public comment from fred fellman of the Ocean Advocates in Seattle in June 2002

OCEAN ADVOCATES a voice for the silent sea NW Office: 3004 NW 93rd St. Seattle, WA 98117 TEL: (206)783-6676 FAX: (206)783-1799 felleman@attbi.com U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy th1120 20 Street, NW Washington, DC 20036 20 November 2002 Dear Commissioners: The following comments are intended to supplement the oral testimony I made on behalf of Ocean Advocates and the Orca Conservancy at your 14 June 2002 public meeting in Seattle Washington. I am disappointed to note that despite my testimony and those of the Marine Board of the Transportation Research Board on the need to enhance our nation’s marine salvage capacity, there was no mention of the subject in the synthesis of Testimony and Comments received September 2001-June 2002. Ample comments on maritime issues were recorded in the Technology and Marine Operations section of the Commission’s preliminary report, but none involving the long overlooked subject of salvage. The importance of this subject periodically reaches the public’s attention during such high profile events as the grounding of the New Carissa on the Oregon Coast in 1999, the grounding of the Jessica in the Galapagos Islands in 2001 or most recently, with the sinking of the Prestige off the Coast of Spain. Unfortunately, the lessons from these incidents are often not acted on after the heat of the moment passes. The Ocean Commission has a unique opportunity to provide the leadership to help assure that ...