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Interzoo 2010

See MAC Directors Svein Fosså, Alex Ploeg & Chris Buerner in Nürnberg.
http://www.interzoo.com/en/default.ashx

World Ocean Day

The United Nations has declared June 8th as World Oceans Day.

http://www.theoceanproject.org/wod/

Earth Day 2010

On April 22, 2010, individuals around the world will celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. As noted by the Earth Day Network, an organization founded in 1970 to promote environmental activism and year-round progressive action, domestically and internationally, the world is in greater peril than ever. While climate change is considered by some to be the greatest challenge of our time, it also presents the greatest opportunity – an unprecedented opportunity to build a healthy, prosperous, clean energy economy now and for the future.

We hope that you support Earth Day 2010 as a means to advance coral reef conservation, biological diversity, and eco-labeled products in the marine aquarium trade. Earth Day 2010 is a pivotal opportunity for individuals, corporations and governments to join together and create a global green economy. The Marine Aquarium Council joins more than one billion people in 190 countries taking action for Earth Day. Make an impact by purchasing MAC Certified organisms for your tank today!

You can also support the Marine Aquarium Council as it tackles the difficult issues within the ornamental fish trade. If you are a fishery or industry operator interested in certification services, please email us at certification@aquariumcouncil.org or contact our offices at +1 (808) 550-8217. To donate funds or in-kind services, please call or email us at support@aquariumcouncil.org. All donations are tax-exempt, and MAC offers complete transparency in our sources and uses of funds.

Happy Earth Day!

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Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force - Interim Framework

On December 14, 2009, President Obama’s Ocean Policy Task Force released its Interim Framework for Effective Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning for a 60-day public review and comment period. With competing interests in the ocean, US coasts and the Great Lakes, the Interim Framework offers a comprehensive, integrated approach to planning and managing uses and activities. Under the Framework, coastal and marine spatial planning would be regional in scope, developed cooperatively among Federal, State, tribal, local authorities, and regional governance structures, with substantial stakeholder and public input.

The Marine Aquarium Council publically commented that it supports the interim framework developed by the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force, particularly the components that emphasize localized management plans, stakeholder involvement, and public participation. Voluntary standard and certification systems like the Marine Aquarium Council and the Marine Stewardship Council have worked to develop comprehensive, multi-stakeholder coastal management plans for well over a decade.

It is our hope that the new US Ocean Policy builds on and supports this critical work to ensure that products harvested from the sea and sold to consumers in the US and abroad are gathered in such a way so as to ensure long term viability and biological diversity of not only the species themselves, but of their underlying marine ecosystems as well.

Download the Marine Aquarium Council’s updated White Paper to the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force and support MAC and the international voluntary standards system movement.

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Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force - Interim Framework

On June 12, 2009, Barack Obama sent a memorandum to the heads of United States executive departments and federal agencies to establish an Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force, led by the White House Council on Environmental Quality. The Task Force was charged with developing a recommendation for a national policy that ensures protection, maintenance, and restoration of the country’s oceans, coasts and the Great Lakes. It also plans to recommend a framework for improved stewardship, and effective coastal and marine spatial planning.

The Task Force’s Interim Report, which provides proposals for a comprehensive national approach to uphold the country’s marine stewardship responsibilities, was released on September 10, 2009 for public review and comment.

The Marine Aquarium Council has recommended to the Task Force that National Policy be directed to address the trade of marine organisms so as to assist with the management of resources harvested from the world’s rivers, lakes, and oceans. ISEAL Alliance eco-labeling organizations, such as the Marine Aquarium Council, the Marine Stewardship Council, and the World Wildlife Fund''s Aquaculture Dialogues, have already deployed effective management systems across global seascapes and trade routes. As part of their core mission, eco-labeling organizations develop and implement ecosystem based management systems (National Priority Objective #1) that help regulate and protect the world’s oceans and coral reefs, while also providing consumers with the option of purchasing products that provide direct conservation benefits. Establishing certified fisheries helps foster coastal and marine spatial planning (National Priority Objective #2) through clearly defined and managed areas where organisms are collected and harvested. At the same time, eco-labeled products generate informed decisions and improved understanding (National Priority Objective #3) by disseminating to the public the realities of the trade of marine species, especially in partnership with private sector businesses and NGOs.

Pursuant to ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes observations and infrastructure (Area of Special Emphasis #5), eco-labeling organizations can assist with developing and improving data management, communication, access, and modeling systems for areas where resources are gathered. Voluntary certification schemes can also strongly support regional ecosystem protection and restoration (Area of Special Emphasis #2) by ensuring that private sector businesses meet baseline standards for the collection and trade of cultured and wild caught marine organisms.

Download the Marine Aquarium Council’s White Paper to the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force and support MAC and the international voluntary standards system movement.

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