The First Meeting of Working Group 4 (WG4)

Summary of the meeting : See below;

1. 1. Overview of existing activities and future plans regarding monitoring by Remote Sensing in NOWPAP Members

      1. Dr. Young-Sang Suh made a presentation on the oceanographic features around the Korean Peninsula inferred from satellite remote sensing. He also introduced red tide observing system in Korea.
      2. Dr. Leonid Mitnik made a presentation on monitoring of the coastal zone and open ocean pollution by remote sensing. He also introduced projects of monitoring oil spill by remote sensing, which have been conducted at V.I. Il’ichev Pacific Oceanological Institute (POI), Far East Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, since 1990s.
      3. Dr. Joji Ishizaka made a presentation on the existing and future plans of coastal environmental monitoring by remote sensing in Japan.
      4. Dr. Anatoly Alexanin made a presentation on remote sensing opportunities and red tide problem in Russia.

   2. IOC/GOOS global/regional activities, present status of the oceanographic satellite remote sensing, and their relations to the NOWPAP activities

      Dr. Hiroshi Kawamura made a presentation on the IOC/GOOS global/regional activities, present status of the oceanographic satellite remote sensing, and their relations to the NOWPAP activities. He emphasized the importance of collaboration among the regional oceanographic programmes.

   3. Finalization of the Terms of Reference for WG4

      The meeting finalized the draft Terms of References for WG4. It will be forwarded to the Second CEARAC Focal Points Meeting which will be held in March 2004 in Toyama, Japan, for final adoption.

   4. Workplan for WG4 The meeting agreed on the following immediate activities of WG4.

      1. Development of remote sensing information network system CEARAC proposed the development of the portal site on remote sensing in the NOWPAP region as a remote sensing information network system. After a discussion the meeting agreed on this proposal. CEARAC also proposed the development of the website on oil spill remote sensing at POI. After a discussion the meeting agreed on this proposal.
      2. Preparation of National Reports and publication of Integrated Report The meeting agreed that Working Group members would submit the national report to the Working Group 4 every two years, and also agreed that CEARAC would prepare the integrated report every two years based on the national reports. The Director of CEARAC will submit the integrated report to CEARAC Focal Points Meeting.
      3. Information dissemination by the Website and Newsletter The meeting agreed to disseminate information about activities of WG4 through the CEARAC Website, Newsletter, and the portal site of remote sensing proposed to be developed.
      4. Workplan for 2004/5
         The meeting agreed on the detailed workplan for WG4 for 2004/5. The second WG4 meeting is planned being held in Beijing, China, in Autumn 2004.

   See Report of the First Meeting of NOWPAP Working Group 4