Contact: Lou Cafiero

Silver Spring, MD - The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation leadership today applauded the incoming Obama Administration on the selection of Dr. Jane Lubchenco as the new Administrator designee for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

“The ocean community will have a new champion at NOAA who has a history of support for ocean conservation and understands that the time for protecting our precious ocean resources is now. Dr. Lubchenco also understands the essential role of science to help us better understand man’s impact on this fragile and vital resource to all Americans,” said Bob Talbot, Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation.

“One of the best tools we have to save the ocean is through sound science, education, greater public awareness as well as establishing more marine protected areas such as our successful National Marine Sanctuary System. Dr. Lubchenco has been a strong advocate for marine protected areas and we look forward to working closely with her as the new head of NOAA,” said Lori Arguelles, President and CEO of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation.

The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation is the private, non-profit partner to the federal National Marine Sanctuary System, managed within NOAA’s National Ocean Service. The 14 sites within the system protect special places in the oceans and Great Lakes, from the Florida Keys to the Hawaiian Islands, and from Lake Huron to the Gulf of Mexico. The Foundation supports sanctuary education and research programs and seeks to educate the public about how they can help protect and preserve them for future generations.