S.R. NO. 121 - Senate Resolution Summary

• Requests President Obama establish a national policy by Executive Order to protect, maintain, and restore marine ecosystems with guaranteed, steady funding for ocean and coastal conservation and management.

• Supports establishment of a Regional Ocean Council for Hawaii and surrounding economic enterprise zone with transparent and participatory planning that includes frequent stakeholder engagement.

• Addresses fragmented federal ocean resource management where twenty federal agencies administer 140 laws with little coordination, creating confusion and potentially harmful policies.

• Identifies threats to marine ecosystems including invasive species costing hundreds of millions annually in tourism and fishing losses, degraded wetlands, and harmful algae blooms.

• Requests Congress provide robust funding for these efforts and directs copies be sent to the President, Hawaii's congressional delegation, and the Governor.