SCS Newsletter (Newsletter)
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SCS Newsletter (Newsletter)
SCS E-Newsletter - July 2007
SCS E-NEWSLETTER - JULY 2007
UNEP/GEF PROJECT ENTITLED REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL
DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF
THAILAND
1 INTRODUCTION
This is the online version of the July 2007 edition of the UNEP/GEF South China Sea
Project e-mail newsletter. Please feel free to forward this newsletter to your colleagues
and other interested parties. This newsletter can also be accessed via the South China
Sea RSS feeds.
On Thursday 26th July 2007, the search engine "Google.com" ranked UNEPSCS.org in
the top 10 of 49,700,000 results from a search on the "South China Sea". So far during
the month of July, our server has registered 97,546 hits on the site. Please help
UNEPSCS.org maintain this high Google ranking by placing a link to
http://www.unepscs.org on your website or blog.
2 WEBSITE INFORMATION FROM THE PCU
2.1 South China Sea Project Document Repository
The South China Sea Document Repository has been expanded to contain PDF
versions of all project documents produced to date a total of 1311 documents. The
repository features RSS feeds that you can use to have documents of your choice
delivered to your desktop or website as soon as they are published online. Please click
here to access the new and improved repository.
Please follow the links below to access recent meeting reports and publications:
Seventh Meeting of the Regional Scientific and Technical Committee
Sixth Meeting of the Project Steering Committee
Sixth Meeting of the Regional Task Force on Economic Valuation
Seventh Meeting of the Regional Task Force on Economic Valuation
Eighth Meeting of the Regional Working Group on Mangroves
Eighth Meeting of the Regional Working Group on Wetlands
Eighth Meeting of the Regional Working Group on Seagrass
Eighth Meeting of the Regional Working Group on Coral Reefs
Sixth Meeting of the Regional Task Force on Legal Matters
South China Sea Knowledge Document on the Procedure for Selection of
Demonstration Sites
2.2 South China Sea Multi-Media Library
The Multi-Media Library has grown to contain 23 videos and TV news clips (3.5 hrs of
footage in total) on project activities and demonstration sites. These videos can be
streamed directly from UNEPSCS.org please click here to access the library.
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2.3 Catalogue of Community Education and Public Awareness Materials
A vast range of community education and public awareness materials have been
developed and compiled through the South China Sea Project. The PCU has recently
developed an online catalogue of these materials which can be accessed by clicking
here.
2.4 Photo Gallery
The South China Sea Project Photo Album has recently been updated with 1053 new
photographs from regional meetings and activities at the projects suite of demonstration
sites. Please click here to access the photo album.
2.5 Use of the Electronic Forums
Please click here to access the South China Sea Project E-Forum. Currently active
forums include:
Regional Working Group on Mangroves Forum
Regional Working Group on Fisheries Forum
2.5 South China Sea Project on Google Earth
A Google Earth map of the South China Sea's habitat demonstration sites has recently
been added to the demonstration site index page of UNEPSCS.org. Please click here to
access this tool. A similar map is used to display known fisheries refugia in the South
China Sea on the Fisheries Refugia Information Portal. The PCU is also in the
process of adding the South China Sea Project's habitat demonstration sites to the
"geographic web" layer of Google Earth please keep your eyes open for the "SCS"
logo when browsing Google Earth in the future.
3 RECENT MEETINGS
3.1 Ninth Meeting of the Regional Working Group on Fisheries
The Ninth Meeting of the Regional Working Group on Fisheries was convened on Phu
Quoc Island in Viet Nam from 10th-13th July 2007. The main items of business
considered by the group included: the outputs and outcomes of the "Regional Training
Workshop on Larval Fish Identification and Fish Early Life History Science"; the syllabus
and programme for a Regional Training Course on the Establishment and Management
of Fisheries Refugia; and the finalisation of fisheries component inputs to the revised
regional Strategic Action Programme.
