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Sirenews Newsletter Issue 59 available online now
1 May 2013 - The latest issue of Sirenews (the biannual newsletter of the IUCN/SSC Sirenia Specialist Group) is now available online. The IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) is a science-based network of volunteer experts working together towards achieving the vision of "A world that values and conserves present levels of biodiversity". The Sirenia Specialist Group is focused on the conservation of manatee and dugong populations around the world. The Sirenews biannual newsletter reports on global sirenian conservation activities, including news and updates from the Dugong MOU Secretariat. See reports on the latest signatories to the Dugong MOU, and outcomes of the Second Signatory State Meeting (SS2) which took place in Manila, Philippines in February 2013, an update on projects, including progress of a global project funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) entitled: ‘Enhancing the Conservation Effectiveness of Seagrass Ecosystems Supporting Globally Significant Populations of Dugongs across the Indian and Pacific Ocean Basins’.
Read the Sirenews Issue 59 here
Published Report of the Second Signatory State Meeting of the
Dugong MoU
Abu Dhabi , 10 April 2013
- The Dugong MOU Secretariat is pleased to inform
you that the Report of the Second Signatory State
Meeting (SS2) of the Memorandum of Understanding on
the Conservation and Management of Dugongs and their
Habitats throughout their Range is now published online.
The SS2 was held in Manila, the Philippines, 19-20
February 2013.
Read the full report here
Saudi Arabia Signs Dugong
MOU
 Abu
Dhabi , 3 March 2013 - The Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia has confirmed its support towards the protection
of dugongs and their vital seagrass habitats by becoming
the 26th Signatory State to the UNEP/CMS Memorandum
of Understanding on the Conservation and Management
of Dugongs and their Habitats throughout their Range
(Dugong MOU). The Dugong MOU was signed by Mr. Mohammad
Saud Sulayem, Advisor on International Cooperation
at the Saudi Wildlife Authority (SWA), on behalf of
His Highness Prince Bandar Bin Saud Bin Mohammad Al-Saud,
President of SWA, at a Signing Ceremony held in the
UNEP/CMS Office - Abu Dhabi.
[Press
Release]
[Arabic
version]
Twenty-Six Countries Meet to Progress Sea Cow
and Seagrass Conservation
 Manila, Philippines, 20 February 2013 - The Second Signatory State Meeting for the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation and Management of Dugongs and their Habitats throughout their Range (Dugong MOU) was hosted by the Government of the Philippines on 19 and 20 February in Manila, Philippines. The Dugong MOU was concluded in 2007 under the auspices of the UNEP Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals to protect an endangered sea cow species. The Dugong MOU Secretariat coordinates support for international efforts to conserve dugongs and seagrasses from the UNEP/CMS Abu Dhabi Office which is hosted by the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD), on behalf of the Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
[Press
Release]
[Arabic version]
Revised Survey Questionnaire, Project Manual
and Upload file availableThe
Second Signatory State Meeting (SS2) of the UNEP/CMS
Dugong MOU
08 January 2013 - We are pleased
to announce that the Second Signatory State Meeting
(SS2) of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation
and Management of Dugongs and their Habitats throughout
their Range (Dugong MOU) will take place on 19-20
February 2013 in Manila, Philippines. The meeting
will be kindly hosted by the Department of Environment
and Natural Resources - Protected Areas and Wildlife
Bureau (DENR-PAWB) of the Philippines.
The meeting will review the implementation
of the UNEP/CMS Dugong MOU and provide an overview
of on-going operations, initiatives and progression
of dugong conservation pilot projects. It will also
provide further guidance relative to future policies
and directions with a view to promoting effective
and sustainable dugong conservation.
Meeting documents will be available here in due course.
Revised Survey Questionnaire, Project Manual
and Upload file available
Abu Dhabi, 16 September 2012
- A revised version of the Standardised Catch/Incidental
Catch Survey Questionnaire, the Project Manual (with
an improved Chapter 9) and the Upload file are now
available. You can find the documents on the links
below. Releasing the revised versions will not restrict
anyone from using the older versions of Project Manual
or Upload file to go with the older versions of the
Questionnaire. The Questionnaire is simply the refined
version for new users. See also the original notice
of 13 May 2010 further down on the notice board.
Questionnaire
Upload file
Manual
Seagrass Watch Magazine Issue 45
and 46 available online now
The latest issue of Seagrass-Watch
news (the official magazine of the global seagrass
and assessment program) is now available online at
http://www.seagrasswatch.org/magazine.html
. Both low and high resolution versions of the magazine
are available. Please note that the high resolution
version is 23.1Mb.
