The Joint Oceans Commission Initiative (JOCI), a watchdog group that includes the National Environmental Trust, gave the Bush administration a failing grade for funding and international leadership.

"Exactly one year after the Bush administration claimed that its Oceans Commission Report had been issued too late to be reflected in the budget for 2006 (FY '06), we see a budget that is still adrift and a White House that has yet to get the message,” said Gerald Leape, Vice President, Marine Conservation for the National Environmental Trust.

"We barely awarded the Administration passing grades for fisheries and governance reform, a C+ and D, respectively,” continued Leape. “Today, with the release of the president's proposed 2007 budget, the Administration proved, if anything, that the JOCI was too generous and the Administration should have received 'F's' across the board.

FS