The United States has more ocean under its control than any other country on earth. However, unlike some aspects under U.S. governmental control, our vast miles of oceans, inlets and estuaries do not fall under any one authority. Instead, a number of assorted agencies and congressional committees each have their own role in ocean jurisdiction. In order to understand how American marine policy and management works, it is critical to know these different ocean authorities and to comprehend how they interact with each other.
