2nd UNU-ORI Joint International Workshop for the Marine Environment

Coastal Ecology, Nutrient Cycles and Pollution
3-8 December 2000 - Otsuchi, Japan

Overview

The United Nations University (UNU) and the Ocean Research Institute (ORI) of the University of Tokyo are jointly holding the second International Workshop on Marine Environment. These workshops are held at the research facilities of ORI at Otsuchi, namely the Otsuchi MarineResearch Center (OMRC). The focus is on understanding the coastal ecology,nutrient cycles in the coastal areas and their impact on fishing resources,and pollution in coastal areas and its impact on the living resources.Geographically, there is a particular emphasis on Northern Japan and selectedEast/Southeast Asian countries.

The workshop includes in-depth lectures from leading Japanese and international experts on the subject matter. The invited workshop participants also make brief presentations about their own research programmes, bringing a regional perspective to the meeting. Considerable time is allocated to in-depthdiscussions in order to exchange ideas and to develop further joint activities.Field excursions provide a closer look at Japanese field research activitiesin the Iwate Prefecture's coastal areas.

Thematically, the workshop covers the following two focal areas:

- Ecology and nutrients in the marine and coastal environment
- Pollutants and their impact on marine and coastal ecosystems.

The workshop is a part of the ongoing three-year cooperative project between UNU, ORI and the Iwate Prefectural government. This project aims to preserve global or regional marine environments and also contribute to the sustainable development of ocean resources and commercial fisheries, through the promotion of cooperative international research and the construction of an international research network concerning the marine environment, and the popularization of marine environment education. A brief overview of UNU痴 programme on coastal hydrosphere and the OMRC are provided here.

UNU痴 Coastal Hydrosphere Project: Conceptually, this project draws on the Chapter 17 of Agenda 21, in which an urgent need for utilizing our coastal and marine resources in a sustainable manner is strongly emphasized. Thematically, it includes activities oncoastal environment monitoring, protection, restoration and managementin the East Asian and Pacific region. The project activities are also designedto contribute to the Global Programme of Action (GPA) for the Protectionof the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities, an initiative implementedby UNEP. Particular importance is given to coastal pollution by persistentorganic pollutants and heavy metals from land-based sources. These issuesare closely linked to sustainable use and conservation of marine and coastalbiodiversity resources. On the whole, outlook of the project is regionalin nature, with an emphasis on developing country-specific initiatives.

To implement this project, UNU relies on a strong network of research institutions, laboratories, and individual scholars. Wide dissemination of policy relevant information and research results comprises the most basic function of the project. UNU has developed an environmental monitoring database calledLandBase (www.geic.or.jp/landbase/) to organize and disseminate the dataand related information via the Internet. This information is anticipatedto become a key element of regional and national environmental governanceand strategic policies.

To cover the broad range of issues related to coastal hydrosphere, this project is divided into three closely inter-linked components:
- Environmental Monitoring and Governance
- EDC Pollution in the East Asian Coastal Hydrosphere
- Cooperative International Research on Marine and Coastal Environment
- Asia-Pacific Cooperation On Research And Conservation Of Mangroves.

Otsuchi Marine Research Center: This research center has concerned with the basic marine sciences including marine ecology, marine pollution, marine biology, physiology, taxonomyand physical oceanography. About 70 research projects are annually conducted under the cooperation of the visiting scientists exceeding 2,900 person day per year. The Center has three research ships, the Yayoi (16 ton), the Challenger II (1.0 ton) and the Riasu (2.2 ton). Indoor aquaria (97.2 m2),and 28 small-size (3.5 m x 1.5 m) and 2 middle-size (6.0 m x 3.0 m) outdoor ponds are available for visiting scientists. Seawater at a rate of 200 ton/hour and fresh water at 30 ton/hour can be supplied. Marine meteorological data (wind direction, wind speed, air temperature, solar radiation, sea water temperature salinity etc.) are automatically recorded at a meteorological station.

To clarify the coastal marine ecosystem, the global marine pollution of man-made chemicals, the oceanic-atmospheric relationship and so on, several scientific symposia are also annually held at this research center under cooperation of many visiting specialists. The research areas of OMRC include the following:
- Coastal marine ecosystem;
- Marine pollution;
- Biology of marine mammals;
- Physiological study of salmon; and
- Physical oceanography.

Click here to see:
Workshop Programme
List of Participants
Abstracts
Photographs
Partners