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Managing troubled waters—The role of marine environmental monitoring
Marine Pollution Bulletin
and associated electronics addresses today's problems in water level measurement and telemetry. Problems like the lack of local electrical supply, the increasing need for low maintenance and low cost of ownership, the use of SCADA or radio transmission and the very topical requirement of ac modems for rented telecom lines can all be solved with the Datum system, The family consists of a range of submersible sensors in two distinct body styles, one aimed at reservoir or storage tank level measurement and the other, much slimmer design aimed at boreholes. Levels from 1.5 m span to 400 m span can be measured and transmitted with an accuracy of 0.5% of span and an operating range of 0°C-60°C. The submersible sensors are connected by a double skinned cable with integral breather tube to one of a range of electronics units mounted on the surface.
These range from a battery powered unit with telecom modem and associated mains powered telecom receiver, to mains powered borehole level transmitter which is available in various versions up to a fully fledged borehole level controller. The sensors themselves are factory calibrated to a standard output and can be changed without necessitating recalibration. Zero and span setting and range turndown are all user settable in the surface electronics units. A clear LCD display is also available as an optional extra. The Datum system is designed to have a high degree of noise immunity and additional lightning protection is available as an option if required. The electronics units are environmentally protected to IP55 and all wetted parts of the sensors are approved by the UK National Water Council for use in potable water.
~(~Q~-~-~
management. Chapter 3 argues for strengthening regional and national monitoring and Chapter 4 concentrates on the design and implementation of monitoring programmes. The Executive Summary and Chapter 5 give the Committee's conclusions and recommendations, an addition, the book has over 150 references, many from the grey literature, which give a good overall view of American thinking on these topics. The volume includes an Appendix which presents a conceptual model of marine environmental monitoring. This model is the rationale and thinking behind monitoting and includes questions which should (but rarely do) go through the minds of environmental managers. It is of note that some parts of the conceptual approach encapsulate the whole of environmental science. In addition, as further enlightenment to this conceptual approach, it would be necessary to obtain the separate case-study reports. The value and drawbacks of monitoring are clearly set down and there is much good advice. However, greater financial resources are needed than at present to use that advice even if environmental scientists have the opportunity. Much of the discussion presented here is obvious and well-known but still benefits from being stated. For example, there is a call for the necessary interaction and interdependency between research, monitoring (or surveillance) and predictive numerical modelling as an integrated approach to marine management. One concludes that the US is similar to many other countries in that monitoring carried out nationally is not equivalent to a national monitoring programme. The volume illustrates that environmental legislation in the US is as fragmented as elsewhere and that the regulatory agencies need greater collaboration and resources. An interesting fact is that in the US for every dollar spent on pollution abatement 2 cents are spent on monitoring. It would be illuminating to see the respective figures for other countries. The Committee argue for a centrally funded database and they emphasize the importance of quality
io Environmental ..lon. itor.n , Managing Troubled Waters--the Role of Marine Environmental Monitoring. National Research Council, National Academy Press, Washington D.C., 1990. $24 (£21.10), pp. 129. ISBN: 0-309-04194-5. This timely volume is the report of the Committee on a Systems Assessment of Marine Environmental Monitoring which was convened by The Marine Board of the US National Research Council. It is their agreed and accepted report such that the Committee do not get their names on the book but are profiled inside in an appendix. Thus the volume has greater authority than would be the case if it were merely personal views. The Committee of 11 represented environmental science, law, administration and engineering, with participants from the universities and private consultancies as well as public service. In addition, another 24 participants were involved in the three case-studies used by the Committee. This slim volume could easily have been larger but appears to have been kept to a minimum size and even then there is much reiteration of the salient points, Given that it is aimed at administrators and politicians, this is particularly necessary to carry home the message. There are many notable quotations and summaries and the few figures and tables ('boxes') are used to good effect. The three main case-studies used in drawing up the recommendations were of the Southern California Bight, Chesapeake Bay and Particulate Wastes in the Oceans. However, often one wished for more examples from which the conclusions were drawn, those examples could have been from management 'errors' as well as the success stories, Chapter 1 gives an introduction whereas Chapter 2 discusses the role of monitoring in environmental 96
