Whale and dolphin populations around the world are declining,
while threats caused by humans are increasing. Bycatch,
pollution, habitat loss, over-fishing and climate change
are high on the list of problems. Other threats include
activities that may frighten, displace or harm these species
such as underwater noise pollution from sources such as
shipping traffic, wind farms, seismic surveys and sonar
systems.
Solving these global problems one at a time will mean too
little too late. We need coordinated action in different
regions of the world.
The Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS)
and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) have
entered into a Partnership and are calling on all countries
that have any interaction with the world’s oceans
to start solving these problems by joining and further developing
CMS regional agreements.
Since 1990, more than a dozen international agreements and
Memoranda of Understanding have been concluded under the
aegis of CMS for bats, migratory birds, albatrosses, dolphins
and whales, marine turtles and seals.
“Species are important. People connect with them
in ways that make conservation actions tangible and possible”
Margi Prideaux, CMS Programme Leader, WDCS. “However,
threats that species face can’t be written away by
signing an international statement alone. Solving these
problems requires also on-ground action.”
“CMS agreements and their action plans are real world
solutions to biodiversity loss and species protection around
the world, if correctly and fully implemented. More efforts
and time need to be spent also to identify practical solutions
for the threats cetaceans face at the regional and local
levels. We need to act now”, said Robert Hepworth,
Executive Secretary of the Convention on Migratory Species.
In addition to facilitating regional agreements, both CMS
and WDCS promote co-operative conservation and research
projects. These projects help catalyze conservation actions,
fill knowledge gaps and provide better scientific foundation
to action.
“In Central West Africa dolphins attracted to a coastline
of high productivity are running the gauntlet of oil and
gas exploration and fisheries pressure – they are
losing”, emphasized Robert Hepworth.
Margi Prideaux added: “In the South and South East
Asian Seas, bycatch is a huge problem followed closely by
chemical pollution and habitat loss. Research conducted
by WDCS and CMS has uncovered new feeding grounds for Fin
and Blue Whales in the Indian Ocean and one of the largest
marine populations of the Irrawaddy dolphin in the Bay of
Bengal.”
“As research continues, we find new feeding and breeding
grounds for these magnificent species. These findings are
amazing discoveries for biologists but are also extremely
important for the wealth and health of biodiversity worldwide;
we must act now before we loose species we don’t yet
know we have. These regional activities represent a small
fraction of what needs to be done, but with countries increasing
commitment, we may be just in time for some concrete and
effective actions”, concluded the CMS Executive Secretary.
For more information please contact:
Paola Deda
External relations
UNEP/CMS
Martin Luther King Str. 8
53175 Bonn
Tel +49. 228.815.2462
pdeda@cms.int
www.cms.int
Margi Prideaux PhD
CEO, WDCS Australasia
WDCS CMS Programme Leader
PO Box 720 Port Adelaide Business Centre
Port Adelaide 5015
South Australia
Phone +618 8242 5842
margi.prideaux@wdcs.org
www.wdcs.org
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