Sen. Mark Begich talks about the Senate Oceans Caucus	Sen. Bill Nelson provides an opportunity for ocean advocates to discuss oceans	The OC Team:  Patrick Collins, Mike Dunmyer, Chris Laughlin, David Wilmot & Whitney Burns
Photos courtesy of Doug DeMark

The answer was a resounding “yes!”  Senators, Representatives and candidates came in waves throughout the evening.  Some of our strongest champions, indeed, some of Capitol Hill’s biggest players all came to the event because Ocean Champions has helped them win in the past and because they’ll need our help in 2012.  They came because they care about healthy oceans and because they need the ocean community to fight for them next year.

Rep. Lois Capps, her grandson, Oscar & David Wilmot	Sen. Ben Cardin announces that the Senate EPW Committee has passed the National Endowment for the Oceans!	David Wilmot, Sen. Olympia Snowe, Benson Chiles & Wendy Benchley
Photos courtesy of Doug DeMark

Members and candidates attending (see list below and additional pictures on Facebook) took their time to move through the crowd and get to know the 100+ ocean leaders, philanthropists, and activists in the room.  Nearly all of them also took the time to address the crowd, and when they did, the message was direct and crystal clear.  They thanked Ocean Champions for putting our money where our mouth is by supporting them and they thanked those in the room for supporting Ocean Champions.  They talked about the clear choice voters would have in 2012 – a choice that will affect ocean health for years to come, and they challenged the ocean community to make its voice heard.

Mike Dunmyer, John Racanelli  & Mike Sutton	Rep. Kathy Castor, David Wilmot, Patrick Collins & Rep. Martin Heinrich	Candidate Jared Huffman, Rep. Sam Farr, Kristen Borr & Dave Revell
Photos courtesy of Doug DeMark

Those in attendance were part of something special.  Like any good party, they enjoyed good wine and food; renewed old friendships and struck up new ones.  Unlike other parties, they were able to witness a milestone:  The evolution of ocean political power, recognized by some of Capitol Hill’s most influential Members.

Mike Dunmyer introducing Rep. John Garamendi	Congressional Sealebrities mingling with Ocean Friends & Activists	Rep. Nick Rahall having a great time, we did too!
Photos courtesy of Doug DeMark

We know that you are as excited and proud as we are today because we did this together.  And together we will continue to build on our momentum.

Thank You,

David, Mike, Chris and the entire Ocean Champions team

P.S. A special thank you to our host committee.  And remember, you can keep building political power for the oceans by joining them and giving to Ocean Champions today. 

P.S.S.  If you happen to run into any of the congressional champions who attended the event, please thank them for their tireless work on behalf of ocean health and for helping make the evening such a success:  Senators Mark Begich (AK), Ben Cardin (MD), Bill Nelson (FL), Olympia Snowe (ME), Sheldon Whitehouse (RI), and Representatives Shelley Berkley (NV), Lois Capps (CA-23), Kathy Castor (FL-11), Sam Farr (CA-17), John Garamendi (CA-10), Martin Heinrich (NM-1), Rush Holt (NJ-12), Ed Markey (MA-7), Nick J.Rahall, II (WV-3), and candidates Val Demings (FL-8) and Jared Huffman (CA-2).

Assemblymember Huffman stated, “I am honored to accept the early endorsement of Oceans Champions for my congressional campaign. As a member of the State Assembly I have fought to protect our beaches and ocean life from oil and sewage spills and have worked tirelessly to keep our state parks open.  This new congressional district covers a vast area of California coastline and we must do everything we can to preserve it for future generations.  I will continue my efforts to protect this great natural resource as a member of Congress and I look forward to working with Ocean Champions in the future.

As we’ve gotten to know Mr. Huffman over the past few months, we’ve become more and more excited about his candidacy.  We are confident that he will be a great ocean champion in Congress, and we’ll be working hard to help him get there.

More than a decade ago a colleague and I were facing the prospect of losing another policy battle on Capitol Hill. Once again, we found that our compelling scientific case was not enough to carry the day and lamented, “If only fish could vote.” We should have said, “If only fish made political contributions to candidates to help them get elected.” Fish don’t but people do, which is why years later I cofounded Ocean Champions—the first (and still the only) ocean-focused organization working to elect political champions for ocean conservation.

Elections matter. If one cares about a public policy issue like conserving the oceans, success requires working closely with and rewarding (e.g., helping them get elected and reelected) those politicians who work to protect the oceans. It also requires holding accountable those politicians who would help destroy them. At the time of my “fish don’t vote” conversation, ocean conservationists focused on policy and were not involved in electoral politics. This has changed.

In 2003 and 2004, two ocean commissions, one independent¹ and the other created by the federal government,² released their findings. It was already widely understood that the oceans were in crisis, but the reports detailed the complexity and scale of the problems and proposed a number of policy solutions and reforms. At the same time, I was coauthoring an in-depth study of the effectiveness of the ocean conservation movement.³

Recognizing that there were successful public advocacy organizations that regularly won policy victories on Capitol Hill, our study set out to identify how. We found that they all employ the same tools and strategic elements, including fund-raising, communications, and grassroots organizing. However, one particular tool stood out—participating fully in the political process (professional and grassroots lobbying and direct involvement in the electoral process). Electoral politics is a fundamental aspect of our nation’s political process and the keystone to successfully advancing policy change. Thus, while a growing force of highly professional activists was working toward ocean reforms, they lacked the political power needed to achieve victory because they had not participated in the electoral process. Seeing this critical gap, Jack Sterne and I began the process of making the oceans a political issue by founding Ocean Champions.

As a political organization focused on oceans, and designed with the necessary political tools at our disposal (direct financial support to candidates, awareness building of candidates’ ocean conservation records, targeted campaigns to help pro-ocean candidates win), Ocean Champions represented a significant departure in the ocean conservation community. Initially, we had our skeptics. Many but certainly not all ocean advocates understood or accepted that full political engagement was necessary. Politicians, for their part, immediately understood, and pro-ocean candidates embraced us. They were grateful for our endorsement and support, and by showing our commitment to them we had a unique opportunity to help them strengthen their understanding and commitment to ocean conservation. (Needless to say, the politicians we have helped defeat understand the significance of ocean political action.) Many ocean philanthropists also saw the potential of political action and provided critical financial support. Today the majority of Ocean Champions’ support continues to come from individual donors who care about ocean conservation.

Ocean Champions’ electoral and legislative successes are encouraging. We have helped elect nearly 50 politicians (Democrats and Republicans) to the U.S. House and Senate. We endorse and support members of Congress with a résumé of leadership, such as Congressman Sam Farr (D-CA); we support members who we believe have the potential to become stronger leaders; and we help elect brand-new members who can become leaders on one or more ocean issues.

We have helped almost a dozen new members win (in some cases, their primary), ranging from Congressman Connie Mack (R-FL) to Senator Mark Begich (D-AK) to Congresswoman Kathy Castor (D-FL). We have also helped defeat antiocean politicians. In 2006, working in a coalition with political environmental groups, we targeted Congressman Richard Pombo (R-CA), who earned the distinction Ocean Enemy #1. Highlighting his ethical lapses and his extreme position on offshore oil drilling, which ran contrary to many of his constituents’ views, Ocean Champions played a significant role in defeating a powerful Congressman who had made the fatal mistake of attacking our oceans.

It is encouraging that more and more members of Congress, including key committee chairmen and senior members, are providing the leadership needed to advance positive ocean legislation. Working in a pragmatic, nonpartisan way, with a focus on building real and lasting relationships, Ocean Champions advances critical ocean legislation on issues ranging from harmful algal blooms and dead zones, to fisheries reform, to our nation’s response to the BP oil spill in the Gulf.

Politics can be messy, and political action is not for the faint of heart. Yet by engaging in political hardball, Ocean Champions has strengthened the ocean conservation community and enhanced its presence and effectiveness on Capitol Hill in the critical battle for healthy oceans and thriving coastal communities.

References

1. Pew Oceans Commission. America’s Living Oceans: Charting a Course for Sea Change. (Pew Oceans Commission, Arlington, VA, 2003).
2. U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy. An Ocean Blueprint for the 21st Century (U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, Washington, DC, 2004).
3. Wilmot, D, Sterne, J, Haddow, K & Sullivan, E. Turning The Tide: Charting a Course to Improve the Effectiveness of Public Advocacy for the Oceans. Report for the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Oak Foundation, and Curtis and Edith Munson Foundation (2003).

Written by David Wilmot, Ph.D.  Published in the January 21, 2011 Journal Solutions.

You know that fighting coastal water pollution has been an Ocean Champions priority for several years. Working closely with our champions, we were able to pass a House bill to fight toxic algae and oceanic dead zones last year. Unfortunately, this good bill died in the Senate at the very end of 2010, coming just short of full passage.  We weren't ready to give up, so we met with key champions early this year to assess another run at reducing toxic algal blooms, and found that bipartisan support for addressing this issues still exists.

On June 1, the fight against coastal water pollution took another step forward as the House Science and Technology Committee's Energy and Environment Subcommittee held a hearing on harmful algal blooms (HABs) and dead zones that included consideration of draft legislation.  We haven't yet seen the bill's full language, but are encouraged that the Committee is moving forward on a HABs bill based on the one our champions passed in the House last year.

We’ll be working closely with our champions to help make this bill as strong as possible, and to get it passed. There should be extra motivation in D.C., as the BP oil spill and the Mississippi river basin flooding are expected to make the Gulf of Mexico dead zone bigger than it has ever been.

Just as we did last year, we’ll need your help at critical times to push the bill forward. Together, with a little luck, we may be able to take steps to clean up coastal water!

We expected this bill to pass the House.  A companion bill, H.R. 1229 is likely to pass the House as well.  It gives the Secretary of Interior a maximum of 60 days to review an offshore drilling permit request.  If an understaffed Interior Department can't complete the review in that period, the request is considered approved!  Does that sound like a safe way to drill to you?

The fight to block these anti-ocean initiatives is in the Senate and it starts now!

Take action today and tell your Senators to oppose these bad bills. We can’t drill our way to energy independence and we can’t wish our way to safer offshore drilling.

• Helping 22 of our 26 endorsed champions win their general elections, keeping the oceans’ strongest supporters in Washington, D.C.

• Working with these champions to fight offshore drilling and to pass bills that preserve coastal habitat, research ocean acidification and protect sharks.

• Working with the Administration to help obtain our nation’s first conservation-driven National Ocean Policy.

We couldn’t close two others, but our friends inside say they are positioned well in 2011:

• Our champions passed a House bill to reduce toxic algae and dead zones, and fought to the end to pass it in the Senate. This bill retains strong bipartisan support for 2011.

