Journal of Marine Science: Research & Development
Open Access

Abstract

Ocean management is a global issue. Countries can no longer act alone nor can groups of nations protect and manage ocean resources effectively. The Ocean Nation is a proposal for new sovereign entity to manage all the issues relating to international ocean waters. If one thinks of the ocean as a sovereign nation, it is the only nation that exists across the planet and is fully connected to every other part. Whether in the ocean along the California coast or France or Indonesia, they are different lands but connected by a contiguous body of water. The politics of the Ocean Nation crosses many standard dividers like economic, religious, and cultural. If a region is overfished or one nation is spewing pollution into the ocean it affects all the oceans. The flag of the Ocean Nation is the labyrinth. An ancient symbol that relates to wholeness and the imagery of a circle or spiral provides a meandering but purposeful path. What a perfect metaphor this is for the ocean. Everything in the ocean is a circular. The path a wave takes, the entire ocean medium is circling with the tides and currents that connect the Ocean Nation circle the entire globe. If language, borders and culture define a nation then the Ocean Nation is clear. Languages may have differences but the feel about the ocean is the same. The borders are land since the ocean is connected globally. Our culture will be the care and management of the entire Ocean Nation.

Biography

Ned McMahon attended Texas A&M University in Marine Science and later Marine Engineering. He went on to receive his degree in International Business. Ned was the founder of Malama Composites. With Malama, he set out to change the way composites were built and ended up pioneering a new bio-composites company. He has worked domestically and internationally in marketing, wholesale distribution and international licensing and trademark issues. A speaker on environmental issues and published author, Ned was invited to speak at WSJ?s ECO-nomics conference on ?green? technologies. Ned is a board member of USD?s Center for Peace and Commerce.