The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

Workshop on the Wise Use of Lagoon Wetlands reported

Reiko Nakamura writes:

I am very pleased to inform you that the International Workshop on the Wise Use of Lagoon Wetlands was held successfully, to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of Ramsar COP 5, at the Kushiro Conference Room of Kushiro Tourism and International Relations Center, Kushiro, Japan, on 23 - 25 July, 2003.

Many participants attended this workshop, 90 participants from Japan and 20 participants from overseas, and numerous study cases were introduced through oral presentations and a poster session. We all concurred on extremely important functions of lagoon wetlands, especially for maintaining biodiversity and for biological production including many marine fish species. Moreover, we agreed to regard the government and the local communities as the most important stakeholders for the wise use of lagoon wetlands, and to use sound scientific and factual information such as economic valuations of lagoons in order to influence decision makers on sustainable lagoon management.

I am sending this letter in accordance with the recommendation adopted at the plenary session of the Workshop that Ramsar Center Japan should inform the results and outputs on this workshop including the Lagoon Statement to the Ramsar Convention Bureau. Please find attached Statement, programmes, and photos.

We are happy if our efforts could contribute to draft the resolution of the wise use of lagoon wetlands at the next Ramsar COP in Uganda.

Sincerely yours,

Reiko Nakamura
Secretary,
Organizing Committee of the International Workshop on Wise Use of Lagoon Wetlands
Secretary-General,
Ramsar Center Japan-Asia

Final Statement

Adopted at the International Workshop on the Wise Use of Lagoon Wetlands
held on 23-25 July, 2003, in Kushiro, Japan

Lagoon wetlands are formed where seawater and fresh water meet each other. These wetlands perform extremely important functions, especially for maintaining biodiversity and for biological production including many marine fish species. We were able to profoundly recognize their importance through this international workshop.

To achieve the wise use of lagoon wetland systems and to assure their abundant natural resources benefits, the conservation and restoration of these natural areas has become a vital issue to be addressed. People involved with fisheries, local residents, researchers and governmental and non-governmental organizations should make a united effort to work toward the wise use of lagoon systems.

All of the participants in the Workshop have strong expectations for "healthy lagoon wetlands" for both people and nature and therefore urge continuing endeavors to this end.

"The 10th Anniversary of The Ramsar COP5, Kushiro Conference"
International Workshop on Wise Use of Lagoon Wetlands

Programme

9:00- Opening Ceremony
Master of Ceremony: Reiko Nakamura
Opening addresses by: Organizing Committee
Kushiro International Wetlands Center
East Hokkaido Regional Office, Ministry of the Environment

9:15- Keynote address:
"Characteristics of a Coastal Lake Ecosystem and Its Wise Use and Restoration"
By Hidenobu Kunii,Japan
"Rejuvenation of Chilika Lagoon: A Journey from Montreux Record to Ramsar Wetland Award - A Case Study from India "
By Goutam Budha Mukherji and Ajit Kumar Pattnaik, India

10:45- Session 1
"Lake Saroma, a Rich Cradle-Its History and Present Conditions"
By Kimihiko Maekawa, Japan
"Fisheries of The Sundarban Wetland: A Sustainable Management Approach"
By Md. Emdadul Haque, Bangladesh
"Organizing Local Communities and Building Capacities for Participatory Management of Costal Wetland in Bangladesh: An NGO Initiative"
By Sanowar Hossain, Bangladesh
"Involving Local Communities in Wetland Management"
By Asae Sayaka, Thailand
"Wise Management of Lagoon Wetlands and the Law"
By Amado S. Tolentino, Jr., Philippines
"Towards Protection of the World's Lakes and Wetlands ? The Role of the World Lake Vision"
By Satoru Matsumoto, Japan

"Characteristics in Geomorphological Parameters of the Coastal Lakes Facing the Sea of Okhotsk in Hokkaido"
By Ren Kuwabara, Japan
"The Lake Nakaumi Reclamation Plan and Yonago Waterbirds Sanctuary in Japan"
By Kaname Kamiya, Japan
"Effects of Land Use and Sporadic Runoff on Estuary and Coastal Ecosystems"
By Hiroshi Mukai, Japan
"Nature and Fisheries in Lake SAROMA"
By Koichi Sakaguchi,Japan
"Merits and Demerits of an Enclosure from the Construction of Dikes and Evaluation of Comprehensive Development in Wide and Shallow Lakes"
By Atsushi Numazawa, Japan
"A Rational Approach to Use Open Water Bodies as Lagoons"
By Audil Rashid, Pakistan

14:00- Session 2
"Making Wetland Education Successful: Some Regional Experiences"
By Bishnu B. Bhandari, Nepal
"Community Participation in Restoring Biodiversity and Aquatic Eco-system through Environmental Education and Awareness Programme in Chilika Lagoon"
By Durga Prasad Dash, India
"Environmental Education Programs Based on the Ramsar CEPA for Mothers during the Childrearing Years"
By Ikuko Yabunami, Japan
"Status, Issues and Future of South Korea's Lagoon Wetlands"
By Gi-Chul Yi, Korea
"Nature and Management of the Rokkaku River in Northwestern Kyushu Island Kyushu Island"
By Yukihiro Shimatani and Akira Takase, Japan
"Challenges and Approaches to Development of Coastal Biodiversity through Community based Marine Protected Area Management in Vietnam"
By Bernard O'Callaghan, Australia

16:00- Session 3
"Unwise use of a coastal wetland in Ariake Sound, Japan"
By Toru Takita, Japan
"Salt Marsh Plant Communities on the Lakeside of Lake Akkeshi, Eastern Hokkaido"
By Fusayuki Kanda and Hiroyuki Uchiyama, Japan
"The biogeographic importance of Lake Harutori, Hokkaido, Japan - Paying Attention to Fishes"
By Tsutomu Hariu, Japan
"Lagoon Management and Black-faced Spoonbill Conservation"
By Wen-Yan Chiau, Taiwan
"The Migratory Birds of Lake Akkeshi in Winter -The Present Condition of Whooper Swans, Steller's Sea Eagles and White-tailed Sea Eagles"
By Tatsuo Shibuya, Japan

Study tour to Kushiro Shitsugen

Study tour to Akkeshi Lake

Trying out the products of lagoons

For further information about the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, please contact the Ramsar Convention Bureau, Rue Mauverney 28, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland (tel +41 22 999 0170, fax +41 22 999 0169, e-mail ramsar@ramsar.org). Posted 10 September 2003, Dwight Peck, Ramsar.