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