Study Group: Biodiversity Conservation
  • Acronym: SG-BC
  • Parent Committee: SB
  • Term: Jan. 2014 - Oct. 2014
    Appoved at PICES-2013
  • Chair: Janelle Curtis
Description and Statement of Purpose:

PICES has no formal mechanism to exchange information or provide advice on issues related to biodiversity in the North Pacific despite recent requests to do so from both the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and World Ocean Assessment (WOA) in 2013. Marine biodiversity is important for maintaining ecosystem structure and function, which in turn supports sustainable fisheries. Understanding drivers of biodiversity change (e.g., non-indigenous marine species, climate change, eutrophication, fishing, pollution, etc.) and their interactions can help inform decisions related to ecosystem-based management that balance multiple objectives. Other intergovernmental organizations recognize the need to advance research focussed on biodiversity. These include the Strategic Initiative on Biodiversity (SIBAS) within the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) and the Medium-Term Strategy within the Northwest Pacific Action Plan (NOWPAP). In addition, the North Pacific Fisheries Commission (NPFC) which includes all PICES member countries is in the process of ratifying a new convention on marine conservation. This convention will require member countries to study, conserve and manage vulnerable components of marine biodiversity in international waters of the North Pacific Ocean. Thus, PICES, as a science organization, is well positioned to take a leadership role in facilitating the collaborative science needed to address biodiversity priorities in the North Pacific Ocean and to partner with other international organizations, such as ICES, NOWPAP, FAO, CBD, and NPFC.

Terms of Reference
  1. Review the scope of key drivers of biodiversity change in the North Pacific Ocean, including, but not limited to: non-indigenous marine species, climate change, fishing, and eutrophication.
  2. Identify potential mechanisms to advance biodiversity-based scientific research and/or conservation related to drivers of biodiversity change in the North Pacific Ocean.
  3. Review the research activities, past and present, undertaken by PICES and other international organizations on biodiversity in the North Pacific Ocean.
  4. Identify opportunities for collaboration, new research opportunities for PICES, and the potential to provide science-based advice that could be used to inform decisions related to the conservation and management of biodiversity in the North Pacific Ocean.
  5. Prepare a final report that includes an assessment of the merits of establishing an expert group focussed on biodiversity science within PICES, and provide recommendations on the role(s) of such a group.
Products
Annual Meetings

Reports

2014

PICES Scientific Reports

PICES Sci. Rep. No. 49, 2015
Report of the Study Group on Biodiversity Conservation

Members (contact info as of December 2014)
Janelle Curtis
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Pacific Biological Station
3190 Hammond Bay Rd.
Nanaimo
Canada V9T 6N7
E-mail: janelle.curtis(at)dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Jingfeng Fan
National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center (NMEMC), SOA
42 Linghe St., Shahekou District
Dalian, Liaoning
China, PR 116023
E-mail: jffan(at)nmemc.org.cn
Hao Huang
Third Institute of Oceanography, SOA
178 Daxue Rd.
Xiamen, Fujian
China, PR 361005
E-mail: huanghao(at)tio.org.cn; huanghao(at)thongbao.vnnic.cn
Guoxiang Liao
National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center (NMEMC), SOA
42 Linghe St., Shahekou District
Dalian, Liaoning
China, PR 116023
E-mail: gxliao(at)nmemc.org.cn
Takeo Kurihara
Ariake Yatsuchiro Center
Seikai National Fisheries Research Institute, FRA
1551-8 Taira-machi
Nagasaki, Nagasaki
Japan 851-2213
E-mail: takeo(at)affrc.go.jp
Ryogen Nanbu
National Research Institute of Fisheries Engineering, FRA
7620-7, Hasaki, Kamisu-shi
Ibaraki
Japan 314-0408
E-mail: R_Nanbu(at)affrc.go.jp
Jae Hoon Noh
Marine Living Resources Res. Dept.
Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST)
787 Haean-ro, Sangnok
Ansan, Kyunggi-do
Korea, R 426-744
E-mail: jhnoh(at)kiost.ac
Wongyu Park
Department of Marine Biology
Pukyong National University
45 Yongso-ro, Nam-gu
Busan
Korea, R 608-737
E-mail: wpark(at)pknu.ac.kr
Seok-Hyun Youn
Ecology and Environmental Division
National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI), MOF
152-1 Haean-ro, Gijang-eup, Gijang-gun
Busan
Korea, R 619-705
E-mail: younsh(at)korea.kr
Igor V. Volvenko
Pacific Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (TINRO-Center)
4 Shevchenko Alley
Vladivostok, Primorsky Kray
Russia 690950
E-mail: volvenko(at)tinro.ru
Thomas Hourigan
Office of Habitat Conservation, NMFS, NOAA
1315 East West Hwy
Silver Spring, MD
U.S.A. 20910
E-mail: tom.hourigan(at)noaa.gov
Chris Rooper
RACE Division
NMFS-Alaska Fishery Science Center
NOAA NMFS AFSC RACE 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Bldg 4
Seattle, WA
U.S.A. 98115
E-mail: chris.rooper(at)noaa.gov