DEMA JOINS MORE THAN 80 ORGANIZATIONS SEEKING TO PROHIBIT FUNDS FROM BEING USED TO IMPLEMENT NATIONAL OCEAN POLICY

**Association Supports Attachment to FY 2013 Appropriation Bills Prohibiting Use of Funds for Policy Implementation**

San Diego, CA - (April 18, 2012) - DEMA has partnered with the National Ocean Policy Coalition and more than 80 different organizations supporting a letter written to Harold Rogers, Chair of the US House Appropriations Committee by Doc Hastings, Chair of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources. Chair Hastings letter to Mr. Rogers requests that language be included in all Fiscal Year 2013 appropriation bills specifically prohibiting the use of funds to implement the National Ocean Policy, created by Presidential Executive Order 13547 in 2010.  

"The National Ocean Policy Coalition is one of the many organizations with which DEMA has been working to ensure that appropriate science exists prior to executing this sweeping National Ocean Policy, and that access to dive sites is not encumbered unnecessarily by its implementation" commented Tom Ingram, Executive Director of DEMA. "The dive industry has agreed that an ocean policy that is designed to stimulate job creation and economic growth while conserving the natural resources and marine habitat of our oceans would be of great benefit to our nation. However, more time and appropriate scientific study is needed to adequately establish justification for many aspects of the policy, based on realities on the ground."  

The National Ocean Policy has the potential to unnecessarily harm terrestrial and marine economic values by affecting sectors such as agriculture, commercial and recreational fishing, recreational boating, among others. These sectors support tens of millions of jobs and contribute trillions of dollars to the U.S. economy.  

The Natural Resources Committee has undertaken oversight of this far-reaching Policy, which raises serious concerns due to the risk of unintended geographic scale under which it is to be established and because the Policy has already been cited as justification in a Federal decision restricting access to certain areas for commercial activity. One of the Committee's key concerns is that the National Ocean Policy will affect not only the oceans and coastal areas, but also far inland following rivers and their tributaries upstream for hundreds of miles.  

In the letter addressed to Chair Rogers, Doc Hastings requests that the Appropriations Committee include language in all Fiscal Year 2013 appropriation bills prohibiting the use of funds to implement the National Ocean Policy. This would provide more time for examination of potential impacts and help ensure an ocean policy that appropriately reflects the role that our oceans, coastal areas and marine ecosystems play in our nation's economy, national security culture, health and well-being.  

"The dive industry looks forward to constructively engaging with the present Administration to help create a more balanced perspective and policy which acknowledge the needs of all user groups as well as the need to protect aquatic resources. Ingram concluded "A pause in implementation would be an important step in this direction and help reduce the risk of potential detrimental economic and societal impacts."