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This is a region-wide activity covering all the island territories of the region except Australia and New Zealand. Since most of the pollutants found in the South Pacific are land-derived, this will provide the data necessary for determining what pollutants are likely to be found in any given locality. Atmospheric transport of pollutants may be important in certain parts of the world, but recent studies have shown that the South Pacific atmosphere (apart from certain industrial areas) is the cleanest so far studied (Riley et al., 1989). Negotiations are nearing completion with IMO to undertake a complementary inventory of ship-based pollutant sources for the region.

The Regional Seas programme of UNEP commenced in 1974 and since that time considerable advances have been made in the development of regional action plans and conventions for the protection of the marine and coastal areas of some eleven regions world- wide. Following these developments UNEP has encouraged inter-regional co-operation in addressing various issues of environmental concern through the organisation of international meetings and inter-regional symposia. This volume contains the record of one such symposium, held in Vina del Mar. Chile in association with the VI Inter-Congress of the Pacific Science Association.