Thank you to the more than 30,000 concerned citizens who took the time to send letters
to the National Ocean Council in support of marine reserves and to call for an end to new
offshore oil drilling.
As the Deepwater Horizon blowout in the Gulf last year reminded us, even where we
have capacity to respond to an oil spill there is little we can do to recover the oil or
protect sensitive areas.
Healthy oceans depend on marine reserves. The available science is clear: marine
reserves are a valuable tool for protecting biodiversity and rebuilding fish stocks. Marine
reserves also play a valuable role in increasing resiliency of marine ecosystems to the
rapid changes underway from climate change and ocean acidification.
By bringing new offshore drilling to an immediate halt and establishing a network of
fully protected marine reserves, we can leave a legacy of clean and healthy oceans for
generations to come.
