êDr. Kahru (UC San Diego) gave the lectures
APEC MRC Project Activities
Training
Course on Remote Sensing of Algal Blooms in the Sea
7 to 10 April 1999, Environmental Protection Department, Hong Kong, China
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Cracknell (Univ. of Dundee), éDr. Mitchell and êDr. Kahru (UC San Diego) gave the lectures |
éDr. Malcom Broom (Sponsor) and éDr. Hung-yiu Yeung (Organizer), HK EPD, welcome the attendants. | ||
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This Course is jointly sponsored by the Environmental Protection Department, Hong Kong, China and the OMISAR Project.
On April 7th & 8th: Professor A.P. Cracknell, Carnegie Professor of Physics and Head of the Department of Applied Physics and Electronic & Mechanical Engineering, Dundee University started the course with overview of the remote sensing theory and instrumentation. He went through the parts of remote sensing that are relevant to algal blooms and end with the discussion of the results of the CZCS system.
On April 9th: Prof. B. Greg Mitchell, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, lectured on the harmful bloom ecology, phytoplankton ecophysiology and production modeling, ocean optics and ocean color theory, spectral reflectance of a massive red tide.
On April 10th: Dr. Mati Kahru, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, demonstrates practical application of image processing techniques, case study of SeaWiFS imagery of the 1998 spring/summer bloom in the Hong-Kong area
The purpose of this part of the course is to give the students a practical demonstration how the satellite data is being processed step-by-step, transformed, interpreted and analyzed to the final product for report or paper writing.
Each participant was provided with a CD with the software and data used in the demonstrations (provided by the lecturer) and copies of view-graphs.
For further information, please contact the Coordinator, Dr. Hung-yiu Yeung at hyyeung@epd.gov.hk Tel: (852)-2835-1239 Fax: (852)-2834-9960
The
Third Steering Committee Meeting on
APEC Ocean Model and Information System
27-30 April 1999, World Trade Centre, Singapore
(zoom)
Ms. Kway, Prof. Yan, Dr. Gin, Dr. Tkalich, Dr. Liu, Dr. Hsu, Mr.
Bashar, Dr. Zhang, Mr. Zhang
Dr. Shao, Dr. Chan, Dr. Roam, Dr. Taylor, Mr. Searle, Dr. Supichai, Mr. Pizarro
Dr. Elizabeth Taylor, Co-Chair of the meeting and Deputy Director of the Tropical Marine Science Institute (TMSI) of Singapore opened the Third Steering Committee Meeting of the project Ocean Models and Information System for the APEC Region (OMISAR).
Dr. Gwo-Dong Roam, the overseer of OMISAR, delivered the opening address. He outlined the principal goal of OMISAR to achieve a clean ocean for all APEC member economies, given the rapid growth in the APEC region. The tasks include working towards collection of timely data and developing community ocean models that have predictive capabilities, giving early warning on environmental changes, and avoiding unnecessary impediment to economic activities. Dr. Roam stressed that the objective of the meeting in Singapore was to broaden the participation and studies in the OMISAR project and to focus on a few specific models with APEC's spirit of sharing between member economies, especially in knowledge and in expertise, and of working in a co-operative manner.
Prof. Cho-Teng Liu, Project Contractor to OMISAR, gave an overview of the OMISAR developments to date, highlighted the basic objectives of OMISAR and gave a progress report on the project, stressed the importance of united efforts in integrating knowledge, emphasizing on information exchange, technology transfer and capability building.
Prof. Eng-Soon Chan, Co-Chair of the meeting, expressed his appreciation of OMISAR efforts and briefly mentioned some of TMSI’s interests in the project. In particular, it was TMSI’s hope that the APEC economies in the region could work together on South China Sea models for a start.
The presentations commenced with an inventory of ocean models in Chinese Taipei by Prof. Ming-Kuang Hsu. Prof. Hsu provided details on the first workshop on Ocean Models for the APEC region held in Taipei in December 1997. The goal of the workshop was to identify the existing models used and to share the knowledge and technology of ocean modeling among APEC member economies. He then went on to elaborate on a wide range of models, including wave models; hydrodynamic models; transport and ecological models.Prof. Eng-Soon Chan gave a presentation of Singapore's efforts, focusing on the hydrodynamic and water quality modelling of tropical seas and the need for collaborative work in the region. Prof. Chan outlined TMSI’s current focus in the modelling of major marine processes in the region, the development of an autonomous monitoring system and the collaborative work with the Centre for Remote Imaging, Sensing and Processing (CRISP) on remote sensing and detection of algal blooms and suspended sediments.
Prof. Supichai of Thailand outlined the research and development in ocean modeling carried out in Thailand.
Prof. Robert Beckman, Prof. of Law at the National University of Singapore, gave a presentation on the legal issues associated with marine research in the region. Prof. Beckman gave a brief introduction of Ocean Policy, the Law of the Sea Provisions on Marine Scientific Research and the concept of territorial water and the sensitivities involved, the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and how consent from all Coastal States for research in the EEZ must be obtained firsthand.
