Eric J. Byrne
Question:58 Mr. E. Byrne asked the Minister for the Marine the progress made to date with regard to the preparation of the Ospar report in respect of region III; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3656/97]
Written Answers. - OSPAR Report.
Preparations are under way for the completion of an environmental quality status report (QSR) for the entire area covered by the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR) to which Ireland is a party. The information gathered in this report will allow for assessment of the environment of the area, including water quality, and will provide a firm basis for future monitoring and management of the maritime area covered by the OSPAR Convention.
For the purpose of the report the Convention area has been divided into five sub-regions. Ireland and the UK are responsible for the preparation of the report in respect of that part of the North-East Atlantic region (Celtic Seas) extending westwards of the UK mainland to the edge of the continental shelf, 200m depth. the area includes all of Ireland's marine and coastal areas.
The report will comprise a compilation of existing knowledge — physics, chemistry, biology, human activities — of the area; an assessment of this information in relation to agreed criteria of environmental quality and a statement of the prevailing condition of the report.
In conjunction with similar reports on the four other parts of the OSPAR region, the Celtic Seas QSR will be assimilated into a convention-wide QSR that will be published in the year 2000. It is expected that a draft of the report in respect of the Irish-UK region will be completed early in 1998.
The Irish contribution to the QSR is being managed by the Marine Institute on behalf of the Departments of the Environment and the Marine. The institute has established a QSR Office at the Forbairt laboratory in Shannon, County Clare, staffed by a team of four marine scientists. The team is lead by Mr. Rick Boelens, a recognised international expert in marine environmental science, who has been seconded to the institute for this project.
A national QSR steering group, comprising senior officials from the Department of the Marine, Department of the Environment, the Marine Institute and the Environmental Protection Agency meet regularly to review progress on the preparation of the report. I am advised by that group that work is well under way in reviewing scientific reports and publications on all facets of the physics, chemistry and biology of coastal and sea-shelf areas of the Celtic Seas. The group are satisfied with the progress that has been made to date.