Update – Abu Dhabi, 10 August 2011 – The UNEP/CMS South East Asia Sub-Regional Meeting on Dugongs and Workshop on Developing Standardised Analysis Protocols for Dugong Questionnaire Survey Project Data for South East Asia Region was held on 27-29 July in Lawas, Sarawak, Malaysia. The meeting was a big success as for the first time representatives from Singapore and Timor Leste attended an international dugong meeting, and this was also the first time for Japan to attend since 2005.

Some 50 participants from 11 countries participated in this event that was opened by the Sarawak Second Minister of Resource Planning and Management, YB Datuk Amar Haji Awang Tengah Ali Hasan. SFC Protected Areas and Biodiversity Conservation General Manager, Wilfred Landong stressed the meeting provided an ideal opportunity for Sarawak to build capacity which facilitates dugong conservation and research. He also stated the workshop was a historical milestone in implementing dugong conservation work in Malaysia.

Donna Kwan of the UNEP/CMS Office - Abu Dhabi reminded participants that the task to conserve dugongs in South East Asia was not an easy one and required the help of each range state to effectively mitigate detrimental impacts from human-related actions to dugongs and their habitats.

The meeting highlighted the importance of Lawas as a dugong habitat, which resulted in media announcement that Sarawak will gazette Kuala Lawas as a national park, which further reflects Malaysian commitment to protect and conserve invaluable biodiversity and wildlife.

Potential for Global Environment Facility (GEF) project concept for dugong and habitat conservation was also discussed, and it got strong support from participants at the meeting. The UNEP/CMS Secretariat to the Dugong MOU said it would continue close communication with the countries who expressed interest in the GEF project.

The Recommendations concluded by the workshop were (1) to encourage the Governments of Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Timor Leste and Viet Nam to become signatories to the UNEP/CMS Dugong MOU; (2) to explore and establish effective communication and data sharing among range states and organizations; (3) for range states to cooperate on joint projects and transboundary initiatives; (4) for range states to identify high conservation value areas and take concrete steps to protect them; and (5) to encourage range states to enhance efforts in dugong research through collaboration, co-funding and consultations among experts.