Washington, D.C. – The following statement was issued by Ocean Conservancy’s CEO Janis Searles Jones (@InVeritas_Jones) as the partial government shutdown enters its 13th day:

“I am deeply concerned about the impact that the government shutdown is having on our ocean and the people that depend on it.  As has been reported in recent days, coastal federal parks and lands are experiencing unsafe and unstaffed conditions, impacting both visitors and our marine and coastal wildlife.

“Thousands of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) employees are either furloughed or working without pay. The lack of staff at NOAA is hurting America’s fishermen, who rely on NOAA reports and data to sustainably and safely catch fish.  The lack of funding is impacting water quality monitoring, and with climate change being called the “story of 2018,” we are starting the New Year with our government’s premier climate research agency closed.

“The current situation is untenable, unacceptable, and ultimately fixable with swift action by Congress and President Trump.

“Our ocean, our coastal communities, parks and wildlife are all relying on immediate government action to end this shutdown immediately.”

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Janis Searles Jones is available for comment upon request.

NOTES TO EDITOR:

• For a detailed analysis of the impacts the shutdown is having on our ocean, see Ocean Conservancy’s blog: https://oceanconservancy.org/blog/2018/12/22/5-reasons-government-shutdown-bad-ocean/

Ocean Conservancy is working to protect the ocean from today’s greatest global challenges. Together with our partners, we create science-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.