But, while necessary, NISA enactment is far from sufficient to protect U.S. waters from the impacts of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens.
Statutes are only as good as their implementation.
Several factors influence implementation success, especially the priority agencies give to them, funding levels, the accountability that is built into statutes, and the degree to which statutes set up workable requirements in the first place. Moreover, policy is a process, with every statute but a snapshot reflecting a moment in the development of political will, technological ability, and policy thought. With the help of the policy community in state and federal government, industry, resource users and environmental groups, the next authorization could reflect an exponential growth and maturing in policy, political will and technology. Greater program capability and effectiveness will result. As a mid-point between NISA '96 and its next authorization, the 106th Congress could be a productive one for ANS policy.