Dear Friend:

The oceans need a strong political voice in Washington, D.C.  We're it.

As the only ocean group to endorse and support candidates for congress, Ocean Champions' model is unique.  And it is working!

By helping determine who wins, we are building a pro-ocean Congress with leaders who know us, respect us, and share our goals.  This has enabled us to move our 2009 ocean agenda:

• Our champions in the Senate and House introduced a bill to prevent and control Toxic Algal blooms (such as red tides).  With our leadership, the bill has moved quickly - it has already been passed out of committee in each Chamber and is ready for Floor votes.
• Our champions have passed measures to address ocean acidification, to improve ocean and coastal monitoring and mapping, and to safeguard fragile coastal and estuarine areas.
• Our relationships helped us play an important role on the coalition pushing for a National Ocean Policy to protect, maintain and restore our oceans - a lofty goal that is now imminent.

We've helped give the oceans a voice on Capitol Hill.  Now, we need you to make that voice even stronger by joining Ocean Champions today.  Your contribution improves opportunities for all ocean advocacy, and if you join by November 30th, your generous gift will go twice as far, because two of our donors have agreed to match the first $10,000 contributed, dollar for dollar.

Please join today.  The Ocean Champions model is unique and it works, but we can't do it without your support.

Sincerely,

David Wilmot, Ph.D. President and Co-Founder

Mike Dunmyer Executive Director