The group strongly supported the idea of developing a fisheries refugia project proposal
for the period 2009-2013, and felt that sufficient lead-time was available to enable them
to include co-financing in their planned departmental recurrent budgets for 2009
onwards. The final report of the meeting will be available on UNEPSCS.org in coming
weeks. Please visit the Fisheries Refugia Information Portal for information
regarding the work of the Regional Working Group on Fisheries to establish a regional
system of fisheries refugia in the South China Sea.
3.2 Sixth Meeting of the Regional Task Force on Legal Matters
The Sixth Meeting of the Regional Task Force on Legal Matters was convened in
Sihanoukville, Cambodia from 25th-27th June 2007. Key items of discussion considered
by the group included: the outcome of national consultations on alternative instruments
and mechanisms for marine environmental cooperation in the South China Sea;
consideration of the contents of the Strategic Action Programme regarding alternative
regional instruments and environmental cooperation; and promotion of information
exchange and networking among environmental legal experts in the South China Sea
region. Please click here to access the report of the meeting. Please click here for
further information regarding the work of the Regional Task Force on Legal Matters.
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3.3 Eighth Meeting of the Regional Working Group on Coral Reefs
The 8th Meeting of the Regional Working Group on Coral Reefs was convened on Phu
Quoc Island in Viet Nam from 4th-7th June 2007. The main items of business
considered by the group included: the status of finalisation, adoption, and
implementation of National Action Plans; the proposed South China Sea Regional
Training Course on Management Models and Strategies for Coral Reef and Seagrass
Ecosystems and associated National Echo-Seminars; the national and regional economic
values of the goods and services of coral reefs in the South China Sea; and the coral
reef component of the regional Strategic Action Programme. Click here to access the
report of the meeting. Please click here for further information regarding the work of
the Regional Working Group on Coral Reefs and the coral reef habitat demonstration
sites.
3.4 Second Joint Meeting between the Management Teams of the Kampot
and Phu Quoc Habitat Demonstration Sites
The Second Joint Meeting between the Management Teams of the Kampot and Phu
Quoc Habitat Demonstration Sites was convened in Kampot, Cambodia from 26th-28th
May 2007. The meeting was aimed at reviewing the implementation of actions agreed
during the first joint meeting of the sites in 2006, and to enhance interactions between
the Provinces of Kien Giang (Viet Nam) and Kampot (Cambodia) in the management of
transboundary water areas. Main items of business included: a review of the status of
activities and achievements of the two demonstration sites; development of a policy and
framework for co-operation in managing the environment and resources of
transboundary water areas of Cambodia and Viet Nam; and development of a joint GIS
database. The report of the meeting can be accessed by clicking here.
3.5 Eighth Meeting of the Regional Working Group on Seagrass
The 8th Meeting of the Regional Working Group on Seagrass was convened in
Sihanoukville, Cambodia from 21st-24th May 2007. The final report of the meeting can
be accessed by clicking here. Please click here for further information regarding the
work of the Regional Working Group on Seagrass and the seagrass habitat
demonstration sites.
3.6 Eighth Meeting of the Regional Working Group on Wetlands
The 8th Meeting of the Regional Working Group on Wetlands was convened in Shantou,
China from 8th-11th May 2007. This meeting was featured on TV news in China and a
video clip of this news item can be accessed by clicking here. Participants visited the
Shantou Wetland Demonstration Site on the final day of the meeting and a series of
recent videos from the Shantou Wetland Demonstration Site are now available online in
the multi-media library. The final report of this meeting can be accessed by clicking
here. Please click here for further information regarding the work of the Regional
Working Group on Wetlands.
3.7 Eighth Meeting of the Regional Working Group on Mangroves
The 8th Meeting of the Regional Working Group on Mangroves was convened in Koh
Kong, Cambodia from 19th-22nd April 2007. Participants visited the Peam Krasop
Mangrove/Wetland Demonstration Site please click here for more information about
this meeting. The final report of this meeting can be accessed by clicking here. Please
click here for further information regarding the work of the Regional Working Group on
Mangroves and the mangrove habitat demonstration sites.
