Ms. Jing Li, Staff Scientist in ICPO was invited by the head of the newly proposed IOC-WESTPAC project entitled “Upwelling Studies through Ocean Data Integration towards Sustaining Ocean Health and Productivity,”  to attend the 'First workshop on Upwelling Region and its Dynamics in the South China Sea (SCS) and its Adjacent Areas’ from May 7 - 8, 2018 in Putrajaya, Malaysia, and made a presentation on ‘Introduction to CLIVAR Research Focus on Eastern Boundary Upwelling Systems (EBUS RF) ‘, which intent to provide the insight of upwelling studies from global perspectives. 

The workshop is mainly to achieve the following objectives through various expert presentations and constructive discussions:

1. establish a multidisciplinary research network on upwelling systems;
2. review current understanding and identify knowledge gaps of upwelling systems and its dynamics in SCS and its adjacent regions;
3. synergize efforts in upwelling studies and develop an action plan of joint research and trainings among countries and other research activities on upwelling systems in the region.

During the two-day workshop, scientists from China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Russia and UK and in various disciplines exchange their knowledge and latest scientific findings on upwelling systems in the Western Pacific, in particular SCS Region. Also through the lively discussion on the 2^nd day, experts agreed on 1) to prepare a workshop report to summarize the presentations and suggestions; 2) to prepare a review paper on upwelling research in WESTPAC region; 3) to conduct comparative study on several pilot upwelling regions and 4) to conduct capacity building activities including the INOS’s regular training on data analysis and integration and Indonesian’s techniques on mapping fishing grounds.

(Photo provided by IOC-WESTPAC)