Activity this year has concentrated on preparing for the Joint IAPSO-IABO Assembly in Mar del Plata, from 21 to 26 October. Five of the symposia are designated as joint IAPSO/ IABO symposia, namely:

· IBO 1 Regional Estuarine and Coastal Systems of the Americas
· IBO 2 Marginal and Semi enclosed Seas
· IBO 3 Census of Marine Life
· IBO 4 Impacts on Sandy Beaches
· IBO 5 Mesoscale and Smaller Scale Variability and Related Biological Processes

In addition, two others fall within the scientific interests of IABO, but are organized under the aegis of JGOFS and of GLOBEC respectively. They are:
· IJO 1 The Joint Global Ocean Flux Study
· IGO 1 Ecosystems Dynamics: Integrating Biology and Physics

Each of the symposia attracted an encouraging number of abstracts for oral papers and abstracts. Scientific planning and preparation has been in the hands of the conveners the Scientific Program Committee and the Local Organizing Committee. The final programme is expected to be published in the near future. The Symposia are scheduled to be held during the main period of the Assembly, between 22 and 26 October. IABO has been involved, in conjunction with IAPSO, in disbursing funds generously granted by IOC, IUBS, SCOR and others in partial support of speakers and IABO representatives. A business meeting of IABO will also be held in the course of the Assembly, at which reports will be submitted and elections held for the members of the Executive.

J.B.L. Matthews, Secretary
October 2001