Express news service

KOCHI, Kerala, India: An integrated ocean observing system which will give sustained and systematic observation and information of world oceans is the need of the hour, said Shailesh Nayak, Secretary of Ministry of Earth Sciences, chair of IOGOOS. After inaugurating an international symposium on Remote Sensing and Fisheries here on Monday, he said that 21st century is the era when greater attention would be devoted to develop and protect oceans, an understanding of which is essential to enhance the knowledge of their physical, chemical, geological and biological environment.

Collection of such data would require large investments in satellites, research vessels, moored buoys and autonomous vehicles for observing and sampling of water column, he said.The focus should be on understanding structure, function and vulnerability of ecosystems for which one needs to ensure a healthy ocean environment for sustained benefits for successive generations, Nayak said.In his presidential address, chief executive of National Fisheries Development Board P Krishnaiah said any investment in science and technology should ultimately lead to production of knowledge that is useful to society at large. He suggested integration of all information so that it could be disseminated to all the states.B Meenakumari, Director of Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT), in her welcome address said remote observations of the sea surface could provide a significant part of information needed to assess and improve the potential yield of the fishing grounds. With the worldwide decline of fish in oceans it was important to remotely image and monitor fish population as well as accurately estimate their abundance.The symposium has been jointly organised by CIFT and Societal Applications in Fisheries and Aquaculture using Remotely-sensed Imagery (SAFARI).About 250 delegates including from abroad are participating in the symposium.

http://www.geosafari.org/kochi/

Picture This: Caring for the Earth is a photo contest seeking out single photos and photo essays profiling people in Africa working to reduce the effects of climate change in their countries, cities and communities.

 The contest is sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme in partnership with Olympus Corporation and the Agence France-Presse (AFP) Foundation.

Fourth GOOS Regional Alliance Forum was held 25, 26, 27 Nov. 2008 in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

We would like to thank the hosts in Guayaquil for a very exciting and pleasant meeting.  The City of Guayaquil provided a wonderful locataion and all of the participants appreciated the amenities.

Results of the forum are now posted on the web site.  Documentation and all of the presentations can be found there.  Action items and recommendations from the meeting are posted.  The full meeting report will be completed by the end of December 2008.  

The GRA Fora brought together representatives of all the GRAs to plan the next biennum activities of the Coastal Component of GOOS. The Forum fostered cooperation of the programs of the GRAs which we will build upon in the coming months.

For more information go to the GOOS Web page for the GRA-IV ->