NOWPAP
United Nations Environment Programme
Northwest
Pacific
Action Plan
Distr.
RESTRICTED
UNEP/NOWPAP/DINRAC
FPM 7/11
9 May 2008
Original: English
Northwest Pacific Action Plan
Data and Information Network
Regional Activity Centre
The 7th NOWPAP DINRAC Focal Points Meeting
Beijing, the People’s Republic of China, 13 - 14 May 2008
PROGRESS REPORT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE META-DATABASE ON
CONTAMINANTS AND NUTRIENTS
IN THE COASTAL AND MARINE ENVIRONMENT
UNEP/NOWPAP/DINRAC FPM 7/11
Page 1
PROGRESS REPORT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE META-DATABASE ON
CONTAMINANTS AND NUTRIENTS
IN THE COASTAL AND MARINE ENVIRONMENT
1.
Background
These days, the economic development in the Northwest Pacific region has been remarkable. And with
the densely population in the region, the pressures and demands on the environment have also been
increasing. When we think that the region is one of the richest fisheries, it is essential to understand the
effects of contaminants and nutrients in the coastal and marine environment.
Considering the complex impact on marine environment by contaminants and nutrients, land-based
activities and integrated coastal management are identified as one of major concerns and priorities of the
Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans. POMRAC and CEARAC considered a joint major activity
titled Land-based Sources of Pollution and Integrated Coastal and River Basin Management. For the
good cooperation among RACs, the DINRAC’s own activity concerning with contaminants and nutrients
in the coastal and marine region was desirable. In order to follow the trend of Action Plan, the activity
titled the establishment of the meta-database on contaminants and nutrients in the coastal and marine
environment in the NOWPAP region was adopted into the DINRAC Workplan for the 2006/2007
biennium at the 4th NOWPAP DINRAC Focal Points Meeting (Dalian, the People’s Republic of China,
27-28 September 2005).
In accordance with the discussion and decision made by the Fifth NOWPAP DINRAC Focal Points
Meeting (Shenzhen, the People’s Republic of China,10-11 May 2006), Activity N - Establishment of the
Meta-database on Contaminants and Nutrients in the Coastal and Marine Environment was identified as
one of major activities in the DINRAC Workplan for the 2006/2007 biennium. The formal proposal for the
Activity N was approved in the Sixth NOWPAP DINRAC Focal Points Meeting (Beijing, the People’s
Republic of China, 24-25 May 2007). The detail was shown in Annex I, II and III. Japan was selected as
the leading country of the Activity N by the meeting.
Main tasks of the Activity are:
(1) Focal Points of each NOWPAP member collect Meta data and information on surveys which concern
Contaminants and Nutrients in the Coastal and Marine Environment, and the format should be
accordance with the Questionnaires which were approved by the Sixth DINRAC Focal Points meeting.
(2) Focal Points of each NOWPAP member submit the filled Questionnaires in electronic form after
essential compilation to DINRAC.
(3) After the Questionnaires are submitted to DINRAC, DINRAC has the responsibility to establish the
meta-database.
(4) The meta-database on Contaminants and Nutrients in the Coastal and Marine Environment of
NOWPAP Region will be available on DINRAC Website for the data service.
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2.
Current Progress
The MoUs between DINRAC and Focal Points of Japan, Korea, China and Russia have been signed in
October, September, September and August respectively.
2.1 Japan
Japan is the leading country to implement this activity, and seven meta-data on Japanese surveys
concerning coastal and marine environment conducted by governmental research institutions or local
governments were collected. The meta-data collected by the Focal Point of Japan has already been
submitted to DINRAC. The details about the 7 meta-data submitted by Japan to DINRAC are as
follows.
4 surveys conducted by Japan Coast Guard
Marine Pollution Surveys in the adjacent seas of Japan
Marine Pollution Surveys in principal bays of Japan
Radioactive Survey in the adjacent Seas of Japan
Radioactive Surveys in the Deep Sea
1 survey conducted by local governments and National Institute for Environmental Studies
Nationwide Water Quality Survey of Public Water Areas
1 survey conducted by Ministry of Environment
Marine Pollution Monitoring in the Adjacent Seas of Japan
1 survey conducted by Japan Meteorological Agency
Monitoring of Background Marine Pollution
2.2 China
China has already collected and submitted 10 meta-data to DINRAC. The details about the 10
meta-data submitted by China to DINRAC are as follows.
