WASHINGTON, DC – Earlier this week, the Biden Administration announced a $2.6 billion dollar framework to support communities, ecosystems and people on the frontlines of climate change using funds from the Inflation Reduction Act. The framework includes five programs to deliver funding and technical assistance. 

Jeff Watters, Vice President of External Affairs at Ocean Conservancy, which advocated strongly for funding for climate-ready fisheries and coastal resilience issued the following statement in response:

“We at Ocean Conservancy are thrilled to see the historic $2.6 billion dollar investment the Biden Administration is making to the communities, people, and marine resources on the frontlines of climate change. 

Extreme weather events, sea level rise, and warming temperatures are having major effects on our coastal communities, ecosystems and marine industries. Making it worse, many communities, especially Tribal/Indigenous and other historically marginalized communities, have not been able to recover, let alone get ahead and prepare for the future.

Similarly, our fisheries are increasingly feeling the pressures from climate change. As our waters warm, many fish species critical to support commercial and recreational fisheries are shifting their ranges and becoming less productive. We need to proactively incorporate climate information into fishery management so that fishing communities and marine ecosystems have the best chance to adapt to climate impacts.

The funds the Biden Administration is dedicating to our coastal communities and fisheries will help to turn the tide on resiliency. 

The framework NOAA has created to distribute these funds is both innovative and forward-thinking. First, it will help to address the backlog of critical resilience and conservation projects needed to restore our ecosystems and communities that have already been altered by climate change. And second, it will put people, our marine and fisheries workforces, and the sustainability of our fisheries on a path to long-term adaptability and preparedness for the future.

This announcement is proof our leaders see the importance of our coastal communities and economies, and the need to fortify their ability to respond and adapt. We look forward to engaging with NOAA on the implementation of these funds, as we work together to make our coasts and marine resources more climate-ready in a just and equitable manner.”

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Jeff Watters is available for interviews upon request. 

ABOUT OCEAN CONSERVANCY 

Ocean Conservancy is working to protect the ocean from today’s greatest global challenges. Together with our partners, we create evidence-based solutions for a healthy ocean and the wildlife and communities that depend on it. For more information, visit oceanconservancy.org, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.