allow public access to public lands and waters for recreational purposes consistent with sound conservation. This policy is reflected in the principles of our wildlife refuges, national forests, national parks and wilderness areas, and should be reflected in a national policy for the oceans and Great Lakes. The ability of recreational anglers to use public marine resources should be as strong as the ability of hunters and anglers to use public lands.

As with any good federal policy decision, discussions about measures that may restrict public access to public resources must involve an open public process, a solid scientific basis and specific guidelines on implementation and follow-up.

For more information on this issue, read the following articles:

• Culled Out 3-9-10
• CSF, RFBC Submit Comments to White House Task Force 2-12-10
• Federal Takeover of Lakes Looms 2-11-10
• Wild Connection 2-8-10
• Task Force Supporters 1-29-10
• Ocean Policy Task Force Has Plans to Focus on Fisheries in December Report 10-30-09
• Obama’s Ocean Policy Task Force Gets Mixed Reviews 10-21-09
• Anglers Being Cast Aside? 10-19-09
• Fish Orgs Band Together to Fight Interim Report 10-15-09
• Fish Groups Target Bad Management at Ocean Task Force Meeting 10-14-09
• Boaters Beware: Obama practices to outdraw W 10-13-09
• Why Anglers Aren’t Environmentalists 10-9-09
• Anglers Not Happy with Obama Policy 10-7-09
• Feds Meddling with Access 10-6-09
• Feds to 60 Million Anglers: We Don’t Need You 10-5-09
• Angling for Access 10-2-09

The American Sportfishing Association (ASA), the sportfishing industry’s trade association, is working to ensure that anglers' and boaters' voices are heard as marine and aquatic management plans are developed. You can help ASA in its efforts to minimize recreational fishing closures by donating to the Keep America Fishing Fund.