General Public comment from Dr. Dennis Allen on behalf of the Estuarine Research Federation Nov 2002

U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy th1120 20 St., NW Suite 200 North Washington, DC 20036 November 7, 2002 Dear Commissioners, The Estuarine Research Federation (ERF) is a scientific organization committed to excellence in estuarine and coastal marine research and the communication of scientific knowledge. Our more than 1500 members represent a cross-section of the research, education, and management communities within academic institutions, government, and the private sector. Our interest in understanding and advancing the well-being of estuaries and contiguous coastal systems is consistent with that of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy. We are grateful for the opportunity to provide input into the process that you have undertaken to develop recommendations for a coordinated and comprehensive national ocean policy for the President and Congress. Since our initial statement at the first regional meeting in January 2002 at Charleston, SC, the Governing Board of the Estuarine Research Federation has followed the Commission’s activities with interest. As the Commission nears the end of its public input phase, we appreciate the opportunity to provide you with this synthesis of our thoughts about the status and future of ocean policy. We are not able to provide specific recommendations for changing the structure of federal agencies or ...