REDUCING ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS

IN THE YELLOW SEA (YSLME)

GOAL OF YSLMEECOSYSTEM-BASED, ENVIRONMENTALLY - SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT AND USE OF THE YSLME AND ITS WATERSHED: REDUCING DEVELOPMENT STRESS AND PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ECOSYSTEM FROM A DENSELY POPULATED, HEAVILY URBANIZED, AND INDUSTRIALIZED SEMI-ENCLOSED SHELF SEA

PROJECT POINTS• 5-YEAR PROJECT, STARTING FALL, 2002• TOTAL BUDGET OF $24,000,000

– GEF: $14,394,183– COUNTRIES: $8,643,965– PLUS UNDP, NOAA

• EXECUTED BY UNOPS• PCU AT KOREA OCEAN RESEARCH AND

DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE (KORDI) IN ANSAN, ROK

WHY YSLME?

• DECLINE OF COMMERCIAL FISHERIES• DEGRADATION OF BIODIVERSITY• WATER QUALITY DETERIORATION• UNSUSTAINABLE MARICULTURE• POOR HUMAN HEALTH• HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS• INADEQUATE CAPACITY FOR

ECOSYSTEM ASSESSMENT

0.0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

19681970197219741976197819801982198419861988199019921994Year

CPU

E(C

atch

per

HP)

Large T rawl Medium T rawl Large Stow

1960'S

Clupeidae (8.7%)Scombridae (4.6%)

Trichuridae (34.3%)Sciaenidae (52.4%)

1980'S

Aluteridae (32.2%)Scombridae (2.6%)

Trichuridae (30.7%)

Sciaenidae (9.4%)

Clupeidae (25.1%)

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1987 1990 1995 1997

Mussel Scallop ClamOyster Others

SOME ROOT CAUSES• HUGE POPULATION PRESSURE (10% OF

WORLD’S POPULATION IN YELLOW SEA BASIN)• POOR/INEFFECTIVE REGIONAL LEGAL

INSTRUMENTS• INADEQUATE KNOWLEDGE AND

INFRASTRUCTURE BASE• INADEQUATE MANAGEMENT/PLANNING

FRAMEWORK• INSUFFICIENT FINANCING MECHANISMS AND

SUPPORT• WEAK POLITICAL WILL

IMMEDIATE OBJECTIVES OF THE OVERALL GEF PROJECT

1. Develop regional strategies for sustainable management of fisheries, mariculture

2. Propose and implement effective regional initiatives for biodiversity protection

3. Propose and implement actions to reduce stress to the Ecoystem, improve water quality, and protect human health

4. Develop and pilot regional institutional and capacity building initiatives

3 PHASES OF THE PROJECT

1. Assessing stress to the ecosystem (TDA)

2. Reducing stress to the ecosystem (NYSAP & SAP)

3. SAP Implementation

THEMES

Major Interventions• Fisheries management• Biodiversity

management• Contaminant control

and management• Ecosystem

management• Investment portfolios

Supporting interventions

(pcu)• Public awareness and

participation• Data and Information

management

THEME WORKING GROUP (FOR ALL BUT INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO)

EACH COUNTRY WILLDRAW FROM THEIR STAKEHOLDERS

• 2 SCIENTISTS (SOCIAL OR NATURAL)• 2 from following disciplines

– LEGAL/REGULATORY EXPERT– INVESTMENT SPECIALIST– PLANNER/MANAGER