The United States Navy
 Year of the Ocean

SECNAV says Navy supports International Year of the Ocean

by JO2 Jeremy Allen, All Hands staff writer, and Dennis Everette, Editor, Navy Wire Service

Secretary of the Navy John H. Dalton recently announced that the Navy will be celebrating and supporting the International Year of the Ocean during 1998.

The year will be filled with special events including a major International World's Fair, "Oceans 98" in Lisbon, Portugal, May 22 through Sept. 30, as well as a series of special events in the United States.

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 to celebrate the role the ocean plays in our lives, and to initiate changes needed to sustain the marine resources on which we depend.

"Every year is `Year of the Ocean' for the Navy," said Dalton. "We'll take an active role in promoting and understanding the value of the oceans with the American people."

More than 70 percent of Earth's surface is covered by water. The United States has more than 95,000 miles of coastline and more than 3.4 million square miles of ocean within its exclusive economic zone. More than one-half of the U.S. population now live and work within 50 miles of the coastline.

"For 222 years we've used the worlds oceans as a vehicle for supporting peace and security in the world," Dalton said. "That's where we spend our time."

People enjoy the beauty of the ocean and the bounty of its waters but may not understand that their everyday actions — boating, construction, improper waste disposal, ignoring protected areas, etc. — can impact the ocean and its resources. Long-term planning for growth, development and use of coastal areas is key to the continued productivity of the ocean.

U.S. residents ate an average of 15 pounds of fish and shellfish last year. Globally, seafood represents one-fifth of animal protein and five percent of the total protein in the human diet.

"I think Sailors are the right people to work with other government agencies to ensure that people realize just how important the oceans are to us," Dalton said. "I think we've shown real leadership in pollution prevention, and the innovations that we've developed to take care of the waste, and how we've complied with the international and national regulations with respect to waste, and what we've done in terms of stewardship. Its important that we help raise the level of awareness to the rest of the world."

The rest of the world has been watching while Sailors on board ship have been effective with environmental recycling and solid waste disposal programs.

"I think Sailors have been good at recycling. We're interested in protecting and sustaining a healthy ocean environment," explained Secretary Dalton. "I think Sailors realize that recycling is part of their mission and its part of what we do, its becoming second nature to us."

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