1.

OPENING

The meeting was opened at 0915 on October 30th by Eduardo Marone, Chairman of the local organizing committee, who welcomed the participants (Annex I) to the Federal University of Parana.

Tom Malone, Chairman of the Coastal Panel of GOOS (C-GOOS), thanked the panel members for coming and gave a special welcome to observers from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay; to Tim Kasten representing the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP); to Dale Kiefer representing the Global Terrestrial Observing System (GTOS); to other observers; to Johannes Guddal representing the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the ad hoc Services Panel of GOOS; to Eva Maria Koch, who served in place of Carlos Duarte and was invited to present a pilot project on seagrasses; to Tony Knap, new chair of the Health of the Oceans (HOTO) Panel of GOOS; and to Wang Hong and John Ogden, panel members who were attending their first C-GOOS meeting. Apologies were noted from Elisabeth Lipiatou, Carlos Duarte, and Yoshihisa Shirayama.

The panel appreciated the assistance of the Federal University of Parana in making its facilities available for the meeting and the work of Eduardo Marone whose efforts in organizing the venue and providing technical and administrative assistance made the meeting possible.

The Director of the GOOS Project Office (GPO), Colin Summerhayes, welcomed participants to the meeting on behalf of the Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), and on behalf of the other sponsors of GOOS - the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the International Council for Science (ICSU). He thanked the IOC, UNEP, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the USA, the Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), the Government of Holland, and the Swedish Development Agency (SIDA-SAREC) for their generous financial support for the travel and subsistence of participants. Finally, he gratefully acknowledged the co-operation of the Executive Committee of GOOS Brazil.

T. Malone reviewed the priorities of the C-GOOS Panel as agreed to at its first meeting (C-GOOS-I, 30 March - 1 April, 1998) and outlined the primary goals of this Panel meeting (C-GOOS-II) as follows:

1. identify programmes that are a high priority for C-GOOS to collaborate with;
2. review and specify procedures for developing C-GOOS projects;
3. discuss proposed pilot projects; and
4. develop an action plan for preparing the C-GOOS Strategic Plan (a draft of which is to be completed at C-GOOS-III).

2.	ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENTS

Julie Hall was elected Rapporteur for the meeting. E. Marone explained meeting logistics, and T. Malone noted that the agenda will likely change in response to the group's deliberations and desires. The final agenda developed during the course of the meeting is given in Annex II. Most background documents (Annex III) were provided by the GPO and by E. Marone via e-mail before the meeting. Extra copies and new documents were made available at the meeting.

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3.	OVERVIEWS AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION

3.1	UPDATE ON COASTAL GOOS (C-GOOS) ACTIVITIES

3.1.1

Publicizing C-GOOS (Malone)

Actions include the following: (i) presentation on C-GOOS at the July meeting of The Oceanography Society meeting in Paris; (ii) reports in newsletters of science societies and coastal management groups (Bulletin of the American Society of Limnology and Oceanograpy, Estuarine Research Federation NewsLetter, InterCoast Network); (iii) a publication in EEZ Technology (1998), edition 3 ; (iv) special sessions on C-GOOS at international meetings of the Marine Technology Society (Baltimore, MD, 16-19 November, 1998), the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography (Santa Fe, NM, 1-5 February, 1999), and Estuarine Research Federation (New Orleans, LA, 27- 30 September, 1999); (v) involvement of C-GOOS into a proposed new IOC-SCOR programme Global Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms (GEOHAB); (vi) collaboration with Italy, Slovenia and Croatia to initiate the design of the Coordinated Adriatic Observing System (CAOS); and (vii) a coordination between C- GOOS and a project of the U.S. National Association of Marine Laboratories (NAML) to develop a coastal monitoring network for the U.S.

3.1.2

GOOS Steering Committee (GSC) (Summerhayes)

The results of C-GOOS-I were presented at the first meeting of the GSC in April 1998. The GSC was pleased with the progress made at C-GOOS-I and endorsed the intersession action plan. In addition, the GSC made the following recommendations:

1. meet twice a year to keep momentum going;
2. invite a representative of the GTOS to attend C-GOOS Panel meetings to ensure coordination and collaboration;
3. consider specific user needs at future C-GOOS Panel meetings;
4. ensure coordination and collaboration with other GOOS Panels including HOTO, Living Marine Resources (LMR) and the Ocean Observing panel for Climate (OOPC);
5. consider merging the designs of C-GOOS, HOTO and LMR into a single coastal module once the design phase of each is complete;
6. develop indicators of environmental change that will be helpful to users;
7. explore ways to coordinate better with the UNEP Regional Seas programme.

