Protecting Our Ocean: California’s Action Strategy

On June 4, 2004 Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger submitted his comments on the Preliminary Report of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, which documented California’s leadership in ocean and coastal management and provided the Governor’s call for strong actions at all levels of government to protect and manage these resources. In his comments the Governor stated, “Your report is a wake-up call that the oceans are in trouble and in need of help. In response to this need, actions must take place at the international, national, state, regional and local levels, as these issues are just as important globally as they are to the citizen trying to protect the waters off a local beach.”

Both the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy and the Pew Oceans Commission have identified an emerging national crisis situation regarding this nation’s ocean and coastal resources.