HI HR242

Requests President Barack Obama establish a national ocean policy by executive order to protect, maintain, and restore marine ecosystems with guaranteed federal funding for implementation and enforcement by federal agencies.

Requests President Obama create a Regional Ocean Council for Hawaii and surrounding exclusive economic zones that emphasizes stakeholder and public participation in development, adoption, implementation, and evaluation of ocean management policies.

Addresses coordination gaps where over 140 federal laws affecting water resources are administered by multiple agencies (EPA, Army Corps of Engineers, NOAA, Fish and Wildlife Service, and others) with insufficient coordination between them.

Identifies threats to Hawaii's marine resources including invasive species damaging reef ecosystems, invasive fish competing with native sport fish, wetland degradation, and harmful algae blooms that harm tourism and fishing industries.

Requests United States Congress provide necessary federal funding for the national ocean policy and regional ocean planning efforts throughout the Pacific region.