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Cabrillo Marine Aquarium
San Pedro, CA
April 18, 2002
EDUCATION
Speaker: Jean-Michel Cousteau
The Oceans Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-256), an Act of the United States Congress, became law on August 7, 2000, and went into effect on January 20, 2001. The Act establishes a 16-member Commission on Ocean Policy to undertake an 18-month study and to make recommendations to the President and Congress for a national ocean policy for the United States.
The Act charges the Commission to conduct a detailed review of existing and planned U.S. ocean and coastal programs and activities. The Commission is to provide recommendations for a coordinated and comprehensive national ocean policy on a broad range of issues, ranging from the stewardship of marine resources and pollution prevention to enhancing and supporting marine science, commerce, and transportation.
The Commission held the Southwest Regional meeting, April 18 and 19, 2002, at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, 3720 Stephen White Drive, San Pedro, California. This was the sixth in a series of nine meetings to be conducted by the Commission.
The Southwest Region meeting provides regional, state and local government agencies and non-governmental organizations the opportunity to discuss with the Commission ocean and coastal issues of interest or concern to the Southwest coast of the United States, encompassing the area from the Mexican border to Oregon. There are also specific public comment periods during the meeting. The Commission uses the information received at the meeting to help formulate its recommendations for a coordinated and comprehensive national ocean policy, as required by the Oceans Act of 2000.
Issues highlighted at the meeting include:
- Environmental Quality and Human Health
- Marine Biotechnology
- Marine Protected Area Policy
- Habitat and Living Resources
- Marine Science Facilities
- Coastal and Outer Continental Shelf Management
In addition to the public meetings on April 18 and 19, the Commissioners gained first hand knowledge of important regional issues through regional site visits in San Diego and Monterey on April 17.
Click here to read Jean-Michel Cousteau's education address transcript.
