ENVIRONMENTAL advocates joined Gov. Ralph DLG Torres and Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios on Tuesday at Minatchom Atdao to proclaim June as CNMI Ocean Month and June 8 as CNMI Ocean Day.
Governor Torres emphasized the importance of passing down knowledge of the ocean, culture, and language to the next generation.
He also thanked the staff of the Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality and the Mariana Islands Nature Alliance for being true stewards of the ocean.
“The ocean is a vital part of our culture, and we must do our part to protect it. Just like passing down our indigenous language to our children, we must also pass down our knowledge of the ocean and land so that they can better protect our precious resources here in the Marianas,” he said.
Lt. Governor Palacios, for his part, talked about how the ocean and culture are connected with one another and that we play a part in protecting it.
“The ocean is our culture, and our culture is the ocean. We must continue the good work of protecting it by building our capacity and strengthening our resources to protect our resources,” he said.
The proclamation states that the CNMI is home to abundant marine biodiversity and ecosystems that provide valuable services supporting sustainable livelihoods, coastline protection, tourism opportunities, and cultural and recreational uses.
“However, these resources are constantly threated due to increasing pressures from land-based activities, such as erosion, vessel groundings, and increased runoff sedimentation and pollution from community, industry, and infrastructure.”
The CNMI’s ocean economy employs up to 8,300 people annually, which is roughly 40 to 50% of local employment, contributing about $922 million towards the Commonwealth’s annual gross domestic product, the proclamation stated.
“The indigenous people of the CNMI have a deep and cultural connection with the ocean as it is a source of traditional knowledge and practices passed down through the generations.
“The adverse effects of climate change continue to impact smaller ocean nations more drastically than larger countries. The CNMI has experienced more frequent extreme weather events as a result of climate change, such as Super Typhoon Soudelor, Typhoon Mangkhut, and Super Typhoon Yutu.”
The proclamation also recognized the BECQ’s efforts to protect and enhance the CNMI’s coastal resources for residents and visitors through effective and adaptive resource management, interagency collaboration, and stakeholder engagement, in a manner that builds and sustains community resilience and well-being.
“Through strong local, regional, and national partnerships, we are able to harness our collective knowledge and experience to better promote resource stewardship,” the proclamation stated.
“Locally, during CNMI Ocean Month, we reaffirm our commitment to responsible stewardship of our ocean resources to ensure that the natural beauty, traditional practices, historical significance, and local knowledge of our ocean is preserved and maintained for future generations.
“This month, we call upon all citizens of the Commonwealth to reflect on the value and importance of our ocean not only to our livelihoods and economy, but also as a source of recreation and enjoyment.”
Across the globe, June is known as World Oceans Month, with June 8 recognized as World Oceans Day.
Environmental advocates, together with Gov. Ralph DLG Torres and Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios, pose for a photo on Tuesday.
Gov. Ralph DLG Torres speaks during the CNMI Ocean Month and CNMI Ocean Day proclamation signing ceremony at Minatchom Atdao on Tuesday.