• We built strong support for funding critical ocean projects, including fisheries reform. We’re fighting to keep this in the budget when it is reconsidered in March.

We’re proud of this progress, but it isn’t enough. If we – Ocean Champions and you – are going to save the oceans, we’ve got to do more and do it faster. But, you ask, won’t ocean conservation be even tougher in the 112th Congress?

Yes it will, but great movements often become great when they’re backed into a corner. This is our time. 2010 strategies won’t work in 2011, so we’ve pushed ourselves to innovate - to find the path to victories in the 112th Congress and beyond.

And we’re excited by what we found. We’ll be fighting to save fish, to achieve major reductions in ocean pollution and to improve water quality – with a strategy crafted for today’s political reality.

Will you join us? Your support has driven our successes to date, and can bring more in 2011. Please contribute to Ocean Champions today. Together, we can win.

We're now busy planning our strategy for the next two years. As you know, our oceans will face threats in the 112th Congress, but Ocean Champions will be there to defend them. We also see opportunities to move forward on some key issues and would love to hear what you value most. Please take a moment to answer a couple questions about your connection to the ocean and your priorities.

We’ve been told that the lands / water omnibus will be considered THIS WEEK, and that it is close to having the 60 votes it needs to pass!

Please tell your Senators that you support this bill, and please do so right away. The ocean, its turtles, sharks and many other creatures are counting on you to be their voice in Washington, D.C. The lands / water package can do great things for our oceans and our environment. We cannot let this opportunity pass!

SEND A LETTER TO YOUR SENATORS NOW!

A similar bill has already been passed in the House, and now we need the Senate to act. This bill was introduced by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and enjoys bipartisan support, including cosponsorship from fellow ocean champ, Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME). Please click on this link to contact your Senator, asking them to support S. 3641, the National Endowment for the Oceans Act.

Passing this bill is a long shot – the Senate may not move any legislation in the lame duck session – but a strong show of support could help encourage the right action. Tell your Senator to seize the day and pass a great bill that will protect fish, dolphins, turtles and yes, humans too! Healthy, thriving oceans sustain ocean life and coastal communities.

This is our last shot for 2010. Let’s make it count!

SEND A LETTER TO YOUR SENATOR NOW!

However, we have unfinished business in the 111th Congress.  We’ve been able to drive a number of strong ocean bills to the brink of success, and when Congress returns for a so-called Lame-Duck session next week we will do everything in our power to ensure victories in areas such as:

• Improving coastal water quality by passing the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Act,
• Funding innovative programs to save threatened fisheries, and
• Establishing a national trust to fund ocean conservation projects

Together we must fight with all we’ve got to deliver these victories and roll into the 112th Congress with momentum, ready and able to protect our oceans.

As an ocean champion, you know what is at stake on Election Day.

You know that to pass policies that will protect dolphins, sea turtles and sharks, and will keep coastal water clean and safe, we need to elect candidates who care about these things. So you know that Election Day is one of the biggest games out there for ocean health.

• You’ve kept up with all the Ocean Champions endorsements, so you know the candidates who care about the ocean, want to help, and are in position to take action.

• You’ve gone swimming, surfing, fishing, boating or beachcombing to remind yourself of how much the oceans mean to you.

• You’ve been breathing (since, after all, the oceans do produce half of Earth’s oxygen)!

So you’re ready for the big game! Now, you just need to go out and play hard, because in this year’s election, many of our endorsed candidate’s races are too close to call, and every vote will count!

• Remind yourself of who the best ocean champions are.

• If you live in a district or state where an ocean champions is running, please go vote for them!

• If you have friends or family who live in a district or state where an ocean champion is running, please encourage them to “vote the ocean!”

We appreciate all the great things you do for the ocean, and our endorsed candidates know they have a great base of support from ocean lovers like you. Thank you.

Thanks to your generosity, Ocean Champions was able to provide huge last minute support - donations, advertising, etc. - for our champions in close races.  The world's dolphins, turtles, sharkes and fish thank you for helping the leaders who protect them!

Mrs. Bono Mack has shown that she believes ocean and environmental health are priority investments for America and her district. She has fought to save critical habitat, passing legislation to establish the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, which protects 252,000 acres and a number of endangered species, and has co-sponsored numerous bills to preserve and restore important natural areas. She co-sponsored the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act to improve coastal water quality, and she has been a leader in the fight to restore the Salton Sea, which sustains millions of birds, including some endangered species. She also helped pass the Public Lands Omnibus, which provided for coastal and estuarine land conservation and funded ocean acidification research and monitoring.

In addition to supporting measures to protect important habitat, the Congresswoman has moved to preserve threatened species as well. In the 111th Congress alone, she has backed bills to protect sea otters and marine turtles. She established a deep connection to the natural world as a child, and has said she feels a need to protect America's natural resources so that future generations can enjoy and appreciate them as well.

Even with this strong record, the Congresswoman's most notable commitment to protecting our oceans and the environment may have been through her courageous vote in favor of the Waxman-Markey Climate Bill. As one of only eight Republicans voting for the Bill, Mrs. Bono Mack took a major political risk to vote her conscience on this important issue - one she continues to stand behind today. She knows that reducing greenhouse gas emissions and moving to renewable energy is the best way to protect our planet and our oceans, as well as to establish energy independence.

For her courage, leadership and commitment, Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack is the best candidate to represent California's 45th District.

Today, Ocean Champions is proud to endorse Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey (D CA-6), and Congressman David Wu (D OR-1).  They represent west coast districts with a true appreciation for nature, and a historical reliance on the sea.  Both carry weight on the important House Science and Technology Committee, with Mr. Wu the Chairman of the Technology and Innovation Subcommittee, and Ms. Woolsey a senior member of the Energy Subcommittee.

Congresswoman Woolsey is a clear voice for sustainable environmental and ocean policies.  She consistently supports legislation to extend tax credits for renewable energy, and was at the forefront of conservation technology when her green building amendment became law in the 2005 energy bill.  More recently, she sponsored and passed a bill to expand the Gulf of Farallones and Cordell Banks Marine Sanctuaries off the Sonoma and Mendocino County coasts.  In addition to rebuilding threatened fisheries, this bill would prevent offshore drilling throughout the larger sanctuary.

Congressman Wu supports policies that drive conservation and develop alternative, clean energies.  He understands that greenhouse gasses are causing climate change and ocean acidification, and believes that addressing these issues is critically important for our future.  As the Chairman of the Technology and Innovation Subcommittee, Mr. Wu knows that developing clean energy can drive economic growth as well as improve ocean health. 

In the 111th Congress, these champions have been on the same side of many important ocean votes.  Both cosponsored the West Coast Ocean Protection Act, which would permanently ban oil drilling along the entire U.S. west coast.  In addition, each supported the House-passed CLEAR Act, which would establish the nation’s first ever ocean conservation fund, and both cosponsored the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Act to address the growing ocean and human health problem of toxic algae outbreaks.  They helped pass laws to protect sea otters and marine turtles, and cosponsored the Pacific Salmon Conservation Act.

When we talk about building political power for the oceans, this is what it means.  Helping to elect Members like Congresswoman Woolsey and Congressman Wu who value healthy oceans, serve on Committees where they can take action, and consistently do the right thing.

While they have different views on broader policy issues, these two House freshmen have similar priorities when it comes to ocean health.  When he was a New Jersey state Senator, Congressman Lance was seen as one of the state's strongest environmentalists, and he has continued to support important ocean conservation initiatives in Congress.  Congressman Adler's district has the state's second longest coastline, making healthy oceans a key concern for tourism, jobs and recreation.

In the 111th Congress, both Representatives helped pass measures to preserve key species and threatened habitat.  They supported bills to protect sea otters and marine turtles, and protected key coastal habitat by voting for the Clean Estuaries Act.   Both also helped pass into law the Omnibus Public Land Management Act, which funds the purchase of coastal areas with important ecological value, and establishes a program to monitor and research ocean acidification - perhaps the biggest threat to ocean habitat that exists.

Both men also recognize that the same greenhouse gasses causing ocean acidification are also a threat to climate, and once again agreed on a solution.  Congressman Lance was one of only eight Republicans to support the Waxman-Markey climate bill, helping it to pass the House, along with Congressman Adler who also voted in favor.  While this measure failed in the Senate, we are confident that bringing back Congressmen Adler and Lance means bringing back two Members who will continue to seek solutions to this problem.

It is worth noting that in his primary, Congressman Lance defeated a climate change denier who attacked him for supporting Waxman-Markey, while Congressman Adler is up against a drill-baby-drill opponent in the general.  Mr. Adler's opponent, Jon Runyan, favors additional offshore drilling and believes the myth of clean coal.  Mr. Runyan appears to be running mostly on a platform of I used to play for the Eagles.  Unfortunately, wearing a green uniform to work doesn't make you a good choice for the planet.

Congressmen Lance and Adler ARE good choice for the planet, and for the oceans, and are the best candidates to represent NJ-7 and NJ-3 respectively.

Congressman Honda has focused significant attention on fisheries and renewable energy. He cosponsored a collection of bills designed to address the decline in marine fisheries generally, and in the Pacific Salmon fishery specifically. In addition to his work on fisheries, Congressman Honda has long supported the development of alternative energy and has worked to prevent new West Coast offshore drilling. In response to the BP Gulf oil disaster, he cosponsored the West Coast Ocean Protection Act to permanently ban all drilling off the West Coast, and the Big Oil Bailout Prevention Act. He also cosponsored our beloved Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia bill.

Congressman Boyd  has always worked for cleaner coastal water, cosponsoring the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia bill as well as bills to restore healthy rivers in Florida's 2nd district. He was an original cosponsor for the Big Oil Bailout Prevention Act and has beaten a drum to hold BP accountable to his constituents. Along with Congressman Honda, Mr. Boyd has supported investment in innovative management programs that rebuild fisheries while supporting fishermen.

In addition to serving on the Appropriations Committee, Congresswoman Wasserman-Schultz has established herself as a leader in the Democratic Party. With others looking to her for guidance, she has been an important supporter of ocean health issues ranging from the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia bill, to preservation of sea otters, marine turtles and bluefin tuna, to reforming ocean governance. On the latter issue, she cosponsored Oceans-21  and also voiced support for President Obama's Executive Order for our first National Ocean Policy.

Ocean Champions believes strongly that all three of these senior leaders are important for the health and prosperity of the ocean and their respective districts.

Congresswoman Pingree was instrumental in bringing the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control bill back to the House floor for a second, successful vote.  As you know, this bill will fund monitoring, mitigation and prevention of toxic algal blooms, which are a dangerous, growing problem.  They kill fish, marine mammals, birds and pet dogs, put fishermen out of work, ruin vacations and make people extremely sick (sometimes fatally).

