 Bonn,
12 July 2007: After the successful release of
a Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus) in Gökova
Bay in South West Turkey in May, the Turkish Ministry
of Environment and Forestry enhanced conservation measures
by declaring a substantial enlargement of the Specially
Protected Area (SPA) for the species.
With the territorial increase of the total Foça
SPA including sea, land area and coastline by almost 160
%, the protected area will be increased fivefold. It came
into effect following the decision of the Council of Ministers
21 May. The responsible Minister Mr. Osman Pepe emphasized
the protection of the critically endangered Monk Seal
along Turkish coasts. He pleaded for the improved protection
status of five important Monk Seal Sites by making these
”Species protection/Management Areas” in line
with IUCN criteria. As a result, the Foça Specially
Protected Area will now be enlarged following the proposals
brought forward by the Underwater Research Society (SAD)
and the Mediterranean Seal Research Group (AFAG).
CMS Executive Secretary Robert Hepworth said: “We
highly appreciate this vital decision by the Turkish Government
towards conserving the increasingly rare Monk Seal and
its habitat. The importance of Turkey as a bridge between
the European and Asian continent with a variety of coastal
habitats and marine species must not be underestimated.”
The Mediterranean Monk Seal is listed on Appendices I
and II of the Convention. The Action Plan for the Conservation
of the Eastern Atlantic Monk Seal was endorsed by Resolution
8.5 at the eighth Conference of the Parties in November
2005. The Plan sets a new focus for Monk Seal conservation
by specifying the contribution of the range states as
signatories to the Convention. It is the first approach
towards international cooperation in conservation activities
for the Monk Seal in the Atlantic region.
The Action Plan is a guideline that lays down the procedure
to implement coordinated actions. It provides a means
to combine programs from different states, local and private
organizations and transform them into concrete efforts
towards the recovery of the severely depleted population
of the species.
A meeting to discuss the Eastern Atlantic Action Plan
was held in Funchal / Madeira, Portugal, 25-29 June in
the presence of the CMS Secretariat and experts from range
states. In both Mediterranean and Atlantic areas greater
efforts are being undertaken to better implement Monk
Seal conservation on a regional level.
Link to SAD-AFAG press release
http://sadafag.org/FocaSPAenlarged.pdf
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