Below is a brief description of the fourteenth public meeting. The agenda and minutes will be posted when they become available.

Description
Agenda
Minutes
Summary

The U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy held its 14th public meeting on January 24, 2003, at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center Amphitheater in Washington, D.C. At the meeting, the 16-member Commission continued its discussion of various policy options to address the key issues associated with developing a comprehensive and coordinated national ocean policy. This was the second Commission meeting dedicated to public discussion of policy options.

• Introduction to Policy Option Presentations and Procedures

8:45 -10:15 a.m.

• Consideration of Policy Options

10:15-10:30 a.m. Break

10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

• Consideration of Policy Options
  

12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Break

1:00 – 2:45 p.m.

• Consideration of Policy Options
  

2:45 – 3:00 p.m. Break

3:00 – 3:45 p.m. Public Comment

3:45 p.m. Adjourn


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Summary

The U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy held its fourteenth public meeting on January 24, 2003, in Washington, D.C., to discuss a multitude of issues associated with developing a new national ocean policy. This was the second public meeting which focused on the deliberation of policy options by the Commissioners. A public comment period also was held.

Mirroring the initial public deliberation held by the Commission in November 2002, two documents provided the framework for the policy discussions. The first document was the Commission’s draft Table of Contents (pdf, 100k). The second document was the Draft Policy Options for January 24, 2003 (pdf, 200k). Both documents were distributed to the public at the meeting.

The policy options were presented to the full Commission at the meeting. The Governance Working Group options were presented by Governance Chairman Bill Ruckelshaus. The Stewardship Working Group options were presented by Vice Admiral Paul Gaffney, II, USN. Commissioner Dr. Robert Ballard and Dr. Ken Turgeon, of the Commission staff, presented the options from the Research, Education and Marine Operations (REMO) Working Group. Discussion by the Commissioners followed the presentation of each set of policy options.

Issues discussed by the Commission on January 24, 2003, included:

• Setting a New Course for Ocean Governance: The Straw Governance Model
• Second Generation Coastal Zone Management
• Oceans & Human Health
• Informal Education
• Marine Transportation
• Satellite Remote Sensing for Earth Observations
• Watershed Management
• A National Watershed Monitoring Strategy
• Marine Mammal Protection
• Essential Fish Habitat
• Coral Reef Ecosystem Protection

Following the policy option discussions, staff was directed to begin initial drafting of some sections of the Commission’s final report.

The 16-member Commission currently is in the deliberative phase of its work, which will continue over the next few months. In November 2002, the Commission completed its fact-finding phase, which included nine regional meetings in every coastal area of the nation and the Great Lakes. Based on information gathered at the public meetings and its in-depth analysis of U.S. coastal policies, the Commission will compile findings and recommendations that will be presented to Congress and the President in a final report in 2003.

The next full Commission meeting is scheduled for the last week of March/first week of April in Washington, D.C. The specific date has not been determined. The site will be the George Washington University Marvin Center.