Mr. Ben Searle of Australia introduced the data management activities of Australian Oceanographic Data Centre (AODC) and the International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange program (IODE). He highlighted the AODC and IODE activities, stressing how they are designed to manage a Marine Environmental Database (MEDB) and to provide non real-time products and services to support the Australian Defence Force's (ADF) maritime activities.
Mr. Anond Snidvongs from Thailand explained the research in Thailand, including the Initial Orientation Workshop on 'River Basin Inputs to the Coastal Zones (Sea/Basins)’. Mr. Snidvongs also gave an overview of a proposed South China Sea Modelling effort to be sponsored by UNDP.
Prof. Kwang-Tsao Shao of Chinese Taipei gave an overview of the Ecological Trophic Models in Chinese Taipei. He briefly introduced four research projects which currently carrying on in Chinese Taipei. These four case studies represent 4 different kinds of marine ecosystems including sandy barrier lagoon, estuary, wetland (mangrove and marsh) and open coast waters respectively. He highlighted the study at Chiku lagoon, one part of LOICZ project in Chinese Taipei and the importance and trend of using ecological modelling for future ecological monitoring program and habitat protection.
Mr. Pizarro from Peru gave an overview of the Peruvian Marine Research Institute, Instituto Del Mar Del Peru (IMARPE). He stressed that IMARPE is an institute entrusted to extend the frontier of knowledge of all forms of life that inhabit the various layers of the sea, their characteristics, distribution, opulence and the relationships established among them. Mr Pizarro noted that multidisciplinary scientific efforts, comprising biology, oceanography, dynamics of exploited population, echoacoustic, physiology and aquaculture experiments are used for the sustained exploitation of the sea and its resources, and for discovering other potential resources to be embodied into the country's economy.
Prof. Lim Hock, the Director of CRISP from Singapore gave an overview on remote sensing activities in Singapore. He stressed that CRISP is ready to provide special products custom made to users' requirements, or provide training/consultation services in the field of remote sensing. He explained the centre's research on ocean and coastal studies, like internal waves and surface waves, red tide detection by optical remote sensing, ocean pollution detection.Project Planning for OMISAR
The proposed programs include modelling workshops in wave predictions, hydrodynamics and ecology. In connection with the modelling workshop, it was proposed that the outcome should be a benchmarking of models and improvement in some models currently being used. It was suggested that the next workshop focused on the formulation of the problem to be benchmarked and the identification of the models to be used. The second workshop could then be used to discuss and compare the outcome of the modelling. A third workshop was proposed to serve as a means for the dissemination of the results and for technology transfer.
Prof. Supichai suggested that OMISAR spearhead the distribution of the first version of the meta data capture software offered by Mr. Searle.
Thailand proposed to host the next OMISAR Steering Committee meeting in the year 2000. The options are Australia, Peru and China..
First Copnference on Harmful Algae Management
and Mitigation
10-14 May 1999, Sbuic Bay,
Philippines
The 1st Conference on Harmful Algae Management and Mitigation (HAMM) was held from 10-14 May 1999 at Subic Bay, Philippines and was attended by approximately 100 managers and scientists. It was one of the activities of the APEC program, Management of Red Tide and Harmful Algal Blooms in the APEC Region. Meetings of Task Team of Algal Biotoxin Regulation (TTABR), and Task Team of Analytical Methods and Standards (TTAMS) and Program Steering Committee of the same project were convened concurrently.
Funding of the conference was mainly from the APEC, partly from a diverse array of sources, including the Government of the Republic of the Philippines, the Intergov. Oceanogr. Commission, the Environmental Protection Administration of Chinese Taipei, National Taiwan University, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the U.S. Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference.
Forty five papers belonging to 9 different management issues were reported orally, in addition to 16 extra posters. Everyday afternoon was scheduled into two Toxin Workshops, and two Plankton Workshops. In the meantime six Focus Groups were organized to discuss different issues:1) Scope of the problem and impacts,
2) Monitoring program structure and design,
3) Management support tools,
4) Analytical procedures and standards,
5) Environmental control and mitigation strategies,
6) Regulation and trade.
The consensus will be assembled as the Guidelines for HAMM. Four specialized lectures on plankton taxonomy and biology, as well as taxonomy, sampling, and observation trainings were given to the Plankton Workshops. Six additional lectures regarding toxins and detection methods were given to the Toxin Workshops.
It was an excellent time for APEC to take a leadership role in holding such a conference. The meeting was considered a great success by all, as evidenced by the results of a questionnaire in which participants overwhelmingly indicated their desire for a second HAMM conference in the future. Several publications, which were generated by this conference, including a Guidance document of use to managers and industry, a supplemental document containing detailed reference materials, and a Proceedings to be distributed by December 1999.