Problems of Regional Seas 2001 – Proceedings of the International Symposium on the Problems of Regional Seas

The “Proceedings of the International Symposium on the Problems of Regional Seas” focuses on the Caspian, the Black Sea, Turkish Straits System, the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. A regional sea, by definition, is a global commons. The syposium was organized to facilitate efforts to attain cooperation and coordination among various government representatives, academicians, scientists and NGOS, which is vital in managing these resources. Each water body discussed in the symposium has distinct characteristics. Discussions on the Caspian start with whether it should be defined as a sea or a lake. If it is considered to be a lake, most of its natural resources will be shared between Iran and the Russian Federation. If it is considered to be a regional sea, its natural resources will be shared among the coastal countries. The Black Sea is undoubtedly one of the most polluted seas of the world. The Turkish Straits System, connecting the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, also suffers from human induced pollution where the most significant threat coming from heavy marine traffic. The Aegaen Sea disputes are an important aspect within Turkish Greek relations. The Mediterranean Sea, under great ecological stress, is the first regional sea to have a Convention specifically for its protection and preservation. We can all learn something positive from the Barcelona Convention on governing a regional sea.