It was noted that The GOOS 1998 will soon be published and that a 2-page flyer that describes GOOS is now available (in English, French and Spanish) to facilitate wider communication of the aims of GOOS. The flyer is available in hard copy and on the GOOS web site [http://ioc.unesco.org/goos] . The web site also has the latest GOOS reports including those of C-GOOS-I and GSC-I and the latest GOOS Newsletters (issues 3, 4, and 5).

The GPO is currently understaffed due to the departure of personnel. A search is underway to employ four individuals who will be responsible for the three advisory panels (Coastal, LMR, and HOTO), the Global Sea-Level Observing System (GLOSS), and GOOS data and information management.

3.1.3

Integrated Coastal Area Management (ICAM) (Summerhayes and Awosika)

The IOC plans to enhance its programme on Integrated Coastal Area Management (ICAM). Given its role, C-GOOS and ICAM should be closely linked. The ICAM-GOOS linkage was effective in the programme of the Pan African Conference on Sustainable Integrated Coastal Management (PACSICOM) in Maputo in July, 1998 (see 3.3). A Group of Experts which met at the IOC (Paris, October 21-23, 1998) to discuss and make recommendations on the future development of ICAM accepted the arguments made by Larry Awosika and Colin Summerhayes that C-GOOS should be an integral part of the ICAM programme.

The IOC signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Geographical Union (IGU) to develop a joint GOOS-ICAM-IGU programme to develop (i) a Marine Scientific and Technological Information System for ICAM, and (ii) a Coastal and Deep Ocean Monitoring System for ICAM. Both would require the co-operation of C-GOOS, and both would assist in the development and implementation of C-GOOS.

Item (i) (see 3.4) includes (i) an Internet information system on marine science and observations in support of ICAM; (ii) CD-ROM marine science data sets in support of ICAM; (iii) a world coastal management programmes data bank; and (iv) a coastal GIS data bank. Outputs will be databases in printed form, on CD-ROM, and on the Internet.

Item (ii) (see 3.2 and 5.0) would involve (i) development of stress indicators for coastal marine environmental monitoring; (ii) developing marine scientific evaluation methods for indicators; (iii) developing cost-benefit analyses of coastal monitoring systems; and (iv) meetings to coordinate the design and development of coastal monitoring systems for ICAM. Outputs will be indicators of the health of the environment, improved monitoring systems, and cost-benefit case studies.

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3.2	INDICATORS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION (Summerhayes)

Agenda 21 calls for the development of 'simple' indicators of environmental conditions, to assist policy making and the management of sustainable development. "Indicators of Sustainable Development: Framework and Methodologies" (UN Commission on Sustainable Development, CSD, August 1996) gives examples of indicators and explains how new ones might be created. The following five indicators were given for marine environment:

1. population growth in coastal areas;
2. discharges of oil into coastal waters;
3. releases of nitrogen and phosphorus to coastal waters;
4. maximum sustained yield for fisheries; and
5. algae index.

Of these, (iii) and (iv) are listed as complete; (i), (ii) and (v) are listed as being in the development stage. Clearly, considerable work needs to be done to develop a range of indicators for the health of coastal seas.

The CSD is now reviewing progress by governments in implementing the recommendations of each chapter of Agenda 21. In 1999 it will review progress under Chapter 17, on Seas and Oceans.

In developing a design for a coastal observing system, the C-GOOS panel should identify appropriate environmental indicators of the condition (health) of coastal waters that may be used at the next CSC meeting (18 April, 1999).

The related issues of indicators of environmental condition and ecosystem health will be discussed at the Oceans Conference (London, December, 1998). It was also noted that the a Presidential Commission in the U.S. (Committee on the Environment and Natural Resources) is in the process of developing a "report card" that will consist of indicators of the health of estuarine and marine ecosystems. A similar effort is underway for coral reefs. These efforts may be useful to the definition of indicators by the C-GOOS Panel.

