Dema invited to testify in washington, d.c. Before the u.s. Senate committee

[diveguide.com]

DEMA INVITED TO TESTIFY IN WASHINGTON, D.C. BEFORE THE U.S. SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE AND TRANSPORTATION
DEMA’s Executive Director, Tom Ingram, was recently invited to testify before the US Senate on the potential economic impacts of Ocean Acidification on the Recreational Diving Industry. The testimony was provided on Earth Day, April 22 to the US Senate Sub-Committee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coast Guard.

"DEMA strongly supports scientific and economic investigation to determine the potential impacts of ocean acidification and looks forward to working with Congress to ensure that the marine environment remains clean and healthy, a viable place for continued diving consumer use, and remains open to careful stewardship by diving businesses around the world," stated Ingram. "The health of the ocean directly and immediately impacts our business. Without an appropriate place to dive, there simply is no diving industry."


Ingram emphasized three key areas during his testimony regarding ocean acidification and the potentially negative impacts for the diving industry:

1. The loss of the overall value of recreational diving and snorkeling in terms of jobs, revenue and contribution to the Gross Domestic Product of the US and elsewhere;
2. The dependence of the diving industry on a healthy marine environment, now and for the future;
3. How legislation to lessen the potentially negative long-term effects of ocean acidification should be balanced to avoid creating immediate negative impacts for diving-related businesses.

In addition to Ingram, panelists providing testimony included Sigourney Weaver, actress and spokesperson for the Film Acid Test from the Natural Resources Defense Council; Dr. James Barry, Senior Scientist at Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute and member of the National Academy's Ocean Acidification Panel; Donny Waters, fisherman and former President of the Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Shareholders Alliance; and Dr. John Everett, President of Ocean Associates, Inc.

Ingram closed his testimony by expressing his gratitude for continuing to include DEMA and the diving industry in the legislative process, and expressed DEMA's ability and desire to provide additional input as policies regarding ocean acidification are considered and crafted.

The hearing is viewable on the Commerce, Science and Transportation website. Tom Ingram's written statement is available online by clicking here.