GRAME Database

Analysis of data

Classification Type Analysis

117 (28%) assessments are under the Narrow Assessment classification. 41 (10%) assessments are under the Broad Assessment classification. 87 (21%) assessments are under the Research Project classification. 48 (11%) assessments are under the Data Holding classification. 15 (4%) assessments are under the Indeterminate classification. 113 (27%) assessments are under the Not Specified classification.
188 organisations are included within the database. 222 (53%) assessments have some kind of collaborating organisation.
106 (25%) assessments are within the Global scale. 250 (59%) assessments are within the Regional scale. 11 (3%) assessments are within the Global/Regional scale. 54 (13%) assessments are within the National scale.
44 (28%) assessments under the Narrow & Broad Assessment classifications are within the Global scale 72 (46%) assessments under the Narrow & Broad Assessment classifications are within the Regional scale 8 (5%) assessments under the Narrow & Broad Assessment classifications are within the Global/Regional scale 34 (22%) assessments under the Narrow & Broad Assessment classifications are within the National scale
Distinct list of justifications for each assessment within the database  show/hide the list of justifications To describe and elucidate long-term trends in fish populations and fish community development, and to try to explain the results in relation to natural factors and anthropogenic pressures. affects on human health acute the Arctic Ocean Science Board announced plans to study the two-way oceanic exchanges that link the Arctic Ocean with sub-arctic seas (Dickson et al., 1999, AOSB Newsletter 3(2)). The rationale is bound up with the fact that most projections of greenhouse Need to integrate economic components to conservation LOICZ seeks to inform the scientific community, policymakers, managers and stakeholders on the relevance of global environmental change in the coastal zone. It has been a core project of the International Geosphere Biosphere Programme (IGBP) and the Inter The Baltic Sea is an ecosystem under extreme stress. Requested by North Sea Ministers Addresses a suite of cross-disciplinary questions concerning ocean plankton ecology and biogeochemistry and their links to atmospheric processes. As one of the Working Groups of the Arctic Council, CAFF's primary role is to advise the Arctic governments (Canada, Denmark/Greenland, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States) on conservation matters and sustainable use issues of i The shelf seas of the Antarctic are the most thermally stable but extreme marine environment on Earth. The low temperatures, including the threat of freezing, and the long-term geographic isolation, have acted as a cradle for evolution, resulting in a ric Results provided the first direct evidence for the existence of seasonality in the deep ocean, and evidence that fluxes of both biogenic and abiogenic materials to the deep ocean were directly linked to seasonal patterns in upper ocean productivity. The AEO report responds directly to Agenda 21, Chapter 40 proposed by scientific community to assist in the implementation of a marine strategy for Europe. Multiple uses of European marine haitats bring increasing pressures and increased risk of conflict between users, and a greater potential for degradation of the marine environment. MESH responds to this challenge through recognition of the need for much support from HELCOM, wide support from scientific community support from HELCOM, wide support from scientific community Evolved from IWC HYDROGRAPHIC COMMISSIONS composed of representatives from Member States' hydrographic services within a defined geographic area, meet at regular intervals to discuss mutual hydrographic and chart production problems, plan joint survey oper strengthen the capacity of countries to respond to oil or chemical spill emergencies in the region Role of nuclear and isotopic methods in marine environmental increasingly strong call from scientists and coastal managers Zooplankton is a key link between primary producers and larger predators Studies often-neglected areas of straits, channels increase in problems from aliens developing a network for monitoring the surface of the Mediterranean needed Research and member governmental institutions drive initiatives the physical and biogeochemical processes that link the arctic shelves, slopes, and deep basins within the context of global change Financed by the European Union, this six-year project has been designed to extend to four other Caribbean ACP countries (the Bahamas, Suriname, Haiti and the Dominican Republic) the benefits which the original 12 CARICOM countries have been obtaining from The Census of Marine Life is implementing this project aimed at documenting the present Arctic Ocean Biodiversity using an international Pan-Arctic view. This program will consolidate what is known and fill remaining gaps in our knowledge: it aims for act A component of the multinational CoML and International Polar Year initiative , CAML will investigate the distribution and abundance of Antarctica's vast marine biodiversity to develop a benchmark for the benefit of mankind. The abyss of the world oceans is the target of an international biodiversity program designed as a part of the multinational "Census of Marine Life" (CoML) aimed at improving the state of knowledge of abyssal biology. A component of the multinational "Census of Marine Life" CoML, CenSeam will provide the framework needed to prioritise, integrate, expand, and facilitate seamount research efforts in order to significantly reduce the unknown, and build towards a global un A component of the multinational "Census of Marine Life" CoML. The Census of Marine Zooplankton (CMarZ) is a field project of the Census of Marine Life (see www.CoML.org). The census will encompass unique marine environments and those likely to be inhabited by endemic and undescribed zooplankton species. A component of the multinational "Census of Marine Life" (CoML) that seeks to assess and explain the diversity, distribution, and abundance of microbes within the marine environment. The project MAR-ECO, an international research project involving 16 nations and an element of the Census of Marine Life, seeks to assess and explain the diversity, distribution, and abundance of marine life along the vast underwater mountain chains of the The project NaGISA, a component of the Census of Marine Life, is a collaborative effort aimed at inventorying and monitoring costal biodiversity. Little is known about key aspects of the biology of threatened and commercially valued species upon which fisheries assessments are critically dependent. POST results will give much needed information about their behaviour and provide unprecedented insigh A component of the A component of the “Census of Marine Life” (CoML), The Future of Marine Animal Populations (FMAP) adds to the critical modelling and analysis components of all three aspects of CoML - past, present, and future – providing a predictive tool and helping def The History of Marine Animal Populations (HMAP), the historical component of the Census of Marine Life (CoML), aims to improve understanding of ecosystem dynamics, specifically with regard to long-term changes in stock abundance, the ecological impact of The Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS), the information component of the Census of Marine Life (CoML), is a web-based provider of global geo-referenced information on marine species obtained through the assessment and integration of multidiscip A component of the Census of Marine Life (CoML), CReefs goals are to expand tropical taxonomic knowledge and increase the exchange of coral reef ecosystem data dispersed throughout the globe. Developed following the November 2000 Special Meeting of CCSBT, the Scientific Research Programme provides advice to the Commission to inform management and conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna fisheries and to ensure sustainable extraction by members a CORDIO is an collaborative operational program under ICRI (International Coral Reef Initiative) created in 1999 to assess the widespread degradation of the coral reefs throughout the central and western Indian Ocean. Envisat aims to endow Europe with an enhanced capability for remote sensing observation of Earth from space, with the aim of further increasing the capacity of participating states to take part in the studying and monitoring of the Earth and its environme in support of the UN-ECE Environment for Global reef monitoring was a major theme when the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) was launched at the United Nations Global Conference on Sustainable Development of Small Islands Developing States in Barbados in 1994. In 1995, ICRI called on ma 5 species of marine turtle are listed as endangered by IUCN Red List 2000. The Grupo Tortuguero was formed in 1999 to address this and recover Eastern Pacific sea turtle populations At the Fourth Meeting of the GEF Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP) (Nairobi, 15-17 February 1996) it was noted that the noted that lack of an International Waters Assessment comparable with that of the IPCC7, the Global Biodiversity Assessmen This programme has compiled and made available complete statistical data for national catches and landings within the North Atlantic since 1951. The NASS surveys are designed to provide updated data for use in the continued monitoring and assessment of the distribution and abundance of whale stocks and species in the North Atlantic. The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) is an international marine research program that explores the Earth's history and structure as recorded in seafloor sediments and rocks, and monitors sub sea floor environments. IODP builds upon earlier success The organization was established in 1969, at a Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, which prepared and adopted the International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, which was signed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazi The purpose of this programme is to provide a rapid