THE CORAL, SOLOMON AND BISMARCK SEA REGION

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Marine

The Coral, Solomon, and Bismarck Seas lie in the western equatorial Pacific, bounded by Australia, New Caledonia, Vanuafu, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea (PNG). PNG and the Solomon Islands are the coastal countries discussed. North-south migration of the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone brings about alternating Trade Wind and monsoon conditions. The South Equatorial Current (SEC) drives the major ocean circulation. The region's major land mass is mainland Papua New Guinea (PNG). All remaining land is grouped into archipelagos. Major coastal ecosystems are coral reefs,mangroves/ seagrass beds, soft estuary and lagoon bottoms, inland saltwater lagoons, and freshwater coastal wetlands. The biodiversity of these coastal ecosystems is of global significance in extent and diversity and, overall, their condition is generally good. Little of the baseline knowledge needed to monitor trends and to assess environmental change is available, and the Ievel of research and survey is very low.