This is a special bumper double issue
focusing on dugongs (Issue 45) and manatees (Issue
46) and the guest editor was Distinguished Professor
Helene Marsh. Helene is an international authority
on the conservation biology of dugongs, sea turtles
and coastal cetaceans. Helene also co-authored the
recent publication "Ecology and Conservation
of the Sirenia: Dugongs and Manatees" (see magazine
for more info).
Professor Helene Marsh’s
plenary speaker presentation at the International
Coral Reef Symposium
Cairns, Australia, 12 July 2012
– Watch leading dugong expert Professor Helene
Marsh (James Cook University) giving a plenary speaker
presentation on Conserving Coral Reef Megafauna: Issues
of Ecological Process, Biodiversity, Cultural Diversity
and Food Security at the International Coral Reef
Symposium (ICRS 2012) here.
Vacancy for Postgraduate Student to pursue
M.Sc. Degree in Malaysia
9 July 2012 - Project
entitled ‘Involving community in dugong education
and seagrass research : implications for marine resource
management’. The project studies the effectiveness
of involving community in education and research and
its implications to seagrass and dugong management/policy.
The project is based both in Penang Island and Sibu
Island, Johor, Malaysia. A small stipend is available
but candidate is advised to apply for scholarships
externally and graduate assistantships at the university.
Requirements:
· Preferably with marine science background
· Ability/Interest in communicating with
people from urban and rural settings
· Knowledge of social science methods and
analysis
· Knowledge of Bahasa Malaysia preferred
· Excellent critical writing skills in English
Where: Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies, Universiti
Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia.
If Interested , please send a letter of interest
and updated CV to Dr. Leela Rajamani,
Email address : leelara21@gmail.com
Tel no: +6019-3142552
IUCN Sirenia
Specialist Group Seeks Nominees for Membership
24 April 2012 -
The IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) is a science-based
network of volunteer experts working together towards
achieving the vision of "A world that values
and conserves present levels of biodiversity".
The Sirenia Specialist Group is focused on the conservation
of manatee and dugong populations around the world.
The current IUCN Sirenia Specialist Group (SSG) will
be dissolved and re-established to coincide with the
new quadrennial cycle (2013-2016). The latest edition
of the Sirenews newsletter includes a request from
the SSG co-chairs for nominees for SSG membership
for the 2013-2016 quadrennial cycle. The form provided
in the newsletter should be completed and submitted
by 15 May 2012.
Sirenews is the newsletter of the
IUCN/SSC Sirenia Specialist Group. Sirenews No. 57,
April 2012 issue may be found here
University
of Cambridge: Masters in Conservation Leadership
21 March 2012 -
The Masters in Conservation Leadership at the University
of Cambridge is a full-time, one-year course, aimed
at graduates of leadership potential with at least
three to five years of relevant experience. The unique
features of this course are its delivery by a partnership
between several university departments and internationally
renowned conservation organizations that comprise
the Cambridge Conservation Initiative, and its focus
on issues of management and leadership. Consequently,
the course delivers a world-class and interdisciplinary
education in Conservation Leadership that is not available
elsewhere. The students taking the masters are mature
and highly experienced, creating rich opportunities
for learning from each other as well as from those
teaching the course. There is a strong focus on students
from developing countries, and a small class size
that allows for the full involvement of all students
in a wide range of activities. Students complete a
series of taught modules, followed by a 4 month placement
in which they work directly with a conservation organization
on a leadership-oriented project.
UNEP-WCMC is a very active partner
in the Masters in Conservation Leadership, providing
a range of lectures and hosting 2-3 placement projects
each year. Dr. Chris Sandbrook, the Lecturer in Conservation
Leadership who helps to run the masters, works at
UNEP-WCMC. The course would provide an ideal opportunity
for UNEP employees who wish to spend a year enhancing
their leadership skills, knowledge of cutting-edge
conservation issues and first-hand experience of working
with diverse conservation organizations. Scholarship
places for students from highly biodiverse and less-developed
countries are available, with an application deadline
for October 2012 entry of 30th March 2012.