overview of the spatial distributions and temporal trends of fish and shellfish diseases. programme of work overseen by ICES Resource management committee. ICES is governed by states party to the ICES Convention (1964) The International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP) was established by the International Council for Science (ICSU) in 1986 to provide an unprecedented international and interdisciplinary scientific research effort to develop the knowledge needed to un An intergovernmental organisation committed to the production of a worldwide set of international charts IPIECA holds formal UN status and addresses global and environmental issues related to the petroleum industry Support generated from IOC The ELME project is an EU Sixth Framework Programme consisting of a consortium of 28 research groups from 15 European countries. Its objectives are: At its 4th Session, held in Kyoto, Japan from December 13th to 17th, the IOTC approved the implementation of sampling programmes in Indian Ocean ports of Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Mauritius and South Africa. The Programmes are designed to IPHC was established through a convention between Canada and the USA as a public international organization; one of its main responsibility is to conduct stock assessments To strengthen information exchange and networking, and develop capacity for effective long-term management and utilisation of mangrove ecosystems for forest products like timber and fuel wood as well as the sustainable management of fisheries and the main Developed in response to key issues delivered at the Public Hearing on High Seas Fisheries, which was held at the European Parliament in Brussels on June 20th 2002. Namely that sustainable management is an urgent requirement to prevent hotspots of biodive This tool is aimed to enhance the capability for adaptive management in MPAs by providing managers, planners and other decision-makers with methods for assessing the effectiveness of MPA sites. The initiative builds on the IUCN Management Effectiveness Fr A global effort by the World Conservation Union (IUCN), the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC), other United Nations agencies, and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to improve the long-term sustainabilit CIESM is an intergovernmental organisation; one of its main goals is to monitor the status of the Mediterranean Actions based on the NASCO convention; assessment needed to deliver baseline data for the protection of salmon By signing the convention on future multilateral cooperation on Northeast Atlantic fisheries by the contracting parties By mutual agreement of the five member nations (Canada, Japan, Korea, Russia, USA), the NPAFC Convention Area forms the world’s largest marine conservation area for seven species of Pacific salmon. BASIS aims to provide the best available scientific infor At the 1993 annual meeting of NPAFC, the Committee on Scientific Research and Statistics (CSRS) identified The NPEM was started in 1997 in response to the U.S. National Research Council's declaration that the greatest impediment to advance of Bering Sea (North Pacific) marine ecosystem knowledge was the lack of a central catalogue of research results and obser The 1992 OSPAR Convention contains a general obligation to collaborate in regular monitoring and assessment of the state of the marine environment in the maritime area. Annex IV to the Convention provides for cooperation in monitoring programmes, joint qu The 1992 OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic requires that Contracting Parties shall 'take all possible steps to prevent and eliminate pollution and shall take the necessary measures to protect the mari The Global Shark Assessment was launched in October of 2003 to assess how global shark populations have changed since the beginning of industrial scale fishing, and to make predictions about how these populations will respond to global climate change and Reef Check objectives are to: educate the public about the coral reef crisis; to create a global network of volunteer teams trained in Reef Check's scientific methods who regularly monitor and report on reef health; to facilitate collaboration that produc CephBase is a dynamic relational database-driven web site, online since 1998, with the purpose of providing taxonomic data, life history, distribution, images, videos, references and scientific contact information on all living species of cephalopods (oct With a statement issued by The WorldFish Center (ICLARM) in 1998 about the gap between increasing scientific knowledge and its limited accessibility to scientists in developing countries, the idea of FishBase was born. The LarvalBase-Project was started i This project has two main goals: firstly, to develop a more robust global marine protected area (MPA) baseline than currently exists; and secondly, to develop alternative scenarios of global MPA networks using spatial modelling techniques. A thorough and profound knowledge of the way in which life has evolved and the likely way in which it will change is required urgently to aid the development of sustainable management strategies for the Earth System. The Antarctic and the Southern Ocean a Most current and previous studies on land-ocean nutrient flux have concentrated on nitrogen and phosphorus, not silica Trophic relationships among major components are determined by conducting biological sampling, and the establishment of databases will be essential for more detailed ecosystem modelling in the future. Simulations using the biodynamic models that are under SPREP with its activities was established by the governments and administrations of the Pacific region This assessment aims to highlight gaps in knowledge and uncertainties, and define research priorities for the integrated regional studies. At the Trilateral Governmental Conference in Stade in October 1997, a management plan, the Trilateral Wadden Sea Plan, was adopted. The TMAP is an important instrument of the Wadden Sea Plan when evaluating the progress made in implementing the targets. I With coastal populations rapidly expanding, and a move towards more modern, efficient and damaging fishing methods, many reefs in the Asia-Pacific region are facing threats of overexploitation and destruction. This in turn is affecting the livelihoods of This programme aims to further the conservation prospects of some of the world’s most endangered dolphins and porpoises. The program’s goal is to prioritise and develop conservation initiatives and raise the capacity of local scientists and resource mana The reports were set up to inform the Montreal Protocol and amendments about ozone depletion. The CliC project addresses the entire cryosphere (i.e., snow cover, sea-, lake- and river- ice, glaciers, ice sheets, ice caps and ice shelves, and frozen ground including permafrost) and its relation to climate. Therefore CliC seeks to enhance and coordi An important assessment aiming to understand and quantify the role that ocean-atmosphere interactions play in the regulation of climate and global change. To provide up-to-date data to inform quantitative risk/uncertainty judgment on the consequences of changing atmospheric CO2 concentrations, and ultimately guide mitigation actions such as the Kyoto Protocol, 1997 Initiated by the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) to observe, understand and model the hydrological cycle and energy fluxes in the atmosphere, at land surface and in the upper oceans, ultimately leading to the prediction of global and regional clim The Reefs at Risk project series was initiated to raise awareness about threats to coral reefs -- specifically the linkages between human activities and coral reef health. SeagrassNet aims to preserve the seagrass ecosystem by increasing scientific knowledge and public awareness of this threatened coastal resource. Sea turtles are highly migratory, and protecting them requires a regional approach. This program aims to ensure turtle conservation is effective by making it an integral part of the sustainable development of local communities and fisheries and be integra Joint initiative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems (ISME), the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Seagrasses are valuable and overlooked habitats, providing important ecological and economic components of coastal ecosystems worldwide. Although there are extensive seagrass beds on all the world's continents, seagrasses have declined or been totally des The biennial UNEP Global Environment Outlook (GEO) was initiated in response to the environmental reporting requirements of Agenda 21 and to a UNEP Governing Council Decision of May 1995, which requested production of the first in a new, comprehensive gl forms part of the regular programme activity presented at FAOs Committee for Fisheries (COFI) The FAO Fisheries Global Information System (FIGIS) aims at providing policy-makers with the timely, reliable strategic information on global fishery status and trends needed to make informed decisions about the key challenges of sustainable development Established in line with the provisions of the United Nations Law of the Sea (Article 118) and United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement (UNFSA) The impetus for the creation of GOOS came from the IOC's Technical Committee for Ocean Processes and Climate (TC/OPC) in the late 1980s. The concept of a global ocean observing system grew from the realisation that understanding and forecasting climate ch BOOS was built on existing systems to provide an operational oceanographic service to the marine industry in the Baltic region with the aim of contributing to and improving the efficiency of marine operations, reducing the risk of accidents, optimising th The Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) was established in 1992 to ensure that the observations and information needed to address climate-related issues are obtained and made available to all potential users. GCOS is intended to be a long-term, user-dr MFSPP seeks to consolidate and expand upon elements of a Mediterranean marine forecasting system implemented during a previous EU funded