The Congresswoman has also shown a flair for innovative solutions.  She responded to BP's Gulf oil disaster by introducing the Spilled Oil Royalty Collection Act. Recognizing that oil companies pay royalties on the oil they sell, this bill provides additional incentive for companies like BP to drill safely by charging them royalties on barrels of oil they spill as well.  It would then direct any royalties collected toward clean energy projects.

Congresswoman Pingree was also an original co-sponsor of the Coastal Jobs Creation Act. Certain overfished fisheries may need to be closed at a difficult economic time for fishermen.  Instead of weakening fishing governance and further depleting threatened fisheries, the Coastal Jobs Creation Act would provide opportunities for fishermen to work with scientists collecting data on stock assessments and reducing bycatch, and on collecting marine debris and reducing pollution.

I love the ocean. Living on an island 12 miles off of the coast of Maine, I see how important a healthy ocean is to our coastal communities - from the fishermen and clam diggers to the oyster growers and tourists, so many jobs depend on having clean water.  Being endorsed by ocean champions means so much to me and I am looking forward to continuing to work to protect our oceans and coastal communities.  - Congresswoman Pingree

It was a thrill to be able to announce her endorsement in front of a cheering crowd of ocean activists, and the Congresswoman spoke passionately about her long time connection to the ocean and its importance to her constituents.  We hope that our endorsement and support, and the great momentum we felt at the event will help carry Congresswoman Pingree to a well earned victory and a strong second term.  She is and will clearly always be a true ocean champion.

Join us for this incredible opportunity to mingle with the SEAlebrities in Congress and ocean community while dining on exquisitely prepared cuisine and scrumptious cocktails at the elegant Sonoma Restaurant.  Save the date for the Ocean Champions Party:  September 21st, Sonoma Restaurant & Wine Bar, Washington, D.C.

To receive an invitation, please contact Chris Laughlin: chris@oceanchampions.org, 831-462-2550

WELCOME OCEAN PROTECTION PADDLER MARGO PELLEGRINO
When: Tuesday, August 24 starting at 12:30 and on…
Where: Santa Cruz Harbor beach, in front of the Crow's Nest

Margo Pellegrino's Pacific Paddle - Seattle to San Diego

Margo Pellegrino does what many who care about the environment do.  She picks up trash in her community and participates in beach cleanups several times a year.  She considers the environmental impacts of her decisions, and she instills environmental stewardship in her children. And then there's this little thing:

About two months a year, this 43-year-old mother of two paddles long stretches of America's coastline in a small outrigger canoe, in what has become her personal ocean conservation campaign.  She paddles into communities to call attention to the threats facing our ocean and what we must do to heal it.  She paddled over 2,000 miles from Miami to Camden, Maine in the summer of 2007.  She followed that trip with a short 500 mile trip from New Jersey's Long Beach Island to Washington D.C in 2008 and a 1,500 mile trip from Florida's Atlantic coast around the Gulf of Mexico into New Orleans in 2009 to highlight the challenges of ocean pollution (that became starkly apparent with the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster).

This summer she is paddling the Pacific coast - from Seattle to San Diego as a project of the Blue Frontier Campaign. Blue Frontier Campaign is a marine conservation group working to unify ocean constituencies to promote effective solutions to the many problems facing our public seas.  One of its books '50 Ways to Save the Ocean,' helped inspire Margo to begin her paddles.

Margo entered California in early August and is now heading toward the Bay area.  It hasn't been easy and she's already had her share of big swells, rough beach landings, and unplanned layovers. Nonetheless she's having a great time and her blog is full of stories about the kindness of strangers and the beauty of the places she's traveling through.  Margo's journey is tracked online at www.seattle2sandiego.com where broadcasts of her current location as she paddles can be found.    

Contact:

Chris Laughlin, Ocean Champions
831-462-2550
chris@oceanchampions.org

Alternate Contact:

Dustin Macdonald, Surfrider Santa Cruz
831-476-7667

The CLEAR Act improves the way we manage and protect our oceans, by setting up regional planning groups and charging them to use the best available science along with coastal and marine spatial planning to ensure the protection and maintenance of marine ecosystem health.  It establishes the nation's first ocean conservation fund, which has the potential to direct hundreds of millions annually for ocean conservation projects.

One can only imagine what a CLEAR Act would have looked like with Richard Pombo as its author…

Mr. Rahall's interests in ocean conservation go beyond the milestone provisions of the CLEAR Act.  As he states in his Committee's Agenda for the 111th Congress,

Healthy oceans are key not only to our survival but also to our quality of life; without healthy oceans we are ecologically and economically diminished. 

In keeping with this sentiment, Chairman Rahall's Committee has blocked several attempts to weaken the Magnuson-Stevens Act (regulating U.S. fisheries), and instead, strengthened it by introducing a bill to close a loophole currently allowing the brutal practice of shark finning to occur in U.S. waters.  This bill (H.R. 81) passed the House and is ready for Floor action in the Senate.  They also worked smoothly with the Science and Technology Committee to move the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control bill, which passed earlier this year.

Congressman Rahall has leveraged his leadership of the Natural Resources Committee to improve the health of our oceans, and we are proud to endorse him for re-election in 2010.

• The establishment of the first ever annual fund dedicated to ocean conservation. The bill also included large increases in land and water conservation funding.
• The creation of regional planning bodies, tasked with evaluating the health of their local ocean ecosystems and developing a strategy for ensuring sustainable use of their resources by applying coastal and marine spatial planning.
• Removal of the $75 million cap for oil company spill liability.
• Statutory reform of the failed Minerals Management Service into separate entities, eliminating the conflicts of interest that enabled a corrupt and broken culture.  In addition, the bill closes the revolving door between Big Oil and its regulator.

The bill isn't perfect.  To get support from oil producing states, an amendment was included that lifts the temporary drilling moratorium on certain deepwater rigs, subject to their passing strengthened safety evaluations.  Ocean Champions opposes this measure, but we recognize it as an unfortunate necessity to passing the broader, very positive ocean package.

This day might not have happened, however, without a great combination of grassroots activism and inside action. Just last week, pressure from Big Oil supporters in Congress almost caused the bill to be weakened beyond recognition.  We asked you to tell Congress how you felt, and you did, rapidly delivering an impressive array of emails, letters and phone calls to your Representatives.  Meanwhile, we were meeting extensively with our champions on the Hill to marshal support for the ocean provisions in the Act.

Together, along with our colleagues in the conservation community, our efforts helped to deliver a great victory for the oceans, but we won't be done until this bill is signed into law.  That requires passing it in the Senate - an even bigger challenge.  We'll again be working hard on the inside, and we'll need your help along the way.  Stay tuned and be ready for ocean action!

As you well know, establishing a National Ocean Policy has been a priority for Ocean Champions since our inception.  Together we helped make it happen.  Congratulations to all who worked hard for this important victory.

Please click here to thank President Obama for his leadership.

It doesn't get much more obvious than this. Ocean Champions is proud to announce its endorsement of Congressman Sam Farr (D-CA).

Congressman Farr embodies everything we look for in a Congressional champion. In fact, when David Wilmot founded Ocean Champions in 2003, Congressman Farr was the image he had in mind. His commitment to ocean conservation is evident from the range of ocean issues he leads, from sweeping ocean governance reform to endangered marine animal protection, and from research to offshore oil drilling bans, Congressman Farr is always there for the oceans and the people who love them.

Quote from Congressman Farr:  The ocean is so big and so vast with so many aspects not yet understood, it is hard for people to comprehend that it is in trouble.  Without the ocean, we wouldn't have the air we breathe, or much of the protein we eat.  It is our world’s largest public trust and it is invaluable to human life as we know it – it is because of this that I am a champion for its conservation, restoration and management to ensure its preservation.

Congressman Farr may be best known for his leadership on the visionary H.R. 21 - Ocean Conservation, Education, and National Strategy for the 21st Century Act (a.k.a. Oceans 21), which seeks to implement the recommendations from the Pew Oceans Commission, and the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy.  Experts argue these changes are necessary for long term ocean health. Last year, the Obama administration picked up on Mr. Farr's leadership and challenged the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force to recommend a framework for implementing critical aspects of Oceans 21, including a national ocean policy to protect, maintain and restore healthy oceans.

In addition to Oceans 21, Congressman Farr also seeks opportunities to address individual conservation priorities. In the 111th Congress, he has led successful efforts to establish new ocean research programs and improve our ability to use ecosystem-based management. He's protected Sea Otters, Sea Turtles and Sharks, and has pushed for improved coastal water quality. Always an opponent of offshore oil drilling, Congressman Farr recently cosponsored the West Coast Protection Act, to permanently prohibit oil and natural gas leasing off the coast of California, Oregon, or Washington. The list truly goes on and on.

Ocean Champions is based in Congressman Farr's district, and we couldn't be happier with our representation! His record speaks for itself, and we know well that he is the best candidate for CA-17.

These are great sentiments, but they will not happen without strong leadership from Obama himself. In his recent speech, he said he was open to ideas, and he needs to hear yours. Please tell President Obama that the time has come for a new energy future through bold action today. Give him two simple messages:

1. Drive toward a new energy future by banning offshore drilling in new areas, passing a strong climate bill and working to ensure healthy oceans.

2. He must lead this agenda across the finish line - it won't happen without him.

Please take action today!  Ocean Champions will be presenting all of your letters in a Capitol Hill event with other major environmental groups tomorrow - this is your last chance to get your letter included.

Congressman Hodes has a deep, personal connection to the ocean, and has consistently supported important ocean initiatives. In the 111th Congress, he cosponsored the landmark Ocean Conservation, Education, and National Strategy for the 21st Century Act (a.k.a. Oceans 21), along with bills to improve coastal water quality, reduce mercury pollution and help threatened sea otters recover. He helped pass the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia bill, and the Omnibus Public Lands Act, which included several important ocean bills.

This is a great record on oceans, and he would like to do even more. When we met with Mr. Hodes not long ago, he talked about how, if he won his race for Senate, he would be representing coastal communities again (his 2nd House district is inland). He pointed out that this would open up opportunities to lead on ocean issues, and talked about how representing the coast was important to him on a personal level.

Congressman Hodes said, I am honored to accept the endorsement of Oceans Champions. With 18 miles of coastline in New Hampshire, we must do everything we can to preserve it for future generations. New Hampshire's coastline is critical to our economy and to the state's tourism. In the US Senate, I will always stand up for preserving New Hampshire's environment for years to come.

