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North Sea protection
Volume 18/Number 5/May 1987 El-Wakeel, S. K. & Riley, J. P. (1957). The determination of organic carbon in marine mud. J. du conseil Int. pour l'explor, de la Mer 12, 180-183. Farrington, J. W., Frew, N. M., Gsehwend, P. M. & Tripp, B. W. (1977). Hydrocarbons in cores of north-western Atlantic Coastal and continental marginsedimants. Estuar. Coast. Sci. 1,71-79. Folk, R. L. (1974). Petrology ofsediraentary rocks. Hemphill publishing
Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol. 18, No. 5, pp. 251-252, 1987 Printed in Great Britain.
North Sea Protection The International Conference on Environmental Protection of the North Sea was held in London 24-27 March 1987. The conference was organized by the Water Research Centre to provide an international forum for a balanced scientific assessment of the state of the North Sea prior to the Second Ministerial Conference on the North Sea, scheduled to be held in London in November 1987. It was attended by about 300 delegates, a substantial proportion (about 40%) from overseas countries. The opening session contained contributions from Mr B. V. Henderson, Chairman of the Water Research Centre, Sir Peter Harrop K.C.B. and Mr C. P. Srivastava, Secretary General of International Maritime Organization. The organizers were able to obtain contributions and papers from many eminent and well recognized technical experts in the different topics covered by the conference. Over the four days, seven technical sessions were held on the following topics: Organic chemicals, nutrients, heavy metals, microbial contaminants and littoral pollution, oil, environmental management, modelling, and monitoring, For each session, the organizers provided a range of different views with invited papers presented by speakers from government departments, industry, and environmental groups with a good balance across the different countries bordering the North Sea. From the UK standpoint, it was encouraging to hear overseas delegates recognize the validity of the E Q O / EQS approach to environmental management as cornplementary to the continental UES approach. However there was some debate about the environmental significance of mixing zones around major outfalls. It was noticeable that speakers on the first day very clearly distinguished between contamination and pollution, however towards the end of the conference, the difference in meaning between these two terms seemed to disappear, Some criticism of alleged lack of concern by the UK on pollution control was expressed by some overseas speakers. The incidence of fish disease in the Thames Estuary and in the Dogger Bank area generated lively discussions. The need to control TBT, the possible contribution to nutrient levels in the Wadden Sea, and sewage contamination of bathing beaches were also topics about which the UK was criticized, Some contentious estimates based on aerial surveys
Co, Austin, Texas. Grimalt, J., Albaiges, J., AL-Saad, H. T. & Douabul, A. A. Z. (1985). n-Alkane distribution in surface sediments from the Arabian Gulf. Naturwissenscha[ten72, 35. Zarba, M. A., Mohammad, O. S., Anderlini, V. C., Literathy, P. & Shunbo, E (1985). Petroleum residues in surface sediments of Kuwait. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 16,209-211.
0025-326X/87 S3.00-I-4).00 O 1987 PergamonJournalsLtd.
of the quantities of oil spilled from offshore platforms were presented. These were heavily criticized during the discussion, and the general impression emerged that a more effective implementation of current regulations was more appropriate than the development of new legislation. The overall impression obtained from the technical information and discussions at the conference was that whilst the general state of the North Sea did not require urgent corrective action, priority for acting should be given to some identified local pollution problems, namely Wadden Sea, sewage contaminated beaches, TBT discharges, etc. With regard to possible long-term pollution, concern was expressed that the general environmental level of PCBs (unlike DDT) was still increasing with time in spite of the stringent controls on their use. The key role of sediments as sinks for heavy metals and persistent organic chemicals was highlighted by a number of speakers. The need to carry out research into the transformations which can occur within sediments and the transference of pollutants between the sediments and the water column was identified. The lack of motivation which currently exists for industry to carry out research and development of radically different and improved process technology in the treatment of liquid discharges generated some discussion. One speaker highlighted the potential to develop new techniques in sewage treatment from biotechnological research. The need to tackle marine pollution problems on an international basis and the benefits of an integrated environmental management approach was generally agreed. Lord Cranbrook chaired the session on environmental management and suggested that it may be helpful to consider the North Sea as a number of individual but interrelated ecosystems, an approach which seemed to be consistent with much of the technical information presented at the conference. In addition to the formal programme of presentation and discussions, there was an interesting poster display of projects relevant to the theme of the conference. The facilities provided at the IMO Headquarters and the organization of the conference by WRc staff were very good. In due course, conference proceedings which will include the presented papers and a record of the discussions will be published by the WRc. ROWLEYJENKINS 251
Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol. 18, No. 5, pp. 251-252, 1987 Printed in Great Britain.