Project (Mediterranean Forecasting System Pilot Project – MFSPP- MAS3-CT98-0171). Its goal is to advance the monitorin The international Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere (TOGA) program (1985-1994) demonstrated the scientific interest and societal importance of the interaction between the atmosphere and the tropical oceans, and successfully deployed a Tropical Atmosphere O The GODAE concept emerged in 1997 from discussions of the Ocean Observation Panel for Climate (OOPC) with the Committee on Earth Observing Satellites (CEOS) and its Integrated Global Observing Strategy. It was developed after recommendations from Smith an The original concept grew out of two independent, but connected, initiatives, "A Proposal for Global Ocean Observations for Climate: the Array for Real-time Geostrophic Oceanography" (ARGO), by Dean Roemmich, and "A program for Global Ocean Salinity Monit For the past 20 years the IOC-IMO-UNEP funded GIPME (Global Investigation of Pollution of the Marine Environment) programme has been working on issues regarding contaminants in the marine environment. With the development of GOOS, scientists from within t GIPME was established in response to the recommendations of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm in 1972 as an international cooperative programme of scientific investigations on marine pollution. GIPME is co-sponsored In response to the growing need and demand for an ocean observing system that encompasses both lagrangian and eulerian in-situ observations, CLIVAR and GOOS (through their COOP and OOPC bodies) as well as POGO requested the initiation of an international The primary goal of the Ship-of-Opportunity Programme (SOOP) is to fulfil upper ocean data requirements which have been established by GOOS and GCOS, and which can be met at present by measurements from ships of opportunity (SOO). SOOPIP is establishing i GLOSS is fully supported by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC), and contributes to the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS). The main scientific requirements are the need to monitor, and thereby eventually to contribute to an GEF/UNDP/IMO Global Ballast Water Management Programme (GloBallast) was developed to address Agenda 21 of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, supported by the World Summit on Sustainable Development, and to meet guidelines specif The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) is an international work program designed to meet the needs of decision makers and the public for scientific information concerning the consequences of ecosystem change for human well-being and options for respondi Outline of an international programme was completed at an IOC-SCOR workshop, Newport, USA, in November 1991. Revised in June 1992 by the Intergovernmental Panel on Harmful Algae (newly created after Resolution XVI-4 was adopted during the Sixteenth Sessio Integrated Coastal Area Management (ICAM) meets recommendations of a Government of Finland/UNEP/PAP report (Assessment of Integrated Coastal Management in Africa, 1998) to proper regulatory and institutional measures at the national level to initiate a pr Covering a large area with many jurisdictions, the US faces challenges reminiscent of regional efforts. Multi-scalar integration: In the Coastal Conditions Report, one sees evidence of this integration, in that the report summarises the condition of Marine activities are found in sections titled: Biodiversity, Coasts and Oceans, and Human Settlements. This interdisciplinary approach is useful for analysing assessments using the “ecosystem approach”, and make clear the probable need to extract marine The 1999 report for Ireland spawned an “Experienced gained – lessons learned” supplement and also details challenges islands face. With highlighted sections like “10 steps towards improved marine environmental assessments”, it offers a clear, succinct, an This comprehensive report utilised available data and information and did not involve any field data collection. The methodology follows GIWA and takes into account anthropogenic activities, including poor agriculture practices, oil exploration, indiscri The assessment was part of the regular programme of the body carrying it out The assessment was a one-off process for the purpose of Helcom ministerial-level meeting and stakeholders’ meeting The assessment was a one-off process for the purpose of Helcom ministerial-level meeting and stakeholders’ meeting The assessment is first in a series of short and focused assessment reports. This report type may become part of the regular work of a Helcom The assessment is in line with the Helcom mission to reduce the discharges of man-made contaminants to close to zero and keep watch of the state of the marine environment of the Baltic Sea. These reports are the outcome of the special task force formed by Helcom to look for special pollution hot spots in the Baltic Sea area. The initiave relates directly to the Helcom PITF regional workshops convened in the Baltic Sea countries and are devoted to analyzing the implementation of an element in the baltic Sea Joint Comprehensive Environment Action Program (JCP): Investment activities addressing point and non-point sources pollution. The assessments are based on the regional workshops. The assessment is planned to become part of the regular work of HELCOM. The assessment covers sustainable development issues, including the MDGs in small island states The assessment is part of a regular process of marine environment management. There is not a national law but rather the Ministry of Environment expects regular environment overviews of coastal waters. FIMR starts a continuous cycle of annual reports on the marine environment of the northern Baltic Sea. This is the first of the series and thus it also assesses the development based on long-term data. Parts of the data have their origins in 1960’s. The reports have an emphasis on describing the environmental status based on the data. The assessment is part of a regular process of SMF. There is no specific relation to marine environment management. There is an analysis of the changes in the European marine strategy. The TDA provides the technical basis for refinement of both the National Action Plans (NAPs) and the Strategic Action Programme (SAP) in the area of international waters of the GEF ELME uses a multidisciplinary approach integrating relevant information on 1) current major state changes affecting Europe’s marine ecosystems in four major sea areas; 2) pressures on the environment producing these changes; 3) social and economic drivers leading to these pressures; and 4) plausible scenarios for social and economic change across Europe during the next 2-3 decades. Spatial scales were set necessarily broad; investigations were framed at regional and sub-regional scales (specifically not at local level). An initial scoping study assigned the degree of impact of each environmental problem for each study region (table 1). High priority combinations were modelled in depth, but other combinations were explored during the course of the project. Results of these issue-based simulations formed the basis for regional seas models as the key environmental problems were brought together to constitute a region by region perspective. The most plausible options for regional social and economic development were studied (see Scenarios) and applied to the models. By manipulating these models, it was possible to explore the major consequences of future alternative development scenarios on marine ecosystems. An alternative sustainable development scenario, based not on mechanical market reactions or future socio-economic changes but on the assumption that proactive sustainable development policies are implemented. This scenario is then compared with a baseline scenario that assumes a continuation of the trends in the relationships between economic growth and the growth in environmental effects that have been observed over the past 30 years. This Report on the External Evaluation of the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) contains the findings, conclusions and recommendations, which have been distilled from the analysis of the responses to a detailed questionnaire submitted to the Contracting Parties and from a broad consultation process by the team of consultants. Assessment of impacts of human activities within catchments and the deep oceans. A desk and limited field survey on dugong observations and population in the region was undertaken. The Contracting parties to the Barcelona Convention at the National Coordinator meeting in Barcelona, 24-27 May 2005, adopted the Strategy for the Development of Mediterranean Marine Pollution Indicators (MPIs) to be considered as the basis for the preparation of marine environmental assessments in a manner which could facilitate the development of policy for the protection and conservation of the Mediterranean Sea and coastal areas. The feasibility to implement the MPIs proposed by UNEP/MAP, at a country level has been reported to UNEP/MAP by 14 countries.Bearing in mind that the ecosystem approach is integrating environmental concerns into all sectors and policies in the region in order to promote sustainable development, it is expected that the present report can serve as a base for: (a) exchanges of views with the European Commission with a view to improving complementarity and synergies in the light of the European Marine Strategy; and (b) the development of the MEDPOL reporting system. Part of a series on large marine ecosystems of the world. This report analyses trends in the environmental pressures of energy production and consumption, and the underlying societal drivers. It is an update of the European Environment Agency's first indicator-based report on energy and environment in the European Union in 2002, which examined trends in the pre-2004 EU 15 Member States over the period 1990–1999. Assessment of the effects of the sea water desalination in the Mediterranean, prediction of needs and development of Guidelines for the Environmental Sound Management of Seawater Desalination Plants in the Mediterranean. In-depth view of the main sources of