Delegates at the World Ocean Conference in Indonesia urged joint action to reverse the impact of climate change on the oceans and for the issue to be included in crucial climate talks in Copenhagen in December.

The Manado Ocean Declaration calls for cuts to ocean pollution, funding for sustainable development in poor countries, greater research into how climate change affects the ocean and the role oceans play in fighting climate change.

"The declaration represents a political commitment by participating governments to address the common questions of sea level rises, ocean acidification, changing weather patterns and other climate-related phenomena," US delegation head Mary Glackin said.

The non-binding declaration contained no specific commitments for funding or emissions targets and was criticised by some scientists as too weak to combat likely devastating sea rises and the destruction of key species.

Key declaration clauses that would have made stronger calls for the inclusion of oceans in a post-Kyoto framework and the provision of funding for poor countries to adapt to climate change were also watered down, they said.

Indonesian government conference chair Eddy Pratomo said the declaration was just one step on a long and possibly painful road of negotiations over how to protect maritime resources and ecosystems.

"We have to date first before we get married. If we get married and move in together straight away, we'll end up fighting," he said.