Volume 22/Number 2/February 1991 assurance and analytical quality control at all stages of OSPARCOM and ICES. Such a volume as this is the monitoring not just the analyses. They further argue needed for each global region thus leading to uniformity for an increasing role of the assessment of polluting in problem solving. effects before control can be effected and the need for MICHAEL ELLIOTT greater understanding of the systems under threat. Monitoring is the keystone within that assessment but the design of monitoring programmes is often done in an ad-hoc and less than rigorous approach. The volume emphasizes the importance of the questions to be Kingdom of the Deep. Colin Willock. Boxtree, London, answered and indicates that managers should make 1990. 191 pp.£16.95. ISBN: 1-85283-100-6. these explicit rather than implicit. It details an ideal situation but one questions whether there is the finan- Kingdom of the Deep is a striking book to accompany a cial and political commitment to achieving this situ- striking series of films produced by Survival Anglia. ation. Like most spin-offs from television series it is attracMonitoring has often faced the dilemma that it tively produced and packed with superb photographs of should remain flexible enough to respond to changing the animals and places described. The book follows the circumstances and technological/methodological series very closely and in twelve chapters explores the advances but fixed enough to provide valid data on life of the seas and oceans, including islands, and their spatial or temporal variability. The volume calls for relationships with man. greater cooperation to improve such monitoring and The dominant theme of the book is 'Man's adverse the mechanism for requiring polluters to pay for effects on the oceans' and this serves as a link between a regional as well as local monitoring. The Committee series of cameo portraits of species and habitats. The rightly highlight the dangers of monitoring and storing approach leads to some repetition, for example whales data without sufficient data analysis and they discuss feature in three chapters, but this is kept to an unobtruthe difference between data and information. Data are sive minimum. Each chapter follows a formula whereby often not reported in a useful form although one the natural history of one or more species or habitats is questions whether this is the fault of the administrators described and the history of man's relationship with or the scientists. It must also be questioned whether them outlined. This is followed by a conservation administrators know which type of information is message which seeks to show the control which people necessary or even possible, and governments have on the future of the organisms Monitoring has long suffered as the poor relation of featured. environmental sciences and thus has had either low Kingdomof the Deep is aimed at a broad audience: priority or poor management. There have often been the kind of people who watch Survival programmes. t o o many 'survey and explaiff type studies rather than Colin Willock's 27 years experience as head and senior structured assessments. The importance of fundamental writer-producer for the Survival series have evidently studies aimed at quantifying the background variability fitted him for this task. The book is very well written in for meaningful monitoring should be emphasized where a fluent, non-technical style and can be enjoyed by possible. Finally, although not covered fully in the anyone from layman to professional biologist. Quite volume, it is imperative that the monitoring should be complex subjects are tackled clearly and concisely carried out against quality standards, without sacrificing accuracy. A wealth of topics are It will be interesting to see a follow up report in 2000 covered, from island biogeography to penguin behavto see the progress of the recommendations and iour, shark evolution to whale song. For such wide whether there has been the political and financial will coverage it is an achievement that there are few errors required for their implementation. The volume illus- of fact, these only cropping up occasionally such as in trates the present large role of NOAA and EPA but the description of coral polyp settlement. The author argues for an increasing role. rarely succumbs to the sin of unfounded speculation, The book assumes some familiarity with the philos- remaining instead firmly within the bounds of scientific ophy of marine monitoring thus it may be less suitable understanding. This is commendable for a book of its as an introductory text. Despite that, it is highly recom- kind. mended reading and will be of value and relevance to Conservation issues are generally treated with sensiall regional and national marine and estuarine moni- tivity, and Willock treads a careful path between the toting organizations, academics, environmental groups views of hands-off conservationists and those who and students of the application of environmental legis- promote rational exploitation. There is a particularly lation. It is of particular note that the discussions are good explanation of the concept of the freedom of the applicable to all types of environmental perturbations seas and how this has coloured attitudes to use of the not just water pollution. In addition, although it is marine environment. The myth that the oceans are a almost totally devoted to US experience (there is a brief limitless source of resources to be exploited is convincmention of the pollution abatement in the Thames inglydispelled. estuary), the book has much of relevance to participants I cannot seriously criticize a book which achieves its of the Joint Monitoring Programme of the Oslo and aims so well. However, I felt that an opportunity to Paris Commissions in NW Europe and it agrees with discuss the effects of the 1982 El Nifio on the marine the philosophy behind the North Sea Task Force of life around the Galapagos was missed by concentrating
Book of the Video
97
and associated electronics addresses today's problems in water level measurement and telemetry. Problems like the lack of local electrical supply, the increasing need for low maintenance and low cost of ownership, the use of SCADA or radio transmission and the very topical requirement of ac modems for rented telecom lines can all be solved with the Datum system, The family consists of a range of submersible sensors in two distinct body styles, one aimed at reservoir or storage tank level measurement and the other, much slimmer design aimed at boreholes. Levels from 1.5 m span to 400 m span can be measured and transmitted with an accuracy of 0.5% of span and an operating range of 0°C-60°C. The submersible sensors are connected by a double skinned cable with integral breather tube to one of a range of electronics units mounted on the surface.