contamination originating from human activities on land, which represent around 80% of the pollution loads on the sea, as well as their effects and the response of the region. This document covers: Present status of the controversy about global climate change and its impacts; Scenarios used to assess climate change; Analysis of the positions of Mediterranean countries in UNFCCC negotiations; Some basis for a strategic vision; and Conclusions and Recommendations. The present study reviews the existing data on marine protected areas (MPAs) in Spain, France, Italy and Greece. This document covers: (a) Sources and inputs of zinc and copper in the Mediterranean; (b) Levels of zinc and copper in the Mediterranean; (c) Effects of copper and zinc on marine biota; (d) Effects of zinc and copper on human health; (e) Control measures and recommendations concerning copper and zinc; and (f) Concluding recommendations. A. In preparing the first-generation case studies it became apparent that the assessment of likely impacts was constrained by the absence of scenarios of future climates on a regional, subregional and local scale. Therefore, the climatic research Unit of the University of East Anglia was commissioned by UNEP to attempt to produce a Mediterranean basin scenario and to develop scenarios of future local climate for the selected case study areas. B. During the work on the Mediterranean regional study carried out between 1987 and 1989 it was felt that, although the general effects might be similar throughout the Mediterranean region, considerable differences in the impact of climatic changes could be expected at different sites, and that, consequently, different response options would be required. Therefore, in the framework of the Mediterranean regional study, six site-specific case studies were prepared during the period 1988-1989. As a follow-up to the studies completed by 1989, a “second-generation” of five Mediterranean site-specific studies was prepared in the period 1990-1993. This document analyses the results of the Mediterranean regional study and the 11 completed first and second-generation site-specific case studies in the Mediterranean region This review of Italy’s environmental performance examines results in the light of domestic objectives and international commitments. It reviews progress since the previous OECD Environmental Performance Review of 1994. The report is organised in three parts: (a) Environmental Management; (b) Sustainable Development; and (c) International Commitments. Some 64 recommendations were made that could help strengthen Italy’s environmental performance in a context of sustainable development. The report reflects the general environmental situation in the country, factors of environmental pollution and natural damages, policies followed for its protection and preservation, attempts made by the central and local responsible institutions and by the whole Albanian society in general. The report was commissioned by the FAO with a view to provide information on the growth of the tuna industry and its complexities with the ecology of the tuna in the Indian Ocean. Coastal zone management in the WIO/EAF Field assessment of the damage and possible measures to be implemented on the ground to reduce future vulnerability to Tsunamis. The assessment is part of an annual cycle of fisheries management. The assessment was a one-off process. The assessments are part of an annual cycle of fisheries and ecosystem monitoring management. The assessment is part of the regular work of the PIRATA Program. The Global International Waters Assessment was a one-off process developed in 1999 as a strategy to obtain a holistic assessment of transboundary waters in order to respond to growing public concerns and provide advice to governments and decisions makers regarding the management of aquatic resources. The country reports provided information pertaining to the state of the marine environment and their priorities and recommendations are being realized through implementation of the Strategic Action Plan (SAP). ICES produces annually advice to a series of client commissions. The majority of this is concerned with fisheries management, but the document also contains the advice in response to detailed requests on other subjects. In 2000, OSPAR published the Quality Status Report (QSR) in 2000. The data on which this was based was, in effect, that which was available at the end of 1998. A second QSR is planned for 2010. Roughly half way between the two QSRs, the OSPAR Commission judged it appropriate to bring together an overview of all the assessment work that it had carried out. This included the 26 individual thematic assessments listed in Annex C. The assessment is part of the regular work of the OSPAR Commission. The expansion of the oil industry in the northern seas of Norway has been a long-standing political controversy since the 1970s. The southern part of the Barents Sea has been opened – with drilling restrictions – since 1978. From the late 1990s, there were strong initiatives from the oil industry to get access to new areas as production in the southern parts of the Norwegian shelf showed a declining trend. With the formation of the Bondevik II government in 2001, a political compromise was reached in the formative declaration of the new coalition; It endorsed the first field development in the Barents Sea (”Snowwhite” with LNG terminal), but also put a moratorium on further explorative drilling in the Barents Sea until a thorough assessment and plan for the development of the Barents Sea had been elaborated. The plan should make joint assessments of the environment, fisheries, petroleum activities and marine transport. ESCAP states that it produces the regional SOE report to help bridge the gap between advocates of environmental protection and advocates of economic growth GIWA was initiated to assess environmental concerns in transboundary water bodies to allow the GEF International Waters Focal Area (GEF-IW) to establish priorities in developing its project portfolio GPA was adopted by governments in 1995 at the Washington Conference which requested UNEP to facilitate the implementation of the GPA at regional, subregional, and national levels, inter alia by developing regional plans of action through the UNEP Regional Seas Programme. Development of the Pacific Islands Regonal Programme of Action built upon regional consultations that took place during the development of a Pacific Strategic Action Programme of the International Waters of the Pacific Region through a GEF project. SOE reports were prepared as input to the development of National Environmental Management Strategies for participating countries. Initially established under ADB-funded Regional Environment Technical Assistance (RETA) project, with subsequent funding from UNDP for the participation of additional countries. To assess the status of coral reefs and associated marine resources in the region Context is the importance of highly migratory fish stocks – specifically tunas and billfishes – in the region and the need for international cooperation in their management. The mission of the program is none All assessment documents were prepared on the basis of decisions of the Meetings of the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention and LBS Protocol.Basically there were two groups of assessment documents. Documents of broader nature (5-11) and documents covering a single category of polluting substances (12-34). The purpose of the documents from both groups was to identify problems, to collect and review available data and information, to assess impacts and to propose solutions and actions on a national and regional level in order to manage pollution from land-based sources.The preparation of assessments, guidelines and plans has been part of the implementation of the Mediterranean LBS Protocol. To enable the concerned Governments of the CARICOM countries to regionally plan and manage the sustainable utilisation of large pelagic species, rapidly and effectively in the context of the global fisheries environment (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982). The goal of the overall project was to enhance protection of the unique and vulnerable marine ecosystems comprising the Meso-American Barrier Reef (MBRS), and to assist the participating littoral states to strengthen and coordinate national policies, regulations, and institutional arrangements for the conservation and sustainable use of this global public good. The Reefs at Risk in the Caribbean project was launched to help protect and restore these valuable, threatened ecosystems by providing decision-makers and the public with information and tools to manage coastal habitats more effectively. The overall objective of the then CEPPOL Programme is to establish a regionally co-ordinated comprehensive "Marine Pollution Assessment and Control Programme" catering to the immediate and long-term requirements of the Cartagena Convention and its protocols (including those that are in the process of development). The CEPPOL programme has evolved into the Assessment and Management of Environmental Pollution Sub-Programme (AMEP) whose objectives relate to the obligations of the LBS and Oil Spills Protocols which include the need for ongoing and periodic assessments of the state of the environment. The assessment was a one-off process for the purpose of an international Ministerial meeting (part of the Action Plan of the CEP, approved by the Ninth Meeting of the Monitoring Committee of the Programme held in Kingston in June 1991) to determine the status of ecotourism in the Caribbean. NOAA and the Department of Interior led an interagency effort to respond to and assess the 2005 massive coral bleaching event in the Caribbean under the aegis of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force To significantly expand on the understanding of sea turtle habitat use, while at the same time facilitating the creation of operational frameworks to census populations, monitor stock recovery and safeguard habitat. This information can contribute to the regional planning processes This conclusions at the forum highlighted the inadequacies in the database for evaluating