The Seventh Meeting of the Regional Working Group on Coral Reefs was successfully convened in Kudat, Sabah, Malaysia from 10th-13th July 2006. The meeting was participated in by all project component focal points and one regional expert for the coral reefs sub-component, the Mu Koh Chang Coral Reef Demonstration Site Manager, Mr. Nipat Somkleeb, and the Marine Research Officer of Sabah Parks, Mr. Nasrulhakim bin Maidin. Please click here to access the report of the meeting.

The outputs of the meeting include inter alia:

• a timeline for the publication of National Reports in local languages,
• a timeline for the finalisation and adoption of National Action Plans,
• a timeline for the provision of data on economic values of goods and services of coastal habitats in the areas of the demonstration sites,
• agreement on coral reef sub-component inputs to the regional Strategic Action Programme,
• a timeline for the revision and updating of the coral reef meta-data entries in the online South China Sea Meta-Database,
• agreement to develop an e-forum discussion topic on UNEPSCS.org regarding the recent addition of the Napolean (Humphead) Wrasse to Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and
• a draft framework for the implementation of the coral reef/seagrass training course.

Please contact Dr. Vo Si Tuan, the PCU's Senior Expert, for further information regarding this meeting and the on-going work of the Regional Working Group on Coral Reefs.

The Eighth Meeting of the Regional Working Group on Coral Reefs will be convened in Phu Quoc, Vietnam, from 4th-7th June 2007.