United States

IYO Ocean Awards

Introduction

The United States is taking the opportunity of the 1998 International Year of the Ocean to focus attention on actions needed to ensure that the oceans continue to play a vital role in the nation's economy, national security and environmental health. Of particular note, a Congressional Resolution for the Year of the Ocean (HConRes 131), recently adopted with unanimous consent, states that it is the intent of Congress that "(1) the ocean is of paramount importance to the economic future, environmental quality and national security of the United States, (2) the United States has a responsibility to exercise and promote comprehensive stewardship of the ocean and the living marine resources it contains; and (3) Federal agencies are encouraged to take advantage of the United States and international focus on the oceans in 1998."

Goal

The United States will use the Year of the Ocean to promote public awareness and understanding of the value of the sea and its resources to the national welfare, as well as to ensure that the government does all it can to promote the exploration, sustainable use and conservation of the sea.

Activities

The Federal government has reconvened the Ocean Principals Group (OPG)-- an informal forum for discussion of ocean issues that includes ocean-oriented Federal agencies. The OPG is developing a set of background papers addressing a framework of themes and cross-cutting issues to address what is working well, what is not working well, what are our opportunities and impediments to progress. The themes are maritime transportation, national security, ocean resources, marine environmental quality, recreation and tourism and weather, climate and natural hazards. The cross-cutting issues are science, technology and research, education and exploration, legal framework, and management of ocean areas, uses, and resources.

To extend our involvement beyond the Federal Government, NOAA has entered into a Joint Project Agreement with the Heinz Center for Science, Economics and the Environment to engage representative "stakeholders" from government, private industry, the academic sector and other non-government organizations in developing plans for the Year of the Ocean into three foci: sustainable management of fisheries, balancing economic and environmental interests on the coasts, and understanding and predicting the ocean and its influence on society. There will be stakeholders meeting on each of these foci to be held in early 1998.

One of the major contributions to the International Year of the Ocean is the National Ocean Conference, held in Monterey, California on June 11-12.  The conference, organized by Commerce Secretary William Daley and Navy Secretary John Dalton, was attended by President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore.  Representatives of academia, environmental groups, business and industry, and local, state and the federal government were also present.  The conference highlighted the important role the ocean plays in the daily lives of people.

As part of the  Ocean Conference, President Clinton made the first commitments of his Fiscal Year 2000 budget which included a commitment to $2.0 million/year new funds for coral reef protection.  The President also signed a new Executive Order on Coral Reef Protection, the full text of which can be found at: http://www.pub.whitehouse.gov/uri-res/I2R?urn:pdi://oma.eop.gov.us/1998/6/12/11.text.1

Opportunities

The Year of the Ocean provides an opportunity to raise public awareness of the importance and relevance of oceans to our lives. NOAA's Office of Public Affairs and its partners, in coordination with public affairs offices from other Federal agencies, are developing a national public awareness campaign to be launched in January of 1998. The public awareness campaign includes a series of public service announcements, a toll free number (1-888-4YOTO98), web site http://www.yoto98.noaa.gov/, poster and teacher guide, weekly tip sheets, cover stories, and a list of "Top ten things you can do."

In addition to a general public awareness campaign, there are also efforts underway to promote K- 12 ocean education and curriculum development during the Year of the Ocean. NOAA, the JASON Foundation and the Consortium for Oceanic Research and Education (CORE) sponsored a recent half-day Year of the Ocean education workshop to promote K- 12 ocean education, exchange information with other ocean education experts, and to explore future education actions which might occur during the Year of the Ocean. The GLOBE Program will place special emphasis on the oceans for 4,000+ schools in 54+ countries during 1998, and via Federal sponsorship, CORE and the National Marine Educators Association will conduct an "Ocean Science Bowl".

Other potential opportunities include the Oceans Act of 1997 and a possible White House Conference. The Oceans Act of 1997, introduced by Senator Hollings and passed by the Senate by Conference unanimous consent, proposes to develop- - via establishment of a Presidential - level Commission on Ocean Policy - - a "coordinated, comprehensive, long-range national ocean policy." A similar bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressman Farr. When Congress returns to session, we anticipate resolution of differences between the bills and passage. With the raised awareness of the importance of ocean issues, there has been significant interest expressed in the possibility of holding a White House Conference on the Ocean. A celebration of IYO is planned in Hawaii from 12-14 June 1998. It is the third annual Clean Ocean Conference and details are at http://planet-hawaii.com/sos.

Proclamation by William J. Clinton, President of the United States of America on the Year of the Ocean (click on the image)