New York  - Discussions at the United Nations General Assembly Monday were aimed at setting up a process for the scientific study of oceans, which cover 70 per cent of Earth but are little understood.

"The marine environment is facing a multiplicity of challenges," said UN Environment Programme (UNEP) director Achim Steiner, adding that the decline in fish stocks and land-based pollution are persistent factors.

Steiner said the impact of climate change and emergence of so- called dead zones in oceans are rapidly emerging issues that need a long-overdue systematic assessment process.

UNEP aims to subject oceans and seas to the same kind of scientific scrutiny as land. The discussion in the 192-nation assembly would recommend options to set up a monitoring process of the Earth's waters, it said.  dpa