    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2007, Book II)]
    [October 19, 2007]
    [Pages 1356-1357]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's Radio Address
    October 19, 2007

        Good morning. This weekend, I will join millions of Americans in one
    of our favorite national pastimes, fishing. I'm going to be on the
    Chesapeake Bay. For those who love fishing, the most important thing is
    not the size of your catch, but the enjoyment of the great outdoors.
    Every year, millions of Americans grab their tackle boxes and head out
    to their favorite fishing holes. No matter where they drop their lines,
    they build memories that last a lifetime. And in the process, they
    contribute billions of dollars to our economy.
        My administration is committed to protecting the environment that
    our sportsmen depend on. We believe that to meet the environmental
    challenges of the 21st century, we must bring together conservationists,
    fishermen, sportsmen, local leaders, and Federal, State, and tribal
    officials in a spirit of cooperation. I call this ``cooperative
    conservation.'' Instead of the old environmental debates that pit one
    group against another, we're moving our country toward a system where
    citizens and government can come together to achieve meaningful results
    for our environment.
        One way we are practicing cooperative conservation is through our
    efforts to preserve our fisheries. Almost 3 years ago, I announced an
    ocean action plan to promote an ethic of responsible stewardship that
    will make our waterways cleaner, healthier, and more productive. Last
    year, I was proud to establish a marine conservation area in the
    Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. This is the single largest conservation
    area in the history of our Nation and the largest protected marine area
    in the world. We're also working to clean up marine debris and to
    address harmful fishing practices in international waters that destroy
    corals and other vital habitats. Earlier this year, I signed a law that
    will help end overfishing and create market-based regulations to
    replenish our fish stocks so we can keep them strong for generations to
    come.
        Prior to my fishing trip, I am signing an Executive order that will
    preserve two of our Nation's most popular recreational fish, striped
    bass and red drum. These two species were once abundant in American
    waters, but their stocks have been overfished. The Executive order I
    sign will protect striped bass and red drum caught in Federal waters by
    moving to prohibit their commercial sale. It will promote more accurate
    scientific records about fish population levels. And it will help the
    Federal Government work with State and local officials to find
    innovative ways to ensure these two species are conserved for future
    generations.
        As we work to protect our Nation's fisheries, we're also working to
    help migratory birds thrive. Each year, more than 800 species of birds
    make their way south for the winter and then return home to their
    breeding grounds the following spring. Their ability to survive these
    long journeys

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    depends on stopover habitat. Unfortunately, some of the areas where
    birds once stopped and rested on their great migrations have been lost
    to development. So we're working to protect these species by restoring
    or replacing their stopover habitats.
        One key way we're doing this is by expanding our national wildlife
    refuges, creating new ones, and restoring and improving hundreds of
    thousands of acres of habitat for migratory birds. At the same time,
    we're bringing together Federal, State, and tribal agencies to work with
    private groups and corporations to improve habitat on private lands. The
    Department of the Interior is also working with cities across our Nation
    to build stopover habitats in urban areas. And this weekend, I'm
    announcing new policies, including new efforts with Mexico, to foster
    greater habitat conservation for the migratory birds.
        America's national parks also play a vital role in our conservation
    efforts. Earlier this week, Laura spoke at the
    first-ever leadership summit of the National Park Foundation. She
    discussed the National Parks Centennial Initiative, a public-private
    partnership to raise funds for the Park System's 100th anniversary in
    2016. This initiative will support many vital projects to improve
    habitats for local wildlife, including some that will directly benefit
    birds.
        As Americans, we've been given a beautiful country to live in, and
    we have an obligation to be good stewards of the environment. With the
    cooperative conservation policies we have put in place, we show our
    commitment to preserving our Nation's heritage. By making responsible
    choices today, we will ensure that our children and grandchildren will
    enjoy a cleaner and more vibrant environment.
        Thank you for listening.

    Note: The address was recorded at 7:50 a.m. on October 19 in the Cabinet
    Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on October 20. The
    transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on
    October 19. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish
    language transcript of this address.