Thank you for writing to express your concerns about the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force's Interim Report. I appreciate the time you took to write, and I welcome the opportunity to respond.
As you know, the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force - which was established by a Presidential Memorandum on June 12, 2009 - is responsible for developing recommendations that include a national policy for the ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes; a framework for improved Federal policy coordination; and an implementation strategy to meet the objectives of a national ocean policy. After hosting more than 20 meetings and seeking input from a broad range of stakeholders and interest groups including commercial and recreational fishing interests, the Task Force released its Interim Report for a 30-day public review and comment period on September 17, 2009. The Task Force will provide a final report with all of its recommendations later this year.
I understand that you are concerned that the Task Force's Interim Report does not explicitly recognize the role of recreational fishing in the stewardship of the ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes. Please know that I recognize importance of balancing the protection and restoration of our ocean, coastal and Great Lakes ecosystems with access to recreational and commercial fishing opportunities, and I will keep your thoughts in mind should this matter come before the United States Senate in the 111th Congress.
If you have not done so already, I also encourage you to submit a formal comment about the Interim Report with the Council on Environmental Quality at http://www.whitehouse.gov/administratio ... rimreport/ The deadline to submit your comment is October 17, 2009. However, late comments may still be submitted. Whether late comments are considered in the review process is at the discretion of the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force.
Once again, thank you for writing. I hope you will continue to keep me informed on issues of importance to you. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please contact my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 224-3841. Best regards.
Sincerely yours, Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator
Further information about my position on issues of concern to California and the Nation are available at my website http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/. You can also receive electronic e-mail updates by subscribing to my e-mail list at http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/inde ... nup.Signup.
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