EPA
UNEP
United States
Environmental Protection
Environment
Agency
Administration And
Resources Management
(3404)
United Nations
Programme
CARIBBEAN
CURRENTS
Volume 6, Number 1
January 1998
EPA/220/N-97-001
Welcome...
...to CARIBBEAN CURRENTS, Volume Six, Number One. This newsletter
is edited by INFOTERRA/USA in its capacity as the Regional Service
Centre (RSC) for INFOTERRA National Focal Points (NFPs) in the English
and French-speaking Caribbean. Although the CURRENTSis assembled
at INFOTERRA/USA, the content belongs to you, the readers. You are
encouraged to send in any questions, comments, problems, or interesting
issues relevant to the Region for inclusion in the CURRENTS. Please see
the Guidelines for Contributions on page 5 for more information
Each issue will feature a Directory of NFPs in the Region so that anyone
with international environmental questions can contact their nearest
resource Please feel free to contact one another as well as your RSC for
assistance or materials.
Please don't hesitate to share CARIBBEAN CURRENTS with your friends
and colleagues, and to make copies as needed. The Currents should
serve as an informational forum for anyone who lives, works, or is
involved in environmental issues in the English and French-speaking
Caribbean Region.
International Year of the Ocean
This issue's topic is the Year of the Ocean. The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed 1998
as the International Year of the Ocean. Oceans play an integral role in shaping life on earth. Coastal
and marine waters provide millions of jobs, generate billions of dollars in goods and services, and are a
source of food and recreation to people all over the world.
The next issue of CARIBBEAN CURRENTS will look at algae blooms. An algae bloom is a sudden
increase in the growth of phytoplankton causing them to accumulate into thick, visible patches near the
surface of the water. While these blooms are usually not harmful, some algal species produce
neurotoxins which kill zooplankton, fish, marine mammals and even humans.
If you have any comments on this topic, or would like to contribute a short article or have a resources
guide to share, please submit your contribution following the guidelines on page 5, as we would like to
include it in the next or a future issue of CURRENTS. Please feel free to fax, write to, or call the RSC
with any questions or comments you have. Thank you for your assistance.
-1-
-------
Year of the Ocean 1998
By Kathleen Hurld,
E.P.A. Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds
Covering nearly two-thirds of the earth's surface, marine and coastal waters are our largest
and most vital resources, influencing global energy cycles and biological processes upon
which all life depends. Yet while we have traveled to the moon, some of our greatest mysteries
still lie beneath the earth's oceans, waiting to be discovered. It has been estimated that the
value of the ocean exceeds 33 trillion USD per year (Constanza, 1997) by providing goods and
services such as food, medicine, natural resources, habitat, recreational areas, and essential
ecological services.
Recognizing that the oceans play a decisive role in shaping the life of this planet, the
United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 1998 as the International Year of the Ocean
(YOTO). The U.S. is actively involved in this international event, to focus the attention of the
public, governments and decision makers on the importance of the ocean and marine
environment and highlight ways in which marine resources can be sustained through effective
management.
Marine and coastal waters are valued by many as a place to live and as a place to play, and
are also a favorite recreational destination for vacationers. In the U.S. alone, coastal and
marine waters support 28.3 million jobs, generate $54 billion in goods and services,
contributes $30 billion to the U.S. economy through recreational fishing, and provide a
destination for 180 million Americans to recreate each year. Because so many people are
drawn to, or dependent on, coastal and marine waters, they are under considerable
environmental stress and protecting these resources is important. Therefore, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking an active role in furthering our
understanding of how we all affect the ocean in our daily lives and how these actions then
impact us.
The EPA is working with other U.S. ocean agencies to further the federal government's
contribution to YOTO: this effort is being lead by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration. The U.S. government will be hosting a national conference on the role played
by the oceans in commerce, global security, environment, and education/exploration in June
1998. A series of discussion papers has been drafted addressing ocean issues what is working
well and what is not, that shall be available in February 1998. The U.S. exibit at the World's
Fair, EXPO '98, will focus on technological advances in ocean science.