Beyond oceans, Mr. Hodes is very focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and his 100% lifetime score from LCV attests to his conservation ethic. He voted for the Waxman-Markey Climate bill, touting its ability to end our dependence on foreign oil, create thousands of green jobs for New Hampshire, and significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions. He also pushed for and passed legislation to make tax credits available for residential biomass heating systems and is working to expand it to cover schools. He knows transitioning smoothly to clean energy also means reducing our current demand for carbon-based fuels, and supported raising mileage requirements for automobiles.

Congressman Hodes is a great ocean champion, and is poised to do even more. His commitment to the people of New Hampshire and their priorities, including clean air and healthy oceans, make him the best candidate to represent New Hampshire in the U.S. Senate.

I'm honored to receive the support of Ocean Champions, said Senator Boxer.  The Gulf oil spill underscores the need to protect our coast and the hundreds of thousands of California jobs that depend on our coastal economy.  I will work to protect our oceans for today and for future generations.

Healthy oceans have always been important to Senator Boxer. She introduced the National Oceans Protection Act to implement the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy's important recommendations, which included establishing an ocean policy for our nation while reforming ocean governance, establishing a trust fund to support ocean management, research and education, and codifying NOAA. Senator Boxer has also promoted restoration of marine sanctuaries to provide critical habitat for threatened fisheries.

Today, she is a leading voice in the effort to hold BP accountable for their oil spill in the Gulf, and to protect our coasts and oceans from further drilling. As Chairwoman of the powerful Environment and Public Works Committee, Senator Boxer led two hearings to investigate the causes of and responses to the Gulf spill. She has called for DOJ Criminal and Civil investigations, and recently joined other West Coast Senators to introduce legislation permanently banning offshore drilling in California, Washington and Oregon.  Carly Fiorina, Senator Boxer's challenger, continues to support expanded offshore drilling, despite revelations from the BP Gulf oil spill. 

Senator Boxer champions clean energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. She knows this is important not only for addressing climate change, but also for the economy. Many times we've heard her talk about how putting a price on carbon will drive investment in clean energy technology, creating jobs and driving economic growth for years.

Senator Boxer is the proven leader we need in Washington D.C.  Ocean Champions will be working hard to ensure she wins.

Their collaboration on the Sanctuaries Caucus shows that good things come from bipartisan (and bi-coastal) cooperation. Ocean Champions congratulates the Congresswomen on their well-earned award!

Their leadership on marine sanctuaries is not surprising, as they have consistently supported a broad range of ocean issues. Ocean Champions would thus like to take this opportunity to announce our endorsement of Congresswomen Capps and Ros-Lehtinen  for re-election.

Congresswoman Capps has been a strong and dedicated champion on a broad range of ocean issues. She has co-sponsored bills protecting sharks and coral, as well as sea otters, salmon and marine turtles. In the 111th Congress alone, she sponsored and passed legislation to protect sensitive coastal and estuarine areas, as well as a bill to establish a national integrated ocean and coastal observing system. She also co-sponsored the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act, which passed the House, and co-led (with Senator Sheldon Whitehouse) a successful effort to establish an independent commission to investigate the BP oil spill in the Gulf.

Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen has also consistently supported important ocean initiatives. She co-sponsored the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia bill and the Coral Reef Conservation Act Reauthorization, which also passed the House. Like her Marine Sanctuary Caucus co-chair, Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen has publicly supported the establishment of a National Ocean Policy to protect, maintain and restore healthy oceans.  The Congresswoman is committed to maintaining the health of the Florida Keys, and has twice used scuba gear to visit the Aquarius Undersea Laboratory to conduct online Q&A sessions with different schools. Recently, she has pushed for accountability from BP and the Minerals Management Service for their role in the Gulf oil spill, and has co-sponsored the Big Oil Bailout Prevention Act.

Given the ocean's importance to their coastal districts, voters in California and Florida could not ask for better candidates that Congresswomen Capps and Ros-Lehtinen.

Senator Leahy has led the support for funding the Coral Triangle Initiative, which preserves coastal, littoral and reef resources in a sensitive habitat that is rich in biodiversity.  He has also worked to address marine invasive species and received a perfect score from the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) the past two years.  Senator Leahy has also been a true champion for Lake Champlain, directing $80 million to clean up and protect the sixth Great Lake. 

Senator Mikulski is a longtime supporter of the Chesapeake Bay Program, which works across jurisdictions to reduce bay pollution and restore water quality.  The Senator has also worked to reduce runoff into the bay by funding wastewater infrastructure projects.  The Maryland LCV recognized her dedication in 2009, presenting Senator Mikulski with its prestigious John V. Kabler award for outstanding environmental leadership and commitment.

Both Senators have taken a leadership role in responding to the BP Gulf Oil Spill.  Senator Leahy said the spill calls for a comprehensive energy strategy driven by renewable energy.  He has urged the Obama administration to greatly expand the amount of information agencies are releasing about the spill, and recently signed onto a letter seeking to block Transocean from issuing $1 billion in dividends to its shareholders at a time when they need to cover their liabilities in the Gulf.  Senator Mikulski has asked NOAA to assess the likelihood that the spill will reach the Mid Atlantic and the Chesapeake so that appropriate mitigation steps can be taken.  She also signed onto a letter opposing Virginia's offshore drilling plans.

Both Senators are outstanding representatives for their states, and the best candidates to continue serving Vermont and Maryland.  As ocean advocates in key appropriations positions, they are also the best candidates for ocean voters.

Please act now:

• First, write to President Obama to ask him to reestablish the moratorium on new offshore drilling, to lead a strong climate bill to passage and to establish a National Ocean Policy to ensure that all federal agencies take a stewardship view when considering ocean resources.
• Second, tell your Senators to pass the Climate Bill to stimulate investment in clean, renewable energy, and to do so WITHOUT EXPANDED OFFSHORE DRILLING!

Thank you for encouraging our leaders in Washington to make the right moves in response to the horrible tragedy in the Gulf and to push for a new energy vision for our country. 

Our work is not yet done - in fact, it is just beginning

- but Big Oil is on its heels and momentum for renewable energy is on our side.

In the 110th Congress, Representatives Mack and Castor teamed up to introduce the original toxic tides bill, known then as the Save Our Shores Act. In 2009, they came on as co-sponsors to the current Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Prevention and Control bill, and played important roles in its passage. When the bill fell seven votes short of the two thirds majority needed the first time it came to the House Floor, Congresswoman Castor was influential in getting it back for a second vote. Both she and Congressman Mack gave passionate Floor speeches, and Congressman Mack helped lead a sizeable group of Republicans to vote for the bill. Congress stayed in session an extra day just to vote on HABs, and it passed with an overwhelming majority!

Both champions have deep roots on Florida's Gulf coast, and their work to protect the ocean goes well beyond the Harmful Algal Blooms bill. Congressman Mack was an early co-sponsor for the reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, which governs the management of U.S. Fisheries. Congresswoman Castor has also been a strong supporter of marine wildlife conservation, and in 2009 compiled a perfect score from the League of Conservation Voters. In addition, she has been an aggressive voice for preventing new drilling off Florida's coasts and for holding BP, Transocean and Halliburton accountable for the damage their spill is causing.

Though Representatives Castor and Mack come from different sides of the aisle, they agree on the importance of healthy oceans and coasts, and are strong ocean advocates. They're great candidates for their respective districts, and great candidates for the oceans.

What we like:

• It mandates a 17% reduction in carbon pollution from 2005 levels by 2020, 42% by 2030 and 83% by 2050. Not as fast as many would like, but in line with Waxman-Markey.

• It sets a price for carbon, with a $12 floor and a $25 ceiling (with each set to grow over time), which will improve investment in renewable energy.

• It allows carbon trading, but by a limited set of entities on a regulated exchange, allowing market forces to create pricing efficiency while limiting speculation.

What we don't like:

• It pre-empts states from implementing mandatory greenhouse gas reductions.

• It restricts the EPA's ability to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act.

• Like the House Bill, it has the USDA, not the EPA regulating agriculture offsets.

• The biggest flaw - it doesn't ban new offshore drilling; disappointing, but not surprising, given national politics.

In response to the BP oil spill, the bill was changed to give impacted states the right to veto oil drilling plans of neighboring states, and allow states to veto any drilling within 75 miles off their coast.  This improves upon the current reality, but we'd like to see more.

Ocean Champions supports passage of the American Power Act, with the caveat that we want new offshore drilling out.  The bill is a starting point for negotiations, and it may be possible to improve on its flaws.  However, this may be the last chance to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for a long time, and depending on final language, passing a solid bill may be better than failing on a perfect one.

Can it pass?  Moving anything in the Senate these days requires sixty votes, and Senators are being assailed by constituents who fear higher energy costs.  It's unclear what effect the BP Gulf oil spill will have, but offshore drilling is now an issue that must be addressed.  That said, the spill highlights the need for a renewable energy strategy, and there is support from both industry and environmental groups.  The public response to the bill may well shape its destiny, and you can help by engaging with a positive message:  Tell your Senators to pass this bill, but without offshore drilling.  Write them and call them: (202) 224-3121, and make sure your voice is heard. Together, maybe we can change the world!

Ocean Champions is proud to have helped elect many of those in Congress who are leading this fight against offshore drilling.  Our challenge this year is to make sure all of them return to finish the battle, including the three incumbents we're endorsing today:  Congressmen Ed Markey (D-MA), Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Rush Holt (D-NJ), who are aggressively pursuing solutions to address today's crisis and prevent tomorrow's.

In recent days, Congressmen Pallone and Holt have formed a powerful one-two punch against Big Oil. Congressman Pallone introduced a ban on any new drilling in U.S. waters, while Congressman Holt introduced a bill to hold oil companies fully accountable for spill costs by raising their liability cap from $75 million to $10 billion. Two weeks before BP's Deepwater Horizon blowout, both lawmakers joined with others in the New Jersey delegation to author a letter to Interior Secretary Salazar opposing the Administration's decision to expand offshore oil drilling. The letter instead calls for developing clean offshore solutions such as wind and wave energy.

Congressman Markey has consistently fought against expanded offshore drilling, pressing for improved efficiency and development of renewable energy as the best approach to ending our dependence on foreign oil. He reiterated this position after the BP Gulf oil disaster, while leading the charge to expose Big Oil's inadequate offshore drilling safety practices. In addition, Congressman Markey's ability to lead his Climate bill to passage clearly shows his commitment to replacing offshore drilling with safe, renewable energy. By reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the Waxman-Markey climate bill will also address ocean acidification, which threatens a broad range of marine species.

Elections will play a major role in deciding the national debate over our long-term energy strategy. For those interested in ending our dependence on foreign oil AND mitigating future offshore oil spill nightmares, sending Congressmen Markey, Pallone and Holt back to Washington is an important step.

It's time to tell your Senators that we won't accept more offshore oil drilling!

