These days development of energy resources in Russia is in full swing. Around the Sakhalin Island on the eastern edge o the Northern Sea Route (NSR), development of oil and natural gas is under way and its production of oil and gas for Japanese and Asian markets is getting on the right track. However, transportation infrastructure especially adjusted to cold climate is essential for substantial development of abundant resources in Far East Russia, namely mineral, forest, and fishery resources. We need to pay special attention to maintaining harmony between resources development and marine environment conservation especially in the Okhotsk Sea area, which has not only energy resources around the Sakhalin Island but also one of the world's most abundant fishery resources.
Keeping this in mind, OPRF conducted "Development and Operation Programme for Environmental Sustainability in East Eurasia (JANSROP-II) from FY 2002 to 2004, resulting partly in JANSROP-GIS, a comprehensive geographical information system on Far East Russia. OPRF exploited the GIS to make a scenario of development and transportation in the region which contributes to prevention of excessive development and comprehensive development of social infrastructure. In addition, OPRF worked on creating the concept of "Okhotsk Maritime Regime". Above-mentioned results of our study relating to JANSROP-II have been summarized in our proposal book "New Era in Far East Russia & Asia".
In a world with diminishing natural resources, Arctic and sub-Arctic areas have become a region of global importance because of their abundant resources and strategic position. In these areas, operations demand a high level of scientific and technical achievement. Recent high oil prices have deepened the interest of Asian investors in oil and gas production on the Sakhalin shelf. The volume of oil and gas transportation in the Sea of Okhotsk will soon increase dramatically, resulting in serious tanker accidents, or more likely, frequent small spills of pollutants.
The increase in marine access for transport and offshore development in this area should require new international and revised national regulations on marine safety and environmental protection. Workable measures should be taken to increase services such as improved ice charting and forecasting, traffic control and separation schemes, strengthened PSC ability, improved facilities for waste disposal on shore, and enhanced emergency response systems focusing on oil-in-ice cleaning capabilities. Every regulation should be based on reliable scientific data. However, the scientific data of the Sea of Okhotsk is still insufficient to develop regulations. Prior to an international agreement on the management of the Arctic marine environment, an international agreement for scientific study of the Sea of Okhotsk will be vital, and will likely be carried out by scientists in Japan and Russia.
An Okhotsk marine regime could derive valuable suggestions form the Norwegian environmental measures for the Barents Sea, the Canadian ice regime, the Russian ice certificate and NSR regulations, and IMO's PSSA (Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas) guideline.

For detail of the "Proposal for an International Okhotsk Maritime Regime", please refer to the book "New Era in Far East Russia& Asia"(for its application form, click here)

Chapter 1 NORTHERN SEA ROUTE ; THE PERSPECTIVE
Chapter 2 DEVELOPMENT OF FAR EAST RUSSIA & JANSROP-GIS
Chapter 3 PROTECTION OF ENVIRONMENT FOR THE SEA OF OKHOTSK
Chapter 4 PROPOSAL FOR AN INTERNATIONAL OKHOTSK MARITIME REGIME

This proposal is one of the results of "Research Project on Transportation System and Environment Protection in Far East Russia and Asia", conducted in FY 2005 thanks to The Nippon Foundation's support which originally came from the revenue of motorboat racing.