1998 - The International Year of the Ocean

In recognition of the importance of the ocean, of the marine environment and its life-giving resources, the United Nations has declared 1998 as the International Year of the Ocean (YOTO). YOTO provides an opportunity for governments, organizations and individuals celebrate the role the ocean plays in our lives, and to initiate changes needed to sustain the marine resources on which we depend.

The year will be filled with special events, including a major International World's Fair, Oceans 98 in Lisbon, Portugal, as well as a series of special events in the United States.

The ocean affects our daily lives, and what we do has an effect on the ocean. From providing food, minerals and other natural resources to enabling recreation and transportation, the ocean is a source of life.

Although more than 70 percent of the surface of the Earth is covered by water, there is still much to be discovered about this vast resource. We have traveled to other planets, yet some of the greatest mysteries still lie beneath our own oceans.

In 1993, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations Education Science and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) passed a resolution calling for an International Year of the Ocean, and the U.N. General Assembly formally adopted the proposal through its Resolution A/RES/49/13 in December 1994.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is leading the federal effort to promote YOTO and, as part of the Ocean Principals Group, is working with other U.S. ocean agencies to further the federal government's contribution to YOTO. Also participating in the Ocean Principals Group are senior decision-making officials accountable for ocean-related programs from: National Security Council, Office of Science and Technology Policy, National Science Foundation, Chief of Naval Operations, U.S. Navy General Council's Office (Law of the Sea), U.S. Navy Politico Military Policy and Current Plans Office, Oceanographer of the Navy, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Commerce, Department of Energy, Department of State, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Maritime Administration, Department of the Interior (Office of Water and Science), U.S. Geological Survey, Minerals Management Service, Environmental Protection Agency, National Aeronautical and Space Administration.

Watch this space for weekly announcements of Year of the Ocean activities and special Year of the Ocean story ideas.

Some important sources for Year of the Ocean information:

The Official YOTO Home Page at www.yoto98.noaa.gov