the condition of the world’s reefs (Ginsburg and Glynn, 1994). The Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment (AGRRA) collaboration is therefore designed for small teams of trained observers to quickly collect relatively simple quantitative indicators of the condition and/or abundance of stony corals, benthic algal groups, and commercially important or ecologically significantly reef-associated fishes at specific depth intervals in certain zones of maximum reef development CARICOMP was launched in response to the need for long-term, region-wide comparative studies of the biodiversity and productivity of Caribbean coastal ecosystems (mangroves, seagrasses and coral reefs) within the COMAR (Coastal Marine) project, established by the general Conference of UNESCO in 1980. This assessment was initiated at the request of various government agencies. The purpose of the assessment is the identification and agreement of major transboundary living marine resource management issues and their root causes; actions needed to address these constraints, including filling knowledge gaps. The assessment was a one-off process to provide the scientific basis for an ecosystem approach to fisheries management in the Lesser Antilles pelagic ecosystem. The project will contribute to the realisation of the (World Summit on Sustainable Development) WSSD targets concerning the implementation of an ecosystem approach to fisheries by 2010 and to the restoration of depleted stocks by the maintenance of ecosystem functioning, marine resources and fish production, through sustainable and responsible fisheries conduct. The purpose of this assessment was to assist in the development of a regional management plan for the West Indian manatee, Trichechus manatus, which was formulated at the request of the Governments of the Caribbean region. This was a result of the Governments adopting the Annexes to the SPAW Protocol and identifying the West Indian manatee as one of the priority protected species of regional concern. It aimed to highlight problems and issues of concern in the Wider Caribbean Region (WCR) affecting coastal and marine resources, emphasising also linkages between the environment and socio-economic development, cultural and political conditions, so they would be considered in the preparation of a strategic plan for the development of the Caribbean Environment Programme. Also, it attempts to reveal an agreed view of the relationships between environmental and development issues that confront the region. The assessment was undertaken in response to a call for assistance made by participants at the First CITES Wider Caribbean Hawksbill Turtle Dialogue Meeting, held in Mexico City in May 2001. The CITES Hawksbill Dialogue process was initiated and reviewed through deliberations and decisions by the CITES Parties at their biennial meetings and the CITES Standing Committee. This paper is an attempt to use the most recent information on biological connectivity to propose an ecoregional scenario that can be used to document the ecological significance of potential marine World Heritage sites (WHS) as a proof of its “outstanding universal value”. Despite technological advances that now allow people to access, exploit or affect nearly all parts of the ocean, we still understand very little of the ocean's biodiversity and how it is changing under our influence. The assessment is part of the regular work of a regional seas organisation. GIWA is focusing on 66 transboundary water areas worldwide. This report is part of them. This report presents the results of the Global International Waters Assessment (GIWA) of the transboundary waters of the Yellow Sea, East China Sea,South China Sea, Mekong River, Sulu-Celebes (Sulawesi) Sea region.GIWA has been working since 1999 and intend as a comparable assessment in support of the implementation of the international waters component of GEF, since global assessments have already been made on biodiversity, climate change, and the ozone layer for the purpose of supporting the implementation of the GEF project portfolio The assessment was a one-off process for the purpose of an international Ministerial meeting To facilitate the achievement of the regional goals and objectives, each participating country has agreed to undertake, in accordance with the conditions of the Memoranda of Understanding established with the 38 Specialised Executing Agencies in each country, a review of national legislation pertaining to the conservation and sustainable use of the habitats and resources of their coastal zones. The assessment is part of the regular work of a regional seas organisation The project of UNEPSCS addresses three priority areas of concern namely the loss and degradation of coastal habitats, over-exploitation of fisheries in the Gulf of Thailand, and land-based pollution. So this assessment was part of the UNEPSCS This assessment was prepared for the Twenty-ninth session of the Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission (APFIC), which was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 21 to 23 August 2006. In addition, APFIC has assumed a new role as a “regional consultative forum”, and is endeavouring to respond effectively to the changing requirements in the fisheries and aquaculture sector in the region. In support of the work of the Forum, APFIC is committed to improving the quality of information on the status and trends of fisheries and aquaculture in the region and to regularly reviewing and analysing the information The assessment is part of the regular work of a regional seas organisation. Regional Working Group for the Investment Component (RWG-I) conducted national governance analyses individually for China and Republic of Korea. The analyses examined governance issues in respective countries from the perspective of stakeholder, institution, and legal and policy. Those national governance analyses successfully provided not only the information relevant to root causes of the Yellow Sea’s environmental problems, but also the basic foundation for identifying possible future interventions. Having discussed this issue, the 3rd RWG-I Meeting decided to propose a regional governance analysis study as a new activity for 2007, and to present a possible study outline for the RSTP to consider. ICRAN partners have created a globally integrated action plan to manage and protect coral reefs, based on recommendations from the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI). The International Coral Reef Action Network is a coordinated response to ICRI's urgent call to protect coral reefs. ICRAN is an 'Action Network' of ICRI, established to implement the ICRI Framework for Action. The assessment is part of the regular work of MRC. The MRC supports the Mekong Programme, a Regional Cooperation Programme for the Sustainable Development of Water and Related Resources in the Mekong Basin owned by its member countries. In 2004, the governments of the three countries adopted the Ecoregion Conservation Plan (ECP) for SSME during the Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Kuala Lumpur. Member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) recognized the SSME tri-national initiative as a sub-regional program. These events set the stage for the full implementation of the SSME Program by the governments starting with the development of a network of MPAs in the ecoregion. 12 countries bordering the East Asian seas came together with a common vision to ensure the sustainable development of their shared waters—an attempt to turn back the hands of time and reverse the destructive tides that were swiftly taking over the region. This union, with the support of the Global Environment Facility, the United Nations Development Programme, and the International Maritime Organization, brought to life a dynamic regional programme called—Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia or PEMSEA. The focus of the YSLME project on sustainable fisheries management and reducing stress to the ecosystem provides an opportunity for exploring how this GEF project can further national and regional commitments to certain international conventions and agreements, such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, and the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land – based Activities (GPA) The programming context of this project is the GEF Operational Programme #8 which states: “the GEF will play a catalytic role in assisting a group of countries to leverage cofinancing....... for necessary elements of a comprehensive approach for sustainably managing the international waters environment” [para 8.2]. In addition this operational programme further states that: “Projects in this Operational program focus mainly on seriously threatened water bodies and the most imminent transboundary threats to their ecosystems. [para 8.3]” The present project proposal meets these requirements and will assist the countries of the region in meeting their obligations under various global conventions relating to biological diversity and the marine environment All assessments and action plan documents were prepared on the basis of decisions of the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention and SPA/Biodiversity Protocol. The preparation of assessments and action plans is part of the implementation of the Mediterranean SPA/Biodiversity Protocol. Such assessments are the base for the evaluation of the efficiency of implementation of action plans for the protection and management of specific species of fauna and flora that were required by the SPA/Biodiversity Protocol and SAP BIO. The purpose of the document was to assist the implementation of the Strategic Action Programme to Address Pollution from Land-Based Activities in the Mediterranean Region (SAP MED) and GEF/UNEP Project on the implementation of the SAP MED. The assessment covers sustainable development issues, including the MDGs in small island states The assessment is part of the regular work of a regional seas organisation The assessment was a one-off process for the purpose of an international Ministerial meeting The assessment is part of the regular work of a regional seas organisation. The assessment was a one-off