3.8 Sixth and Seventh Meetings of the Regional Task Force on Economic
Valuation
The 6th and 7th Meetings of the Regional Task Force on Economic Valuation were
convened in Batam, Indonesia and Beihai, China from 22nd-25th January and 12th-15th
March 2007, respectively. During these meetings the task force: reviewed and amended
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the regional empirical dataset relating to the values of the goods and services derived
from habitats bordering the South China Sea; developed regionally applicable "Total
Economic Values" for coastal ecosystem goods and services of the South China Sea; and
conducted a cost-benefit analysis of the proposed actions under the revised regional
Strategic Action Programme for the South China. Please click here to access the
meeting reports of the Regional Task Force on Economic Valuation.
4 UPCOMING MEETINGS
The Eighth Meeting of the Regional Working Group on Land-Based Pollution will be
convened in Masinloc, Philippines from 6th-9th August 2007. Important items of
business for consideration by the group include: consideration of the status of
substantive outputs including publication of National Reports for national and regional
dissemination; finalisation, adoption and implementation of National Action Plans;
update of the regional Meta and GIS databases and efficient use of the project website;
review of progress and achievement of the pilot activities; preparation of technical
elements of ToR to develop the carrying capacity of the South China Sea with respect to
heavy metals; finalisation of inputs from the Regional Working Group on Land-based
Pollution to the revised SAP and preparation for the Third Regional Scientific Conference
and Mayors' Roundtable. Please contact Dr. Vo Si Tuan (copied to Ms. Saranya
Rojananuangnit and Mr. Christopher Paterson) for further details regarding this
meeting.
5 SOUTH CHINA SEA TRAINING PROGRAMME
5.1 Training Course Nominees and Workshop Dates
Members of the project network are encouraged to visit the Training Portal of
UNEPSCS.org to access up-to-date information regarding the status of the South China
Sea Training Programme. Members can also contact Mr. Christopher Paterson of the
PCU by telephone (662 288 1116), e-mail (patersonc@un.org), or online through the
project website at all times for information regarding aspects of the training programme.
Full details for upcoming workshops can be accessed by clicking here.
With regard to the nomination of individuals to participate in the Regional Training
Workshops, members are reminded that the Project's National Technical Focal Points
(NTFPs) have nominated 3 to 4 persons from their respective countries for each of the
Regional Training Workshops. The lists of nominees for each course are included in the
training portal and are also available for download in PDF format please click here.
5.2 Regional Training Workshop on Larval Fish Identification and Fish
Early Life History Science
The Regional Training Workshop on Larval Fish Identification and Fish Early Life History
Science was convened at the SEAFDEC Training Department from 16th-31st May 2007.
This activity was aimed at building regional capacity for the processing and identification
of fish egg and larvae samples collected during regular research cruises of M.V.
SEAFDEC 2. It is anticipated that this will lead to improvements in the scientific basis for
the identification of sites for inclusion in the regional system of fisheries refugia in the
South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand. Please click here to access a complete
repository of outputs from this regional training workshop, including all training
documents, presentations, recommended readings, a 15 min video of the training event,
and a catalogue of larval fish images developed during the workshop.
5.3 Regional Training Workshop on the Sustainable Use of Mangrove
Ecosystems
The UNEP/GEF South China Sea Project's Regional Training Workshop on the
Sustainable Use of Mangrove Ecosystems was successfully convened from 25th April
9th May 2007. This training workshop was organised by USAINS of the Universiti Sains
Malaysia, and was led by the regional mangrove experts Drs. Ong Jin Eong and Gong
Wooi Khoon. Resources persons included inter alia the Director of the South China Sea
Project, Dr. John C. Pernetta, the regional mangrove experts, Professor Sanit
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Aksomkoae and Dr. Nguyen Hoang Tri, and SEAFDEC's Dr. Jurgene Primavera. A total of
20 individuals from countries bordering the South China Sea participated in the
workshop. Click here for more information about this workshop. Workshop materials
are currently being prepared for loading to the project website, and will be available for
download from UNEPSCS.org in coming weeks.
SCS E-Newsletter SignUp
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regarding:
- new content recently added to UNEPSCS.org, including e-forum discussions, documents, multi-media etc.,
- links to reviews and reports of recent meetings, and
- information about upcoming meetings and other important project related matters.
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