National Oceans Month, 2012

Proclamation 8836 of June 1, 2012

National Oceans Month, 2012

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Our oceans help feed our Nation, fuel our economic
engine, give mobility to our Armed Forces, and provide
a place for rest and recreation. Healthy oceans,
coasts, and waterways are among our most valuable
resources--driving growth, creating jobs, and
supporting businesses across America. During National
Oceans Month, we reaffirm our commitment to the oceans
and celebrate the myriad benefits they bring to all
Americans.

From tourism and fishing to international commerce and
renewable energy production, coastal and waterside
communities help maintain vital sectors of our Nation's
economy. Yet, while our livelihoods are inseparable
from the health of these natural systems, our oceans
are under threat from pollution, coastal development,
overfishing, and climate change. That is why I
established our first ever comprehensive National Ocean
Policy. The Policy lays out a science-based approach to
conservation and management, and brings together
Federal, State, local, and tribal governments with all
those who have a stake in our oceans, coasts, and the
Great Lakes--including recreational and commercial
fishermen, boaters, offshore and coastal industries,
environmental groups, scientists, and the public.
Through the Policy, we have already expanded access to
information and tools to support ocean planning
efforts. Together, I am confident we will sustain these
precious ecosystems and the diverse activities they
support.

President John F. Kennedy once told us, ``We are tied
to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea--whether
it is to sail or to watch it--we are going back from
whence we came.'' During National Oceans Month, let us
celebrate our heritage as a seafaring Nation by
instilling an ethic of good ocean stewardship in all
Americans.

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 2012 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
first day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand
twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of
America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.