Development and strengthening of the regional research and monitoring network on impacts of ocean acidification on coral reef ecosystems in the Western Pacific and Its Adjacent regions

The project was initiated through several round of consultative meeting with the countries and experts, particular with experts of OA monitoring and research from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), USA, and close collaboration with the Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON). The first inception Workshop (WS) was organized at Phuket, Thailand, January 2015. The WS introduced on going OA monitoring and research around the world, with emphasize on several cast studies in USA. At the WS also agree on methodology that will be used for experimental study and sample analysis. The project designed to prior on providing capacity building particular on pH and TA analysis which is minimum required and agreed to be measure at the proposed pilot sites. The task teams were established to develop the Standard Operation Procedure (SOP), for pH and TA analysis and biodiversity monitoring on coral reef (using Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structure: ARMS). These SOPs were later used for theoretical and hand on training and sample analysis of the project. The series of training workshop was conducted during 26-28 August 2015, 29-31 August 2016, 14-15 December 2017, and 6-7 November 2018, including scientific Symposium on 5 November 2018, which focused on capacity building and follow up the progresses of project. The national trainings have regularly conducted with technical support of the WESTPAC. The financial arrangement for the series of the training-WS at national and international were co- funding by WESTPAC and host countries both in-cash and in-kind, but all operating cost for monitoring and sample analysis of the pilot sites were fully support, both in-cash and in-kind, by the participating institutes in the project.