Reducing Environmental Stress in the Yellow Sea Large Marine Ecoystem

The Yellow Sea is one of the most intensely exploited areas in the world. Approximately 10% of the world population lives in the area that drains to the Yellow Sea. This Sea is a semi-enclosed basin, shallow but reach in resources, and its waters are a highway for international shipping. Large cities, among them Shanghai, Dalian, Tianjin and Seoul, depend on the Yellow Sea as a source of marine resources for human nutrition, economic development, reacreation and tourism. The analysis conducted during PDF-B works indicated the following major transboundary environmental problems: (i) Decline/collapse of transboundary fish stocks; (ii) degradation of Biodiversity and of critical habitats; (iii) water quality deterioration; (iv) unsanitary conditions due to dispersion of pathogens and contaminants threatening human health and mariculture. The objective of the proposed project is to promote multi-country ecosystem based management practices with the aim of reducing stresses to the environment due to population and industrialization pressures. The project will enhance consultations among littoral countries building on existing partial agreements (APEC etc.) and operationalizing elements of UNEP's Regional Seas Programme (NOWPAP). The project will complement activities of the East Asian Seas GEF project and of the Tumen River GEF projects.