Mullikin: “The ocean still possesses an extraordinary capacity for renewal if we are willing to act wisely and boldly”
By Tom Mullikin
[EDITOR’S NOTE: SCDNR Director Mullikin is pictured here in Folly Beach speaking with WCBD-TV Channel 2 News in Charleston following his address kicking off World Ocean Day in-and-off-the-coast-of South Carolina.]
Today [June 8, 2026] we recognize the global observance of World Ocean Day. We are reminded that the ocean is not simply a distant body of water stretching beyond the horizon. It is the very heartbeat of our planet. It regulates our climate, producing oxygen, sustaining biodiversity, feeding billions of people, and inspiring wonder in every generation. The ocean connects every continent, every nation, and every person on Earth.
Here in South Carolina, we understand that connection deeply. Our state is blessed with approximately 187 miles of Atlantic coastline and nearly 2,876 miles of tidal shoreline, including marshes, estuaries, creeks, bays, and barrier islands that form one of the richest coastal ecosystems in the United States. These waters shape not only our economy, but our identity and heritage as South Carolinians.
World Ocean Day calls on all of us to recognize the ecological significance of the oceans. Oceans cover more than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface and generate more than half of the oxygen we breathe. Yet the ocean faces unprecedented challenges. Plastic pollution, habitat destruction, rising sea levels threaten marine ecosystems around the globe. Coastal communities are increasingly vulnerable to stronger storms and flooding. The health of humanity and the health of the ocean are inseparable.
As the legendary oceanographer Jacques Cousteau once said, “People protect what they love.” Those words remind us that conservation begins not with regulation alone, but with connection and with teaching our children to appreciate the beauty and fragility of the natural world. Another great ocean advocate, John F. Kennedy, observed that “We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea… we are going back from whence we came.” Those words speak to something timeless within the human spirit.
Today, the global movement behind World Ocean Day continues to emphasize marine protection and sustainability. In South Carolina we have already placed more than 3.5 million acres of our 20.5 million acres in some form of conservation. We will meet and exceed this ambitious goal here in the most beautiful place on earth.
World Ocean Day is ultimately a celebration of hope. The ocean still possesses an extraordinary capacity for renewal if we are willing to act wisely and boldly. South Carolina is also leading the way in building artificial reefs and living shorelines. Our oyster shell recycling program has deployed enough shell to support the growth of over 1.1 billion oysters and one oyster cleans over 50 gallons of water a day.
The future of our oceans will depend on whether we choose stewardship over neglect, sustainability over short-term gain, and collaboration over complacency. May South Carolina continue to serve as a model of coastal stewardship and environmental leadership.
– Dr. Tom Mullikin is the director of the S.C. Department of Natural Resources. An acclaimed global expedition leader, attorney, documentary film producer, former U.S. Army officer and retired commanding general of the S.C. State Guard, Mullikin served as the founding chair of the gubernatorially established S.C. Floodwater Commission. He has led the 1,100-plus S.C. Department of Natural Resources since early February 2025.