Course overview: http://www.geog.cam.ac.uk/graduate/mphil/conservation/
Scholarship details:
http://www.geog.cam.ac.uk/graduate/mphil/conservation/funding.html
Biographies of current and former
students: http://www.geog.cam.ac.uk/graduate/mphil/conservation/students/
Dugongs tagged
in New Caledonia
New Caledonia, 13 March 2012
- For the first time outside of Australia, two dugongs
have been tagged on the west coast of New Caledonia:
Mara (a female) and Foni (a male). In New Caledonia,
dugongs are important marine mammals in terms of conservation
as the population is one the biggest after Australia
and the Gulf region. This pilot project forms part
of a doctoral study entitled "Distribution, relative
abundance and habitat use of the dugong: a basis for
marine conservation and management planning in New
Caledonia", in collaboration with Paris-Sorbonne
IV and James Cook Universities.
To follow Foni and Mara please visit the
Opération
Cétacés website (in French)
or or the Seaturtle
- Satellite Tracking website (in English).
New Report
Released on the Palau Dugong dugon Awareness
Campaign 2010-2011
Palau, 13 March 2012
- Following on from the Pacific Year of the Dugong
in 2011, a new report on activities which took place
during Palau’s Dugong dugon Awareness Campaign
2010-2011 has been released. The report was produced
by the Coral Reef Research Foundation (CRRF) in collaboration
with Mandy Etpison, the project’s coordinator.
Contained within the report is a summary of the Awareness
Campaign as well as the results of aerial surveys
with photography which provide observations on areas
of dugong ‘hot spots’, habitat usage and
behaviour.
Read the full report here.
The Dugong,
Seagrass & Coastal Communities Initiative Launched
at the S.O.S: “Save Our Sirenians” Event
 Abu
Dhabi, 27 February 2012 - A programme to
improve livelihoods and create economic opportunity
in exchange for the conservation of dugongs and their
seagrass habitat was officially launched in Abu Dhabi
today.
The Dugong, Seagrass and Coastal
Communities Initiative aims to attract funding partners
whose investment in rural coastal communities and
local partnerships will return financial and environmental
benefits to communities in developing nations. The
initiative will provide incentives for conservation
activities and environmental safeguarding across the
dugong’s range using innovative financial, educational
and knowledge transfer tools.
[Read
on]
Dugong Profile for Pacific Range
States Available Online
 16
February 2012 - The Secretariat of the Pacific
Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) has published
a booklet “Dugongs – respect and protect:
dugong profile for range states in the Pacific Islands”.
It gives an overview of the six dugong range states
(Australia, New Caledonia, Palau, Papua New Guinea,
Solomon Islands, Vanuatu) in the Pacific region and
the measures they have in place to conserve and protect
the dugongs. It will also highlight some of the events
that have taken place since the Pacific Year of the
Dugong (PYOD) was launched in 2011.
This publication is also a part of
the end of a year-long PYOD campaign. The campaign
to progress the protection of the dugong, led by SPREP
and its partner CMS, targeted local coastal and fishing
communities and water craft users in the Pacific region.
Read more on SPREP
website where you can also download the
publication “Dugongs
– respect and protect: dugong profile for range
states in the Pacific Islands”.
Sri Lanka Becomes the 21st Country
to Sign the UNEP/CMS Dugong MOU
 Colombo,
31 January 2012 - Sri Lanka has pledged its
support to the long-term survival of the dugongs and
the protection of their critical seagrass habitats
by becoming a signatory state to the Memorandum of
Understanding on the Conservation and Management of
Dugongs and their Habitats throughout their Range
(Dugong MOU).
The MOU was signed at a ceremony
held at the Department of Wildlife Conservation in
Colombo by Mr. Bataduwe Kirindage Udeni Ayodya Wickramasinghe
from the Ministry of Agrarian Services and Wildlife,
Sri Lanka.
[Read
on]
Dugongs, Conservation and the endless
possibilities for the future
Sri Lanka, 12 January 2012
- British marine biologist Dr Nicholas Pilcher wowed
his audience at an illuminating presentation on dugongs,
conservation, reflections on the past and the possibilities
for the future. The lecture presented by Dilmah Conservation
as part of their marine programme was held at the
Wimalasurendra Auditorium of the Institution of Engineers,
Sri Lanka on January 12, 2012.
[Read
more on Dilmah Conservation website]
Further Update
- SEA Meeting in Lawas
 29
December 2011 - The report of the South East
Asia Dugong Meeting and Workshop held in Lawas Sarawak
from 27th to 29th July 2011 (see the news item below
dated 11 August) has now been published by Sarawak
Forestry.
The 118-page document, entitled "Report
on UNEP/CMS South East ASia Regional meetig on Dugongs
and Workshop on developing Standardised Analysis Protocold
for Dugong Questionnaire Survey Project Data for South
East Asia Region" can be downloaded here
(14.9 MB).
