40 Years of Progress in the Urban Ocean

Beyond the Ports

The marine transportation system does not operate solely at sea; its landside impacts are felt as goods move through cities and rural areas of the nation by truck and train. Public understanding of the industry is critical for efforts to promote change that will be feasible for the industry and good for the environment and public health.To this end, in 2009 Dr. Fawcett worked with NOAA and the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific (AoP) to create a film on marine transportation and the movement of goods in our country.The film is shown daily to thousands of visitors at the AoP and is exhibited by other operators of NOAA’s Science on a Sphere program, estimated to reach over one million visitors annually. 

Moreover, seaports are only one aspect of the larger issue of how we manage coastal resources. As early as 1977, just as the California Coastal Commission was starting its work, USC Sea Grant provided assistance to the fledging agency by explaining to the public how the planning and permitting process would work, by exploring how coastal recreation would be protected, and by lending hours of organizational assistance to its Long Beach office.This work continues today in various forms, including teaching graduate level courses to students who will become the next wave of environmental practitioners.                                                                                 The Los Angeles River. Credit: Charlotte Stevenson

Return to Ports, Marine Transportation, and Coastal Management

Return to Highlights Page

Download 40 Years of Progress in the Urban Ocean