North Sea Protection The International Conference on Environmental Protection of the North Sea was held in London 24-27 March 1987. The conference was organized by the Water Research Centre to provide an international forum for a balanced scientific assessment of the state of the North Sea prior to the Second Ministerial Conference on the North Sea, scheduled to be held in London in November 1987. It was attended by about 300 delegates, a substantial proportion (about 40%) from overseas countries. The opening session contained contributions from Mr B. V. Henderson, Chairman of the Water Research Centre, Sir Peter Harrop K.C.B. and Mr C. P. Srivastava, Secretary General of International Maritime Organization. The organizers were able to obtain contributions and papers from many eminent and well recognized technical experts in the different topics covered by the conference. Over the four days, seven technical sessions were held on the following topics: Organic chemicals, nutrients, heavy metals, microbial contaminants and littoral pollution, oil, environmental management, modelling, and monitoring, For each session, the organizers provided a range of different views with invited papers presented by speakers from government departments, industry, and environmental groups with a good balance across the different countries bordering the North Sea. From the UK standpoint, it was encouraging to hear overseas delegates recognize the validity of the E Q O / EQS approach to environmental management as cornplementary to the continental UES approach. However there was some debate about the environmental significance of mixing zones around major outfalls. It was noticeable that speakers on the first day very clearly distinguished between contamination and pollution, however towards the end of the conference, the difference in meaning between these two terms seemed to disappear, Some criticism of alleged lack of concern by the UK on pollution control was expressed by some overseas speakers. The incidence of fish disease in the Thames Estuary and in the Dogger Bank area generated lively discussions. The need to control TBT, the possible contribution to nutrient levels in the Wadden Sea, and sewage contamination of bathing beaches were also topics about which the UK was criticized, Some contentious estimates based on aerial surveys
Co, Austin, Texas. Grimalt, J., Albaiges, J., AL-Saad, H. T. & Douabul, A. A. Z. (1985). n-Alkane distribution in surface sediments from the Arabian Gulf. Naturwissenscha[ten72, 35. Zarba, M. A., Mohammad, O. S., Anderlini, V. C., Literathy, P. & Shunbo, E (1985). Petroleum residues in surface sediments of Kuwait. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 16,209-211.
0025-326X/87 S3.00-I-4).00 O 1987 PergamonJournalsLtd.
of the quantities of oil spilled from offshore platforms were presented. These were heavily criticized during the discussion, and the general impression emerged that a more effective implementation of current regulations was more appropriate than the development of new legislation. The overall impression obtained from the technical information and discussions at the conference was that whilst the general state of the North Sea did not require urgent corrective action, priority for acting should be given to some identified local pollution problems, namely Wadden Sea, sewage contaminated beaches, TBT discharges, etc. With regard to possible long-term pollution, concern was expressed that the general environmental level of PCBs (unlike DDT) was still increasing with time in spite of the stringent controls on their use. The key role of sediments as sinks for heavy metals and persistent organic chemicals was highlighted by a number of speakers. The need to carry out research into the transformations which can occur within sediments and the transference of pollutants between the sediments and the water column was identified. The lack of motivation which currently exists for industry to carry out research and development of radically different and improved process technology in the treatment of liquid discharges generated some discussion. One speaker highlighted the potential to develop new techniques in sewage treatment from biotechnological research. The need to tackle marine pollution problems on an international basis and the benefits of an integrated environmental management approach was generally agreed. Lord Cranbrook chaired the session on environmental management and suggested that it may be helpful to consider the North Sea as a number of individual but interrelated ecosystems, an approach which seemed to be consistent with much of the technical information presented at the conference. In addition to the formal programme of presentation and discussions, there was an interesting poster display of projects relevant to the theme of the conference. The facilities provided at the IMO Headquarters and the organization of the conference by WRc staff were very good. In due course, conference proceedings which will include the presented papers and a record of the discussions will be published by the WRc. ROWLEYJENKINS 251