The following is a statement from Marce Gutiérrez-Graudiņš, Founder and Executive Director of Azul, and a member of the Ocean Justice Forum’s Steering Committee, on the Biden-Harris Administration’s release of the first U.S. Ocean Justice Strategy.

Washington, D.C. – The Ocean Justice Forum applauds the Biden-Harris Administration upon the release of the nation’s first-ever White House Ocean Justice Strategy. According to the Biden-Harris Administration, the Ocean Justice Strategy is intended to build upon the White House Ocean Climate Action Plan, released in March 2023, to further the vision, goals, and high-level objectives for coordinating and guiding ocean justice activities across the Federal Government while minimizing the impacts of ocean climate action to ocean justice communities and those on the frontline of climate change.

Sacramento, CA (September 22, 2023) – It’s an unprecedented day for Indigenous sovereignty and Indigenous-led coastal conservation as three federally-recognized California Tribal Nations announce the Yurok-Tolowa-Dee-ni' Indigenous Marine Stewardship Area – the first-ever ocean protection area designated by Tribal governments in the United States.