139736eo.pdf (20MB) - Japan Oceanographic Data Center

Marine PollutionAt present, marine pollution is not perceived as a major problem in the Indian Ocean,certainly not as much as in impacted areas such as the Mediterranean and Baltic Seas. Yet thedevelopment of large industries (e.g., tin mining and petroleum exploration) can accelerate localpollution, and the occurrence of oil slicks related to ship traffic is probably increasing. Perhapsmore disturbing is the potential loss of coral reefs and mangrove forests which still haveconsiderable unexploited economic potential. Increased awareness and monitoring is required;coastal nations increasingly must co-operate in regional documentation of pollution and its effects.Future Co-operative StudiesAll of the foregoing critical fields of study in the northern Indian Ocean and adjacentmarginal seas clearly show the need for interdisciplinary and international (at least inter-regional)studies. Understanding the living or non-living resources, for example, requires a knowledge ofthe physical and chemical oceanography as well as the biology and geology of the area. Successfulstudies will require co-operation on several levels: (1) Data exchange; (2)Training; (3) Monitoring;and (4) Interactions with international programmes such as the IOC Regional Committees forIOCINCWIO (Co-operative Investigation in the North and Central Western Indian Ocean) and forWESTPAC (Western Pacific).For a more detailed discussion of the findings of the various working groups at theColombo workshop, the reader is referred to IOC Workshop Report No. 37, IOC-UnescoWorkshop on Regional Co-operation in Marine Science in the Central Indian Ocean and AdjacentSeas and Gulf.6