5 surveys conducted by Ministry of Environmental Protection of the People's Republic of China
(MEP)
Offshore Water Quality Survey and Evaluation in China,
Survey and monitor of pollutant input from rivers to the Yellow sea of China,
Survey of Pollution Sources Discharging Directly into the Yellow Sea,
Weekly seawater quality monitor of important bathing beaches in the Yellow Sea,
The Offshore Environmental Survey of the Yellow Sea,
1 survey conducted by Shandong Provincial Oceanic and Fishery Bureau
Survey of environmental quality of sea water in Shandong Province, China,
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1 survey conducted by Jiangsu Provincial Oceanic and Fishery Bureau
Survey of environmental quality of sea water in Jiangsu Province, China,
1 survey conducted by Dalian Environmental Monitoring Station
Sea water eutrophication research in Dalian Bay,
1 survey conducted by Ministry of Environmental Protection of the People's Republic of China
(MEP) and Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (MOMAF) of the Republic of Korea
Yellow Sea Environmental Cooperative Survey and Research between China and Korea,
1 survey conducted by State Oceanic Administration (SOA) of the People's Republic of China
Survey and monitor environmental quality of sea water in China,
2.3 Russia
Russia has already collected and submitted 16 meta-data to DINRAC. The details about the 16
meta-data submitted by Russia to DINRAC are as follows.
6 surveys conducted by Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring
Marine Pollution Surveys in the Peter the Great Bay,
Ongoing FERHRI observations of nutrients in the the Eastern Area of NOWPAP Region,
Bygones FERHRI observations of nutrients in the Eastern Area of NOWPAP Region,
Nutrients in NW Pacific,
Marine Pollution Surveys in the Eastern Area of NOWPAP Region,
Marine Pollution Surveys in waters surrounding Sakhalin Island,
3 surveys conducted by A.V. Zhirmunsku Institute of Marine Biology (Far Eastern Branch, Russian
Academy of Sciences)
APN Project related activity: Expedition to the Razdolnaya River mouth and neighboring areas
of Amursky Bay, the Eastern Area of NOWPAP Region,
APN Project related activity: Expedition of the Institute of Marine Biology on the R/V "Professor
Gagarinsky" to the Amur River in July, 2005,
Monitoring surveys of Tumen River Area Development Program (TRADP),
1 survey conducted by Maritime State University, Far East State University, V.I. Il'ichev Pacific
Oceanological Institute, Institute of Marine Biology
Floating University data on ecological monitoring at Far Eastern Seas,
1 survey conducted by V.I. Il'ichev Pacific Oceanological Institute, Far Eastern Branch, Russian
Academy of Sciences (POI FEB RAS)
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POI oceanographic and hydrochemical surveys in the NOWPAP region,
1 survey conducted by Pacific Geographical Institute (Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of
Sciences)
Monitoring of chemical composition and pollutant concentrations in the river run-off from the
southern part of Russian Far East,
1 survey conducted by State Committee on Fisheries
Bygones TINRO-Center observations of nutrients in the Eastern Area of NOWPAP Region,
1 survey conducted by V.I. Il'ichev Pacific Oceanological Institute, Far Eastern Branch, Russian
Academy of Sciences (POI FEB RAS)
POI bio-geo-hydrochemical research of the Razdolnaya and Amur rivers estuaries,
1 survey conducted by V.I. Il'ichev Pacific Oceanological Institute, Institute of Marine Biology (Far
Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences)
Monitoring of pollutants in bottom sediments and marine gydrobionts of coastal zone,
1 meta-data of All Russian Research Institute of Hydrometeorological Information ?C World Data
Center (RIHMI-WDC) http://meteo.ru/english/
Historical data of ship observations on hydrochemistry and pollution of the Eastern Area of
NOWPAP Region,
2.4 Korea
The submission of meta-data from Korea is still in progress.
2.5 DINRAC
The meta-database has been launched by DINRAC. Some functions are still in construction. (For
example, the keyword reference is still in progress.) At the present, 33 meta-data are included in the
meta-database.
3.
Budget and Expenditure
Korea FP: USD 2,000 (was paid in 2007)
China FP: USD 2,000 (was paid in 2007)
Russia FP: USD 2,000 (was paid in 2007)
Korea FP: USD 3,000 (will be paid in 2008)
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China FP: USD 3,000 (will be paid in 2008)
Russia FP: USD 3,000 (will be paid in 2008)
Japan FP: USD 5,000 (will be paid in 2008)
DINRAC: USD 3,000 (will be paid in 2008)
These figures are decided in the MoUs. However, the Focal Point of Japan has already collected and
submitted the meta-data free of charge. It would be better that the unspent budget which will be paid to
Japan in 2008 should be allocated to other countries or projects.