The Obama administration called Thursday for a comprehensive national system for regulating the use of federal waters along the nation’s marine and Great Lakes shores, now administered by a hodgepodge of federal, state or other agencies with often-conflicting goals.

The recommendation, outlined in an interim report by a panel appointed in June by President Obama, said regulators should consider marine regions as a whole when issuing rules rather than, say, regulating fishing one species at a time.

It also said they should keep the health of marine ecosystems in mind when allocating particular activities in particular places, like fishing, shipping or energy.

The report says this planning would be the major focus of its final report, due in December. The panel comprises representatives of environmental, transportation and other agencies.