On 8 November 2019, Shanghai, China, a three-day WESTPAC Scientific Symposium and Workshop were concluded with a collective action plan for the next year, with a view to furthering research and monitoring of marine microplastics and plastics in Asia and the Pacific. The two WESTPAC events were co-organized and supported by the Plastic Marine Debris Research… Continue reading WESTPAC made substantive progress in microplastic research and monitoring
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WESTPAC kicked off the third phase of DRMREEF-III project, Nha Trang, Vietnam, 24-25 October 2019
On 24 October 2019, Nha Trang, WESTPAC officially started the implementation of the 3rd phase of the UNESCO/Korean Funds in Trust funded project “Enhance the Capacity for Species Identification and Genetic Analysis on Marine Organisms in the Coral Reef Ecosystems in the Western Pacific” (DRMREEF-III). The two day inception workshop was attended by around 20… Continue reading WESTPAC kicked off the third phase of DRMREEF-III project, Nha Trang, Vietnam, 24-25 October 2019
WESTPAC supports Vietnam in enhancing research capacity for ocean acidification and molecular techniques
22-23 October 2019, Nha Trang, Vietnam. The conclusion of a three-day national training in Vietnam demonstrated the value of WESTPAC in serving its member states’ needs to address their development challenges such as ocean acidification and biodiversity conservation. The national training was organized by the Institute of Oceanography, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, with the… Continue reading WESTPAC supports Vietnam in enhancing research capacity for ocean acidification and molecular techniques
WESTPAC lays groundwork for developing ocean forecasting services for coral bleaching
13 September 2019, Phuket, Thailand, the three-day WESTPAC Training Workshop on “Delivering Ocean Forecasting Services for Coral Reef Conservation” wrapped up with the promise of further collaboration and data-sharing for advancing the existing SEAGOOS ocean forecasting system to develop early warning for coral reef bleaching. The workshop, attended by around 30 researchers specialized in model… Continue reading WESTPAC lays groundwork for developing ocean forecasting services for coral bleaching
WESTPAC scientists step up efforts to control jellyfish blooms
While beautiful, Jellyfish pose a severe threat to people and maritime operations. The last couple of years have seen an increasing flurry of attention to jellyfish blooms in the region. They clogged up the cooling system of power plant, shutting it down. They damaged fisheries and aquaculture by ripping fishing nets and preying on small… Continue reading WESTPAC scientists step up efforts to control jellyfish blooms
Regional Planning Workshop sets the stage for actions in the North Pacific and Western Pacific Marginal Seas for the UN Ocean Science Decade for Sustainable Development
2 August 2019, Tokyo Japan, the three-day UN Ocean Science Decade Regional Planning Workshop (RPW) for the North Pacific and Western Pacific Marginal Seas (RPW-NPWPMS) in Tokyo, Japan culminated in a wide range of actions and partnerships to advance scientific knowledge needed for sustainable development. The planning workshop received overwhelming interests with more than 160 participants from… Continue reading Regional Planning Workshop sets the stage for actions in the North Pacific and Western Pacific Marginal Seas for the UN Ocean Science Decade for Sustainable Development
Development of a Regional RTRCs Network for the UN Decade of Ocean Science
An IOC side event entitled “the Development of an IOC Regional Network of Training and Research Centers (RTRCs) on Marine Science in the Western Pacific and its adjacent regions: as a commitment to the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030)” took place on 27 June 2019, Paris during the 30th Session of… Continue reading Development of a Regional RTRCs Network for the UN Decade of Ocean Science
WESTPAC concluded its biennial session in Manila
On 5 April 2019, Manila, the Philippines. The 12th Intergovernmental Session of the IOC Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific (WESTPAC-XII) concluded its four-day session, culminating in a strong willingness of all countries and its partners in the region to engage in and contribute to the upcoming UN proclaimed Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030),… Continue reading WESTPAC concluded its biennial session in Manila
Reef management, seafood safety, microplastics: New training and research centers confront key challenges
2 April 2019, Manila, the Philippines. Sixteen countries and five international partners in the region witnessed a joyous signing ceremony at the opening of the Sub-Commission’s 12th Intergovernmental Session. Two Letters of Intent were signed, respectively between IOC and the University of the Philippines concerning the establishment of a Regional Training and Research Center (RTRC) on… Continue reading Reef management, seafood safety, microplastics: New training and research centers confront key challenges
IOC and its WESTPAC voiced out their commitments to combatting marine debris at an ASEAN Ministerial Meeting
On 5 March 2019, the Ministers of 10 ASEAN countries gathered for a Special ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Marine Debris in Bangkok. The meeting aimed to reach an agreement among all ASEAN countries and to come up with a framework for concerted actions on combatting marine litters. Several international organizations and programmes were invited to… Continue reading IOC and its WESTPAC voiced out their commitments to combatting marine debris at an ASEAN Ministerial Meeting