NOAA says the spill is pumping over 200,000 gallons of oil into the Gulf every day, and ending it may take 90 days or more. That would put 18 million gallons of oil into the Gulf - nearly twice as much as the Exxon Valdez - potentially devastating estuaries and other critical habitat, sensitive fisheries, and threatened marine mammals and turtles. Many jobs will be lost, and the economic impact will be immense.

With this heartbreaking tragedy before us, we must seize the day to reverse recent plans to expand offshore oil drilling!

When gas prices reached $4 in the summer of 2008, a large, vocal contingent of voters pushed Congress (both Democrats and Republicans) to end the 30-year moratorium on new offshore drilling. The Administration, believing that a majority of Americans favor expanded offshore drilling, recently made this central to their energy plan.

Now it's time to let them know that we won't tolerate more drilling! With only 3% of the world's reserves located offshore, we can't drill our way out of dependence on foreign oil - we need a major commitment to clean, renewable energy that will create jobs and drive our economy for years.

Tell your Senators that we MUST pass a strong climate bill this year, and tell them that this bill MUST NOT include expanded offshore drilling.

America's future will be driven by clean, renewable energy, and to make that happen we need a strong climate bill passed before the end of the year. However, this bill CANNOT include expanded offshore oil drilling as an inducement for fence sitters. We simply can't risk another catastrophe like Deepwater Horizon.

Show your Senators that America wants clean, renewable energy and does not want any more offshore oil drilling!

• Establish and include a framework for marine spatial planning in the planning activities of all state agencies with marine management responsibilities

• Obtain legislative funding for the Puget Sound Partnership to assess and improve Washington's oil spill protection and recovery programs

• Improve coastal and lake water quality by reducing phosphorus in lawn fertilizers and by reducing petroleum pollution in stormwater

• Create recycling programs for mercury-containing fluorescent light bulbs as well as for e-waste that has lead and cadmium, such as televisions and computers

Senator Pridemore is running to replace Congressman Brian Baird, a great ocean champion who has announced his retirement. With Congressman Baird, Washington's third seat has been a consistent source of political power for ocean health, so it is critical to elect someone with strong passion for the ocean to continue this tradition. Given all that he accomplished at the state level in two terms, and his clear commitment to ocean health, we believe Mr. Pridemore is just the right candidate for the job.

In addition to his work on oceans, Senator Pridemore is clear on his climate stance. In a newsletter to his constituents, he stated, Climate change is real, it is a serious threat to our planet, and it is the result of human activity. Here too, he backed up his passion with results by sponsoring and passing legislation that sets quantifiable greenhouse gas reductions and establishes proper accountability for meeting them. His bill also enhanced economic opportunities by directing state agencies to find incentives for local development of clean technologies, and to attract green businesses while preparing the local work force for these jobs.

With this kind of energy, passion and effectiveness, we're convinced that Craig Pridemore can be a strong champion in Congress, and we'll be fighting hard to help get him there.

• He was an original co-sponsor and leader on the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act, which just passed the House.
• He co-sponsored several bills focused on Bay health, including the Chesapeake Bay Science, Education and Ecosystem Enhancement Act, and the Chesapeake Bay Accountability and Recovery Act.
• At a critical point he signed on to a letter supporting the work of the Interagency Task Force on the first ever National Ocean Policy.

In addition, Congressman Kratovil courageously voted in favor of the Waxman-Markey climate bill. This was a tough vote for him, because Maryland's first district is very conservative - in 2008, McCain beat Obama by 18% - but he knew that addressing CO2 was in the best interests of his constituents and his country. It would have been easy for this district's representative to vote the other way, but Frank Kratovil took a political risk to do the right thing. This is exactly the type of action we look for from all our champions.

By contrast, his opponent Andy Harris has compiled one of the worst records on the Chesapeake Bay in the Maryland Senate. His LCV lifetime score of 13% includes recent votes against reducing stormwater pollution and reducing nitrogen runoff. He also voted in favor of a delaying the ban on phosphorus in detergent. Harris voted this way, despite the fact that these are all major contributors to the dead zones and general water quality problems plaguing the Chesapeake Bay. Given his record, if he were to beat Congressman Kratovil in the upcoming election, Andy Harris could become the next Pombo.

Congressman Kratovil rallied to beat Harris in 2008, but only by about 3,000 votes. In 2010, this race will once again come down to the wire, and it will be important for everyone who cares about the ocean to rally behind him. When the going gets tough, we stand by our champions, and we're asking you to stand by Frank Kratovil. The stakes are high, but together we can help pull off another victory for a man who is a proven champion for the ocean!

• He sponsored the Coral Reef Conservation and Protection Act which would have made it unlawful to take, import/export, possess, purchase or sell any covered coral reef species within U.S. waters
• He sponsored the National Aquatic Invasive Species Act, which would have established aquatic invasive species prevention requirements for all vessels operating in U.S. waters
• He helped establish the Northwest Hawaiian Islands National Marine Monument, which is the largest marine monument in the world (nearly 140,000 square miles)

Ocean Champions supported Ed Case then, and we are confident that he'll once again be a great champion for ocean health in Congress.  The special election is open, with three candidates; two Democrats (including Case) and one Republican.  The race will be competitive, and Ed Case is by far the best ocean and environmental candidate.

Ed Case is exactly the kind of person we want serving in Congress. As he says:

Our oceans stand on the forgotten frontlines of global environmental conservation. Too easily ignored, too absorptive of individual harm, their ability to sustain life on our planet is under accelerating cumulative threat. I remain committed to building the critical mass of support and protection it'll take to ensure healthy, productive oceans for all generations after ours.

• Continually pressing to expand offshore drilling
• Trying to weaken U.S. Fisheries Law
• Proposing to sell 15 national parks (Oh, by the way, Yosemite National Park is located in the district he's now running in)
• Repeatedly trying to gut the endangered species act

Last year, oil and gas organizations spent $154 million lobbying for their self interests, and the electric utility industry spent $135 million. Oil and gas interests have already given $8 million in electoral contributions to their favorite candidates, and coal has given $15 million. These guys love Pombo! And he's loved them right back.  Do we want to see this again?

As part of a great environmental coalition, we've beaten him once and we're jumping in to beat him again. However, we can't do it without your support. Please donate today to help defeat Ocean Enemy #1 Richard Pombo, and send him packing once and for all.

Across the globe, toxic algae recently claimed the lives of two dogs in New Zealand, bringing back the memory of similar instances that occurred last year in the states.  Not to mention that HABs has and will again shut down fisheries, causing unemployment and illness, as well as millions of dollars. And, let’s not forget all of the massive fish kills caused by HABs.

Bottom line is, HABs are on the rise - we need to have legislation passed that will prevent and control devastating toxic algal blooms - before they become even worse.  Our efforts to pass the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2009 continue, and with some hard work and a little luck we will see its passage in 2010.  Please take a moment and ask your Congressmen/women to support this vital legislation.

Copy (control C) the sample message below and paste it (control V) on the Council of Environmental Quality's website (link here).  Please personalize the first few lines of your comment to make your support more powerful.

As a citizen who is concerned about the health of our ocean and coasts, I commend you for your tireless work to develop a unifying national ocean policy and an effective coastal and marine spatial planning (CMSP) framework to maintain, protect, and restore our remarkable coastal and ocean environments.

The Interim Framework includes many elements that are essential to the success of CMSP, including an emphasis on ecosystem-based management and a call to use a precautionary approach and address cumulative impacts.

I urge you to strengthen the Framework further before it is finalized. Protecting, maintaining, and restoring ecosystem health should be made a priority. Issues like dead zones, unsustainable fishing, short-sighted oil and gas development, and the destruction of coastal wetlands threaten all of us who value it and rely on its resources. We need a national ocean policy that will require coordinated management that addresses multiple issues at the same time.

Finally, please build on the Task Force's important work by issuing an Executive Order to protect, maintain, and restore the health of ocean ecosystems and advance CMSP. Such an action would make great strides toward leaving a blue legacy.

After sending your message to the White House, please take a moment to ask your friends, family and colleagues to take action as well.  We need an army of voices!

 

By rating restaurants based on their sustainable practices, Charles wants to help channel customers (and thus $$) to the good establishments and away from the bad ones.  If the concept gets big enough, it could temper demand for overfished species and thus provide some relief.  It could also create a driver for better management of all fisheries.  Of note, Fish2Fork employs a Wiki-type approach where consumers are invited to fill out online questionnaires about the restaurants they attend.  Hopefully, this will bring broad coverage of many areas and restaurants.

These things don’t happen overnight, and they don’t happen without grassroots support.  So please check out the Fish2Fork website and provide your input on good and bad restaurants in your area.  Tell your friends to do the same, and begin the habit of checking Fish2Fork before planning a dinner out.  Vote with your wallet by patronizing the restaurants with the best sustainable practices.

Overfishing has catastrophic impacts on the health of our oceans.  In addition to threatening individual species, it fractures the food web and upsets the natural balance between species, causing further harm (see: Toxic Algal Blooms).  To solve the problem, it’ll be important to enforce U.S. fisheries law (Magnuson-Stevens), and to apply innovative fisheries management techniques like catch shares.  Real change starts with all of us though, and Fish2Fork offers a way to support these programs with appropriately directed consumer demand.

Get out of your overheated office during lunchtime on Wednesday, January 13, for Wear Blue for the Ocean Day, and join a coalition of citizens and conservation groups as we rally to restore the blue in our red, white and blue.  Get inspired by a few brief speakers including Sherman's Lagoon cartoonist Jim Toomey, whale and critter costumes, surfboards, free t-shirts and a spirit of hopeful celebration for the new year and a new approach to federal ocean policy.

Thousands of people across the country will be wearing blue in their offices, work sites, classrooms, and on the streets at similar events (including San Francisco, Honolulu, Cambridge and New Orleans).  Come out on Wednesday, January 13 and get some fresh air for the other 71 percent of our blue planet.

For more go to www.wearblueforoceans.org

So far rallies and events for January 13th have been planned for San Francisco, Seal Beach, Washington D.C., Cambridge, New Orleans, Tampa, Houston and Honolulu.  You can learn more about them and plan your own blue event at:  wearblueforoceans.org

Check out the Wear Blue Facebook and Wear Blue Twitter pages.

Spread the word champs!

• Our champions in the Senate and House introduced a bill to prevent and control Toxic Algal blooms (such as red tides).  With our leadership, the bill has moved quickly - it has already been passed out of committee in each Chamber and is ready for Floor votes.
• Our champions have passed measures to address ocean acidification, to improve ocean and coastal monitoring and mapping, and to safeguard fragile coastal and estuarine areas.
• Our relationships helped us play an important role on the coalition pushing for a National Ocean Policy to protect, maintain and restore our oceans - a lofty goal that is now imminent.

