Oceans and the Environment
Impact of Climate Change on Ocean Health and Marine Resources
As a Nation, we depend on the oceans for seafood, recreation and tourism, cultural heritage, transportation of goods, and, increasingly, energy and other critical resources. The U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone extends 200 nautical miles seaward from the coasts, spanning an area about 1.7 times the land area of the continental U.S. and encompassing waters along the U.S. East, West, and Gulf coasts; around Alaska and Hawaii; and including the U.S. territories in the Pacific and Caribbean. This vast region is host to a rich diversity of marine plants and animals and a wide range of ecosystems, from tropical coral reefs to Arctic…
