[Senate Report 105-209]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



                                                       Calendar No. 405
105th Congress                                                   Report
                                 SENATE

 2d Session                                                     105-209
_______________________________________________________________________


 
                    INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF THE OCEAN

                               __________

                              R E P O R T

                                 of the

           COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION

                                   on

                            H. CON. RES. 131





                 June 10, 1998.--Ordered to be printed


       SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
                       one hundred fifth congress
                             second session

                     JOHN McCAIN, Arizona, Chairman
TED STEVENS, Alaska                  ERNEST F. HOLLINGS, South Carolina
CONRAD BURNS, Montana                DANIEL K. INOUYE, Hawaii
SLADE GORTON, Washington             WENDELL H. FORD, Kentucky
TRENT LOTT, Mississippi              JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER IV, West 
KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON, Texas              Virginia
OLYMPIA SNOWE, Maine                 JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts
JOHN ASHCROFT, Missouri              JOHN B. BREAUX, Louisiana
BILL FRIST, Tennessee                RICHARD H. BRYAN, Nevada
SPENCER ABRAHAM, Michigan            BYRON L. DORGAN, North Dakota
SAM BROWNBACK, Kansas                RON WYDEN, Oregon
                       John Raidt, Staff Director
                       Mark Buse, Policy Director
     Ivan A. Schlager, Democratic Chief Counsel and Staff Director
             James S. W. Drewry, Democratic General Counsel


                                                       Calendar No. 405
105th Congress                                                   Report
                                 SENATE

 2d Session                                                     105-209
_______________________________________________________________________


                    INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF THE OCEAN

                                _______
                                

                 June 10, 1998.--Ordered to be printed

_______________________________________________________________________


       Mr. McCain, from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                Transportation, submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                    [To accompany H. Con. Res. 131]

    The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, to 
which was referred H. Con. Res. 131, ``A Concurrent Resolution 
acknowledging 1998 as the International Year of the Ocean and 
expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the ocean'', 
having considered the same, reports favorably thereon with an 
amendment and recommends that the concurrent resolution (as 
amended) do pass.

                          purpose of the Bill

    The purpose of H. Con. Res. 131 is to express the sense of 
the Congress that the ocean is of paramount importance to the 
economy, environment, and national security of the United 
States and that the United States must exercise and promote 
comprehensive stewardship of the ocean and the natural 
resources it contains. The resolution also acknowledges the 
designation by the United Nations (U.N.) of 1998 as the 
International year of the Ocean.

                          Background and Needs

    Approximately 70 percent of the Earth's surface is covered 
by oceans and these waters contain a wealth of natural 
resources. The oceans provide habitats for a large part of the 
planet's biological diversity. They are an essential source of 
food for humanity and contain critical energy and mineral 
reserves. The oceans are also fundamental components of the 
global climate system, as the major 1997-98 El Nino event 
graphically demonstrated.
    As a nation with extensive borders on the Atlantic, 
Pacific, and Arctic Oceans, the United States maintains an 
especially close relationship with the sea. The oceans play a 
crucial role in the United States' national security and 
provide a conduit of transportation for95 percent of U.S. 
foreign trade. One out of every six American jobs is marine-related. 
More than one-half of the United States' population lives and works 
within 50 miles of the coastline. The U.S. exclusive economic zone, 
that area of the ocean extending from 3 to 200 miles seaward from the 
coast, is equal in size to the entire land area of the United States.
    Despite the obvious importance of the oceans to humanity, 
the condition of the marine environment has declined in a 
number of respects over the past several decades. Harmful algal 
blooms (HABs) such as Pfiesteria piscicida outbreaks and red 
tides are increasing in frequency and intensity. According to 
one conservative estimate, HAB events in the United States 
generate direct public health, economic (seafood and tourism), 
and State and Federal government research and response costs of 
between $25 million and $70 million each year. More than 50 
percent of the estuaries in the United States experience 
abnormally low oxygen concentrations (hypoxia) for at least 
part of each year, and one-third experience complete oxygen 
depletion (anoxia). Marine life in such areas must either flee 
or perish. Coastal wetland losses have negatively affected many 
of the 75 percent of U.S. commercial fish and shellfish species 
that rely on wetlands at some stage in their life cycles. 
Approximately 10 percent of the world's coral reefs have 
already been destroyed, and experts predict the loss of another 
20 to 30 percent of the world's coral reefs by 2025 if current 
trends persist. Coral reefs are also experiencing an increase 
in the number and virulency of diseases.
    In combination with the loss of or damage to fish habitat, 
unsustainable fishing practices have resulted in the decline of 
many marine fish stocks at home and abroad. The National Marine 
Fisheries Service (NMFS) reported in September 1997, that 96 
U.S. marine fish species are overfished or approaching an 
overfished condition. Due to inadequate data, the status of 448 
other fish species is unknown. Given that American fishermen 
landed 9.6 billion pounds of seafood valued at over $3.5 
billion in 1996, and that these landings generated $21 billion 
in value-added economic activity, the decline in marine fish 
stocks represents a major economic as well as environmental 
issue for the nation.
    The United States has traditionally been the world's leader 
in ocean stewardship, as evidenced by the passage and 
enforcement of major Federal laws such as the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Coastal Zone 
Management Act, the National Marine Sanctuaries Preservation 
Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and the Clean Water Act. 
But, as significant ocean-related problems have persisted and, 
in some cases, gotten worse, focused attention on ocean issues 
by policymakers and the public is necessary to ensure the 
development of workable solutions to these problems for the 
next century.
    The International Year of the Ocean designation for 1998 
serves to draw worldwide attention to the importance of the 
oceans, the problems facing them, and the need for concerted 
effort by all ocean nations to address these problems. First 
proposed by the U.N. Intergovernmental Oceanographic 
Commission, the designation was approved by the U.N. 
Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization at its 
General Conference in 1993. The U.N. General Assembly adopted 
the proposal in December, 1994. Many events and activities 
involving governments, scientific associations, industry 
groups, and conservation organizations will take place around 
the world this year as part of the international Year of the 
Ocean. These include the Administration's National Ocean 
Conference in Monterey, California, and Expo '98, the world's 
fair in Lisbon, Portugal, which has an oceans theme. As a part 
of this global commemoration, H. Con. Res. 131 expresses the 
Congress' strong interest in the state of the oceans and 
continuing Congressional commitment to policies and initiatives 
designed to secure a more certain future for the oceans and the 
myriad benefits that they provide.

