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Q&A with Lisa Suatoni, senior scientist in NRDC’s oceans program, based in New York, and a specialist in fisheries management and ocean acidification.

Historically we’ve thought of our oceans as indestructible. When did that begin to change, and why?

Things began to change in the 1980s and 1990s, when advances in marine science coincided with dramatic changes in the marine environment. For example, many commercial fish populations plummeted as a result of overfishing. There were severe declines in coral reefs in the Caribbean, with outbreaks of disease and episodes of bleaching. The number of large, persistent dead zones worldwide tripled, from fewer than 100 to more than 300. Once marine scientists began rigorously quantifying these changes, alarm bells went off.

OnEarth's Spring 2012 cover story implies the need for a new "ocean ethic." How do we translate that into effective policy?

One important step came in 2010, when President Obama’s Executive Order 13547 outlined our first-ever National Ocean Policy (NOP). This calls for the protection, maintenance, and restoration of the health and biological diversity of ocean ecosystems and resources. It requires all the relevant federal agencies to work together, as well as with coastal states and tribes, to formulate regional blueprints to prevent the haphazard development of the ocean, protect wildlife and habitats, guarantee clean water for our beaches, and provide greater certainty for coastal and ocean businesses. Knowing which areas are best for development will lead to greater efficiency, and at the same time protect important ecological areas. A new National Ocean Council will oversee the implementation of these policies, and its final plan should be out sometime this spring.

What scientific advances might help us make sure that the plight of the oceans is no longer "out of sight, out of mind"?

There have been some spectacular advances in "ocean observation" over the past decade. Scientists are now able to take continuous measurements of important parameters of ocean health, such as temperature, pH (acidity), nutrient concentrations, and productivity. This monitoring is akin to a doctor’s taking a patient’s vital signs. It can be used to define baselines, establish trends, and determine when an ecosystem is on the brink of undesirable change. NRDC is advocating for the funds that will be needed for the United States to establish a national observation network of ships, buoys, floats, and even sensors attached to large ocean animals, such as the bluefin tuna, so that we can learn more about their behavior and preferred habitat.