July 29, 2002 The Sierra Club National Marine Wildlife and Habitat Committee's current agenda includes:
Permanent protection of environmentally sensitive areas now covered by
a moratorium on offshore oil leasing and development;
Implementation and reauthorization of the Sustainable Fisheries Act,
with emphasis on Essential Fish Habitat, overfishing, and bycatch;
Implementation and reauthorization of the Coastal Zone Management Act,
with emphasis on the coastal nonpoint pollution control program and Estuarine Research
Reserves;
Strengthen management of Marine Sanctuaries and Estuarine Research
Reserves for increased protection of marine and coastal ecosystems and biodiversity, and
promote establishment of new federal and state Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and
Marine Managed Areas (MMAs);
Implementation and reauthorization of the Marine Mammals Protection
Act, review and comment on federal actions related to marine mammals such as NMFS listing of endangered or threatened species, federal dolphin-safe tuna regimes, and US Navy active sonar programs that may endanger marine mammals and other ocean wildlife; monitoring international agreements affecting marine mammals such as the International Convention on the Regulation of Whaling;
Implementation of the President's Executive Order establishing the U.S.
Coral Reef Task Force, and strengthening coral reef protection through local action;
Establish greater protections for natural coastal and marine habitat
and biodiversity through initiatives to limit the negative environmental impacts of aquaculture and mariculture
Build national and regional networks to support the work of chapters
and groups on other coastal/marine issues as needed, including coastal development, shoreline erosion, ports and navigational dredging; provide information, technical assistance, and referrals
The Marine Committee works primarily through Working Groups chaired and recruited by Committee members and focused on these issue areas, with the Committee as a whole coordinating priority and overarching actions.