                          legislative history

    H. Con. Res. 131 was received by the Senate from the House 
of Representatives on January 28, 1998, and was referred to the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. On March 
12, 1998, H. Con. Res. 131 was considered by the Committee 
during an open executive session. Senators Snowe and Kerry 
offered an amendment in the nature of a substitute which added 
language stating that: (1) the American public considers the 
condition of the ocean to be important but rates its current 
condition negatively; (2) Federal agencies should identify 
opportunities to enhance cooperation with other nations on 
ocean issues; (3) Federal agencies should cooperate with the 
private sector in developing programs to advance exploration of 
the ocean, conservation of marine habitats and species, and 
sustainable use of ocean resources; and (4) Federal agencies 
should encourage participation in State, local, and private 
programs that use education and the arts to increase public 
awareness of the ocean and the need for conservation and 
sustainable management of ocean resources. The amendment was 
adopted by voice vote and the resolution as amended was ordered 
favorably reported by voice vote.

                            Estimated Costs

    In accordance with paragraph 11(a) of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate and section 403 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee provides the 
following cost estimate, prepared by the Congressional Budget 
Office:

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                    Washington, DC, March 18, 1998.
Hon. John McCain,
Chairman, Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
reviewed H. Con. Res. 131, a concurrent resolution 
acknowledging 1998 as the International Year of the Ocean and 
expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the ocean, as 
ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation on March 12, 1998.
    CBO estimates that adopting this resolution would have no 
effect on the federal budget. H. Con. Res. 131 would express 
the sense of the 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 examine 
and improve United States ocean programs and to advance the 
exploration of the ocean and the appropriate use of ocean 
resources.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Gary Brown. 
This estimate was approved by Robert A. Sunshine, Deputy 
Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.
            Sincerely,
                                         June E. O'Neill, Director.

                      regulatory impact statement

    In accordance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides the 
following evaluation of the regulatory impact of the 
legislation, as reported:
    Because H.C.Res. 131 does not create any new programs, the 
legislation will have no additional regulatory impact, and will 
result in no additional reporting requirements. The legislation 
will have no further effect on the number of types of 
individuals and businesses regulated, the economic impact of 
such regulation, the personal privacy of affected individuals, 
or the paperwork required from such individuals and businesses.

                      section-by-section analysis

Preamble

    The preamble addresses, among other things, the vast scope 
of the oceans; the many natural resources; the limits to human 
understanding of the oceans; the time elapsed since the last 
comprehensive national review of U.S. ocean policy; and the 
designation by the United Nations of 1998 as the International 
Year of the Ocean.

Resolving clause

    In the resolution, Congress recognizes the significance of 
the ocean to the economy, environment, and national security of 
the United States and acknowledges the responsibility of the 
United States to exercise and promote comprehensive stewardship 
of the ocean. The resolution also encourages Federal agencies 
to take advantage of the International Year of the Ocean in 
1998 to: (1) review U.S. ocean policies and programs; (2) 
identify opportunities to increase the efficiency and 
effectiveness of U.S. ocean policies and programs; (3) identify 
opportunities to enhance cooperation with other nations on 
ocean issues; (4) cooperate with academic institutions, non-
governmental organizations, and industry to develop scientific, 
educational, and resource management programs related to the 
ocean; and (5) encourage participation in State, local, and 
private programs and initiatives that use education and the 
arts to increase public awareness of the ocean and the need for 
the conservation and sustainable management of ocean resources.

                        changes in existing law

    In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee states that the 
bill as reported would make no change to existing law.

                                
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