June 8, 2003 is the 11th annual World Ocean Day created in 1992 at the UN Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, although not yet officially designated by the United Nations. Organizations and individuals from around the world come together on this day to celebrate the oceans, reflect on their importance in our lives, and take time to do something good for our blue planet. On this Day of the Oceans, let us - Change the way we look at oceans -what the sea means to us, and what it can give. Use the opportunity to learn more about the oceans - many of us do not realize the profusion of diverse and beautiful creatures and habitats that are found in oceans, and how our actions affect them. Do something positive for the oceans - by finding ways we can alter our daily lives to conserve the oceans and reduce the our impacts on its fragile ecosystems GDRC: Oceans, Coasts and Small Islands programme GDRC: 8 June is World Oceans Day World OCEAN Network http://www.nausicaa.fr/reseau/WON.htm The Ocean Project: World Ocean Day http://www.worldoceanday.org/ Passport of the Citizen of the Ocean http://www.nausicaa.fr/reseau/Passport.htm Sign the World Ocean Day Petition http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/456440372 World Environment Day 2004: Wanted: Sea and Oceans Dead or Alive? http://www.unep.org/wed/2004/ 362,000,000 km2 or 71% of the surface of the globe is water. The oceans contain 1,300,000,000 km3 (328,000,000 miles3) of water. There are 300 to 500 million species of organisms in the ocean, yet these vast resources are largely unexplored. The Ocean's biological wealth is concentrated along a relatively narrow strip formed by continental shelves, coastal margins and estuaries. These contain the major fishing grounds, yielding more than 80% of the world's fishing catch.