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Urge your representative to co-sponsor an important ocean protection bill

While there are simple things we can do every day to help restore our oceans, the threats they face are far-reaching, complex and -- amazingly -- currently overseen by 20 different agencies implementing more than 140 different laws! To ensure strong, smart protection of our oceans and coasts we need a comprehensive national law -- in essence, a Clean Air Act or Clean Water Act for our oceans. Tell your representative to support a new bill that would help revive and ensure the future of the oceans, coasts and marine life you love.

Your Congressperson

Dear [ Decision Maker ],

(Edit Letter Below)

For many years, we have heard a consistent cry from scientists and other experts that our oceans are in a state of collapse and that we need to take action now. H.R. 21 -- the Oceans Conservation, Education and National Strategy for the 21st Century Act, or "Oceans-21" -- responds to that call to action.

The basic problem is clear: our ocean ecosystems are failing in response to a variety of threats, but we don't have the legislative tools to address these threats or the resulting harms. From the personal enjoyment of our beach vacations to our $117 billion per year oceans-supported economies, too many of our activities depend on healthy ocean ecosystems to allow this situation to continue.

Our oceans are managed under 140 different laws, implemented by 20 federal agencies, without any overarching vision or way to implement that vision. Although these laws are important, each is targeted to an individual goal, resource or area -- for instance maximizing fisheries yield, avoiding marine mammal mortality or protecting individual ocean sanctuaries -- and the implementation of one is largely disjointed from the implementation of the next. Add to this all of the non-marine activities that have a significant impact on oceans and the basic problem becomes that much clearer: we have only managed the details, but not the big picture that supports those details.

Oceans-21 would fill this gap by establishing a national ocean vision, a way to implement that vision at the federal and regional levels, and the funding to do it. Our oceans are too important to let this problem continue. I urge you to co-sponsor Oceans-21 today and do all you can to ensure its passage.

Sincerely,

[Your name]
[Your address]

Sincerely,

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