The Living Marine Resources Panel was established by J-GOOS at its 3rd session, Paris, 1996, following recommendations from an ad hoc Panel for Monitoring and Assessment of the Living Marine Resources (LMR) Module of GOOS in December 1993, and the J-GOOS-SCOR LMR workshop of March 1996. Its Terms of References were amended by J-GOOS at its 4th session (Miami, USA, 23-25 April 1997).

The LMR Panel will be responsible for:

1. The strategic development and detailed scientific and technical design of the observing system for the Living Marine Resources module, consistent with the overall principles of GOOS;
2. Maintaining liaison with research (particularly GLOBEC and LOICZ programmes) and monitoring activities (e.g., OSLR and FAO) to ensure that the monitoring and predictions carried out by GOOS/LMR are based on sound and contemporary scientific knowledge;
3. Co-ordination with other modules of GOOS (in particular the COASTAl and HOTO modules) for the purpose of ensuring compatible strategic and scientific development of all components of GOOS.
4. design and development of the analysis and modelling "products" derived from the LMR observing system to address the needs of various user groups.

In particular, the LMR Panel should take the following actions as soon as possible:

1. Identify the present and potential users of the data and products of a GOOS/LMR programme and ensure that the design and implementation of GOOS/LMR responds to these needs;
2. take into account the observation requirements of the other modules of GOOS in defining the LMR variables and observations needed, and stimulate numerical modelling and other studies to support the objectives of the LMR module with special attention to accuracy, calibration of observing procedures, quality control and spatial and temporal resolution of sampling;
3. assess the availability of relevant existing data and observing systems, and the capabilities and activities of developing coastal states, and ensure that these considerations are incorporated into the GOOS/LMR design;
4. develop a plan for the design and implementation of an observing system which would provide the data required by LMR, consistent with data provided for the general underpinning of GOOS and the data fields being provided by the global and coastal implementation themes. Variables and parameters should be selected with reference to their importance for detection of changes in the structure, behaviour and biodiversity of marine ecosytems, including the status of fishery resources;
5. actively co-ordinate LMR planning with other GOOS module efforts by attendance at relevant HOTO, Coastal and OOPC meetings;
6. produce a detailed outline of the Implementation Plan for presentation to GSC-I and an Implementation Plan by late 1998.