US develops plan to address ocean challenges

The US Government has developed a draft implementation plan, which seeks to address the most pressing challenges facing ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources in the country.

The National Ocean Policy action plan requests comments on actions the US Department of Agriculture and other federal agencies on the National Ocean Council will take to improve the health of the ocean, coasts and Great Lakes.

Under the proposal, integrated interagency modelling, monitoring and assessment partnerships will be established by USDA in priority watersheds to evaluate the effectiveness of land treatment practices, including the Mississippi River Basin Initiative led by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

USDA, through the Interagency Working Group on Aquaculture, will collaborate with other federal departments to identify and pursue aquaculture permitting regulatory efficiencies.

A showcase project will also be initiated between the US Forest Service and the Environmental Protection Agency, linking healthy watershed protection to estuary protection; it will also be evaluating the success in protecting and conserving high quality coastal waters.

The plan also requires federal agencies to provide scientific information to support emerging sustainable uses of resources including fisheries, renewable energy, aquaculture and biotechnology.

Agencies must also identify and make grant and partnership opportunities available to support regional priorities, as well as identifying habitat to conserve for priority fish species.

Agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack said the treatment of the lands has a direct impact on the health of the oceans.

"The National Ocean Policy action plan will further USDA’s collaborative partnerships to improve water quality through voluntary conservation efforts on private lands," he said.