FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE					February 20, 1997


Contacts:	Holly Price  (831) 647-4247
		John Robinson (831)  647-4237 or 4201

Sanctuary Water Quality Protection 
Program Discusses Agriculture


A committee meeting of the Water Quality Protection Program for 
the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is scheduled for 1:00 
to 5:00 P.M. on Monday, February 24, 1997, at the Moss Landing 
Chamber of Commerce on Moss Landing Road.  The public is invited 
to attend the meeting.

The Water Quality Protection Program is a partnership of 27 federal, 
state and local agencies, public and private groups.  The programÕs 
goal is to protect the marine sanctuary and the watersheds which 
drain to it from pollution.  Dr. Holly Price, Water Quality Program 
Director, explained that ÒThe group has already been working with 
the harbors and local cities on pollution from urban runoff and 
marinas.  More recently, we have begun working with the 
agricultural community to develop recommendations on practical, 
voluntary ways to reduce pollution from farms and ranches.Ó 

MondayÕs meeting of the participating agencies and groups will 
include updates on carrying out its earlier plans addressing urban 
runoff, water quality monitoring, marinas and boating.  The 
committee will also review initial recommendations from three 
workshops with the agricultural community.

The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary extends from 
Cambria in San Luis Obispo County to the Marin headlands north of 
San Francisco, encompassing approximately 5,300 square miles of 
ocean waters off the California coastline.