The United States’ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Department of Commerce/NOAA) and the Secretariat of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) have signed a Letter of Cooperation with a view to enhancing collaboration in the conservation and management of migratory marine species and their habitats. William Brennan, Deputy Assistant Secretary of NOAA’s Office of International Affairs, and Douglas Hykle, Senior CMS Advisor, signed the accord at NOAA headquarters in Washington on 22 May 2008. Shannon Dionne and Pam Toschik, NOAA officers involved in development of the LoC, and Elaine Yu, CMS’s Washington-based focal point, were also present for the signing.

The Letter of Cooperation outlines collaborative objectives that are in line with CMS’ goals to facilitate the conservation of threatened and endangered migratory species through international partnerships and NOAA’s strategic plan to protect, restore, and manage the use of coastal and ocean resources through an ecosystem approach.

Under the terms of the LoC, NOAA and CMS will cooperate on range of activities -- such as identifying opportunities to develop and implement collaborative programmes, increasing public awareness, exchanging policy advice and scientific research findings, and engaging in capacity building, research, and training pertaining to the conservation of migratory marine species. CMS and NOAA will assist each other in the implementation of conservation initiatives and explore the future development of existing Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) related to migratory marine life.

Among the pursuits already identified for further NOAA-CMS engagement are specific CMS MoUs concerning marine turtles and cetaceans, as well as increased collaboration concerning the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP). It is also foreseen that NOAA and CMS will follow-up on activities of mutual interest related to shark conservation and the First International Conference on Marine Mammal Protected Areas in March 2009. They will also work together to publicize threats to marine migratory species and the conservation measures taken by their respective organisations.

CMS Executive Secretary Rob Hepworth commented : “Our new partnership with NOAA will be really important for our work on marine species, especially turtles, sharks, albatrosses and whales. This is a further, and highly tangible, signal of the Convention’s deepening engagement with the US. Partners are vital to that process. 12 months ago in May 2007 we began a new era when we organised a seminar with the Smithsonian Instruction in Washington focusing on wildlife from the North American perspective (http://www.cms.int/news/PRESS/nwPR2007/05_May/smithso_symp.htm ). The same month we signed a cooperation agreement with the US-based Wildlife Conservation Society aimed at achieving the 2010 targets in nature and biodiversity conservation. Then as a result of the generosity of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, CMS opened an office last month in Washington D.C. where Elaine Yu is already communicating the Convention’s aims to new audiences and helping to build a constituency which we hope will support accession by the US and its immediate neighbours in Canada and Mexico. We also have a new partnership with the North American Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums (AMMPA) as well as extra opportunities to work with exiting CMS partners such as CIC, IFAW and WWF who have a strong presence in the region. During the same period we have also been delighted to see active US involvement at the first CMS Sharks agreement negation meeting in Seychelles, and at our last Scientific Council. This promises to be an exciting period for CMS in a region where there is a longstanding public commitment to conservation in all its aspects.”

Clear here to view the full text of the CMS-NOAA Letter of Cooperation.

Link to NOAA Office of International Affairs website