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strongly, the feedback mechanisms coupling them are not well 

 understood. For example, it is believed that the oceans can 

 initially act both as a "heat sink" and as a "sink" for 

 greenhouse gases that are taken up in the oceans. As the oceans 

 warm, their ability to hold gases in solution will decrease, but 

 this may be offset by an increase in phytoplankton which take up 

 C02 . Also as the oceans warm, general ocean circulation and 

 mixing, which make the full ocean volume available as a heat and 

 gas "sink", may be altered. The ocean variables are numerous and 

 complex, but they will greatly affect the rate of global warming. 

 Currently, the lack of data and of computing power limit ocean 

 circulation models. NOAA is actively involved in helping to 

 resolve both these limitations. 



JGOFS 



The Joint Global Ocean Flux Study (JGOFS) is an international 

 effort, involving more than 30 nations, to identify and quantify 

 the movement of carbon between the ocean and the atmosphere. 

 Since continuous measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxide (C02) 

 began in 1957, the concentration of C02 has risen from 305 to 357 

 parts per million by volume. Of the several radiatively 

 important "greenhouse" gases, it is estimated that C02 will 

 contribute more than half of the global warming effect. But C02 

 goes easily into the ocean through biological uptake and 

 solution. Understanding the processes by which C02 is removed 

 from the atmosphere is important to predicting climate change. 



LIVING RESOURCES 



Next I would like to focus on programs in which NOAA cooperates 

 with international and national organizations to conserve and 

 manage living marine resources. World fisheries are generally 

 being over-exploited. If this continues it will jeopardize these 

 fisheries as a source of food for a growing world population. 

 The U.S. must work in concert with other nations to promote 

 healthy coastal and marine ecosystems, and to develop sustainable 

 use of ocean and coastal living resources. NOAA has been the 

 technical focus for U.S. development and participation in several 

 treaties. For example, NOAA played a significant role in the 

 negotiation of the recently signed Agreement on Straddling Stocks 

 and Highly Migratory Species whicb represents an elaboration of 

 the principles set forth in the UN. Convention on the Law of the 

 Sea (UNCLOS) . Also, U.S. leadership was instrumental in bringing 

 about the Commission on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine 

 Living Resources (CCAMLR) , which is the first international 

 fisheries agreement that is based on a whole ecosystem fisheries 

 management approach. NOAA has conducted several cruises in 

 Antarctic waters to support this agreement. NOAA was also 

 involved in the development of a regional fisheries agreement for 

 the "Donut Hole" in the Bering Sea, and in getting United Nations 