These range from a battery powered unit with telecom modem and associated mains powered telecom receiver, to mains powered borehole level transmitter which is available in various versions up to a fully fledged borehole level controller. The sensors themselves are factory calibrated to a standard output and can be changed without necessitating recalibration. Zero and span setting and range turndown are all user settable in the surface electronics units. A clear LCD display is also available as an optional extra. The Datum system is designed to have a high degree of noise immunity and additional lightning protection is available as an option if required. The electronics units are environmentally protected to IP55 and all wetted parts of the sensors are approved by the UK National Water Council for use in potable water.
~(~Q~-~-~
management. Chapter 3 argues for strengthening regional and national monitoring and Chapter 4 concentrates on the design and implementation of monitoring programmes. The Executive Summary and Chapter 5 give the Committee's conclusions and recommendations, an addition, the book has over 150 references, many from the grey literature, which give a good overall view of American thinking on these topics. The volume includes an Appendix which presents a conceptual model of marine environmental monitoring. This model is the rationale and thinking behind monitoting and includes questions which should (but rarely do) go through the minds of environmental managers. It is of note that some parts of the conceptual approach encapsulate the whole of environmental science. In addition, as further enlightenment to this conceptual approach, it would be necessary to obtain the separate case-study reports. The value and drawbacks of monitoring are clearly set down and there is much good advice. However, greater financial resources are needed than at present to use that advice even if environmental scientists have the opportunity. Much of the discussion presented here is obvious and well-known but still benefits from being stated. For example, there is a call for the necessary interaction and interdependency between research, monitoring (or surveillance) and predictive numerical modelling as an integrated approach to marine management. One concludes that the US is similar to many other countries in that monitoring carried out nationally is not equivalent to a national monitoring programme. The volume illustrates that environmental legislation in the US is as fragmented as elsewhere and that the regulatory agencies need greater collaboration and resources. An interesting fact is that in the US for every dollar spent on pollution abatement 2 cents are spent on monitoring. It would be illuminating to see the respective figures for other countries. The Committee argue for a centrally funded database and they emphasize the importance of quality
io Environmental ..lon. itor.n , Managing Troubled Waters--the Role of Marine Environmental Monitoring. National Research Council, National Academy Press, Washington D.C., 1990. $24 (£21.10), pp. 129. ISBN: 0-309-04194-5. This timely volume is the report of the Committee on a Systems Assessment of Marine Environmental Monitoring which was convened by The Marine Board of the US National Research Council. It is their agreed and accepted report such that the Committee do not get their names on the book but are profiled inside in an appendix. Thus the volume has greater authority than would be the case if it were merely personal views. The Committee of 11 represented environmental science, law, administration and engineering, with participants from the universities and private consultancies as well as public service. In addition, another 24 participants were involved in the three case-studies used by the Committee. This slim volume could easily have been larger but appears to have been kept to a minimum size and even then there is much reiteration of the salient points, Given that it is aimed at administrators and politicians, this is particularly necessary to carry home the message. There are many notable quotations and summaries and the few figures and tables ('boxes') are used to good effect. The three main case-studies used in drawing up the recommendations were of the Southern California Bight, Chesapeake Bay and Particulate Wastes in the Oceans. However, often one wished for more examples from which the conclusions were drawn, those examples could have been from management 'errors' as well as the success stories, Chapter 1 gives an introduction whereas Chapter 2 discusses the role of monitoring in environmental 96
