To date, the Working Group has focused its attention on 

 chemical pollutants rather than solid wastes. Therefore, to 

 help address the issue of plastic pollution, the Marine 

 Mammal Commission, in consultation with the National Science 

 Foundation, whose representative served as head of the U.S. 

 delegation and chairman of the Working Group's Sixth Session, 

 developed an information paper on the problem and various 

 techniques used to monitor marine debris. The paper was 

 distributed to Working Group members during its Sixth 

 Session, held in Paris, France, from 25 September to 

 1 October 1986. In response, the Working Group requested its 

 Group of Experts on the Effects of Pollutants to consider the 

 desirability of preparing a manual on procedures for moni- 

 toring the amounts and effects of plastic pollutants. 



In anticipation of the Working Group's potential support 

 for developing such a manual, the Commission wrote to the 

 National Marine Fisheries Service on 18 September 1986 

 suggesting that a project to develop a draft procedures 

 manual be included as part of its Entanglement Research 

 Program in Fiscal Year 1987. The Commission subsequently 

 suggested that, if possible, the Service attempt to complete 

 a draft of the manual in time to provide it to the Working 

 Group's Group of Experts when it next meets in late 1987. In 

 addition, the Commission wrote to the Chairman of the Group 

 of Experts on Effects of Pollutants advising him of available 

 information on the problem and of the Commission's under- 

 standing that the Service was planning to prepare a draft 

 procedures manual on monitoring plastic debris at sea and on 

 beaches. If a manual can be prepared and distributed to 

 coastal nations and international research organizations, the 

 resulting data should provide a much improved basis for 

 assessing and monitoring the marine debris problem and for 

 improving the effectiveness of international actions to 

 reduce or eliminate it. 



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