CURRENT PRIORITIES

Our current priorities have not changed significantly. The risk of losing a member country, namely, the Maldives due to changing climate and rising seas looms large on the horizon. Our Action Plan has mandated us to focus specifically on Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM), Development and Implementation of National and Regional Oil and Chemical Spill Contingency Planning, Human Resources Development through Strengthening Regional Centres of Excellence & Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities. This however does not preclude us to venture into other areas.

As mandated from the Regional Seas Strategic Directions agreed upon at the 5th Global Meeting of the Regional Seas Secretariats, the South Asian Seas Programme will encourage and assist countries to implement their responsibilities towards different global and regional conventions, as they relate to the Regional Seas, in a coherent and co-ordinated manner.

Integrated Coastal Area & River Basin Management
The scope of ICZM for the South Asian Seas is being expanded to promote the Integrated Coastal Area & River Basin Management (ICARM) concept which we are currently implementing through a Pilot Project in Sri Lanka which hopefully would lead to greater activity in this area.

Turtle Conservation
Activities are planned in the Conservation and Integrated Management of Marine Turtles in collaboration with IOSEA Marine Turtle Memorandum of Understanding.

Coral Reef Management
The Secretariat has worked with a number of coral reef initiatives to promote the better management of the regions' coral reefs.

Oil Spills
Significant training programmes have taken place and many more are also planned with respect to aspects of maritime conventions such as OPRC and MARPOL 73/78. We are confident that MOU on the Regional Oil Spill Contingency Plan will be signed by the member countries so that the Plan will be operational. SASP and IMO are working towards a Regional Action Plan for South Asia in connection with the Globallast Programme.

Global International Water Assessment (GIWA)
GIWA was initiated with the aim of producing a comprehensive and integrated global assessment of the ecological status and the cause of environmental problems in 66 international water areas in the world. The main purpose of this study is to provide politicians and other decision-makers with information about where they should concentrate their efforts to mitigate environmental degradation in international waters. SACEP in collaboration with UNEP, GEF and Calamar University of Sweden organized the GIWA sub-region 53 Bay of Bengal Assessment Programme. Final workshop was held in Colombo.

The SAS Secretariat has been collaborating to take forward the activities of the Global International Waters Assessment, in the Bay of Bengal Sub Region along with UNEP, GEF and Kalmar University of Sweden. It also hoped that there will be the finalisation of a 3 year Project - Development of Harmonised National Environmental Quality Criteria for Seawater for the South Asian Seas (SEAQUAL) with Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA). Negotiations are also ongoing with the UNEP's GEF POP's Unit for development of a PDF B Proposal for the South Asian Seas Programme.

Global Programme of Action (GPA) Activities
Given that land based sources are the main culprits of seas and ocean pollution, protecting the seas also requires addressing land based issues. The SAS Secretariat functions as the regional node for GPA programming activities and has engaged in facilitating activities to achieve the objectives minimizing land based pollution. Many major initiatives have been undertaken under these areas of work such as the Formulation of the Regional Plan of Action for GPA 2003-2006 and work in the area of National Action Programme (NPA).

Collaborating with UNEP's World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC)
Along with the other regional seas programmes, the South Asian Seas Programme is confronted with the great challenges and opportunities offered by the new information technologies, and in this regard Secretariat will be working with UNEP's World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC) to develop our own capacities as well as those of our member countries.

Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem (BOBLME) Project
The South Asian Seas Programme has been a strong advocate for the need of cross linkages and the sharing of experiences between adjacent Regional Seas Programmes. On this score we are pursing the tie up with the East Asian Seas Programme. Perhaps the first activity where both Secretariats will be involved will be the follow up on the FAO Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem (BOBLME) Project.

Regional Activity Centres
The establishment of Regional Activity Centres will be the cornerstone of a successful programme. As such, we are pursuing the idea of setting up such centres in each of our member countries, each dealing with one of our action plan priorities.

PROPOSED ACTIVITIES FOR 2004/5

National OPRC Level 3 (Contingency Planning Workshop) Maldives
National OPRC Level 3 (Contingency Planning Workshop, Bangladesh
National MARPOL/Ship Recycling Workshop, Bangladesh
Regional Workshop to Identify the Need for the Establishment of Reception Facilities in the vicinity of Ship Recycling Yards to receive Ship-generated Wastes
Development of a Project Proposal related to Port Reception Facilities following a feasibility study of technical and operational aspects
Regional Seminar/Workshop on Ratification and Implementation of the OPRC-HNS Protocol, the AFS Convention and identification and establishment of the PSSAs
Globallast Programme - Development of South Asian Seas Plan
Development of Pilot National Programmes of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-Based Activities