Mid-Atlantic Ocean Planning: Help Protect Our Atlantic Ocean and Coast

The Mid-Atlantic's ocean waters face growing challenges, from pollution to loss of habitat and sometimes competing industrial uses. The offshore waters serve as migratory corridors for much ocean life, including endangered North Atlantic right whales, sea turtles and many fish species, yet they are an increasingly busy place.

Dozens of different agencies have overlapping and sometimes conflicting responsibilities for addressing ocean development, and historically there has been a lack of coordination. That is now changing: The Mid-Atlantic states of New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania have come together with federal agency representatives to work together more efficiently and to proactively plan for sustainable use and protection of the ocean waters off our Mid-Atlantic states.