Pacific Ocean

One of the Pacific Ocean’s greatest assets is fish, including herring, salmon, sardines, snapper, swordfish, tuna, and shellfish. Over half (60%) of the world’s total fish catch came from the Pacific Ocean. Pearls are harvested along Australia, Japan, Papua New Guinea, Nicaragua, Panama, and the Philippines. Exploitation of offshore oil and gas reserves is playing an ever-increasing role in the energy supplies of Australia, New Zealand, China, the United States, and Peru. During the last week of November, the fleet emerged into what Magellan described as a “beautiful, peaceful ocean.” Thus, it was named the Pacific Ocean (“pacific” meaning “peaceful.”)