WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) applauded the President’s National Ocean Council on Wednesday for approving the first-ever Northeast Ocean Plan by the Northeast Regional Planning Body. The plan – which provides a blueprint of the northeast region’s marine life, cultural resources, commercial fishing, maritime economy, and recreational use – will help to inform policymakers and private sector leaders as they make decisions impacting the region’s ocean and coastline. The plan will be implemented immediately. 

“Today’s announcement shows that when people work together, they can solve problems,” Murphy said. “We will now be better able to protect the thousands of species of wildlife, the fishing and aquaculture industries, and simple family afternoons on the beach that the Atlantic provides. I’m proud that New England is the first in the nation to step up to the plate and make this plan a reality. I’m thrilled to have been a leader in the effort to finalize it.”

Established by Presidential Executive Order in 2010, the National Ocean Policy called for the formation of nine regionally-focused boards to better manage the nation’s oceans and coasts. New England was the first region in the nation to launch a planning board. Murphy encouraged Connecticut residents to provide feedback on the Northeast Ocean Plan when the first draft of the plan was released earlier this year. He also led a bipartisan, bicameral letter to the White House, which was signed by twenty-nine Members of Congress from Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island, expressing support for the Northeast Ocean Plan. 

Murphy is committed to protecting Long Island Sound and Connecticut’s coastline. Murphy’s  Long Island Sound Investment Plan supports federal programs that invest in Long Island Sound’s coastal habitats, coastal resilience, clean water and beaches, and fishing industry.

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