Dugong Session at the WIOMSA Symposium
 5
December 2011 - In association with the 7th
WIOMSA Scientific Symposium in Mombasa, Kenya, the
UNEP/CMS Dugong MOU Secretariat organized a special
session on progressing dugong conservation in the
South West Indian Ocean sub-region, on Friday 28 October
2011. The session shared information about current
dugong conservation, management and research activities,
as well as about standardized dugong surveys done
in the region. James Cook University presented a project
on Global Dugong Genetics, supported by the Dugong
MOU Secretariat, which will provide valuable information
to give an estimate of the genetic diversity remaining
in different parts of dugong’s range, estimates
of gene flow and population size. The session also
presented pilot projects that have been initiated
to trial the application of a Management Tool Kit
of advisory, financial incentives and conservation
tools, aiming to improve dugong survivability and
habitat protection. These projects are being designed
to improve the economic and social wellbeing of communities
by testing financial incentive tools to reduce direct
dugong mortality. The special session on dugongs at
WIOMSA Symposium served to strengthen networks and
established new collaborations amongst different groups
working on dugongs.
Read
more from the WIOMSA Newsbrief
UAE Dugong conservation
gets support
The Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) and Total
United Arab Emirates (Total UAE) organised a ceremony
marking the extension of sponsorship for EAD's Dugong
Conservation Programme, which has been sponsored by
Total since 1999.
During the ceremony, Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, secretary
general of EAD, said: "A significant proportion
of the world's dugongs occur in the Arabian Gulf.
About 40 per cent of this population occurs in Abu
Dhabi waters, making the UAE significant in terms
of regional and global dugong conservation."
She said, "Since 1999, the Environment Agency-Abu
Dhabi has conducted detailed studies of the local
dugong population. Overall, these studies have helped
us to better understand dugong behaviour. The first
phase of these studies helped us obtain information
about the abundance, distribution and the conservation
status of dugongs in the UAE".
"The second phase helped us understand more
about the biological and ecological aspects. Threats
to the dugong population were identified by investigating
causes of dugong mortality as well as habitat degradation,
fragmentation and loss," she said.
http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/environment/dugong-conservation-gets-support-1.933558
Call for Expressions of Interest to host SS2 of Dugong
MOU Abu Dhabi,
4 October, 2011 – The Secretariat to
the UNEP/CMS Dugong MOU is seeking Expressions of
Interest (EOI) from Signatories, Dugong MOU range
states and partners, to host the Second Signatory
State Meeting (SS2) of the Memorandum of Understanding
on the Conservation and Management of Dugongs and
their Habitats throughout their Range. The meeting
is scheduled for the third trimester of 2012.
The EOI should give a brief overview
of the estimated timeline, possible location and venue,
and indication of cost. Deadline for submitting EOIs
to cmsoffice.ae@cms.int
is 21 November 2011. The Secretariat will announce
the successful host country bid late January 2012.
Saving Endangered Dugongs of
the Western Indian Ocean
15 September, 2011
– New website describes local efforts to conserve
what is thought is the last viable dugong population
in the Western Indian Ocean. The team behind www.dugongs.org
includes Dr. Vic Cockcroft (South Africa), Dr. Almeida
Guissamulo (Mozambique), and Dr. Ken Finlay (South
Africa). A focus of this work is to provide alternate
livelihoods for local fishers, to attempt to wean
them from using gill-nets -- the major cause of dugong
mortality. As Mozambique is a major tourist area,
one of their approaches is to develop community based
tourism, both eco and cultural.
[Read more on
www.dugongs.org]
Universiti Sains Malaysia:
Marine mammal research work for post-graduate students
Opportunities exist in the Universiti
Sains Malaysia (USM) for two post-graduate students
-- international or local -- to conduct research on
marine mammals in peninsular Malaysia.
1. Dolphin distribution studies in
Penang. There are facilities at Mukahead, such as
boats and equipment, which will facilitate the research.
Students can choose to initiate their own proposals
based on interest. Co-supervision and advice from
an international group of cetacean ecologists can
be facilitated.
2. Dugong education research from
a project entitled "Testing the effectiveness
of conservation education programmes: the dugong (Dugong
dugon) as the case study in Johor, Malaysia".
This is a trans-disciplinary research project which
incorporates the conservation of the dugong, an endangered
species, education and performing arts. Students need
to be fluent in Bahasa Malaysia, TOEFL 550.