process for the purpose of an international Ministerial meeting. The assessment is part of the regular work of a regional seas organisation The assessment is part of the regular work of a regional seas organisation. The assessment is part of the regular work of a regional seas organisation The assessment was a one-off process for the purpose of an international Ministerial meeting The assessment was a one-off process for the purpose of an international Ministerial meeting The assessment was a one-off process for the purpose of an international Ministerial meeting. The assessment is part of the regular work of a regional seas organisation. The assessment covers sustainable development issues, including the MDGs in small island states A desk and limited field survey on dugong observations and population in the region was undertaken. Assessment of impacts of human activities within catchements and the deep ocean Part of a series on large marine ecosystems of the world The assessment was a one-off process for the purpose of an international Ministerial meeting. Coastal zone management in the WIO/EAF The assessment is part of the regular work of a regional seas organisation. The assessment was a one-off process for the purpose of an international Ministerial meeting. The assessment is part of an annual cycle of fisheries management. Field assessment of the damage and possible measures to be implemented on the ground to reduce future vulnerability to Tsunami The report was commissioned by the FAO with a view tp provide information on the growth of the tuna industry and its complexities with the ecology of the tuna in the Indian Ocean. The assessment was a one-off process for the purpose of an international Ministerial meeting. The assessment was a required under the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF), National Action Plan to Conserve Coral Reefs, and National Coral Reef Action Strategy. AMAP was established in 1991 as a part of the “Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy”. The request from the ministers was to provide information on the status of, and threats to, the Arctic environment including human health in order to support Arctic governments in their efforts to take remedial and preventive actions relating to contaminants. AMAP has also been asked to assess Arctic climate (ACIA) and Arctic oil and gas activities, see separate evaluation sheets. It was to bring together all information available on the status of components of the Beaufort Sea ecosystem (overview) and their interactions and trajectories (assessment), including human uses of the area (economic, subsistence, and cultural) and their linkage to key parts of the ecosystem structure and function. The assessment was to provide the basis for setting Conservation Objectives that would be ecological “boundary conditions” to guide integrated management discussions Assess status and trend of specific exploited resources, as support for harvest management of subsistence fishery The context was the growing concern about the particularly intense changes in the Arctic and its impacts both on the global climate system and on the ecosystems and inhabitants of the Arctic. A growing knowledge of this had emerged during the 1990s e.g. from the regional climate impact studies of IASC and in AMAP’s preliminary assessment of climate change from 1998. The IPCC work was also important for the increased understanding and attention of the climate processes in the Arctic. Status and trend assessment, focusing on climate effects on the Arctic and its ecosystems. Purpose debated, with some states saying it was update and gap-filling of previous ACIA assessment and some participants saying it was effort to alter some conclusions of past assessments that were difficult to reconcile with policies This project set out to achieve three goals:1. Assessment reports on the extent of bycatch in existing fishing practice for South Africa, Namibia and Angola, 2 Trailing mitigation methods to reduce bycatch, 3 Creating awareness through observer training in South Africa, Namibia and Angola. The assessment is part of a baseline status process for data & information gathering. The assessment is to address a concern that cumulative effects (over time and space) of discharges from several mining operations may be found to be severe. The assessment is part of an annual cycle of coastal water quality assessment. The assessment was a one-off process for the purpose of UNEP/AIACC activities “Assessment of Impacts ad Adaptation to Climate Change in the southern Mediterranean basin”. The assessment is part of the regular work of a regional seas organisation. The assessment is part of the regular work of UNEP (GIWA Programme) This preliminary assessment is part of the GEF/UNEP/FAO/CSRP PROTECTION OF THE CANARY CURRENT LARGE MARINE ECOSYSTEM Project Preparation Phase (PDF-B) - GCP/INT/302/GEF The assesment was funded by project GCP/INT/730/NOR: “International cooperation with the Nansen The project was initiated in response to the environmental reporting requirements of Agenda 21 and to a UNEP Governing Council decision of May 1995 which requested the production of a comprehensive global state of the environment report This report contains the Nigerian Integrated Analysis component of the GEF MSP Project on the Development and Protection of the coastal and marine environment of Sub Sahara Africa. The report utilised available data and information and did not involve any field data collection. However, the national experts consulted with other experts in the country to obtain varied opinion on the analysis presented in this report. This report contains the Nigerian Integrated Analysis component of the GEF MSP Project on the Development and Protection of the coastal and marine environment of Sub Sahara Africa. The report utilised available data and information and did not involve any field data collection. However, the national experts consulted with other experts in the country to obtain varied opinion on the analysis presented in this report. This assessment contains the Gambia Integrated Analysis component of the GEF MSP Project on the Development and Protection of the coastal and marine environment of Sub Sahara Africa. The report utilised available data and information and did not involve any field data collection. However, the national experts consulted with other experts in the country to obtain varied opinion on the analysis presented in this report. This assessment contains the Ghana Integrated Analysis component of the GEF MSP Project on the Development and Protection of the coastal and marine environment of Sub Sahara Africa. The report utilised available data and information and did not involve any field data collection. However, the national experts consulted with other experts in the country to obtain varied opinion on the analysis presented in this report. The assessment presents a comprehensive and integrated assessment of international waters in the region. It is a systematic assessment of the environmental conditions and problems in transboundary waters, comprising marine, coastal and freshwater areas, and surface waters as well as ground waters. Freshwater shortage was identified as the most stressing concern in the Volta and Niger basins while Pollution is a general concern in the humid basins and in the coastal and marine waters. Causal chain analysis and Policy option analysis was conducted for the identified priority concerns in the Volta, Niger and Comoe river basins and in the Guinea Current LME. This assessment contains the Senegal Integrated Analysis component of the GEF MSP Project on the Development and Protection of the coastal and marine environment of Sub Sahara Africa. The report utilised available data and information and did not involve any field data collection. However, the national experts consulted with other experts in the country to obtain varied opinion on the analysis presented in this report. All six species of sea turtles occurring in the U.S. are protected under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. NOAA Fisheries and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) share jurisdiction for sea turtles, with NOAA Fisheries having lead responsibility for the conservation and recovery of sea turtles in the marine environment and USFWS for turtles on nesting beaches. The Assessment was a contribution to the WSSD on the state of the Marine environment of the west and central Africa with special reference to the GCLME area. Within the U.S., the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administartion (NOAA) has the responsibility to manage living marine resources in U.S. waters. Responsible management requires adequate assessments of the abundance and distribution of the resources. NOAA's stock assessments provide that information to resource managers. On January 12, 2007, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act of 2006 (P.L. 109-479) was enacted and included the The Condition Reports document the condition of sanctuary resources based on sanctuary staff judgments after consultation with selceted partners and best available information. The reports serve as a tool to determine if the sanctuaries are achievin their resource protection and improvement goals as reflected in NMSP performance measures. The reports serve as a supporting document during the Management Plan Review Process, to be used by constituents who desire to particiapte in that process. They also serve as a reporting tool to be used by policy makers, particularly within NOAA and the Department of Commerce. The reports are also used as education and outreach tools. The reports are distributed to consitituents and made available to the general public at vents and on the internet. