(2) Research on Protection of Marine Environment
JCG is accumulating background data relating to marine pollution through various researches on seawater, sea bottom sediments, the state of drifting and washing ashore of tar balls and marine flotsam.
2. Measures to Prevent Pollution of Marine Environment
(1) Marine Environment Conservation Guidance
JCG channels its efforts into the dissemination of marine environment protection ideology and public awareness activities targeting not only those persons related to maritime affairs, but also a wide selection of the general public. JCG has been highlighting the importance of protecting the marine environment through the implementation of marine environment protection seminars (in 1999, a total of 50,076 persons attended seminars in 725 locations) at various regional locations around Japan.
(2) Surveillance and Enforcement for Marine Environment Conservation
1] Status of Surveillance and Enforcement
In 1999, JCG sent 765 cases of violations of laws related to the marine environment to the Public Prosecutors Office, the greater part of which-485 cases-were violations of the Law Relating to the Prevention of Marine Pollution and Maritime Disaster (hereafter referred to as the "Marine Pollution Prevention Law"). In addition to this, there were another 186 cases of violations of the Waste Disposal and Public Cleaning Law and 78 cases of violations of the Port Regulations Law.
2] Response to Illegal Discharge of Wastes and Illegal Disposal of Vessels
a) Response to Illegal Disposal of Vessels
Since FY 1995, JCG has been dealing with the illegal disposal of vessels by encouraging the voluntary disposal of vessels by their owners through the introduction of orange stickers with written guidance encouraging the early and appropriate disposal of vessels which appear to be abandoned.