We've helped give the oceans a voice on Capitol Hill.  Now, we need you to make that voice even stronger by joining Ocean Champions today.  Your contribution improves opportunities for all ocean advocacy, and if you join by November 30th, your generous gift will go twice as far, because two of our donors have agreed to match the first $10,000 contributed, dollar for dollar.

Please join today.  The Ocean Champions model is unique and it works, but we can't do it without your support.

Tragic events such as this are a blatant reminder of why it is so critical to get the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia bill through Congress this year.  How long until the next fatal bloom, and who will suffer; marine life, dogs, horses, humans?  Trends indicate that HABs are on the rise, becoming more deadly and costing millions of dollars every year.  In a recent study, HABs have been linked to mass extinctions!

If you are an experienced care giver for injured birds, or would like to make a donation of towels, large dog kennels, bleach or $, please call the Wildlife Center of the North Coast at 503-338-0331.  Click here for more info.

Please join us in our efforts to get the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act through Congress.

This is Washington, D.C. after all, so the minority proceeded to offer three amendments aimed at preventing unfunded mandates. Ocean champion Brian Baird (D-WA) debated well and showed that his bill already had appropriate flexibility and that the amendments were unnecessary.  Chairman Gordon then proved to be an extremely effective quarterback by marshalling the support necessary to defeat each challenge.  After dispensing with the amendments, bi-partisan harmony returned, and the bill was passed unanimously!

Getting to this point hasn't been easy.  It has taken strong leadership from our congressional champions, and a lot of inside work.  We're proud that both Members and staff have told us that H.R. 3650 wouldn't be moving without Ocean Champions.  Of course, this means YOU as much as us, since these same people go on to tell us about the thousands of letters, faxes and emails they received from you!  Your efforts were big, they were timely, and they worked - thank you!

Our focus now moves to Leadership and to securing the Floor time needed to pass the bill out of Congress.  We continue to believe that with a little luck and some hard work it can be passed this year.  When that happens, we'll all have reason to be very proud.

There was a frenzied energy as all-night House procedural votes and a mandatory Senate dinner meant that our congressional champions were literally running from the Hill, staying as long as they could, then running to vote again.  Their efforts spoke volumes about their feelings for the ocean and for Ocean Champions.

We were truly honored that ten Members - Senator Jack Reed, Cong. Bart Gordon (Chair, Science & Technology Committee), Nick Rahall II (Chair, Natural Resources Committee), Brian Baird (Chair, Subcommittee on Environment & Energy), Sam Farr, Kathy Castor, Lois Capps, Frank Pallone, Jr., Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Frank Kratovil - were willing to battle their schedules to show their support for the ocean.  Many made passionate speeches, and all took the time to chat with the ocean activists who attended.  Congressman Baird may have delivered the quote of the night when he said, No one should mention climate change without discussing ocean acidification!

We were grateful for the many ocean activists who came and celebrated.  Many old friends stopped by, and new friendships were made.  Everyone had a great time, and we can't wait to do it again next year!

Check out the 2009 DC Reception photo gallery!

TAKE ACTION!

Check out the full press release:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq/Press_Releases/September_1_2009/
 

Don't forget to also submit your comments to the Council on Environmental Quality's website:  http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq/initiatives/oceans/

Hey Champs!  If you haven't already, come join the over 1,400 people who're engaging with their ocean buddies on an Ocean Champions social networking site.  We strive to create an open, inviting forum where people are comfortable sharing their views on important ocean issues while finding the time to have some fun along the way.

If you haven't joined us on Facebook, you missed:

• Frequent insights from our meetings with Members of Congress and their staff
• Insider analysis of the tactics being used to move the Waxman-Markey Climate bill
• Early alerts (and trailers) about important ocean films being released, such as The End of the Line, Sea Change, The Cove, and Acid Test: The Global Challenge Of Ocean Acidification
• Detailed information about Toxic Algal Blooms like Red Tides and updates on the great bill we're moving to help get rid of them
• Engaged conversations about international movements to ban trade in Bluefin tuna and about a new theory that half of earth's ocean water came from comets
• Fun stuff like our Friday Polls, links to OC blogs and studies about Orca parties

If you aren't Tweeting along with Ocean Champions, you missed:

• Real time updates from our meetings on Capitol Hill
• Live tweets from the Senate Commerce Committee markup and vote on the Toxic Tides (Harmful Algal Blooms) bill
• Numerous links to news on pressing ocean issues that you're unlikely to find anywhere else

So come and lend your voice to the conversation.  It's easy, fun and informative, and four out of five environmentalists recommend the Ocean Champions social networking sites to their friends who network socially.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ocean-Champions/92289741521?ref=ts

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/OceanChampions

As you know, we are fighting so hard on this issue because harmful algal blooms (HABs) and hypoxia are a serious and growing problem in our ocean, coastal waters, and lakes including the Great Lakes.  They threaten public health, wildlife, fisheries, recreation, and tourism, and are getting worse.  We need to help communities understand, predict, control, and prevent dangerous and deadly marine and freshwater HAB and hypoxia events.  This legislation is a key step forward.

We will now be shifting some of our focus to the House of Representatives.  We've learned that key House members are writing a bill that should be introduced after the August recess.  Our goals for the House are to (1) have a strong bill introduced in early September, (2) have a committee hearing of the bill scheduled, and (3) build broad bipartisan support.  We will be working the halls of Congress in the coming weeks (including working with our House Champions who are providing tremendous leadership on the issue).

So rest up over the last few weeks of summer because come September we will need your help to push this bill over the finish line!

You can tune in via Internet radio at:

http://www.modavox.com/voiceamerica/vshow.aspx?sid=1570

Late today, however, the House of Representatives was able to pass this historic legislation by a vote of 219 to 212. This represents a sea change in our national approach to energy and climate change, and gets us moving forward in the right direction. The bill has many moving parts, but above all else, it establishes a cap on carbon emissions and a cap and trade approach to lowering them over time.

Carbon emissions are causing some of the biggest problems facing our oceans. Ocean acidification, which poses a massive threat to ocean habitats, marine food webs, and fish stocks, is a direct result of carbon dioxide dissolving in seawater. Sea level rise is a secondary result of global warming, also caused by atmospheric carbon. By imposing a cap on emissions and a market-based system for reducing them, this bill provides hope that we can finally begin to address these serious ocean problems. So tonight, Ocean Champions thanks the Congressmen and women who worked so hard to deliver the victory.

Recently, President Obama took action to protect and conserve our oceans. Less than 6 months into his presidency he sent a strong signal that conserving our oceans and coasts will be a goal for his administration.

President Obama issued a Memorandum that calls for the development of a national ocean (coastal and Great Lakes) policy that will protect, maintain, and restore these ecosystems. This is an important step because the health of our oceans is in decline, the threats and stresses on ocean ecosystems continue to build, and there is NO unifying vision for specifically how to reverse these trends and restore our oceans.

The President established an interagency task force that will recommend within 90 days: (1) a national policy that protects, maintains, and restores ocean, coastal and Great Lakes ecosystems, (2) a framework for policy coordination, and (3) an implementation strategy. The task force will also begin to address the challenge of planning for multiple uses in the oceans. This old problem is getting a fresh look and a new name - marine spatial planning.

We thank President Obama for his leadership on behalf of our oceans. And we look forward to continuing to work with his administration to achieve our goal of establishing a national ocean policy.

We are hopeful that the President's leadership will boost action on Capitol Hill. We will continue to work with our Champions and colleagues in the ocean conservation community to build support for tackling the challenges facing our oceans.

• Read the Memorandum.
• Read the Proclamation.

• Sit on a beach watching waves break while holding hands with the love of your life
• Take the drop on a wave just slightly beyond your ability, hit the bottom and turn back up the face while looking down the line, pumped with adrenaline because you made it
• Watch children play in the surf - hearing their laughter and feeling yet another generation make an emotional connection to the sea
• Feel the wind and ocean spray on your face as you sail through open water
• Float weightlessly in paradise as you dive with great ocean fish amongst thriving corals

This list could go on forever, but you know that. In fact, if you’re receiving this you already know a lot about the ocean and its issues. So on World Ocean Day, take the time to share your love for the ocean with the people you know who aren’t as connected as you. Encourage them to:

• Use less plastic, recycle more, drive less (walk more), eat sustainable seafood, and do all the simple things that directly impact the ocean
• Engage in ocean politics to drive the changes needed at the national level to ensure healthy oceans and coasts for the long term
• Join Ocean Champions, the political voice of the ocean. On World Ocean Day, let’s become stronger as we fight this fight together!

…and make sure you do these things too!

This was the first step in our HABs campaign, and we expect to call on you several more times over the summer as the legislation progresses. We've begun to build out our HABs information center on the website, to keep you well informed and armed for action. Ocean Champions will be meeting with many influential Members of Congress about this issue during Oceans week so stay tuned!

The closer we come to passing the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Act of 2009, the more your voice will count. So please continue to advocate when opportunities arise. In addition, please pass this eBlast to your friends and your broader networks and ask them to sign up on the Ocean Champions email list. The more letters and emails Members of Congress receive, the more likely they'll be to act.

Thanks again!

If you didn't get a chance to email your Senators, it's not too late. Just click here and let your voice be heard.

The days are longer and the air and water are beginning to warm. Memorial Day is just around the corner and people all over the country are looking forward to summertime. Ocean Champions everywhere are dreaming of beaches and waves, clambakes and steamers, boardwalks and romance, and harmful algal blooms (HABs). Well, OK, hopefully toxic algae does not immediately come to mind, but as many of us have learned, summertime is a boom time for harmful blooms (often referred to as "red tides").

Toxic algae are no picnic. HABs can kill fish, mammals and birds. They disrupt ecosystems and food webs and can lead to hypoxia, where large marine areas become uninhabitable "dead zones." They also threaten human health. Simply eating your favorite fish or shellfish can be a risk, if it's contaminated. Or imagine a morning surf or leisurely walk along the beach leading to an emergency room visit because of exposure to certain toxin in the water or air, which can cause gastrointestinal, neurological and respiratory problems that are sometimes fatal. This makes the dreaded summer cold seem like a walk in the park. These problems are getting worse, not better, as the incidence, duration and severity of HAB events are on the rise.

Ocean Champions has made the case that America needs a national strategy to address HABs. With your help we have been heard and now you can help us pass a law for just such a strategy. The initial action is taking place in the Senate where two of our Ocean Champions, Senators Snowe (Maine) and Nelson (Florida), have introduced the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2009. The bill, which already has bipartisan support from key Senators from the East and West Coasts, as well as the Gulf of Mexico and the Great Lakes, will authorize significant funds for research, monitoring, prevention, mitigation and control. It will fund the development and implementation of response plans, strategies and tools for beating back the HAB problem.

