Ocean Champions
Encyclopedia
Ocean Champions, a 501(4) environmental organization
in the United States with a connected political action committee
(Ocean Champions PAC), is the first national organization of its kind focused solely on oceans and ocean wildlife
.
Their goal is to create a political environment where protecting and restoring the oceans is a national government priority.
They do this by helping to elect pro-ocean Congressional candidates and working to defeat the bad ones. Ocean Champions engages with members of Congress to pass pro-ocean laws and shoot down bills that would harm the ocean.
Co-founder David Wilmot defines the organization as a “blue group”, instead of a “green group” to emphasize its focus on the oceans.
Currently (as of 2011), David Wilmot is the group’s President and the Executive Director is Mike Dunmyer.
The group is headquartered on the west coast in Capitola, California
, and has since added an office on the west coast in Delaware.
On Earth Day 2011, Ocean Champions was recognized as a certified Monterey Bay Area Green Business.
Ocean Champions has supported over 50 Congressmen/women since the 109th United States Congress
election in 2004. Ocean Champions works with both Democrats and Republicans.
Ocean Champions supported Rep. Farr and worked to defeat re-election of Representative Richard Pombo
in 2006.
From 2004 to 2011, Ocean Champions has had an 80% success rate of endorsed candidates winning their respective elections.
Key Champions in Congress helped protect the moratorium on new oil drilling off our coasts in 2006 and 2007 and led the efforts in holding BP accountable in 2010.
Ocean Champions played a key role in obtaining the President’s Executive Order for a National Ocean Policy. Also in 2010, the organization led the charge on a House bill to reduce toxic algae blooms and ocean dead zones that passed the House, but just missed passing the Senate. This bill enjoys bipartisan support and has good prospects in 2011.
In the 112th Congress, Ocean Champions are focusing on a number of ecosystem issues, including ending overfishing, reducing coastal water pollution and protecting coral reefs, such as through the introduction of The National Endowment for the Oceans, Coasts, and Great Lakes Act. This proposal is meant to preserve the ecosystems that coastal communities and economies depend on.
Environmental organization
An environmental organization is an organization that seeks to protect, analyze or monitor the environment against misuse or degradation or lobby for these goals....
in the United States with a connected political action committee
Political action committee
In the United States, a political action committee, or PAC, is the name commonly given to a private group, regardless of size, organized to elect political candidates or to advance the outcome of a political issue or legislation. Legally, what constitutes a "PAC" for purposes of regulation is a...
(Ocean Champions PAC), is the first national organization of its kind focused solely on oceans and ocean wildlife
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
.
Their goal is to create a political environment where protecting and restoring the oceans is a national government priority.
They do this by helping to elect pro-ocean Congressional candidates and working to defeat the bad ones. Ocean Champions engages with members of Congress to pass pro-ocean laws and shoot down bills that would harm the ocean.
Co-founder David Wilmot defines the organization as a “blue group”, instead of a “green group” to emphasize its focus on the oceans.
Organization
Ocean Champions was founded by marine biologist David Wilmot and environmental attorney Jack Sterne in 2003.Currently (as of 2011), David Wilmot is the group’s President and the Executive Director is Mike Dunmyer.
The group is headquartered on the west coast in Capitola, California
Capitola, California
Capitola is a city in Santa Cruz County, California, United States, on the coast of Monterey Bay. The population was 9,918 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, and has since added an office on the west coast in Delaware.
On Earth Day 2011, Ocean Champions was recognized as a certified Monterey Bay Area Green Business.
Political action
Some of the issues that Ocean Champions has lobbied in Congress include: harmful algal blooms, ending overfishing, national ocean policy (OCEANS-21), national endowment for the oceans, offshore oil drilling, water pollution prevention and ocean acidification.Ocean Champions has supported over 50 Congressmen/women since the 109th United States Congress
109th United States Congress
The One Hundred Ninth United States Congress was the legislative branch of the United States, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives, from January 3, 2005 to January 3, 2007, during the fifth and sixth years of George W. Bush's presidency. House members...
election in 2004. Ocean Champions works with both Democrats and Republicans.
Ocean Champions supported Rep. Farr and worked to defeat re-election of Representative Richard Pombo
Richard Pombo
Richard William Pombo is a former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, having represented California's 11th congressional district from 1993 to 2007...
in 2006.
From 2004 to 2011, Ocean Champions has had an 80% success rate of endorsed candidates winning their respective elections.
Ocean Topics
Though young, Ocean Champions has already achieved several legislative victories, and that influence continues to grow. Ocean Champions was a major player in the re-authorization of a stronger Magnuson-Stevens fisheries management law, and helped defeat a farm bill amendment that would have exacerbated overfishing.Key Champions in Congress helped protect the moratorium on new oil drilling off our coasts in 2006 and 2007 and led the efforts in holding BP accountable in 2010.
Ocean Champions played a key role in obtaining the President’s Executive Order for a National Ocean Policy. Also in 2010, the organization led the charge on a House bill to reduce toxic algae blooms and ocean dead zones that passed the House, but just missed passing the Senate. This bill enjoys bipartisan support and has good prospects in 2011.
In the 112th Congress, Ocean Champions are focusing on a number of ecosystem issues, including ending overfishing, reducing coastal water pollution and protecting coral reefs, such as through the introduction of The National Endowment for the Oceans, Coasts, and Great Lakes Act. This proposal is meant to preserve the ecosystems that coastal communities and economies depend on.