Toyama, Japan — NOWPAP Special Monitoring and Coastal Environmental Assessment Regional Activity Centre (CEARAC) convened its tenth Focal Points Meeting (FPM) on 17-18 April 2012 in Toyama, Japan.

 

The meeting reviewed CEARAC activities in 2010-2011 biennium, revised the terms of reference of CEARAC FPM, discussed and agreed on major activities to be implemented in 2012-2013:

 

 

Toyama, Japan — Taking into account suggestions of member states after the 16th Intergovernmental Meeting held in Beijing, PR China in December 2011, the NOWPAP Medium-term Strategy 2012-2017 has been finalized.

 

In the next 5 years, NOWPAP activities will be focusing on the following priority areas:

 

 

Sanya, PR China — NOWPAP representatives attended the Eastern and South-eastern Asian Seas Workshop of the Regular Process on 21-23 February 2012 in Sanya, PR China.

 

 

Nagasaki, Japan — NOWPAP representatives attended the workshop "Introduction to rapid assessment survey methodologies for detecting non-indigenous marine species (NIS)," jointly organized by the North Pacific Marine Science Organization (PICES), the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission's Sub-Commission for the Western pacific (IOC WESTPAC) and NOWPAP in Nagasaki, Japan, on 8-9 February 2012.

 

 

Yeosu, RO Korea —NOWPAP and the Organizing Committee of Yeosu Expo 2012 have recently signed a contract with regard to the NOWPAP participation in the Expo 2012 Yeosu Korea.

 

 

Vladivostok, Russia — As part of the implementation of the Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter, NOWPAP organized the 2012 International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) and Marine Litter Workshop on 17-18 July in Vladivostok, Russia.

 

 

Changwon, RO Korea — Joining PEMSEA country and non-country partners, NOWPAP participated in the East Asian Seas (EAS) Congress 2012 on 16-20 July in Changwon city, Republic of Korea.

 

NOWPAP representatives attended the Congress plenary sessions and parallel workshops carrying the theme "Building Blue Economy: Strategy, Opportunities and Partnerships in the Seas of East Asia" as well as the Partnership Council meeting and the Ministerial Forum which adopted the Sustainable Development for the Seas of East Asia Implementation Plan (2012-2016).

 

 

 

Changwon City, RO Korea — On 12 July 2012, Ministers from ten Countries of the East Asian Seas (EAS) region signed the Changwon Declaration towards an Ocean-Based Blue Economy: Moving Ahead with the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia. The signing took place during the 4th Ministerial Forum in Changwon City, RO Korea as part of the East Asian Seas Congress 2012 from 9-13 July.

 

 

Quezon City, Philippines — The Government of the Philippines and the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) signed an agreement which formalizes the hosting of PEMSEA in the Philippines. The signing occurred last 31 July 2012 at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in Pasay City, Philippines.

 

The Agreement was signed by Hon. Albert F. Del Rosario, Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Prof. Raphael P.M. Lotilla, Executive Director of the PEMSEA Resource Facility.