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Science conference
By Helen Altonn
to focus on problems in
Pacific coastal areas
Star-BulletinA major science conference will tackle issues such as coastal environmental problems, which are important to Hawaii, says C. Barry Raleigh, dean of the University of Hawaii School of Ocean & Earth Science & Technology.
"This subject, particularly in Asia, has now really reached the point where those countries decided they need to do something really serious about managing their coastal areas," he said. "Our own country finally is trying to do more about coral reefs, pollution and environment."
About 400 scientists, policy makers, and government and industry leaders from 20 countries will meet here next week to exchange information and discuss economic opportunities in marine research and ocean technology. More than 200 presentations are scheduled at the Ninth Pacific Congress on Science and Technology at the Hawaiian Regent Hotel.
Gov. Benjamin Cayetano will convene the opening ceremony Monday and Rear Adm. Paul G. Gaffney, II, chief of naval research, will give the keynote address.
Sessions during the week will cover topics such as climate change, remote sensing, tsunamis and typhoons, fish tracking, diving, coral reefs, oil spills, tourism and many others.
Innovative techniques will be described, such as use of manganese oxide mine tailings to grow koa seedlings, papayas, onions, avocados, orchids and Bermuda grass.
Successful methods of growing white shrimp at the Oceanic Institute to contribute to the world's food supply will be described.
Other papers will cover the sea and space, with information about state-of-the-art remote sensing and operational satellites and developments in undersea vehicles and ocean robotics.
Raleigh said he's particularly interested in sea-floor mapping. "Our people (at UH) have done really spectacularly good things that way."
But he said, "One of the things that sort of frustrates me" is that it's difficult to get funding needed to do bottom surveys of the Hawaiian Exclusive Economic Zone.
Some ocean mapping has been done around the Big Island, he said, but "nothing like the amount it needs to be."
It's essential to know the ocean floor topography so places can be set aside to preserve the bottom fishery, he said. "We need to know what the topography is before it's fished out."
Raleigh is co-chairman of the conference with John Carey, former deputy associate administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
PACON International, a nonprofit Hawaii-based organization, is hosting the meetings with NOAA and other government and private sponsors.
Honorary chairmen are Cayetano, Hyung Tack Huh, past president of the Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute; Hongmo Yan, former director of the State Oceanic Administration in China; Hajime Sako, president of the Japan International Marine Science and Technology Federation, and Sergei Shapovalov of Russia.
"The Pacific Century" is the conference theme, reflecting increased visibility and involvement of Asia and Pacific Rim countries in scientific endeavors, economic growth and political leadership, according to PACON.
A major goal is to encourage joint projects and economic opportunities.
General lectures, in the Diamond Head Ballroom, third floor of Kuhio Tower, will be as follows: Lectures:
Tuesday, 8:30-9:30 a.m., Chris Andreasen, U.S. National Imagery and Mapping Agency, "Marine Data-Access and Availability Issues."