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is mandated (Coral Reef Protection Executive Order 13089, Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, and the National Action Plan to Conserve Coral Reefs) to map, monitor, assess, restore, and conduct scientific research that benefits the understanding, sustainable use, and long-term conservation of coral reef ecosystems. Nutrient additions to aquatic systems occur naturally due to geological weathering and imputs from ocean upwelling. However, in recent decades, population growth and its related nutrient sources, such as agriculture, wastewater treatment plants, urban runoff, and consumption of fossil fuels (atmospheric deposition), have increased nutrient inputs to many times their natural levels, accelerating eutrophication. Nutrient increases can threaten biota, as well as lead to impairment in aesthetics, health, fishing opportunities and success, tourism, and real estate value. For this reason, management efforts should address nutrient inputs to restore and protect coastal resources. NCCOS science aims to respond directly to coastal managers’ needs by providing them with scientifically sound information, and management tools and techniques. Specifically, NCCOS translates its scientific results into Ecological Forecasts, which provide managers with precise, practical information to help them make more informed decisions. Such service to coastal managers is at the heart of NCCOS’ mission, which aims to make NCCOS the source of scientific information and tools that coastal managers need to balance society’s environmental, social and economic goals. The northern portion of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem, which contains almost half of the nation's coastal wetlands and supports commercial and recreational fisheries which generate $2.8 billion annually, has undergone profound changes due to nutrient enrichment of Mississippi River water from land-based sources. This nutrient over-enrichment can lead to excessive production of algae. When this organic material sinks and becomes decomposed, dissolved oxygen in bottom waters is reduced, resulting in seasonal hypoxia (very low oxygen water) over the Louisiana continental shelf. Large areas of hypoxic bottom water, known as the In 2003, NOAA/NOS/NCCOS/CCMA's Biogeography Team was asked by NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program to compile a report characterizing the condition of shallow water coral reef ecosystems in the United States and Pacific Freely Associated States. Such a report was called for by the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force in the U.S. National Action Plan to Conserve Coral Reefs as part of an effort to develop a comprehensive national coral reef ecosystem monitoring program. Coral reef ecosystems, defined broadly as coral reefs and other functionally-related shallow water habitats, are found in eleven U.S. jurisdictions (the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Navassa Island, Florida, the Flower Garden Banks and other banks of the NW Gulf of Mexico, Hawaii, the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, American Samoa, the Pacific Remote Island Areas, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, and Guam) and the three nations comprising the Pacific Freely Associated States (the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau). Within the U.S., the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administartion (NOAA) has the responsibility to manage living marine resources in U.S. waters. Responsible management requires adequate assessments of the abundance and distribution of the resources. NOAA's marine mammal stock assessments provide that information to resource managers. scientific research scientific research scientific research scientific research Assessment in trends of marine litter on beaches across US Review of publications dealing with plastic debris in the sea (global review) The growing extent of marine litter and debris throughout the global oceans. Need to identify priority problems in international waters by analysing causes and effects To compare the concentrations of VOCs in this southern hemisphere marine location to their concentratiosn in the northern hemisphere. To evaluate the concentrations and sources of certain non-methane hydrocarbons over the western North Pacific and eastern Indian Ocean To evaluate the sources for 15 different C2-C7 hydrocarbons and 6 halocarbons observed from aircraft over the northwest Pacific Ocean. To evaluate the concentration of certain VOCs over the Bay of Bengal and determine whether or not they are from continental sources To evaluate the concentration of certain VOCs over the ocean To evaluate the concentrations and sources of certain non-methane hydrocarbons across the tropical Atlantic at about 10N To evaluate the concentration and sources of C8-C16 hydrocarbons at Mace Head, Ireland To evaluate the concentration and sources of certain VOCs in the far north North Atlantic To evaluate the concentration and sources of certain VOCs in the far north North Atlantic To evaluate the sources for a number of non-methane hydrocarbons over the North and South pacific Oceans To evaluate the sources for some VOCs in an area of low marine biological activity. To evaluate the sources of certain nonmethane hydrocarbons in the atmosphere over the North and South Atlantic To evaluate the impact of oil entering the marine environment from sea-based activities To evaluate the impact of oil in the sea To evaluate input of organic carbon into the ocean from the atmosphere To evaluate the impact of atmospheric sulphur deposition ocean acidification and the inorganic carbon system To identify the sources of trace metals over the western North Pacific Ocean and Northern Indian Ocean To evaluate the input of trace species from the atmosphere to the global ocean - specific ocean basins were evaluated for some substances To evaluate the input of trace species from the atmosphere to the global ocean - specific ocean basins were evaluated for some substances to help researchers to generate a better understanding of the functioning of marine ecosystems. Assessment of global contamination of the marine environment triggered by research findings in the North Pacific Review of marine debris on South Pacific Islands – types, sources, impacts Marine plastic debris research; potential effects on mid-ocean plankton Microplastics pollution of the North-west Atlantic; spatial distributions and densities Prior knowledge of the global problem of pollution by micro-plastics; need for further surveys/monmitoring Known beach habitat deterioration and entanglement of marine species due to debris deposition Scientific Research Study of the input of atmospheric nutrients to the northeast Atlantic and their impact on new production there. Scientific Research An increasing scientific recognition of ‘the potential seriousness of direct consequences of anthropogenic CO2 emissions on marine life’ To estimate inputs of SO2, NOX, CO2, PAH from shipping in European waters and evaluate methods of mitigation To examine the existing data available on anthropogenic atmospheric emissions To estimate operational oil discharges from vessels in the North Sea To develop methodology to estimate inputs of SO2, NOX, CO2, PAH from shipping in European waters (with potential global applications) To estimate inputs of SO2, NOX, CO2, VOCS from shipping To review the issue of acoustic pollution (noise), the potential impacts on marine mammals and marine ecosystems, and to assess legal alternatives for regulation To estimate inputs of SO2 from shipping in European waters and evaluate methods of mitigation To estimate oil inputs from various sources and ascertain trends To estimate oil inputs from various sources and ascertain trends To evaluate the input of trace metals from the atmosphere to the ocean in the South Pacific near New Zealand To evaluate the input of trace metals from Patagonia to the Argentinean offshore shelf region of the South Atlantic To evaluate the impact of contaminant lead in the South Atlantic To estimate inputs of SO2, NOX, CO2, VOCS from shipping To review data on inputs of heavy metals and chlorinated hydrocarbons to the marine environment To review data on inputs of heavy metals to the marine environment and evaluate potential environmental and health impacts To evaluate the scope of hazardous substances carried by ships, to develop a system to categorize and assess impacts of these substances To evaluate the scope and estimates of inputs of oil to the sea from various sources and to evaluate whether there have been reductions in inputs with regard to shipping that might be attributed to prevention regulations and conventions To review the issue of acoustic pollution (noise), the potential impacts on marine mammals and marine ecosystems, and to assess legal alternatives for regulation To review the issue of acoustic pollution (noise), the potential impacts on marine mammals and marine ecosystems, and to assess legal alternatives for regulation To evaluate the scope of inputs of oil from natural seeps To evaluate the scope of inputs of oil from natural seeps and discuss potential environmental impacts To evaluate the natural continental vs anthropogenic sources for atmospheric trace metals found over n the North Pacific in the free troposphere at Mauna Loa, Hawaii, elevation 3400 meters To evaluate the sources and transport of atmospheric trace metals found in the North Pacific at Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands To evaluate the input of trace metals from the atmosphere to the ocean in the North Pacific at Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands To evaluate the transport of trace metals in the free troposphere to this mid-Pacific location To identify the sources of trace metals at the island of Rishiri, north of Japan To evaluate the sources of lead in the East China Sea To estimate scope and potential inputs of oil from sunken ships and evaluate legal, regulatory, technical, environmental, and financial issues and challenges related to these wrecks. To evaluate the input of copper from the atmosphere to the North Pacific Ocean To evaluate the scope of inputs of oil to North American waters and its impacts To evaluate outputs of various contaminants from offshore oil and gas exploration and production activities To evaluate the concentrations and sources of trace elements over the tropical North Atlantic between Barbados and Africa To evaluate outputs of various contaminants from offshore oil and gas exploration and production activities To evaluate outputs of various contaminants