Why 1972 was the most important year for America’s oceans

Edwin Forsythe’s Revolutionary Marine Protection Laws in Congress

Edwin Forsythe went from small-town New Jersey mayor to Congress in 1970, where he changed how America treats its waters and wildlife.

Born in Pennsylvania in 1916, he spent seven terms in the House crafting laws that still guard our coasts. His Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 was first to take an ecosystem approach.

Later, he set up the 200-mile fishing limit and helped pass the Endangered Species Act. Just weeks before lung cancer took his life in 1984, he pushed for “Year of the Ocean.”

Today, a 48,000-acre wildlife refuge along the Atlantic coast bears his name, where you can drive the 8-mile Wildlife Drive and see firsthand what his work helped save.

From Pennsylvania Roots to New Jersey Politics

Ed Forsythe was born in Chester County, Pennsylvania in 1916. He later moved to Moorestown, New Jersey, where he started his political career.

He served as Moorestown’s mayor for five years from 1957 to 1962. His career took off quickly, and by 1968, other lawmakers picked him as State Senate President.

These early jobs in politics gave him skills he would later use for wildlife protection.

The Capitol Hill Years Began With Environmental Focus

Forsythe won his seat in the U.S. House in 1970, speaking for New Jersey’s 6th district. He joined Congress when America was just starting to make important environmental laws.

He quickly got a spot on the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee, where he could help shape ocean and wildlife rules.

While many politicians jump from issue to issue, Forsythe stuck with environmental matters from his first days in Washington through his seven terms.

His Marine Mammal Law Changed Ocean Protection Forever

In 1972, Forsythe helped write the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which changed how America took care of its oceans. The law stopped people from hunting, catching, or bringing in whales, dolphins, and seals.

For the first time, a law looked at whole ocean systems instead of just single species. The act also created the Marine Mammal Commission to guide research and protection work.

Plants and Bugs Got Protection Thanks to His Work

Forsythe helped pass the Endangered Species Act of 1973, which did more than just save popular animals. The law added plants and insects to the protected list.

Government agencies now had to make sure their work wouldn’t harm threatened species. The act also protected the places these species needed to live.

Forsythe knew that saving a species meant saving its home too.

He Drew a Line in the Ocean to Save American Fish

As the main supporter of the 1976 Fishery Conservation and Management Act, Forsythe created the 200-mile fishing limit that still guards American waters today.

The law pushed foreign fishing boats out of U.S. coastal waters where they had been taking too many fish.

He set up regional fishing councils that let local experts help manage their waters. The Coast Guard got new powers to stop illegal fishing.

Republicans and Democrats Joined His Green Crusade

Though a Republican, Forsythe never let party lines stop him from protecting nature. He worked with Democrats to pass laws that some in his own party didn’t like.

His voting record showed steady support for conservation throughout his career.

When environmental issues started becoming more political, Forsythe showed that clean air, water, and wildlife could bring lawmakers together.

He built teams that passed tough environmental bills despite growing political splits.

Clean Waters Flowed From His Legislative Pen

Forsythe pushed for changes to make the Clean Water Act stronger during his time in Congress. He fought to protect wetlands, knowing they filter water and shelter wildlife.

When water quality programs faced money cuts, he pushed for more funding. Forsythe saw the link between clean water and healthy wildlife long before most people.

His work helped clean up rivers and streams across America.

New Jersey Coastlines Thrived Under His Watch

The congressman got millions in federal dollars for conservation projects along New Jersey shores. He worked to protect the unique Pinelands ecosystem with its rare plants and animals.

Barnegat Bay, a coastal gem in his district, got his constant attention for water quality and habitat protection. Forsythe also worked to shield the Delaware Bay shoreline from building and pollution.

His Final Act Turned Eyes Toward the Ocean

Just three weeks before he died, on March 8, 1984, Forsythe brought forward a bill to make the coming year the “Year of the Ocean.”

The bill aimed to focus national attention on ocean conservation from July 1984 through June 1985. Even while fighting lung cancer, he kept working on environmental causes until his final days.

Forsythe served his New Jersey district for seven terms until March 29, 1984, when he died at age 67.

Two Refuges Became One Massive Memorial

Congress honored Forsythe by combining two wildlife refuges, Brigantine and Barnegat, on September 22, 1984.

The new Edwin B.Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge created a 48,000-acre protected area along New Jersey’s Atlantic coast.

They did this just six months after he died from lung cancer.

This big sanctuary saves salt marshes, forests, and beaches that give critical habitat for birds traveling the Atlantic Flyway each year.

His Green Laws Still Protect America’s Wild Places

The refuge named for Forsythe now safeguards more than 47,000 acres where millions of birds stop during migration.

Marine mammals swim safely in American waters thanks to protections he helped create nearly 50 years ago.

The ecosystem-based approach he championed has become standard practice in conservation worldwide.

The laws Forsythe wrote or supported in the 1970s and early 1980s remain the backbone of American environmental protection today, proving that a small-town mayor from New Jersey can leave a coast-to-coast legacy.

Visiting Edwin B. Forsythe NWR, New Jersey

Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge at 800 Great Creek Road in Oceanville protects 48,000 acres along New Jersey’s coast.

You’ll pay $4 per vehicle or use your America the Beautiful Pass.

The Visitor Information Center shows displays about Forsythe’s environmental work in Congress from 1970-1984.

Drive the Wildlife Drive from sunrise to sunset following numbered Blue Goose markers to spot over 360 bird species that benefit from his conservation laws.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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