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An Ocean Blueprint for the 21st Century - California Ocean ...

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CHAPTER 31SUMMARY OFRECOMMENDATIONSThe <strong>Ocean</strong>s Act of 2000 charged <strong>the</strong> U.S. Commission on <strong>Ocean</strong> Policy with carryingout <strong>the</strong> first comprehensive review of ocean-related issues and laws in morethan thirty years. The Commission took up that charge, presenting over 200recommendations throughout this report that will move <strong>the</strong> nation toward amore coordinated and comprehensive ocean policy. This chapter assemblesall <strong>the</strong> recommendations in one place. To assist federal agencies ando<strong>the</strong>rs in quickly identifying actions most relevant to <strong>the</strong>m, it alsoprovides an index of <strong>the</strong> recommendations organized by <strong>the</strong> agency,group, or individual charged with carrying out <strong>the</strong> proposed action.Context <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> RecommendationsGuiding PrinciplesAs explained in Chapter 3, <strong>the</strong> Commission’s work wasguided by <strong>the</strong> following set of fundamental principles:• Sustainability: <strong>Ocean</strong> policy should be designed to meet <strong>the</strong>needs of <strong>the</strong> present generation without compromising <strong>the</strong>ability of future generations to meet <strong>the</strong>ir needs.• Stewardship: The principle of stewardship applies both to <strong>the</strong>government and to every citizen. The U.S. government holdsocean and coastal resources in <strong>the</strong> public trust—a special responsibilitythat necessitates balancing different uses of those resources <strong>for</strong><strong>the</strong> continued benefit of all Americans. Just as important, every memberof <strong>the</strong> public should recognize <strong>the</strong> value of <strong>the</strong> oceans and coasts, supportingappropriate policies and acting responsibly while minimizing negativeenvironmental impacts.• <strong>Ocean</strong>–Land–Atmosphere Connections: <strong>Ocean</strong> policies should be based on <strong>the</strong>recognition that <strong>the</strong> oceans, land, and atmosphere are inextricably intertwined andthat actions that affect one Earth system component are likely to affect ano<strong>the</strong>r.• Ecosystem-based Management: U.S. ocean and coastal resources should be managedto reflect <strong>the</strong> relationships among all ecosystem components, including humans andnonhuman species and <strong>the</strong> environments in which <strong>the</strong>y live. Applying this principlewill require defining relevant geographic management areas based on ecosystem,ra<strong>the</strong>r than political, boundaries.472 A N O CEAN B LUEPRINT FOR THE 21ST C ENTURY

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