from offshore oil and gas exploration and production activities To evaluate leaching of heavy metals into marine waters from ships To review the environmental impacts of oil and gas exploration and production To estimate oil inputs from natural seeps Scientific Research Recognising that actions to date have failed to halt degradation of the environment of the South China Sea, the countries of the region sought the assistance of UNEP and the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The XIIth intergovernmental meeting of the Coordinating Body for the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA), in December 1996 endorsed a request for grant assistance from the GEF. The GEF made available a project preparation and development facility grant (PDF-B) to enable countries to prepare the necessary analyses and reviews. In accordance with the GEF Operational Strategy a Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis and Framework Strategic Action Programme were prepared. It was developed at the request, made by the National Focal Points for the East Asian Seas Action Plan, during their meeting in Bangkok, 22-26 July 1996. It was approved by the Twelfth Meeting of the Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA) held in Manila, December 3-5, 1996. The assessment was part of the implementation of the Operational Plan for the Manila Bay Coastal Strategy (OPMBCS) developed under the Manila Bay Environmental Management Program (MBEMP). The Reefs at Risk in Southeast Asia project is a follow-up to the global Reefs at Risk analysis completed in 1998. Goal of the RRSEA project is to raise awareness about threats to coral reefs and provide resource managers with specific information and tools to manage coastal habitats in Southeast Asia more effectively. Analysis of data on microbial pollution in the Mediterranean, its associated effects, compliance with the national, Mediterranean and EU legislation, existing regulations and legal measures and proposals for further actions. Issues covered with this document were: Sources of pollution; Pathogen survival – the new approach to the phenomena; Health implications of recreational water use; Current standards for bathing waters worldwide; Analysis of Mediterranean bathing waters 1996-2005; Shellfish-growing waters and their microbiological quality; Health implications of contaminated shellfish waters; Conclusions; and Recommendations. This report aims to identify priority pollution zones and emerging issues in the Mediterranean Sea. It addresses specific issues which are of main concern to the sustainable development of the region and which have been recognised as such in previous EEA reports. The report presents an overview of the Mediterranean marine and coastal environment. The report adopts the DPSIR assessment framework and describes the various interactions between human activities and environment. The report makes an attempt to give a picture of the region and reflect important and characteristic features of the Mediterranean marine environment and the impacts of human activities, based on the best available information in 1887-1998. CARSEA sets out a detailed picture of the condition and trends of the ecosystem; it then develops a number of scenarios aiming to simulate the likely outcome of different plausible future paths for the region; and finally reviews the responses available to decision-makers. It applies the same conceptual framework to ecosystems and human communities as the MEA. The assessment was to standardize the approach and methodology by which land-based marine pollution sources in the BCLME region are managed. The purpose of NOWPAP SOMER was to review and analyze current marine environmental problems in the region The assessment is now part of a the regular/ continuous work of the Brazilian Ministry of the Environment Brazil accepted a series of rights and obligations to the national and international communities by signing the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in 1982, and ratifying it in 1988. Among these obligations, those related to the exploitation, use, conservation, and management of living resources in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) are the most notable, concerning the sustainable use of the sea. The assessment was not the main objective, but an expected outcome of the monitoring program, and it is part of the international commitments of Brazil under the CDB. a required under the U.S. Coral Reef Brazil does not have any National Action Plan to Conserve Coral or Strategy. These are annual assessments of the state of the physical, chemical, and biological oceanographic conditions in the Canadian Pacific. This information is a major input to basin-wide assessments coordinated by PICES, and influential on the assessment and management of exploited marine resources. The assessment was supposed to provide the basis for advice on the questions posed by the US. This was a major change in context for PICES, which to this point had been a forum for discussing marine science issues and reviewing knowledge of its components, but had avoided activities that would impact policy or management. These are periodic (from annual to nearly decadal) assessments of the status and trends of marine populations of fish, invertebrates and marine mammals that are either commercially exploited or being protected (or considered for protection) under the Canadian Species at Risk Act. They are to inform policy and management about effectiveness of past management strategies and tactics, and be the basis for measures (e.g. adjustments to quotas) in the future. The assessment was a one-off process for the purpose evaluating the area of the Exxon Valdez oil spill ten years later. The assessment was a one-off process done by the institution. Review of status and trend of individual exploited stocks or populations of marine species, as a basis for setting quotas and identifying other necessary management actions. These are periodic (usually annual to tri-annual) assessments of the status and trends of marine populations of fish, invertebrates and marine mammals that are either commercially exploited or being protected (or considered for protection) under the Canadian Species at Risk Act. They are to inform policy and management about effectiveness of past management strategies and tactics, and be the basis for measures (e.g. adjustments to quotas) in the future. It was to bring together all information available on the status of components of the Scotian Shelf (overview) and their interactions and trajectories (assessment), including human uses of the area (economic, subsistence, and cultural) and their linkage to key parts of the ecosystem structure and function. The assessment was to provide the basis for setting Conservation Objectives that would be ecological “boundary conditions” to guide integrated management discussions. To compare the atmospheric mercury concentrations at several sites in North America, at Mace Head Ireland, and in Korea It was to bring together all information available on the status of components of the Gulf of St. Lawrence ecosystem (overview) and their interactions and trajectories (assessment), including human uses of the area (economic, subsistence, and cultural) and their linkage to key parts of the ecosystem structure and function. The assessment was to provide the basis for setting Conservation Objectives (COs) that would be ecological “boundary conditions” to guide integrated management discussions. These are annual assessments of the state of the physical, chemical, and biological oceanographic conditions in the Newfoundland and Labrador Shelf. “The physical oceanographic environment influences the yield (growth, reproduction, survival), and behavior (distribution, catchability, availability) of marine organisms as well as the operations of the fishing industry. Environmental changes may contribute directly to variations in resource yield, reproductive potential, catchability, year-class size (recruitment) and spawning biomass; they may also influence the perception of the resource status and the efficiency and profitability of the industry.” scientific research Synthetic review of the knowledge of the global dust cycle and its role in introducing nutrient iron into the global ocean These are annual assessments of the state of the physical, chemical, and biological oceanographic conditions in the Newfoundland and Labrador Shelf. This information is a major input to basin-wide assessments coordinated by NAFO, and influential on the assessment and management of exploited marine resources. It was to bring together all information available on the status of components of the Northern and Central British Columbia (overview) and their interactions and trajectories (assessment), including human uses of the area (economic, subsistence, and cultural) and their linkage to key parts of the ecosystem structure and function. The assessment was to provide the basis for setting Conservation Objectives that would be ecological “boundary conditions” to guide integrated management discussions. ‘Mounting concern that rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations will cause changes in the ocean’s carbonate chemistry system, and that those changes will affect some of the most fundamental biological and geochemical processes of the sea.’ (Executive summary) To evaluate atmospheric concentrations and fluxes of Pb and other metals in the northeast Atlantic Ocean To evaluate the changing concentrations of Fe and Pb in the waters near Bermuda and assess the source of this change These are annual assessments of the state of the physical, chemical, and biological oceanographic conditions in the Newfoundland and Labrador Shelf. “The physical oceanographic environment influences the yield (growth, reproduction, survival), and behavior (distribution, catchability, availability) of marine organisms as well as the operations of the fishing industry. Environmental changes may contribute directly to variations in resource yield, reproductive potential, catchability, year-class size (recruitment) and spawning biomass; they may also influence the perception of the resource status and the efficiency a