Environment Council of Rhode Island

Whereas ECRI has long had an interest in preserving the health of the oceans, and

Whereas the Oceans are imperiled by overfishing, pollution, and habitat destruction, and

Whereas a significant segment of Rhode Island's economy is based on fishing, and

Whereas, the marine ecosystem is critical to maintenance of biological diversity and atmospheric health,

Therefore ECRI agrees to sign the “Conserve our Ocean Legacy Campaign Pledge” promulgated by the National Environmental Trust, and will convey that endorsement to the campaign.

Conserve Our Ocean Legacy Campaign Pledge

America’s oceans are in peril. Overfishing, bycatch, habitat destruction, and mismanagement have depleted once bountiful fish populations and jeopardized the oceans’ capacity for sustaining life.

We call on our nation’s leaders, therefore, to advance the following principles and objectives for restoring the health of our oceans:

• Establish conservation of ocean ecosystems as the primary responsibility of fisheries management.
• Require ecologically sustainable fishing practices to stop overfishing and rebuild depleted populations of fish.
• Reform the institutions responsible for managing fisheries to ensure that their decisions reflect the needs of the entire ecosystem.