The 18-member panel, the first of its kind in 30 years, concluded that the ocean waters circling the United States suffer from pollution, overfishing, the press of human population and a lack of government commitment to solving the problems.

Recommendations

The commission calls for Congress to craft a National Ocean Policy Act to curb all forms of pollution, establish marine reserves and contain coastal development to protect marine habitat.

"It's completely consistent with what we see happening in Puget Sound," People for Puget Sound Executive Director Kathy Fletcher said of the report. "We're in a crisis here from the orca whales on down through the food web."

The commission recommendation to create marine reserves to allow the marine ecosystem and marine life to heal and recover would be beneficial to Puget Sound, she said.

At the same time, "No national report is going to save Puget Sound," she said.

Puget Sound team

The Puget Sound Action Team's management plan for Puget Sound calls for many of the same measures as the Pew Commission -- protecting shoreline habitat, reducing stormwater runoff and pulling development to accommodate population growth back away from the shorelines -- said Brad Ack, chairman of the action team, which is housed in the office of Gov. Gary Locke.

"Plans require action and action requires political will," Ack said. "The report could build constituencies for action."

Marine reserves in Puget Sound aren't as vital to its health as tackling pollution and the impacts of population growth would be, Ack said.

A second federal oceans commission created by Congress and President Clinton in 2000 is due to release its report and recommendations in the fall.

"Hopefully, the two reports combined will elevate public interest in marine resources," Ack said.

The Pew Commission included marine experts, commercial fishermen and elected officials, including former Gov. Tony Knowles of Alaska and Gov. George Pataki of New York. It was headed by Leon Panetta, Clinton's former White House chief of staff.

The committee concluded protection of the nation's seas, bays and estuaries makes good economic sense.

"Every oyster grower knows you have to take care of the sea for it to continue to give all it gives to us," said Brady Engvall, a board member of the Grays Harbor Oyster Growers Association and oyster grower for 30 years.

In 2001, commercial fishing in Washington yielded more than 163 million pounds of fish valued at more than $138 million.

That same year, recreational anglers pulled some 600,000 fish from the state's coastal waters.

But the Pew Commission points out that 30 percent of the ocean fish populations nationwide are overfished, and many are being driven to extinction.

Coastal development eats up and threatens 20,000 acres of coastal wetlands and estuaries each year, the report notes.

Every eight months, 11 million gallons of oil runs off our streets and driveways into the water, an amount equivalent to the Exxon Valdez oil spill.

In Washington state, coastal recreation is a big part of the state's tourism economy, drawing an estimated 2 million outdoor enthusiasts to the beaches in 1999.

"Protecting our ocean web of life is crucial, if we want our children and grandchildren to enjoy healthy and robust seas," said Kevin Ranker, Northwest regional manager of the Surfrider Foundation.

The Pew panel also called for a new federal oceans agency to bring focus and better oversight to the many ocean ecosystem problems and solutions.

John Dodge covers the environment and energy for The Olympian. He can be reached at 360-754-5444 or by e-mail at jdodge@olympia.gannett.com.

On the Web

Pew Oceans Commission: www.pewoceans.org