3.3	GOOS-AFRICA (Awosika)

The GOOS workshop, which was conducted as part of the PACSICOM meeting (see 3.1.3), focused on the role of C-GOOS in the development of ICAM in Africa. This led to recommendations to (i) form National GOOS Coordinating Committees to improve the effectiveness of the national institutional infrastructure in support of operational oceanography and marine meteorology; and (ii) support sustainable integrated coastal management in Africa as follows:

1. Form a network of National Ocean Data Centres that are properly equipped and staffed by trained personnel. A high priority should be to rescue in digital form environmental data on African coastal waters that can be used to build the information base required for local and regional coastal planning.
2. Upgrade and expand the African network of sea-level stations, and train the technical professionals manning those stations in the analysis and interpretation of the data as a means of providing the data required to advise decision makers on the potential hazardous and costly changes caused by sea-level rise.
3. Form a network of specialists trained in the use of remotely sensed ocean data from space satellites, and ensure increased access to regional satellite receiving stations as a means of providing coastal managers with information on land-use patterns in coastal watersheds and the condition of coastal waters (colour, SST).
4. Promote effective communications by increasing access to modern electronic communication and data transfer systems (i.e., the Internet) for more effective coastal zone management.

A GOOS-AFRICA Coordinating Committee was formed to work with national, regional and international GOOS groups and funding agencies to help achieve these goals and to facilitate the development and implementation of GOOS in Africa. Larry Awosika, who sits on both the GOOS- AFRICA committee and the C-GOOS Panel, will coordinate the activities of GOOS-AFRICA and C- GOOS. It was noted that holding C-GOOS-III in West Africa will provide the opportunity to link it with a GOOS-AFRICA workshop much in the same way the C-GOOS User's Workshop was linked to C- GOOS-II in Curitiba (Annex IV ).

Subsequent discussion focused on the capacity of African countries to contribute to and benefit from GOOS. The survey of African capabilities by the African participants at the PACSICOM meeting indicated widespread shortfalls in national capabilities to collect, manage and process data and to produce products needed by coastal managers and other decision makers. In addition to weak collaboration between nations, there is often little co-operation within individual nations between the different departments that deal with different aspects of marine affairs. Part of the problem is the cost of access to the Internet . Participants agreed that this is a global problem not unique to Africa. PACSICOM revealed the need for and for more effective co-operation and collaboration, and it is hoped that continuation of the PACSICOM process will help to achieve these goals. There will be a follow-up meeting in Cape Town to decide how to continue the PACSICOM process.

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3.4	GLOBAL INVENTORY OF COASTAL DATA AND PROGRAMMES (Summerhayes)

The GPO has been asked by several groups (C-GOOS and LMR Panels, ICAM, IODE, IGU) to develop an inventory of existing coastal monitoring programmes. Clearly there is a widely felt need for such an inventory, creation of which may well prove valuable to IOC Member States. In order for the IOC to do this in a timely manner, and given that IOC is currently understaffed, it may be necessary to hire a consultant to carry out the work over a short period. This has been endorsed by the IOC Executive Council (November 1998).

In preparation, the GPO has identified a number of possible sources of information, including: (i) LOICZ; (ii) NEAR-GOOS; (iii) WIOMAP (Western Indian Ocean Marine Applications Project); (iv) PacificGOOS; (v) MedGOOS; (vi) EuroGOOS; (vii) ICES (International Council for the Exploitation of the Sea); and PICES (the Pacific ICES). There is also the growing database on key marine ecosystem health indicators being undertaken by HEED (the Health, Ecological and Economic Dimensions of Global Change Programme) (see http://heed.harvard.edu). It was also noted that private foundations have recently examined global ocean data bases that may be useful for understanding and monitoring the health of the ocean and may be interested in funding such an effort..

3.5	IOC DESIGN FOR COASTAL MONITORING SYSTEM (Summerhayes)

In 1990-1991 the IOC and UNEP developed a proposal for a Global Coastal Monitoring System that focussed on the effects of climate change on coastal seas (Annex V; attachments available from the GPO). Six pilot projects were proposed and are discussed below.

1. Sea-level and Coastal Flooding: The Panel agreed that it would be useful to invite the Chairman of GLOSS to C-GOOS-III and for C-GOOS to be represented at the next meeting of the GLOSS Group of Experts (Toulouse, 10-14 May, 1999) to discuss common interests and the development of joint projects, especially projects such as the forecasting of storm surges in the Bay of Bengal (7.2.4).
2. Coastal Circulation: Consider once the design plan for C-GOOS has been completed.
3. Organic Carbon Storage in Coastal Seas: Consider at C-GOOS-III as part of the collaboration with LOICZ.
4. Plankton Community Structure: This will be considered as part of the proposed global network component of C-GOOS (PhytoNet, 7.2.3).
5. Coral Reefs: This is an established project (GCRMN, 5.3).
6. Mangroves: The loss of mangrove tidal wetland habitat is a major problem and should ultimately be addressed as a part of C-GOOS. The Panel recommends that an expert on mangrove habitats be invited to C-GOOS-III.

