The Gulf has long been recognized as an important biologically productive ecosystem which supports a diversity of coastal and oceanic habitats. These include mangroves, seagrass beds, reef flats, reefs and well as pelagic and benthic oceanic habitats. Commercial fisheries and shellfish industries provide income to regional fisherman and The Gulf provides a critical habitat to some endangered species including dugongs and birds. The massive oil spills and the depositions of oil burn products resulting from the 1991 war activities have potential for long term impact on both the oceanic and coastal biology. These events are superimposed on coastal habitat destruction due to military activities such as mines, bombs, vehicular movement and related mechanical disturbances. All of this additional stress must be assessed in the framework of the recent history of oil exploration and production activities and past wars. Many national and international groups have undertaken preliminary impact assessment work in the Northern Gulf. These include the USCG, US EPA, NOAA consultants sent by several UN agencies and regional Gulf state authorities. These efforts have been directed at initial animal rescue activities, clean up and assessment in coastal habitats. The UN agencies, in collaboration with ROPME, have intentions of developing and implementing a plan for the long term impact assessment of recent war related pollution and habitat destruction events on the marine ecology or The Gulf. To do this the UN requires input by appropriate expert. This effort will be conducted under the SGER Program to undertake this long range Plan Development regarding the marine chemical component.
