COMMITTEE DECISIONS

The Committee's most significant decision during the reporting period was the
adoption of the term 'Southern Ocean' as a standard name for the body of water
surrounding the continent of Antarctica.  The US Board on Geographic Names
(BGN's) Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names received a proposal to consider
adoption of this name for official use from Dr. David Karl, Professor of
Oceanography at the University of Hawaii.  The Advisory Committee on Anatarctic
Names (ACAN) referred the proposal to the Foregin Names Committee (FNC) in
September 1998 with a recommendation that the name be approved.  The FNC staff
found that the term enjoyed some usage in general geographic references (e.g.,
The Times Atlas) and wide usage in scientific and research literature.  The
National Science Foundation in particular favored the adoption of the term
because, in the absence of a Board-approved name, its publications were
inconsistent with community literature.  In a parallel activity, the
International Hydrographic Organization has decided (through a referendum of
its member states) to use the name Southern Ocean in the next draft of its
Special Publication No. 23 'Limits in the Oceans and Seas'.