2.4
the creation of a Pacific Arctic Group (PAG) within
Formation of the Pacific Arctic Group
(PAG)
John Calder
Reviewer: Jacqueline Grebmeier
the IASC structure. PAG would be a discussion group
open to any IASC member and it would report on its
discussions to the full IASC Council. The proposal
identified Martin Bergmann of Canada as the initial
Chair of the group, with Zhanhai Zhang of China as
the initial Vice-Chair. John Calder offered to provide
Formative Stage
administrative support and other resources. The
As IASC expanded its membership, three Asian
proposal was previewed by Pat Webber and Odd
countries (Japan, Korea, and China) became mem-
Rogne who indicated it was on the right track. With
bers. Yet the focus of IASC science remained on the
this reassurance, Marty presented the proposal to
Atlantic sector and the central portions of the Arc-
IASC Council. After a brief discussion, Council agreed
tic—regions of lesser interest to the Asian members
to welcome PAG under its umbrella.
who quite naturally viewed the Arctic from a Pacific
perspective.
Continuing Activities
Marty and John worked to organize the initial PAG
During the ASSW in April 2002 in Groningen, The
meeting during ASSW 2004 in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Netherlands, the Asian participants (including O.
Perhaps because many PAG participants also par-
Watanabe of Japan, B-K. Park of Korea, and Z. Zhang
ticipated in the AOSB, PAG gravitated quickly to an
of China) held a dinner and invited Odd Rogne, as
ocean science focus. This was also logical as the
Executive Secretary of IASC, to join them. There
physical linkage of the member countries to the Arc-
were informal discussions regarding the participa-
tic was via the North Pacific Ocean and the Bering
tion of Asian countries in IASC and Odd challenged
Strait. An outcome of the 2004 meeting was the
them to think about taking on a more active role.
decision to organize a science symposium during
Later discussions between Odd and incoming IASC
ASSW 2005 in Kunming, China focused on the
President Patrick Webber led to the idea of having
theme “Circulation and Ecology of the Pacific Arctic
a more open discussion at the next ASSW with the
Shelves and Connection to Deep Basins.” There was
aim of creating some means to develop an ‘Asian
a good turnout of Asian countries and other Pacif-
agenda’ within IASC. This idea became a goal that
ic Rim members of IASC (Canada, Russia, and the
Pat would champion in the months leading up to the
United States), and many of the presentations were
ASSW 2003 in Kiruna, Sweden. During this time, Pat
published in the Chinese Journal of Polar Science.
contacted a few people (for example, John Calder
from the USA and Martin Bergmann from Canada) to
gather ideas for meeting this goal. A decision was
in Dartmouth, New Hampshire, USA, PAG developed
made to hold a side meeting during the ASSW in
and expanded its terms of reference and agreed on
Kiruna to discuss the idea in more depth and, if pos-
a set of science themes that were of mutual inter-
sible, prepare a proposal for IASC to consider. John
est. These remained focused primarily on ocean sci-
and Marty organized the side meeting and it attract-
ence. It became the norm that the meetings during
ed significant participation. Following enthusiastic
the ASSWs were focused on ‘business’ issues and
encouragement from Pat and good discussion, par-
an update on research plans for the coming summer,
ticipants agreed that a subgroup of IASC should be
while a fall meeting, hosted in various PAG countries,
formed with the goal of identifying Arctic science
focused on a review of accomplishments during the
topics appropriate for IASC´s attention that would
previous summer and outlooks for the future. These
be of particular interest to the Asian and other Pa-
discussions were useful in developing scientific ex-
cific-bordering members. A proposal was prepared
changes and other types of collaborations during
quickly for consideration by Council that called for
44
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During 2006 and continuing through ASSW 2007
and after field operations.
02 IASC Initiatives