Joint Ocean Commission Initiative

Joint Ocean Commission Initiative

Founded	2005
Type	Commission
Focus	Ocean policy reform
Location	Washington, D.C.
Area served	United States
Key people	Christine Todd Whitman Norman Y. Mineta
Website	jointoceancommission.org[1]

The Joint Ocean Commission Initiative (commonly referred to as the Joint Initiative) is a bipartisan, collaborative group in the United States that aims to "accelerate the pace of change that results in meaningful ocean policy reform."^[1] The Joint Initiative was established by the members of two major U.S.-based oceans commissions: the Pew Oceans Commission and the United States Commission on Ocean Policy. It was originally co-chaired by former White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta and former Chief of Naval Operations Admiral James D. Watkins (United States Navy, Ret.), chairs of the Pew and U.S. Ocean Commissions, respectively. Currently, the Joint Initiative is led by a Leadership Council, which is co-chaired by Christine Todd Whitman, former EPA Administrator under President George W. Bush and former governor of New Jersey, and Norman Y. Mineta, Secretary of Commerce under President Bill Clinton and Secretary of Transportation under President George W. Bush.

The Joint Initiative Leadership Council members include leaders from prominent universities and environmental groups, scientists, national security leaders and representatives from a variety of ocean industries including fisheries, the science and technology, and shipping. The Joint Initiative works with networks of people involved in national, regional, state and local ocean policy issues from all fields, including scientists, industry representatives, advocacy groups and policy makers. The Joint Initiative, its members, and its publications are offered as resources to policy makers at all levels of government interested in pursuing ocean policy reforms consistent with the Commissions' recommendations. The Joint Initiative's most recent publication, an interactive digital report, is entitled Ocean Action Agenda: Supporting Regional Ocean Economies and Ecosystems.