Myth: Lands and resources lying within ocean and coastal waters are already protected.

Fact: Protection levels vary dramatically from totally protected to completely unprotected.

There is a relatively common myth that lands and resources lying within ocean and coastal waters are inherently protected. This myth exists in part because the vast majority of ocean and coastal lands and resources are owned and managed by government entities and most people assume government entities should be protecting these lands and resources. However, this may not be the case.

• Public ownership does not equate to protection: Many, if not all, land and resource agencies have multiple-use mandates that require agencies to balance the needs of conservation with other human needs such as commercial, residential, and recreational uses. Often, agencies determine themselves what balance means, which may ultimately not be to the benefit of conservation interests. In some cases, conservation is not an identified mandate of land and resource agencies. As a result, publicly-owned lands and resources lying within ocean and coastal waters can often easily be developed and degraded.
• Laws are not permanent: Government zoning, statutes, regulations, policies, and designations meant to protect areas can be un-established almost as easily as they can be established.
• There are always exceptions: Economic pressures can drive local and state agencies to issue deviations, exceptions, exemptions, and alterations to protective laws, procedures, and zoning.
• Philosophies change: Political pressures can change with time; these changes can easily bring changes to conservation philosophies and practices. New elections also bring new decision-makers, whose philosophies on use of public lands versus protection of public lands can vary greatly.