FINAL MAMA MEETINGFINAL MAMA MEETING

  

Raising awareness for ocean Raising awareness for ocean observations in Algeriaobservations in Algeria

Tunis 7Tunis 7thth - 9 - 9thth March 2005 March 2005  

Presented by Mrs Torkia MATOUKPresented by Mrs Torkia MATOUKLaboratoire d’Etudes MaritimesLaboratoire d’Etudes Maritimes

Coastline : 1 200 Km

Area : 2 381 741 Km²

2/3 population located in coastal area (4% of total area)

INTRODUCTION

Algerian coastal length is about 1200km. The coastal area represents about 4% of it’s total area. Plus of 2/3 of the population is located in this area because of the implantation of the industries and the important economic activities in this fragile area; This is exerting serious pressure on these areas which could put the value and productivity of many of them at risk.

• Scientific information is needed to guide the wise use of coastal resources, to protect the environment and to improve the quality of life of coastal zone residents.

• This is in response to the needs of an ICM program, which with rational decision are made concerning the conservation and sustainable use of coastal resources and space (Art. 17, Agenda 21.UNCED Rio de Janeiro, 1992).

• Principal tools for an integrated coastal management - Operational ocean monitoring and forecasting - Reliable evaluation of the oceanographical data, - Efficient cooperation between national institutions.

• Optimal management of the marine resources by : - Integration of the ecosystem observations, - Multidisciplinary collect data on a long term - Socio-economic knowledge.

Synoptic state of the operational oceanography in Algeria

• The access to the exact, up to date data at the appropriate moment is the main obstacle and difficulty encountered by maritime and littoral managers, because of their diversity and their big dispersion.

• Numerous institutions through many ministries are concerned by the production, the update, the manipulation, reproduction and the diffusion of data , the activities for which each organism expenses annually important amount of money and a lot of time.

In the total absence of national politics of data and of coordination, every institution identifies and definites it’s data according to it’s own needs, without taking in account those of the other concerned partners.

Raising awareness for ocean observations in Algeria

Being conscious of such problem in our country conducts us to organize in the relation with the MAMA project in February 16 the 2005, a meeting for exchanging and disseminating information on data availability.

Participated institutions

• National meteorological office (ONM)• Naval forces Hydrographic service (SHFN)• Lighthouses (ONSM) • Institute for marine sciences and coastal management

(ISMAL) • Biologic sciences university– (FSB/USTHB) • Laboratory of maritime studies (LEM)

Principal discussed points

Enhance the cooperation between data providers and data users  

Present, review and promote recent database if any and information systems and discuss their potential evolution to meet their needs

Address the importance of co-operation at the international, regional and national level for the sustainable development

Raise awareness among the users and providers, upon the different profession related to marine data management.

Discus how collecting data and how managed them in a coherent and a standardised formats.

National Network data on the marine and coastal

environment

Otherwise, the Institute for marine sciences and coastal management (ISMAL) as scientific organism and structure at national level, took the initiative to organize one day of survey and reflection in December 2004.

Objectives Meeting

- to offer a forum of discussion between the partners implied in the observation,the management of the marine and inshore environment

- to make a state of the data and information on the sea and the coastline

- to give point of view on the way how new technologies could be used

- to improve the availability and the use of the marine and inshore data for research,

- to set up politic and strategy necessary for data management at all levels

Institutions capacities

• National meteorological office (ONM)

- 02 Wave rider buoys at Bejaia (East of Algeria) and Arzew (West of Algeria)

- 10 meteorological stations located in the principal harbours.

- Numerical modelling and forecasting: * WAM model: swell height and direction, Waves,

Wind * ETA model: speed and wind direction, temperature,

humidity.

• Naval Forces Hydrographic Office (SHFN)

- 03 coastal meteorological stations (in prevision 2005-2006)

- Setting up of tide-gauge a long the coast : Algiers installed

yet, Jijel and Oran before the end of 2005, Tenes and

Annaba previewed for 2006

Lighthouses (ONSM)

- 04 operational buoys (non-continuous measurments) at Bejaia (East of Algeria) and Arzew ( west of Algeria)

Laboratory of maritime studies (LEM)

- DGPS - Bathymetric Echo sounder - Seismic survey equipment - Sediment sampling equipment

Important Current and forecast projects on the Algerian costal zone

Algerian coastal sedimentary map – phase 2

Is a current survey carrying by LEM since 2003 for the PublicWorks Ministry. It will cover the west part of Algeria whichoverthrows from Tipaza to the Marsa Ben M’Hidi (Moroccoborder).

It aims to collect data related to marine and coastal areasand the delimitation of the public maritime property.

Different investigation are needed more particularly :topography, bathymetric sounding, seismic survey, and sediment sampling.

This survey aims to provide necessary basic information to the littoral and coastal manager since it gives the most usefully accurate description of the present state of the sea as: sedimentation nature, the sensible zones, the land and marine topography , the offshore gravel potential extraction zone, etc..

All these data and informations will be structured in a geographical information system (GIS) formats which allows to achieve and up date them and create a data bank.

Marine navigation charts

- Establishment of international marine charts for navigation (this work is attributed by the international hydrographical organization) by the Naval Forces Hydrographic Office.

Marine charts near the harbours areas Marine charts in a scale of 1/250 000 for Algerian coast (total 07 charts).

- Production and up date of the Electronic Nautical Charts in

relation with the Mediterranean Charting Network

(MEDCHARTNET) in progress.

-Production of the virtual Regional Centre of ENC Forecasting for 2006.

Biologic sciences university

The oceanographic and biologic laboratory axes the research around:

Oceanographic biology and marine environment Evaluation , preservation of the coastal ecosystems Exploitation of the living marine resources Spatial oceanography

Legislative rules

Algeria has legislative rules regulating the coastline area. Some of these texts make reference in the international conventions ratified by Algeria.

This regulation will be able to be enriched by bilateral conventions with the riparian countries in the optics to give a truly interdependent dimension to the ICM.

Provide a forum for conflict resolution among government sectors regarding coastal uses. Creation of an inter institution coordinating mechanism, Set goals that reflect what is needed, Using the remote sensing (remotely sensed data)* Using GIS formats for data collection, mapping and their derivativesRigorous application of laws and decrees regulating the coastal area.

Recommended actions to raise awareness for ocean observation in Algeria

 

THE VALUE ADDED OF MAMA FOR ALGERIA

Enhance the cooperation between data providers and data users

Present, review and promote recent database and information systems and discuss their potential evolution to meet their needs

Address the importance of co-operation at the international, regional and national level for the sustainable development

Raise awareness among the scientist, upon the different profession related to marine data management.

Discus how collecting data and how managed them in a coherent and a standardised way.

Incitation to create a national network for collect and disseminate the data

Set up a net forum discussion related to the importance of the exchange data and information particularly those related to the integrated environmental management

Look for the other national institutions related to marine data management through the national territory