A comprehensive survey on China's vast areas of inland waters,
and marine belts has gone in high gear in an attempt to sort and
count the country's marine resources, said the State Oceanic
Administration (SOA) in Beijing on Saturday.
The survey, or "908 Project," is a mammoth effort to check some
676,000 square kilometers of water, collect accurate information
and appropriately position resources contained in these waters in
the national development plan, says a written SOA news release on
Saturday.
The project, approved by the State Council in September 2003 and
scheduled to be carried out from 2004 to the end of 2009, includes
investigations in the physical, chemical, meteorologic, geologic,
biologic and optical complexions of the targeted waters.
It will also probe the coastline and islands, track ocean
disasters and observe the social and economic development of the
country's coastal regions.
"We are trying to count China's oceanic properties," said SOA
Vice Director Chen Lianzeng on Saturday while defining the aims of
the project, the largest of its kind since 1949.
In addition, scientists will also evaluate and use their
findings to help formulate the national oceanic development
strategies and make decisions concerning social and economic
development of the country's coastal regions.
The project is considered as a rudimentary endeavor in an
even-larger framework of the so-called "Digital Oceans" scheme,
featuring a comprehensive computerized three-dimensional simulation
of the oceans.
According to Qu Qiang, vice director of SOA technological
department, preliminary work on the "908 Project" was finished last
year and core research and studies will continue through the next
two years.
It is estimated that the central government will invest nearly
two billion yuan (US$242 million) in the program in addition to an
unspecified amount from local governments.
"The specific amount of money spent will be subject to change in
accordance with the annual central and local budgets," said SOA
spokesman Li Chunxian here.
China has conducted two large-scale oceanic surveys in the
1950s and 1980s, but results of the two surveys, done with limited
financial and technical supports, have failed to serve the
country's fast-developing oceanic and marine economies.
To date, only 20,000 of China's total 380,000 square kilometers
of usable waters have been tapped due to the lack of correct
information on these waters.
As the world's largest seafood and sea-salt producer and the
third largest marine transporter, China witnessed a dramatic growth
in its annual oceanic industry output, which increased from22.7
billion yuan (US$2.74 billion) early 1980s to last year's 1.3
trillion yuan (US$155 billion).
Some 20 million Chinese people work in sea-related
industries.
The "908 Project" will mobilize nationwide research resources
and resort to the most advanced technologies and equipment.
"As a fast-developing oceanic power, China is capable of
implementing the project successfully all by ourselves," said Chen
Lianzeng.
(Xinhua News Agency May 15, 2005)