How can you help? The first step is to build support in the Senate. We are asking you to send a letter to your Senators today. Simply go to this link to send a letter to your Senators asking them to support the bill.

Congressmen respond when they hear from their constituents. So fire up your wireless connection from the beach and let's raise the voice of the ocean and carry this good HABs bill over the finish line!

** Don't forget to become a fan of our Facebook page. We'll be opening up dialogs about HABs and other issues all summer long. We want your ideas and opinions!

Photos courtesy of: http://www.whoi.edu/redtide/, W. Carmichael, Dr. Anderson (Brazosports)

May 8, 2009, Capitola, CA - Ocean Champions - the only national political organization focused solely on oceans and ocean wildlife - strengthened its organizational and marketing depth with the hiring of veteran business strategist Mike Dunmyer as Executive Director. Mike joins President and Co-Founder Dr. David Wilmot to lead the organization.

"Mike Dunmyer's appointment highlights Ocean Champions commitment to continued expansion and innovative leadership," said Dr. Rob Moir, Ocean Champions Chairman of the Board of Directors. "Mike will help us to continue to build the political power in Washington, D.C. needed to protect our marine resources and save our oceans.

Before joining Ocean Champions, Mike was a serial entrepreneur, creating, developing and leading strategy, finance, marketing and operations organizations as a Vice President in the Fortune 500 world. During the past three years, Mike also served on the Ocean Champions' Board of Directors where he led a successful strategic planning and implementation effort and also managed the Board's Executive Committee. Mike has an MBA from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business, and a BA in Economics from Washington and Lee University.

"Mike joins Ocean Champions as my partner at a pivotal moment for ocean conservation," said Wilmot. "Between the election of President Obama and the ascension of some of our closest allies to key positions in Congress, there is an opportunity to dramatically reshape how we manage and protect our oceans. Ocean Champions is working with political leaders to make the most of it."

"Ocean Champions is an outstanding organization that has elevated ocean conservation as a political issue and is making a difference on Capitol Hill," said California Congressman Sam Farr. "I look forward to continuing to work together to advance a strong ocean agenda."

Mike has a great love for the ocean that comes from growing up in California and Hawaii, and living around the Delaware shore. He is a surfer and a grassroots activist for the Surfrider Foundation's Capitol Chapter.

"I am honored and excited to join David Wilmot and the Ocean Champions' team. Building a presence for the oceans on Capitol Hill is critical, and Ocean Champions is the leading political voice in ocean conservation," says Dunmyer. "I believe passionately in a bipartisan and pragmatic approach to getting real results for ocean conservation in the policy arena."

As a part of this community, we at Ocean Champions get to learn from our friends and fellow ocean lovers on a daily basis. But, we haven’t been able to hear the passions, priorities and concerns of the wider ocean network.

Until now.

Web 2.0 social networking tools bring people together from all around the world and form all parts of society. Starting today, Ocean Champions is joining the conversation. We’ve launched a presence on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Change.org, and yes, we’ll even be Tweeting from time to time. This’ll let us get you inside information much more quickly and creatively. More importantly, however, it’ll allow you to share your ideas, concerns and hopes with us and with the rest of the community.

So, please join Ocean Champions’ new social networks. Talk about what’s important to you. Start a wave by asking your friends and family who care about the oceans to do the same, and we can all join together to form a diverse but unified voice for the oceans!

Here are the links to our social networking tools:

Ocean Champions Facebook Page

Ocean Champions LinkedIn Page

Ocean Champions Change.org Page

Ocean Champions Twitter Page

Today, the political landscape is still challenging, but there are reasons for hope. The Obama administration and leaders in Congress are stressing the development of alternative, clean energies, including solar, wind and wave power, public consciousness about global warming is rising, and gas prices are more modest. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar placed a six-month hold on the Bush Administration's plan for new oil drilling, and is using that time to gather input from experts and concerned stakeholders. A clear anti-drilling message was delivered to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar at the public hearings recently held across the country. It isn't too late to make your voice heard! You may submit your comments to Ms. Renee Orr, up until September 21, 2009:

Ms. Renee Orr
Chief, Leasing Division
Minerals Management Service, MS 4010
381 Elden Street
Herndon, VA 20170-4817

Washington, D.C., Ocean Champions’ President and Co-Founder Dave Wilmot, Ph. D., presented Rep. Sam Farr (D-Carmel) with an award for his commitment to healthy ocean policy at the prestigious ’Peter Benchley’ Awards Luncheon at The Blue Vision Summit conference at George Washington University, Washington D.C. March 7-9 2009.

Ocean Champions’ sponsored the highly successful Blue Vision Summit -- a convergence of ocean and coastal leaders, blue groups, scientists, surfers, fisherman, businesses, educators, clergy, and youth, who gathered to celebrate ocean health and promote ideas for ensuring healthy ocean policy.

“Congressman Farr is a great champion for our oceans in Congress,” stated David Wilmot. “It was my honor, on behalf of my colleagues, to recognize him for all that he has done for the Monterey Bay, the California coasts and all our oceans.”

"I'm proud to receive the Blue Frontier award this year. Groups like the Blue
Frontier Campaign and Ocean Champions play an important role in our efforts to turn the corner on our national ocean policy.”, said Rep. Farr. “I look forward to continuing my work with all the great grassroots organizations to advance ocean policy that we can be proud of."

Blue Vision Summit aims to:

ENCOURAGE President Obama and Congress to take positive action on our public seas
ADDRESS Climate Change impacts on the Ocean
HIGHLIGHT SOLUTIONS to marine environmental threats that work and need to be expanded
“"It was particularly meaningful that Ocean Champions leader, David Wilmot, gave Rep. Sam Farr this prestigious award in the name of healthy ocean policy,” said David Helvarg, President of the Blue Frontier Campaign. “Rep. Sam Farr hails from the beautiful central coast of California- where people from all over the world visit and admire the Monterey Bay Sanctuary. David Wilmot understands, first hand, how important it is to have political representation that works to protect oceans that provide so many communities with a healthier economy and lifestyle.”

The Blue Vision Summit is designed to:

• Encourage President Obama and Congress to take positive action on our endangered ocean and coasts,
• Inform and inspire ocean activists, leaders, and the public about solutions to ocean threats that work, and
• Find a common voice on climate change and other emerging issues

Our own Blue-Visionaries, President, David Wilmot, and Jack Sterne will be moderating panel discussions on advancing federal ocean policy and ocean energy, respectively. David will also have a surprise for one of our Ocean Champions at the Blue Frontier 'Peter Benchley' Awards Luncheon.

The Blue Vision Summit is a chance for all of us to meet, grow, think, converse and become a part of our movement that will protect the oceans.

Please join us in D.C. on March 7 - 10, 2009.

Special OPEN INVITATION 4th Friday: The Blue Vision Becomes Clear

We would also like to invite you to join David Wilmot for a "Fourth Friday" conversation on Friday February 27 when he will be joined by Blue Vision Summit organizer David Helvarg. While our "Friday" calls are traditionally provided at a benefit to only members of Ocean Champions, the Summit is such an important opportunity that we want everyone to hear about it. David Helvarg will share his inspiration and aspirations for the Summit and answer any questions we may have. It will be a fun conversation and we encourage you to join us. Mark your calendars: call details will follow soon.

Find friends who are also a part of the Blue Summit on facebook!

UPDATE (2/27/09): Listen to the Podcast of the Fourth Friday Call with David Helvarg.

One where a foundation of great promise has been established. We worked together to help elect a wave of new ocean champions as well as some champions in key leadership positions. These Congressmen and women are preparing for a robust session that will include opportunities to pass strong ocean health legislation, and Ocean Champions is there. Ocean Champions' leadership has been camped out in Washington DC lately, meeting with transition teams, our partners in the conservation community, and members of Congress to craft strategy around key ocean health-related legislation.

Throughout 2009 we'll be working hard to move this legislation. We'll be keeping you informed each step along the way. There will be much to discuss, and much to get excited about, and we want to be speaking to the broadest audience possible. That's where you can help us. Tell your friends; tell your neighbors; tell your neighbors' friends and your friends' neighbors. Tell as many people as you can about Ocean Champions, and ask them to join the conversation by subscribing. In addition to the insights that Ocean Champions alone is uniquely able to deliver, we'll also provide you with strategically timed opportunities to tell Congress how you feel about critical ocean health issues. You will be a part of passing major ocean bills.

Together, we can speak with a single clear, credible voice. Let's make that voice as loud as possible.

At Ocean Champions, we woke this morning with a renewed sense of hope. A hope and knowledge that in the coming days, we will advance our work for healthy oceans with a stronger cadre of ocean leaders working beside us. Overall, we had a great night, with 26 wins, 6 losses, and 2 races still too close to call.

Our biggest victories include two new Senators – Kay Hagan in North Carolina and Jeanne Shaheen in New Hampshire. We’ve never won a Senate race against an incumbent, and these are huge. Close wins in the House include John Adler (D), who will take over the House seat of retiring Rep. Jim Saxton (R), a great ocean champion. With her past work of protecting the environmental integrity of coral reefs and other coastal marine resources, Ros-Lehtinen (R) in Florida was another great victory for the oceans.

Others hang on a knife’s edge. Races like Kratovil and Begich are lingering on the balance of a few thousand votes. Tough losses include Tom Allen, running for the Senate from Maine.

While the victories are sweet, the losses hurt, and the cliffhangers are certain to make us lie awake at night for days, maybe weeks. We can hold our heads high today knowing that we’re doing what we need to do to change 'business as usual' in our political leadership. So while it looks like we may have lost two close House races against entrenched incumbents — Linda Ketner who was trying to unseat Rep. Henry Brown in SC and Nick Leibham trying to defeat Rep. Brian Bilbray from California — we’ve put these two incumbents on notice that we’ll go after them if they don’t pursue policies that are beneficial to their ocean districts.

We made some really smart plays that will pay off in a new Democratic administration, and we helped keep in place a really solid Republican, Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL) in a swing district. Together, with your support, we’re very well set up to have a great deal of influence in this new day in American politics. We couldn’t have done this without you.

One would think we'd just want to revel in these victories, for a while. Surprisingly, this is not where we find ourselves. We look around at our co-workers, friends and family and what we see is a community of people rolling up their shirt-sleeves. Standing a little taller. Wanting to get to work rebuilding this country for our oceans.

Read more on our election experiences and share your stories with us on our blog.

It's time to get Brown out of Congress and to get a true ocean leader, Linda Ketner, there instead!

