National Oceans Month, 2013

Proclamation 8991 of May 31, 2013

National Oceans Month, 2013

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

From providing food and energy to helping sustain our
climate and our security, the oceans play a critical
role in nearly every part of our national life. They
connect us to countries around the world, and support
transportation and trade networks that grow our
economy. For millions of Americans, our coasts are also
a gateway to good jobs and a decent living. All of us
have a stake in keeping the oceans, coasts, and Great
Lakes clean and productive--which is why we must manage
them wisely not just in our time, but for generations
to come.

Rising to meet that test means addressing threats like
overfishing, pollution, and climate change. Alongside
partners at every level of government and throughout
the private sector, my Administration is taking up that
task. Earlier this year, we finalized a plan to turn
our National Ocean Policy into concrete actions that
protect the environment, streamline Federal operations,
and promote economic growth. The plan charts a path to
better decision-making through science and data
sharing, and it ensures tax dollars are spent more
efficiently by reducing duplication and cutting red
tape. Best of all, it puts stock in the American
people--drawing on their knowledge and empowering
communities to bring local solutions to the challenges
we face.

By making smart choices in ocean management, we can
give our businesses the tools they need to thrive while
protecting the long-term health of our marine
ecosystems. Let us mark this month by renewing those
goals, reinvesting in our coastal economies, and
recommitting to good stewardship in the years ahead.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim June 2013 as National
Oceans Month. I call upon Americans to take action to
protect, conserve, and restore our oceans, coasts, and
the Great Lakes.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
thirty-first day of May, in the year of our Lord two
thousand thirteen, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
seventh.