1. Why the marine environment needs protection from nutrients ?

Eutrophication can result from augmentation of nutrient inputs to coastal and marine areas as a consequence of human activities. In general, such eutrophication is usually confined to the vicinity of coastal discharges but, because of both the multiplicity of such discharges and regional atmospheric transport of nutrients, such affected coastal areas can be extensive.

The effects of the enhanced mobilization of nutrients are enhanced productivity but these can also result in changes in species diversity, excessive algal growth, dissolved oxygen reductions and associated fish kills and, it is suspected, the increased prevalence or frequency of toxic algal blooms.

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2. What is the objective of the GPA in relation to nutrients ?

The objective/proposed target is:

(a) To identify, in broad terms, marine areas where nutrient inputs are causing or are likely to cause pollution, directly or indirectly;

(b) To reduce nutrient inputs into the areas identified;

(c) To reduce the number of marine areas where eutrophication is evident;

(d) To protect and, where appropriate, to restore areas of natural denitrification.

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3. Which actions does the GPA suggest ?

(i) National actions, policies and measures

Actions, policies and measures of States within their capacities should include:

(a) Identification of areas where nutrient inputs are likely to cause pollution, directly or indirectly;

(b) Identification of point sources and diffuse sources of nutrient inputs into these areas;

(c) Identification of areas where changes in anthropogenic nutrient inputs are causing or are likely to cause pollution, either directly or indirectly, and prioritization of these areas for action;

(d) Adoption of appropriate cost-effective policy instruments, including regulatory measures, economic instruments and voluntary agreements, to control anthropogenic sources of nutrients affecting these areas, including:

1. Activities related to sewage treatment and management mentioned in paragraph 97 (b) above;
2. Minimization of the release of nutrients by the use of best environmental practice (BEP) in agriculture and aquaculture operations;
3. Minimization of the release of nutrients by the use of best environmental practice (BEP), best available techniques (BAT) and integrated pollution prevention and control (IPPC) in industrial operations;
4. Formulation and implementation of awareness and information campaigns for the adoption of appropriate agricultural techniques, including balanced fertilization and ecological agriculture, to minimize nutrient losses from agricultural activities;
5. Introduction of measures to reduce inputs of nutrients via atmospheric deposition from transportation, industrial plants and agriculture;

(e) Strengthening the capacities of local authorities to take account of likely impacts of inputs of nutrients from agriculture and urban development in carrying out their functions of planning and controlling land-use and development;

(f) Establishment or improvement, as appropriate, of monitoring of all aspects of eutrophication;

(g) Promotion of scientific research on the suspected linkages between eutrophication and toxic algal blooms;

(h) Development and adoption of programmes to protect and, where appropriate, restore habitats acting as natural sinks for nutrients such as wetlands.

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(ii) Regional actions

States within a region should cooperate in the following action:

(a) Establishment of common criteria for the identification of existing and potential problem areas including possible solutions with regard to eutrophication;

(b) Identification of marine areas in the region where nutrient inputs are causing or are likely to cause pollution, directly or indirectly;

(c) Identification of areas for priority actions;

(d) Establishment of uniform approaches to the calculation of anthropogenic nutrient inputs to the aquatic environment from agriculture and other sources, as appropriate, with the aim of improving the estimation of these inputs;

(e) Development and implementation of programmes and measures for reducing nutrient inputs from anthropogenic activities to areas where these inputs are causing or are likely to cause pollution directly or indirectly and, where the agricultural sector is a predominant source, to pay particular attention to that sector and the implementation of measures identified for it;

(f) Establishment of mechanisms for assessing the effectiveness of the measures taken to reduce nutrient inputs to the aquatic environment from both point and diffuse sources;

(g) Development of strategies for reducing eutrophication in areas already affected and those susceptible to being affected.

(iii) International actions

International actions should include:

(a) Participation in a clearing-house for providing information about best environmental practice and access to best available techniques to reduce and/or eliminate causes of anthropogenic eutrophication;

(b) Strengthening of international programmes for enhancing capacity for:

1. Identification of areas where inputs of nutrients are causing or are likely to cause pollution, directly or indirectly;
2. Nutrient control and removal techniques;
3. Application of best environmental practice in aquaculture and agriculture;

(c) Cooperation with countries in need of assistance, through financial, technological and scientific support, in developing and implementing practices which minimize releases of nutrients to the environment, including environmentally sound land-use techniques, planning and practices;

(d) Provision of forums for establishing criteria for determining the circumstances in which nutrients are likely to cause pollution, directly or indirectly;

(e) Maintaining existing international quality assurance and quality control procedures relevant to eutrophication.

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NUTRIENTS: Structure of the Site and Subject Area