Volume 22/Number 2/February 1991 assurance and analytical quality control at all stages of OSPARCOM and ICES. Such a volume as this is the monitoring not just the analyses. They further argue needed for each global region thus leading to uniformity for an increasing role of the assessment of polluting in problem solving. effects before control can be effected and the need for MICHAEL ELLIOTT greater understanding of the systems under threat. Monitoring is the keystone within that assessment but the design of monitoring programmes is often done in an ad-hoc and less than rigorous approach. The volume emphasizes the importance of the questions to be Kingdom of the Deep. Colin Willock. Boxtree, London, answered and indicates that managers should make 1990. 191 pp.£16.95. ISBN: 1-85283-100-6. these explicit rather than implicit. It details an ideal situation but one questions whether there is the finan- Kingdom of the Deep is a striking book to accompany a cial and political commitment to achieving this situ- striking series of films produced by Survival Anglia. ation. Like most spin-offs from television series it is attracMonitoring has often faced the dilemma that it tively produced and packed with superb photographs of should remain flexible enough to respond to changing the animals and places described. The book follows the circumstances and technological/methodological series very closely and in twelve chapters explores the advances but fixed enough to provide valid data on life of the seas and oceans, including islands, and their spatial or temporal variability. The volume calls for relationships with man. greater cooperation to improve such monitoring and The dominant theme of the book is 'Man's adverse the mechanism for requiring polluters to pay for effects on the oceans' and this serves as a link between a regional as well as local monitoring. The Committee series of cameo portraits of species and habitats. The rightly highlight the dangers of monitoring and storing approach leads to some repetition, for example whales data without sufficient data analysis and they discuss feature in three chapters, but this is kept to an unobtruthe difference between data and information. Data are sive minimum. Each chapter follows a formula whereby often not reported in a useful form although one the natural history of one or more species or habitats is questions whether this is the fault of the administrators described and the history of man's relationship with or the scientists. It must also be questioned whether them outlined. This is followed by a conservation administrators know which type of information is message which seeks to show the control which people necessary or even possible, and governments have on the future of the organisms Monitoring has long suffered as the poor relation of featured. environmental sciences and thus has had either low Kingdomof the Deep is aimed at a broad audience: priority or poor management. There have often been the kind of people who watch Survival programmes. t o o many 'survey and explaiff type studies rather than Colin Willock's 27 years experience as head and senior structured assessments. The importance of fundamental writer-producer for the Survival series have evidently studies aimed at quantifying the background variability fitted him for this task. The book is very well written in for meaningful monitoring should be emphasized where a fluent, non-technical style and can be enjoyed by possible. Finally, although not covered fully in the anyone from layman to professional biologist. Quite volume, it is imperative that the monitoring should be complex subjects are tackled clearly and concisely carried out against quality standards, without sacrificing accuracy. A wealth of topics are It will be interesting to see a follow up report in 2000 covered, from island biogeography to penguin behavto see the progress of the recommendations and iour, shark evolution to whale song. For such wide whether there has been the political and financial will coverage it is an achievement that there are few errors required for their implementation. The volume illus- of fact, these only cropping up occasionally such as in trates the present large role of NOAA and EPA but the description of coral polyp settlement. The author argues for an increasing role. rarely succumbs to the sin of unfounded speculation, The book assumes some familiarity with the philos- remaining instead firmly within the bounds of scientific ophy of marine monitoring thus it may be less suitable understanding. This is commendable for a book of its as an introductory text. Despite that, it is highly recom- kind. mended reading and will be of value and relevance to Conservation issues are generally treated with sensiall regional and national marine and estuarine moni- tivity, and Willock treads a careful path between the toting organizations, academics, environmental groups views of hands-off conservationists and those who and students of the application of environmental legis- promote rational exploitation. There is a particularly lation. It is of particular note that the discussions are good explanation of the concept of the freedom of the applicable to all types of environmental perturbations seas and how this has coloured attitudes to use of the not just water pollution. In addition, although it is marine environment. The myth that the oceans are a almost totally devoted to US experience (there is a brief limitless source of resources to be exploited is convincmention of the pollution abatement in the Thames inglydispelled. estuary), the book has much of relevance to participants I cannot seriously criticize a book which achieves its of the Joint Monitoring Programme of the Oslo and aims so well. However, I felt that an opportunity to Paris Commissions in NW Europe and it agrees with discuss the effects of the 1982 El Nifio on the marine the philosophy behind the North Sea Task Force of life around the Galapagos was missed by concentrating
Book of the Video
97