The 1990 proposal also suggested that vertical temperature stratification of the upper water column may be a useful index of the effects of global climate change and recommended approaches and properties that should be measured for monitoring coastal circulation (attachment D, Annex V), e.g., surface fields and vertical profiles of salinity and temperature and modelling. These recommendations will be considered by the working group charged with formulating the plan for the proposed global C-GOOS network during intersession.

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3.6	GOOS SERVICES MODULE (Guddal)

The role of the ad hoc Services Panel of GOOS is to assist the other modules in developing, improving and providing services and products to user groups. An initial survey of existing services and products was completed in 1997 and presented to I-GOOS-III (report available from the GPO). The present thrust is towards creation of a GOOS Services and Products Bulletin in which developments in GOOS can be published alongside articles by users about their GOOS-related services and products. The Panel agreed that a Bulletin might well be a useful way to identify and promote C-GOOS products. Furthermore, given the end-to-end design specified by GOOS, the Panel recognized the benefits of continued advice from the Chairman of the ad hoc Services Panel in completing the C-GOOS design and in deciding on what sorts of products and services could be developed to meet users' needs.

3.7	DEVELOPING FUNCTIONAL LINKAGES AMONG SCIENTISTS AND USER GROUPS (Ehler)

The report (Annex VI) emphasizes the importance of involving all stakeholders from the beginning. In this context, there is a clear need to better inform the scientific community of the information needs (including the timely dissemination of and access to data and information). Depending on the nature of the issue at stake, stakeholders (user groups) include (i) representatives of government at all levels; (ii) major economic interest groups ranging from industry to tourism; (iii) scientists from academic and government laboratories; (iv) environmental non-governmental organizations (NGOs); (v) public interest groups; (vi) indigenous and/or subsistence user groups; and (vii) other knowledgeable professionals.

Upfront input from stakeholders should include (i) a clear definition of user group needs, (ii) evaluation of the potential suite of measurements and products in terms of feasibility and user needs, and (iii) identification of funding sources.

Effective end-to-end linkages require appreciation of obstacles arising from cultural differences that give rise to poor communications, misunderstandings, misuse of data and related products, and conflict and competition rather than co-operation. These can be overcome by providing mechanisms to improve understanding and communication, building the capacity for scientist-user interactions, employing appropriate management strategies (e.g., for integrating policy and science capabilities), and allocating resources (e.g., for translating and disseminating scientific results in a 'user-friendly' format). In this regard, C-GOOS should become more involved in coastal management conferences such as the 1999 U.S. Coastal Zone Management Conference.

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4.	REGIONAL ISSUES (Marone)

Eduardo Marone presented the results of the Workshop on a Regional Network on a Natural Hazards Warning System, which took place in Curitiba on October 26-28th 1998 (Annex VII). The objective of the workshop, which brought together a selection of scientists and representatives of operational agencies from South America, was to discuss present operational capacities in the region as the basis for developing a regional information network that could lead to a regional operational system for warnings on natural hazards.

The main results of the meeting are that the participants agreed to form such a network, and that plans are in hand to develop a Web page to facilitate communication between them and others about how to take forward the concept of the warning system (Annex VII). The Web page address is: http://redsur.listbot.com; or at http://www.cem.ufpr.br/fisica/quijote.htm.

Panel members noted that the IOC, in concert with the EU, had recently launched an oceanographic network for South America, and advised Eduardo to ensure that the activity he described was linked effectively to the activities of the IOC-EU network, not least to exploit the efforts and resources that had gone into building it, and the opportunities that it presented for widening collaboration and obtaining resources. The IOC also has a HAB network for South America, and this too should be exploited.

Panel members asked that meteorological services be invited to join the network, while recognizing that present meteorological data were not always useful for coastal predictions because most meteorological stations were located at airports and not on coasts. Navies should also be invited to participate, since they commonly held much of the environmental data needed to make the system work effectively, though it was recognized that navies were often reluctant to share data with others for reasons of national security. Here there is a general role for GOOS to encourage navies to release more environmental data. There will also be the need for a substantial data archaeology effort.