America's ocean and coastal regions -- which provide wildlife habitat, commercial fish stocks, mineral reserves, travelways, recreation, and more -- are under increasing pressure as more and more people exploit marine resources, leaving environmental damage in their wake. Striking a Balance responds to the urgency for sound decisionmaking in the management of marine resources. An expert committee proposes principles, goals, and a framework for marine area governance, including new governance structures at the federal and regional levels and improvements for existing governing and regulatory systems. Recommendations include using tools -- such as zoning and liability -- for resolving conflicts between users, controlling access to marine resources,