WASHINGTON, D.C. MARCH 23, 2017– The following is a statement from Andreas Merkl, president of Ocean Conservancy, in advance of President Trump’s expected Executive Orders that would roll back critical climate change rules and regulations:

“All indications point to President Trump issuing sweeping Executive Orders in the coming days that will undermine hard-won gains in our efforts to reduce harmful pollution that risk the health of our ocean and all those that depend on it.

“We know that carbon pollution is having a major impact on coastal communities and others that rely on the ocean. The Trump administration needs to talk to the oyster fisheries in Washington state who suffered massive economic losses in 2007 because of ocean acidification. They need to seek out the fishing captains who are part of the multi-billion dollar American fisheries who are dealing with fish stocks moving north from their old fishing grounds as the ocean heats up.

“Our ocean has already absorbed huge amounts of our carbon emissions. The Arctic is heating at twice the rate of any other place on the planet as summer sea ice recedes to record lows. Just this week, we learned that Arctic sea ice has reached a new record winter low in 2017, considerably lower than it was in 2015 or 2016.

“We need safeguards like the Clean Power Plan to put America on a path towards a safer, healthier future. The Clean Power Plan put us on course to protect businesses impacted by rising carbon emissions and set a powerful example of global leadership in tackling climate change through clear, achievable goals to reduce climate pollution.

“Ocean Conservancy calls on states to stand by their convictions and move forward in their efforts to protect coastal communities from the threat of rising carbon emissions.”

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Andreas Merkl is available for interviews upon request.

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