accobams progressive steps forward to protect whales and dolphins in the mediterranean sea, black...
TRANSCRIPT
ACCOBAMACCOBAMSS
Progressive steps forward Progressive steps forward to protect whales and to protect whales and
dolphins in the dolphins in the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean Sea,
Black Sea and contiguous Black Sea and contiguous Atlantic AreaAtlantic Area
The Convention on the The Convention on the Migratory Species, CMSMigratory Species, CMS
Protects Protects endangered endangered migratory speciesmigratory species
Allows the Allows the establishment of establishment of specific Agreementsspecific Agreements
The AgreementThe Agreement
Signed in 1996 and Signed in 1996 and entered into force entered into force
in 2001in 2001
The Institutionnal Bodies:The Institutionnal Bodies:
Meeting of the Parties Permanent Secretariat
Bureau Scientific Committee
2 Sub-Regional Coordination Units
18 Contracting 18 Contracting
PartiesParties
And a large And a large
partneshippartneship
The main goals The main goals
Grant full protection to cetaceans Prohibit deliberate takings Minimize adverse effects of Fisheries• Prohibit drift nets whose individual or total length is
more
than 2.5 Km
• Prevent fishing gear from being discared or left adrift at sea
• Immediate release of cetaceans caught incidentally in
fishing gear
Impact assessment to provide a basis for either regulating or prohibiting the development of activities linked to:
• Fishing• Prospection and exploitation offshore• Tourism, whale watching and scientific
research• Reinforce standards for discharges of
pollutants
The main goals The main goals
Protection of habitats and vital areascapacity buildingresearch and monitoring programscommon tools for collecting data and disseminating information
emergency situations
The main goals The main goals
The Scientific The Scientific CommitteeCommittee- 5 experts of CIESM
- Regional Representatives from 4 sub-regions
- Representatives from 3 International Organisations:
UnionUnionInternationale pourInternationale pourla Conservation la Conservation de la Naturede la Nature
EuropeanEuropeanCetaceanCetacean SocietySociety
InternationalInternationalWhalingWhalingCommissionCommission
The ACCOBAMS’ The ACCOBAMS’ Partner Partner
StatusStatus Conferred to NGOs who:
Have a statement of purpose that includes the Conservation of cetaceans or activities relevant to the Agreement
Have experience in implementing partnerships ventures
Are willing to actively contribute to the further development of the policies and tools of the Agreement through joint projects
Respond to emergency situations
The ACCOBAMS’ The ACCOBAMS’
Partner StatusPartner Status Among the most active partners:Among the most active partners:
Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society
International Fund for Animal
Welfare
Tethys Research Institute
Central Institute for Scientific and
Technological Research applied to the Sea
New Bureau:New Bureau:CroatiaCroatia
RomaniaRomaniaSpainSpain
TunisieTunisie
Second Meeting of theSecond Meeting of the
Contracting PartiesContracting Parties Palma de Mallorca, 9/12 November 2004Palma de Mallorca, 9/12 November 2004
More than 80 participants:More than 80 participants: 16 riparian States16 riparian States European Commission European Commission IGOs and NGOsIGOs and NGOs
Working ProgramWorking Program
2005 – 20072005 – 200711 priority11 priority actionsactions
Political decisionsPolitical decisionsSocio-Economical aspectsSocio-Economical aspects Science for ConservationScience for Conservation
Capacity BuildingCapacity Building
Political decisionsPolitical decisions
Strengthening the links Strengthening the links
with UNEPwith UNEP Delivery of research Delivery of research
permits (derogations)permits (derogations) Collaboration with Collaboration with
Pelagos sanctuary Pelagos sanctuary
AggreementAggreement Strengthening bilateral Strengthening bilateral
and multilateral and multilateral
CooperationsCooperations
Impact assessment of the Impact assessment of the sources of anthropogenic noise sources of anthropogenic noise including military activitiesincluding military activitiesPreparation of guidelines by Preparation of guidelines by the Scientific Committeethe Scientific Committee
NOISE in marine environment
Socio-economical Socio-economical
aspectsaspects
Project in collaboration with Project in collaboration with European Community to reduce European Community to reduce bycatch bycatch Regulation on the use of Regulation on the use of acoustic devices acoustic devices Conservation Plan for the Conservation Plan for the Common Dolphin (Common Dolphin (Delphinus Delphinus delphisdelphis) )
FISHERIES: Mitigate interactions
Socio-economical Socio-economical
aspectsaspects
Science for Science for
ConservationConservation
Protected areasProtected areas - principles for the Identification - principles for the Identification
for key areasfor key areas - Guidelines on management- Guidelines on management
Abondance and distribution of Abondance and distribution of cetaceanscetaceans
- Wide scale prospections- Wide scale prospections Stranding networks and tissues Stranding networks and tissues
banksbanks
France-Italy-MonacoCroatiaGeorgiaSpain
Capacity BuildingCapacity Building
Educative Program
Field works on ACCOBAMS implementation for scientists designated by their autorities
JuniorLocal communities
WDCS
The tasksThe tasksACCOBAMS helps Parties to:ACCOBAMS helps Parties to:
Communicate with other Intergovernmental Organizations; Liaise between the conservation and the exploitation of the living resources; Provide conservation tools for their Natural Heritage Facilitate harmonization between the Ministries; Set up a dialogue among socio economic sectors such as fisheries, maritime transports, tourism…; Meet the relevant commitments set by other global or regional instruments (UNCLOS, CBD, Barcelona, Bern, Bonn and Bucharest Conventions..)
