Ocean and coastal resources are critical to the health and welfare of the nation. Oceans also have an important place in the hearts and minds of many Americans. In fact, oceans touch the vast majority of our citizens in many ways, all across the country, every day of the week. I think this is one of the most important messages that we must communicate during the Year of the Ocean. Let me give just a few examples.
Oceans remain one of the key parts of the climate system that are poorly observed and understood.
We need to remedy this with observations and research. We could not function as we do without these kinds of fundamental ecological services that oceans and their many habitats provide. Unfortunately, we frequently take these services for granted and are surprised by their collapse. When these ocean systems become overloaded with nutrients for example, or the linkages between ocean species are disrupted by introduced or non-native organisms, these ecological services can change quickly and dramatically with serious consequences. Oceans are also superhighways for moving commerce.