We've got a great ad scheduled to run prior to Election Day in the Charleston Post & Courier, the largest paper in Brown's district, and we need your help so we can put the ad in the paper for another day:

TAKE DOWN BROWN!

This ad is one way that we can make sure Linda wins this critical race. We need your help to run it. For only $4100 we can run this ad, created especially for Linda, for an extra day. And, we all know, an extra day can make a huge difference in a very tight race.

Linda Ketner stands for a healthier future for South Carolina. She envisions an environment that provides families and ocean lovers with a long lifetime of health and enjoyment. Polls are showing Ketner closing the gap, and this ad may help her take the lead and win this race.

With your help, we can run this ad for an extra day. And, we're the only ones who can do it. Please donate what you can today to help us raise the money needed to advertise for Linda Ketner.

John Adler is running to replace the seat of one of our ocean champions, Rep. Jim Saxton, which will be no easy feat. Saxton's leadership on oceans and New Jersey's environmental issues have set a high standard for the candidates seeking to represent the district. Named as one of New Jersey's ten top legislators by New Jersey Magazine, State Senator John Adler has a reputation for being "hardworking, incisive, and respected by both parties". Adler serves on the State Environment Committee and has consistently fought against offshore drilling and spoken out against an offshore liquid natural gas facility. Adler has earned the support of the Sierra Club and the New Jersey Outdoor Alliance, and deserves the support of Ocean Champions.

John Adler: "Drilling for oil a few miles off of New Jersey is a mid-20th century response to a 21st century problem. It will do nothing to reduce the cost of gasoline or our nation's carbon emissions, while polluting our beaches and restricting fishing in large stretches of our ocean."

Linda Stender has a real record of fighting for environmental protections. In the State Assembly, she wrote the New Jersey Global Warming Response Act - creating the nation's strictest reduction standards to curb global warming emissions. As a proven leader in the State Assembly we expect Linda to bring that commitment to the national level, following in the footsteps of Saxton, Lautenberg, Pallone and joining our other New Jersey champions in the fight to protect our oceans and coastal resources.

Linda Stender: "We need an energy policy that lowers gas prices and ends our dependence on foreign oil, through investments in renewable energy sources and green technologies. We owe it to our children and grandchildren to leave them a cleaner, greener world."

As you may know, Rep. Brown is the ranking member on the Natural Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans. As the ranking member, he has never earned more than an 8% rating from the League of Conservation Voters. Brown actively and aggressively opposed Oceans-21 legislation, and asked others in his party to oppose it, while Reps. Gilchrest and Saxton (also Republicans) strongly supported it. He has a record of opposing strong ocean legislation, which makes him a prime target for defeat.

A recent example of Brown's anti-ocean approach was his introduction of legislation removing the current protected zone of Capt. Sam's Inlet, a special zone at the southwestern end of Kiawah Island, off the South Carolina coast. Fortunately, we have a strong alternative to Brown and that is Linda Ketner. Linda is pushing back, "removing the land on Capt. Sam's Inlet would not enhance the ecological value of the area required by federal law and would instead encourage the area's development by making future homes eligible for federal flood insurance."

Linda Ketner has earned a reputation as a pragmatic and bi-partisan problem solver. She plans to take the steps necessary to improve our waterways and environment, in her own words:

"Now is the time for energy independence and freedom from the political, military and polluting consequences of it. Now is the time to reduce our carbon emissions and improve the quality of our air and water, as well as reduce the impact of the greenhouse effect. Our coastline is what makes South Carolina so special to everyone who lives here and our hospitality industry depends on it. In Congress I look forward to advocating on behalf of our coastal communities and the oceans themselves."

In their own words, they share the vision of a healthier planet:

Christine Jennings: "The environment is critical to our economy, our health and our lifestyle. I will oppose any effort by the big oil companies to drill off Florida's coast and will fight for tougher environmental standards to ensure that our air and water are protected. I will also work for more funding for Red Tide research and Everglades restoration."

Chellie Pingree: "We have a unique opportunity to take concrete steps to protect and preserve the environment. We just need to show the political will to take advantage of it."

Kay Hagan: "I'm proud to be endorsed by Ocean Champions and look forward to working with them in the Senate. North Carolina's coast is both a treasured possession and an economic boon, and it's of the utmost importance to me that we protect and preserve it for generations to come. I also believe we need to encourage water conservation and invest in environmentally responsible hydropower, as well as promote research into renewable resources such as wave and tidal energy which could help us reduce our dependence on foreign oil and help prevent further global warming."

The protection of the environment and oceans is one of the cornerstones to Leibham's campaign. "The fact that Nick proactively sought the support of Ocean Champions tells us a lot about the caliber of his commitment to ocean health, and deep understanding of the political landscape," said David Wilmot, PhD, President and Co-Founder of Ocean Champions.

Nick Leibham is running a race aimed at serving not just the citizens of California's 50th district, but connecting those issues to the complex problems facing our nation's oceans. "We believe Nick will be as strong a voice for ocean conservation in Congress as he has been on the campaign trail," said Wilmot. "And we believe Nick demonstrates that it takes more to be an ocean champion than hanging a surf board in a D.C. office," Wilmot added.

"I am honored to have the endorsement of Ocean Champions because we share the same values. Oceans and water quality have been a major pillar in my campaign and I look forward to making them a major focus of my leadership," added Leibham.

"It has become ever more apparent that the health of the ocean affects all Americans and is impacted by all Americans," said David Wilmot, PhD, President and Co-founder of Ocean Champions. "Electing Congressional champions is one of the most powerful things we can do together in the protection of our oceans for generations to come."

Ocean Champions is endorsing in the U.S. House Rep. Wasserman-Schultz (D-FL), Rep. Ehlers (R-MI), Rep. Holt (D-NJ), Rep. Honda (D-CA), Rep. Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) and Rep. Gordon (D-TN), and long time ocean champion, Rep. Pallone (D-NJ). In addition to these established and effective members of Congress, Ocean Champions is endorsing a new leader, Governor Shaheen, challenging Senator Sununu for his seat in New Hampshire.

We've given you all the arguments, and we all know it's a bad idea that won't reduce gas prices while putting our coasts unnecessarily at risk. We are continuing to spread the message on Capitol Hill that new offshore drilling is the wrong move. But we need all hands on deck to reinforce our efforts, and the best thing you can do is write a letter to the editor today:

NO DRILLING

We're not giving up yet. We will never give up on ocean health. That's why we need you to step up your efforts by writing your local paper today:

NO DRILLING

We'll make sure that members of Congress see your letter -- those letters have ten times the impact of sending an email directly to a member. This is the highest impact action you can take given the time.

You can also help by contributing to Ocean Champions. Your generous contribution helps fund our lobbying efforts, and we can't turn this thing around without your support.

Time is short, so please act for the oceans now.

The Ocean Champions Team

P.S. The real picture becomes clear when Sen. John McCain admits that the only purpose of drilling offshore is to provide "psychological benefits" to American consumers...check this out and join the discussion on our blog.

Begich, a native son and the mayor of Anchorage, Mark understands that Alaska is “ground zero for the impacts of climate change” and that leadership is about creating, not pocketing change. As mayor he has worked to reduce emissions, and make Anchorage a more energy efficient city while also working with international winter cities to “address climate change.” As Anchorage's mayor, Begich invested $10 million to remove barriers to fish passage, maintain and restore riparian habitats, and increase public involvement in salmon and watershed stewardship in the state's largest city.

Kratovil, the State's Attorney for Queen Anne's County, has made support for the Chesapeake Bay one of the cornerstones of his campaign while his opponent Andy Harris makes no mention of this important part of Maryland's ecosystem. Frank Kratovil has pledged to support the Clean Water Restoration Act, resisted the pressure to support expanded offshore driling in presently off-limits areas, supports a moratorium on menhaden fishing off the Atlantic coast - restoring the population of this critical filter fish in the Chesapeake Bay, and he will fight for increased funding to help farmers make the switch to the best environmental practices - to reduce the nutrient pollution devastating the Chesapeake Bay.

This second wave of endorsements is made up of established members of Congress who are key to future healthy oceans legislation, but who are new to Ocean Champions: Del. Madeline Bordallo (D-Gu.), Rep. Allen Boyd (D-Fl.), Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Il.) and Rep. Nick Rahall, and in the U.S. Senate, Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI).

The candidates on this first endorsement list are all from coastal states and proven advocates for ocean health. Ocean Champions is endorsing in the U.S. House:
Rep. John Barrow (D-Ga.), Rep. Lois Capps (D-Ca.), Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Fl.), Rep. Sam Farr (D-Ca.), Rep. Connie Mack (R-Fl.), Rep. Ed Markey (D-Ma.), Rep. Hilda Solis (D-Ca.), Rep. Chris Shays (R-Ct.), and in the U.S. Senate: Rep. Tom Allen (D-Me.).

Stay tuned over the next two months for our second and third waves of endorsements.

Our sources tell us that the leadership in the House and Senate is committed to upholding the moratorium that has been in effect since 1981, and working for a more sensible energy policy that includes incentives for renewable energy and conservation. We MUST support these efforts, and tell our Congress that our oceans are more important than the limited supplies of oil that can be extracted from them.

Please contact your Senators and Representative today and tell them to support the moratorium: 202-224-3121.

Send a letter today, NO TO DRILLING

Champs, join in our conversation and read more about our thoughts on this issue. Visit Ocean Champions blog.

Champs, your opinion really matters to us!  Is your elected official doing really great work on behalf of the oceans, or, is it questionable?  Tell us about it.  We are on the watch, and with your help, together we can push for higher standards.

Check out Rep. Sam Farr’s editorial, “We Must Care for Oceans” from Monday, April 28th regarding Oceans 21.

From everyone here at Ocean Champions, we’d like to thank all of our Ocean Champs that supported this important ocean legislation in pushing it through the first crucial stage. Now, our work must continue to get the bill past the full committee and onto the House and Senate.

Stay tuned for news about how you can help in this next phase.

Watch Rep. Sam Farr and David Wilmot, Ph.D., President of Ocean Champions, discuss nuances to OCEANS-21 and an easy way for you to help.

Currently, our oceans are managed under 140 laws implemented by 20 Federal agencies without a unifying, ecologically-driven vision to protect the overall health of the ocean. With OCEANS-21 we finally have that vision– Including mechanisms to ensure healthy ocean policy for everyone.

YOU CAN HELP MOVE OCEANS-21 FORWARD, HERE’S HOW:

1. Call your representative to support and vote ‘YES’ for OCEANS-21. And, oppose all amendments that weaken the bill. Call: 202-224-3121.
2. Send a message to your representative.
3. Help us continue to work on this important legislation, give $21 for OCEANS-21.

For more details on OCEANS-21, Click here.