A summary report on the development of a centralized oil pollution survey for the marine environment of EEC member states

At the request of the Commission of the European Communities, the Advisory Committee on Pollution of the Sea undertook a study to develop a centralized oil pollution survey for member states. A feasibility study identified the operational needs of the survey, which sought to standardize the level and range of data collected between countries. In two pilot surveys, completed during 1982 and 1983, questionnaires were distributed to a representative sample of reporting organizations. Although fewer than expected returns were received, and some states were unable to provide the required information within the time period allocated, useful statistics were generated particularly for the southern North Sea area.

Furthermore, validation procedures suggested that the magnitude of reporting errors was less than 5% overall and the questionnaire developed did fulfil the objectives of the study. Future surveys of a similar type are likely to be more successful, in terms of the volume of data collected, if arranged on a systematic basis thereby overcoming the constraints of the ‘one-off’ retrospective approach.