The health of the ocean is not just the responsibility of governments, for every individual
action impacts the oceans. Something as simple as picking up litter and properly disposing of
oil and other chemicals can prevent millions of gallons of pollution from reaching the ocean.
Oily runoff from a city of five million people can contain as much oil as one large tanker spill Oil and grease
runoff from land and municipal and industrial wastes in the U S exceeds 365 million gallons per year
-1-
-------
Therefore the U.S. government is partnering with educational, industrial and environmental
organizations in an outreach campaign and other YOTO activities to educate a broad audience
that:
The ocean and its resources are vital to supporting all life on Earth.
The ocean affects our daily lives and, in turn, our daily lives affect the health of the ocean
The ocean's resources are finite, but our demands are not
The ocean is a key source of food, medicine, energy and commerce
The ocean is the next frontier with landscapes and life forms that await discovery
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration along with SeaWeb, a non-profit
organization, are coordinating this cross sector effort.
EPA's 1998 YOTO activities include independent and collaborative research, education and
celebratory activities. Efforts include: ocean fact sheets, teachers guides for year of the ocean
activities, cooperative pollution prevention, mitigation and control practices, continued
monitoring and research into the interrelationship between land and marine based activities
and ocean physical and biological processes. The EPA's vessels will be promoting the value of
our marine resources at waterfront festivals throughout the year.
We cannot change our society but we can change ourselves, and if each one of us changes our
behavior a little, we can make great strides" (D.C. Martin). So join us in supporting the
United Nations in its 1998 "Year of the Ocean" campaign. Learn more about the ocean, its
resources and what you can do to protect them for future generations.
Contact the U S. Environmental Protection Agency to pledge support and obtain more information. Our
web site address is1 www.epa.gov/OWOW/oceans/yoto/; the UN at-www.ocean98.org/ocean98.html; or
NOAA at: www.noaa.gOV//pOyoto98/
-------
INTERNET SITES ON OCEANS
A few of many sources of electronic information on oceans
Ocean Planet: Oceans in Peril
http://seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov/OCEAN_PLANET/HTML/ocean_planet_oceans_in_peril.html
This site features an exhibit on oceans produced by the Smithsonian Institution. It discusses marine
pollution and the global effects of ocean degradation.
Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans
http:// www.ncr.dfo.ca/
Tliis site provides links to Canadian government publications and news releases on marine wildlife
and issues effecting Canada'a fisheries and oceans.
American Oceans Campaign
http://www.americanoceans.org
This organization advocates protection of water resources through educational programs and programs
with corporate, governmental and environmental organizations.
Oceans Information Resources on the World Wide Web
http://www.lehigh.edu/~injrl/subindex/oceans.html
This site provides links to ocean-related sites.
US State Department—Bureau of Oceans and International Scientific Affairs Homepage
http://www.state.gov/www/global/oes/index.html
This site provides information on US foreign policy on global environment, science and technology
issues. It includes links to State Department speeches, events and activities and to related web sites.
Oceans & Law of the Sea Home Page
http://www.un.org/Depts/los/
This site is maintained by the United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs, Office of Legal Affairs. It
contains the text of the "Convention on the Law of the Sea" and links to documents and conference
information.
OceanLink Marine Science Homepage
http://oceanlink.island.net
This site features contributions from several Canadian marine education organizations presenting
information on marine biology, oceanography and pollution.
Ocean98~Conferences
http://www.ocean98.org/confl.htm
This site provides information on and links to ocean-related conferences in 1998.
-4-
-------
Conferences on Current
Ocean Research
February 9-13,1998 —1998 Ocean Sciences Meeting, San Diego, California. Contact them at the
AGU Meetings Dept. 1998 Ocean Sciences Meeting 2000 Florida Avenue, NW Washington, DC
20009, Telephone (202) 462-6900 or Fax (202) 328-0566, E-mail: meetinginfo@kosmos.agu.org,
Internet http://www.agu.org/meetings.
