"Our oceans are in trouble, the coasts are in trouble; our marine resources are in trouble. These are not challenges we can sweep aside." -Commission Chairman James Watkins

In all of our world's bodies of water, we are seeing trouble develop at a fanatical rate. Wetlands, coral reefs, shellfish beds, etc. . . are dying. We only have ourselves to blame.

40,000 acres of coastal wetlands providing essential spawning, filtering out pollutants, feeding and nursery areas for ¾ of US commercial fish catches are disappearing each year, says the new US Commission of Ocean Policy, now halfway through an eighteen month study.

Our coastal development, dumping of waste, careless fishing habits, and especially global warming, (Which is mainly caused by human actions), are all reasons our marine life and ecosystem is in critical condition.

Coral reefs are being found in bleached white states, more and more. A sure sign that the 'rain forests of the oceans' are in serious trouble. Not only are thousands upon thousands of marine life dependent on coral reefs for their survival, coral reefs also buffer coasts against beach erosion from storm damage.

Pollutants that end up dumped into our oceans; like the twelve billion tons of ballast water from ships, that are spreading invasive alien species to new locales around the world. It also chokes off oxygen and fosters algae blooms, causing important habitats, like kelp beds and seagrass meadows to die off.

"The oceans are an interconnected web of animals, plants, and people living across a complex geography." Muller-Karger explains. "A change in one area sends a ripple effect that affects everything else in the system. One serious problem, says Muller-Karger, is that we have upwards of fourteen Federal agencies charged with ocean issues.These agencies are, in turn, overseen by more than sixty congressional committees and subcommittees There is too much duplication, too little coordination and too little funding, "he charges.

Only a tiny fraction of our oceans vastness has been explored and studied. We know more about the surface of the moon. Our oceans contains potential advances in health care and medicines. Two antiviral drugs and a cancer drug has already been found in seasponges. Imagine the other possible cures that are waiting to be found.

Many of our conservation laws to protect our water systems are not properly enforced. Likewise, policies regulating pollution in coastal waters are not always carried out, as well. It is imperative that we get serious in protecting our marine life and water ways. In doing so, we will be saving ourselves, as well as the life of our planet.