五. 国家管辖范围以外的遗传资源
Genetic resources beyond areas of national jurisdiction
187. 遗传资源是具有实际或潜在价值的、来自植物、动物、微生物或其他来源的任何含有遗传功能单位的材料（见《生物多样性公约》，第2条）。
Genetic resources are any material of plant, animal, microbial or other origin containing functional units of heredity of actual or potential value (see Convention on Biological Diversity, art.
基因产生的、称作次生代谢物的具有适应功能的蛋白质、其他生物聚合物和小型有机分子完全依赖遗传信息并与之相联系，因此也可视为海洋遗传资源（见A/62/66，第133段）。
Because of their dependence on and connection to genetic information, proteins, other biopolymers, and small organic molecules with adaptive functions produced by genes, known as secondary metabolites, can also be considered as marine genetic resources (see A/62/66, para.
188. 与鱼类不同的是，海洋遗传资源不是作为食物来源而采集，而是因为其含有的信息可以复制和利用。
Unlike fish, marine genetic resources are not collected as a source of food but for the information they harbour, which can be replicated and exploited.
基因及其产物不仅在水产养殖领域，而且在所有的诸如制药和生产过程等生物技术领域，都已成为重要的信息资源。
Genes and their products have become an important information resource, not only in the field of aquaculture, but in all areas of biotechnology, such as pharmaceuticals and industrial processes.
最近的发现表明，通过对海洋遗传资源的进一步研究，也可能获得关于地球生命起源的更多信息。
Recent discoveries have shown that further knowledge on the origins of life on Earth could also be gained from further studies of marine genetic resources.
189. 必须指出，由于海洋环境的流动性和瞬变性，海洋环境中的资源，包括遗传资源，往往跨越了法律和政治界限。
It is important to note that resources in the marine environment, including genetic resources, often straddle legal and political boundaries owing to the fluid and transient nature of the marine environment.
由于生态过程的结果，如水流、幼体散布模式或通过压载水等各种途径运送迁移，在国家管辖范围内某地发现的生物可能后来出现在国家管辖范围以外的地方。
Organisms found within areas of national jurisdiction at some point may later be found beyond areas of national jurisdiction, as a result of ecological processes, including currents, larvae dispersal patterns, or following transportation through various pathways, such as ballast water.
因此，科学、技术、经济和社会经济、环境和法律的若干问题是国家管辖范围内外资源的共有问题。
Several scientific, technological, economic and socio-economic, environmental and legal issues are therefore common to resources both within and beyond areas of national jurisdiction.
本章尽可能把重点放在这些问题上，因为在取样或采集时这些问题与国家管辖范围外的海洋遗传资源特别相关。
To the extent possible, the present chapter focuses on those issues as they specifically relate to marine genetic resources located beyond areas of national jurisdiction at the moment of sampling or collection.
本章还考虑到工作组第一次会议以及最近协商进程第八次会议关于海洋遗传资源的讨论；协商进程第八次会议的重点主题是海洋遗传资源。
Also it takes into account the discussions on marine genetic resources which took place at the first meeting of the Working Group and most recently at the eighth meeting of the Consultative Process where marine genetic resources was the topic of focus.
A. 科学问题
Scientific issues
190. 海洋遗传资源在海洋提供的生态系统服务中发挥着关键作用。
Marine genetic resources play a key role in the ecosystem services provided by the oceans.
秘书长的前一次报告提供了资料，说明海洋中的遗传资源发挥的支撑和调节作用，其中包括提供氧气、调节气候、降解毒素和其它污染物、海洋生物物质的周转和保持海洋生物的多样性（A/62/66，第158-159段）。
A previous report of the Secretary-General provides information on the supporting and regulating role of genetic resources in the oceans, including the provision of oxygen, climate regulation, the degradation of toxins and other pollutants, ocean biomass turnover, and the maintenance of marine biodiversity (A/62/66, paras.
这与国家管辖范围内外的资源都相关。
These are relevant to both resources within and beyond areas of national jurisdiction.
本节重点有：寻找海洋遗传资源过程中令人关注的特征、取样工作的地理以及科学探索海洋遗传资源的性质。
The present section focuses on the features of interest in the search for marine genetic resources, the geography of the sampling effort, and the nature of the scientific interest in marine genetic resources.
1. 寻找海洋遗传资源过程中令人关注的特征和生物
Features and organisms of interest in the search for marine genetic resources
191. 海洋的特点是生态系统极其繁多，结构和功能复杂多样，迄今已加以探讨和研究的生态系统廖廖无几。
The oceans are characterized by an exceptional range of ecosystems with complex structures and functions, few of which have been explored and studied to date.
海洋生态系统大致可分为水层（水体）和底层（海底）生态系统。
These can be broadly divided into the pelagic (water column) and benthic (seabed) ecosystems.
与这些生态系统有关的特征和生物多样性，见秘书长2005年的报告增编1（A/60/63/Add.1，第13-39段）。
The features and biodiversity associated with those ecosystems are described in addendum 1 to the 2005 report of the Secretary-General (A/60/63/Add.1, paras.
国家管辖范围内外都有这些生态系统，另外，根据可以获得的不同、不完全的资料来源，难以对国家管辖范围以外的生态系统作数字统计。
These ecosystems can be found both within and beyond areas of national jurisdiction and it is difficult to quantify, from the disparate and incomplete sources of data available, the exact proportion of those ecosystems located beyond areas of national jurisdiction.
192. 据认为，水层生态系统的物种多样性低于底层生态系统，且不同类型的底层生态系统也有差异（同上，第15段）。
It is believed that the species diversity of pelagic ecosystems is low compared to that of benthic ecosystems, with variations among the different benthic ecosystems types (ibid., para.
然而，水体的微生物极其丰富，包括细菌、古细菌、真菌、酵母和病毒，被认为是遗传方面最多样的生物体（A/62/66，第132段）。
The water column is, however, extremely rich in microbes, which include bacteria, archae, fungi, yeasts, and viruses, and are thought to be the most genetically diverse organisms (A/62/66, para.
海洋的生物物质中估计约有95％是微生物。
Approximately 95 per cent of the biomass in the oceans is estimated to be microbial.