5/27/98





THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY

President Clinton and Vice President Gore to Attend the National Ocean Conference
in Monterey, California

President Clinton will attend the National Ocean Conference in Monterey, California on June 12. Vice President Gore will moderate conference discussion panels on June 11 and deliver remarks on June 12.
The President has declared 1998 the Year of the Ocean, and the conference will focus national attention on critical ocean issues. The oceans, obviously, are a source of food, energy and recreation. They also shape
our weather and are critical to national security. As we rely more heavily on ocean resources, we have to be careful to preserve them as well. The conference, which is cosponsored by the Departments of Commerce and the Navy, will explore both the opportunities and the challenges ahead. It will bring together all interests -- government, business, scientists, environmentalists and the public -- to look at these issues and lay
groundwork to address them in the future.

Information concerning the President's and Vice President's schedules and media credential requests will be made available during the week of June 8th. For more information about the National Ocean Conference please contact Lori Arguelles of the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration at 202/482-5647.

Additional information will be available on the Internet at <www.yoto98.noaa.gov> by the end of the day on Thursday, May 28th.