PublicizinPublicizin
gg
Better publicize
ACCOBAMS
and its aims
Public events and campaigns
Strengthening the links with Partners and NGOs
Fundraising
Educational / Information material
WDCSIFAWThethys
The International Sanctuary forMediterranean Marine Mammals
PELAGOS
1. Scientific findings
Pelagos
Notarbartolo di Sciara, G., M.C. Venturino, M. Zanardelli, G. Bearzi, F. Borsani, B. Cavalloni, E. Cussino, M. Jahoda, S. Airoldi. 1990. Distribution and relative abundance of cetaceans in the Central Mediterranean Sea. pp. 41-43 in Proc. 4th Annual Meeting of the European Cetacean Society, Palma de Mallorca, 2-4 March 1990.
Sighting frequencies of cetaceans in Italy
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
LIG TYR SAR SIC ION ADS ADN
mea
n n
. o
f si
gh
tin
gs/
h (
1/10
0)
Why are cetaceans so abundant?
Oceanographic studies revealed the presence in the area of a permanent frontal system, and consequent upwellings of deep, nutrient-rich waters.
Such presence of nutrients at the surface allows substantial primary productivity in the area, in striking contrast with most of the Mediterranean pelagic domain
223 225 228 230 233 235
25
50
75
100
125
150
Time (GMT)
Depth (m)
-90 -80 -70 -60 -50
Volume Backscattering Strength at 120 kHz
Meganyctiphanes norvegica Swarms on 24 September 1998, Ligurian Sea
Meganyctiphanes norvegica
the main Mediterranean euphausiid
2. Conservation problems for Mediterranean cetaceans
• Fishing
• Pollution
– hydrocarbons
– toxic chemicals
– noise
• Collisions
• Disturbance
• Global change
Most of the habitat of these pelagic cetacean species rests in international waters, beyond 12 n.m. from the coast.
In the Mediterranean Sea, where Exclusive Economic Zones (up to 200 n.m. from the coast) have not been created, management and conservation of high seas resources are problematic.
Obstacles to the implementation of conservation measures
towards the end of the 1980s it had become increasingly clear that novel initiatives in the field of
international law were necessary to protect Mediterranean cetaceans
Search for a solution
Pelagos
A large protected area (about 87.000
km2), including shallow coastal
and deep pelagic habitats,
comprising the territorial waters of France, Italy,
and Monaco, and the Mediterranean
high seas.
A brief history of the sanctuary
• Large numbers of carcasses of cetaceans by-caught in Italian pelagic driftnets are found in the Ligurian Sea (1988).
• “Operazione Cetacei” by Greenpeace Italy, under the scientific supervision of the Tethys Research Institute, presents the first evidence of the ecological importance of the Ligurian Sea for cetaceans (1989).
• ENPA collects signatures for a petition against driftnets (1989). Several Courts in Liguria confiscate the nets. The Minister of merchant marine emits several decrees (1989-90).
• The San Remo Rotary Club organises a seminar with the attendance of several Members of the Italian Parliament (1990).
• Several NGOs recur to the Administrative Court against the Ministry of merchant marine to ban driftnets (1990). The Court approves. The Ministry recurs to the Council of State, which upholds the Court’s ruling; fishermen blockade the Strait of Messina (1990).
• The Minister of merchant marine delimits a triangle in the Ligurian Sea and decrees it offlimits to driftnetting, except for the (few) Ligurian vessels (1990, modified in ‘91 and ‘92).
• The Tethys Research Institute conceives and drafts “Project Pelagos”, for the creation of a Biosphere Reserve in the Ligurian-Corsican-Provençal Basin, funded and promoted by the European Foundation Rotary for the Environment (1990).
• Project Pelagos is presented in Monaco in the presence of Prince Rainier III (1991).
• France, Italy and Monaco sign a Declaration for the creation of an International Sanctuary for the protection of Mediterranean marine mammals, inspired by Project Pelagos (1993).
• Despite many obstacles and political changes in France and Italy, the technical work never stops and the sanctuary idea is revived in 1998.
• A formal Agreement among France, Italy and Monaco is signed in Rome on 25 November 1999 by Ministers Fautrier, Ronchi and Voynet.
• All Parties ratify the Agreement (2000 - 2001).
• The Sanctuary is inscribed in the list of SPAMIs (2001).
• From this date two Meeting of the Parties were held :a Management Plan was adopted and Permanent Secretariat will be established in the coming months