He knew then that our natural wonders, on land or sea, form an integral part of who we are as a people, and that every generation of Americans must do its part to sustain and strengthen this legacy. By any measure, creating this coral reserve is a big step forward, not just for marine conservation in the United States, but for the health of oceans and reefs around the world. For thousands of years, people have risked their lives to master the ocean. Now, suddenly, the ocean's life is at risk. We have the resources and responsibility to rescue the sea, to renew the very oceans that give us life, and thereby to renew ourselves.
Today is an important step on that road.
But there is much, much more to be done in the years ahead. It is profoundly important. And how our grandchildren live, depends upon how well we do this work. Thank you very much. The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is one of 13 marine sanctuaries administered by the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.