In June 2009, the Obama Admin. established an Ocean Policy Task Force to develop a national ocean policy. On Sept. 10, 2009, the task force released an Interim Report which includes national ocean policy priorities, a governance structure for interagency coordination, and an implementation strategy. Most congressional activity has focused on specific topics, incl. ocean exploration, ocean and coastal mapping, ocean and coastal integrated observation, ocean acidification research and monitoring, and coastal and estuarine land conservation. Contents of this report: (1) Background: U.S. Comm. on Ocean Policy; Pew Oceans Comm.; Admin. Response; Joint Ocean Comm. Initiative; (2) Issues for Congress. Charts and tables.

Summarizes the problems affecting the oceans and their future governance, and provides imaginative solutions.