February 11-14,1998 - Marine Ecosystem Management Obligations and Opportunities, Wellington,
New Zealand. You may visit the SeaViews web site at http://www.converge.org/seaviews/sea2.html.
March 3-5,1998 — Second International Marine Environmental Modelling Seminar, Lillehammer,
Norway. You may contact May Kristin Ditlevsen, Seminar Secretariat at Telephone (47 73) 59 12 12
or Fax (47 73) 59 70 51, E-mail: may.ditlevsen@chem.sintef.no.
NEW MULTILINGUAL THESAURUS OF ENVIRONMENTAL TERMS NOW AVAILABLE
The new Envoc/INFOTERRA Multilingual Thesaurus or Environmental Terms is now available It has been revised to reflect
emerging environmental concerns and new technologies. The thesaurus is available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and
Spanish For more information, contact:
SMI (Distribution Services) Limited
PO. Box 119
Stevenage
Hertfordshire SGI 4TP, UNITED KINGDOM
FAX- (44 1234)782878
E-Mail: Anthony@smibooks.com
Guidelines for Contributions to CARIBBEAN CURRENTS
Any organization or individual operating or involved in the English and French-speaking Caribbean Region is welcome
to contribute to the newsletter. Contributions should be addressed to.
Carribean Currents Coordinator
IMFOTERRA/USA
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Headquarters Library, 3404
401 M Street, S W.
Washington, D.C. 20460
UNITED STATES
Telephone: (202)260-5917; Fax: (202)260-3923; E-mail: library-infoterra@epamailepa.gov
Please note that submissions should meet the following criteria:
• They should be relevant to environmental issues
• They must be of interest to or directly involve the Region
• They must not endorse or recommend any product or commercial service, explicitly or implicitly
• They must be brief-under 250 words; Bulletin Board requests should be under 100 words
• They must be received by the posted deadline (see below)
Please feel free to contact the CARIBBEAN CURRENTS coordinator if you are interested in submitting a longer article. You
should contact the coordinator to discuss your topic and any size or content restrictions beforehand. Be aware that once
your article is submitted, it is subject to editing as needed. Final decisions on editing and inclusion of any contributions
are left to the INFOTERRA/USA Manager Please contact INFOTERRA/USA using the address above to contribute
any comments, questions, problems, or ideas.
DEADLINE FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO Vol. 6, No. 2: March 8,1998
-5-
-------
Welcome to The CARIBBEAN CURRENTS
Bulletin Board
Each issue, we will publish questions or concerns of interest to CURRENTS
readers. Anyone who has materials or information that they are seeking or
that they feel will be helpful should feel free to contribute. We will post
queries and offerings of general interest on the Bulletin Board. You may
respond by contacting the reader who has placed the item, or the RSC.
Bulletin Board
DOCUMENTS
AVAILABLE
INFOTERRA/USA has free copies
of the following publications
available.
If you would like copies of any of
these documents, please let us
know.
• EPA Office of Wastewater
Management Publications
Catalog July 1997 (new edition)
• Catalog of Publications: Office of
Science and Technology, 1997,
(EPA 820-B97001)
• A Commitment to Address the
Environmental and Development
Problems of the Wider Caribbean
(Brochure)
To request copies of these
documents, just write to
INFOTERRA/USA using the
nformation Needed on
Algae Blooms
The next issue of Caribbean Currents
will focus on Algae Blooms. We would
be interested in receiving any
information on projects or studies
related to this issue.
These materials will also be kept on file
for the benefit of researchers and
visitors to INFOTERRA.
Please contact INFOTERRA/USA using
the information on page 7 if you can
provide any assistance. Thank you for
your support!
Send your Bulletins to the RSC for publication in the next issue. See
the Guidelines on page 5 for information on submitting items.
------- |