National Policy for the Stewardship of the Ocean, Our Coasts, and the Great Lakes (National Ocean Policy, Executive Order 13547)

The National Policy for the Stewardship of the Ocean, Our Coasts, and the Great Lakes - or the 'National Ocean Policy' - was enacted by President Obama in 2010.  The purpose of this Executive Order is "to achieve an America whose stewardship ensures that the ocean, our coasts, and the Great Lakes are healthy and resilient, safe and productive, and understood and treasured so as to promote the well-being, prosperity, and security of present and future generations."

This order adopts the recommendations of the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force, and directs executive agencies to implement those recommendations under the guidance of a National Ocean Council. Based on those recommendations, this order establishes a national policy to ensure the protection, maintenance, and restoration of the health of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems and resources, enhance the sustainability of ocean and coastal economies, preserve our maritime heritage, support sustainable uses and access, provide for adaptive management to enhance our understanding of and capacity to respond to climate change and ocean acidification, and coordinate with our national security and foreign policy interests.

This order also provides for the development of coastal and marine spatial plans that build upon and improve existing Federal, State, tribal, local, and regional decision-making and planning processes. These regional plans will enable a more integrated, comprehensive, ecosystem-based, flexible, and proactive approach to planning and managing sustainable multiple uses across sectors, and improve the conservation of the ocean, our coasts, and the Great Lakes.

This order establishes the National Ocean Council to provide appropriate direction to ensure that executive departments', agencies', or offices' decisions and actions will be guided by the stewardship principles and national priority objectives set forth in the Final Recommendations of the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force (also reviewed in this clearinghouse), to the extent consistent with applicable law.

 

 

Publication Date: July 19, 2010

Related Organizations:

  • National Ocean Council
  • Executive Office of the President of the United States

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Resource Types:

  • Executive order

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