OCEANS IMPACT THE ECONOMY - WHAT'S BEING DONE? The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), along with its counterpart in Japan, will host the first ever Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperative (APEC) meeting focused on the role the ocean plays in a regional economy October 12 –16 in Honolulu, HI. The focal point of the meeting will be to balance coastal development and economic health with resource issues, ensuring sustainable fisheries, and understanding the oceans and seas. The goal is to share information on economic development activities in a way that preserves the long-run productivity of coastal ecosystems for sustained use while minimizing deterioration in environmental quality. STORY IDEAS Just one sector of the economy, travel and tourism, produces $21 trillion (US) in total demand and 89 million jobs, representing over 10 percent of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and nearly 10 percent of total employment in APEC economies. More than 50 percent of APEC populations live in coastal areas; in some economies like Japan, 70 percent are urban coastal dwellers. Commercial fishing generates more than $20 billion annually in the United States. For more information contact Matt Stout (202) 482-6090. YEAR OF THE OCEAN CALENDAR OF EVENTS October 13 - 16 APEC Ocean Conference, Honolulu, HI October 6 - November 10 Smithsonian Forum — The Ocean: Earth's Last Frontier November 16 - 19, 1998 Ocean Community Conference '98 - Annual meeting of the Marine Technology Society (MTS), Baltimore, Maryland

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