Alan Lowenthal: “My amendment preserves the National Ocean Policy. The National Ocean Policy is a commonsense way to facilitate…”

“My amendment preserves the National Ocean Policy. The National Ocean Policy is a commonsense way to facilitate multistakeholder collaboration on complex ocean issues, and it promotes economic opportunity, national security, and environmental protection. Mr. Chairman, I represent a coastal district in southern California, and I know firsthand that we can have a thriving ocean economy and, at the same time, protect and conserve our precious ocean resources. Off the coast of my district, there are marine protected areas, State waters, Federal waters, and Department of Defense installations. We are a marine life hot spot--some of the best blue whale watching happens a few miles from our shore. We have a booming recreational fishing sector. We have a large shellfish aquaculture ranch that is now operating. We have beautiful beaches. We also have oil and gas activity with some rigs right near our shores. My district is also home to the Port of Long Beach, which is the second busiest port in the United States. With so much activity happening, it simply makes sense to have the Navy at the table when NOAA is working on siting for a new aquaculture installation. It makes sense to have the fishery management council weigh in when oil rigs are being decommissioned, and it is a no-brainer that NOAA, the Coast Guard, and the ports all work together to get those massive ships in and out of port safely.…”