New Approaches on Energy and the Environment

CHAPTER

21

Zoning the Oceans

Changing the Focus of U.S. Fisheries Management

by James N. Sanchirico

Our nation has one of the most productive and diverse marine environments in the world, but many of these resources are threatened. Mr. President, this does not have to be the case. Two commissions recently released reports detailing the causes, tools, and organizational restructuring needed to reverse this trend, both of which discuss the potential role for zoning the oceans. Sir, I recommend that you issue an executive order directing the secretaries of commerce and interior to launch a major new cross-agency initiative to zone our oceans by 2010, along with providing the necessary funding. Zoning the oceans would delineate portions of our marine ...