Potential students are encouraged
to apply for a post-graduate fellowship or graduate
assistantship, depending on their grades. Start-up
grants from USM are also available to facilitate post-graduate
research.
Click here
to go to the USM website for further details.
Academic requirements to apply for this fellowship
Applicants pursuing Master’s degree: must have
a Bachelor's Degree (CGPA>=3.25) or equivalent
qualification recognized by the Malaysian Government.
Applicants pursuing Doctoral degree: must have a
Bachelor's Degree (CGPA>=3.25) or *equivalent qualification
recognized by the Malaysian Government AND a Master's
Degree (CGPA>=3.25) or *equivalent qualification
recognized by the Malaysian Government (Master by
coursework/mixed mode) or has successfully published
at least 1 article in peer-reviewed journals (Master
by research mode).
SEA Dugong Meeting and Workshop
Successful in Sarawak
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.
International Workshop on Dugong
Begins in Sarawak Lawas, 27 July
2011 – A three-day Southeast Asia regional
workshop on the dugong, a protected species under
the Sarawak Wildlife Protection Ordinance, commenced
Wednesday with delegates from 11 countries deliberating
on the latest efforts to protect the vulnerable marine
mammal. The workshop, organised by the Sarawak Forestry
Corporation (SFC), is funded by the United Nations
Environment Programme and Convention on Migratory
Species (UNEP/CMS) Office in Abu Dhabi, United Arab
Emirates. SFC Protected Areas and Biodiversity Conservation
general manager Wilfred Landong said the workshop
provided an avenue for deliberating and sharing the
research findings on dugong conservation projects
undertaken in the Southeast Asia region.
[read
on]
Palau unveils ‘Lady of
the Sea’ carving at SPREP
Samoa, 20 July 2011
– A tribute to the Year of the Dugong was unveiled
by the Vice President of Palau, the Hon. Kerai Mariur,
in Samoa yesterday to commemorate the special environment
focus for this year. The stunning carving of a dugong
(also known as the ‘lady of the sea’)
was presented to the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional
Environment Programme (SPREP) by the Government of
Palau who are environmental leaders in the effort
to protect marine species. Palau was declared as the
world’s first shark sanctuary in 2009; this
was further strengthened in 2010 through extending
the protection to include all marine mammals including
dugongs.
[click
here for the full story on the SPREP website]
Thailand - the 20th Signatory
to UNEP/CMS Dugong MOU
 Bangkok,
30 June 2011 – The Kingdom of Thailand
became the 20th signatory to the Memorandum of Understanding
on the Conservation and Management of Dugongs and
their Habitats throughout their Range (Dugong MOU)
today, when Minister Suwit Khunkitti of the Ministry
of Natural Resources and Environment signed the Dugong
MOU in Bangkok.
This is a most significant step for
the South East Asia region as Thailand has the largest
documented area of seagrass which supports one of
the biggest concentrations of dugongs in the region.
Thailand has been long recognized for its contribution
to dugong conservation through its development of
educational material, training, awareness-raising,
research and monitoring efforts.
Thailand in collaboration with the
Governments of Australia and the UAE led the process
of developing and concluding the Dugong MOU that came
into effect on 31 October 2007. With Thailand's signature,
three of the twelve range states in South East Asia
have now signed the Dugong MOU. Effective dugong conservation
will require the concerted action and regional collaboration
of all the range states. In his speech at the signing
ceremony, Minister Suwit Khunkitti urged other range
states to join Thailand in formally committing to
the Dugong MOU by signing it at their earliest convenience.
[Minister's
speech]
Revised Dugong Survey Questionnaire
Available Now
Abu Dhabi, 27 June 2011
– Standardized dugong questionnaire, project
manual and upload sheet have been revised. You can
find the document for the Standardized Dugong Catch/Incidental
Catch Questionnaire below. See also the original notice
of 13 May 2010 further down on the notice board.
Questionnaire
Upload
file
Manual
First South Asia Dugong Conservation
Workshop Successfully Concluded
 Update
- Abu Dhabi, 20 June 2011 – The First
South Asia Sub-Regional Workshop on the Conservation
and Management of Dugongs hosted by India on 6-7 June
2011 in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, has successfully facilitated
regional cooperation to implement the Dugong MOU Conservation
and Management Plan in the region. At the meeting
the range states – India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
and Bangladesh – shared information as well
as undertook training to help develop their capacity
to conduct the standardised surveys on dugongs.
 The
high commitment from each of the range states was
reflected in the unanimous support of the recommendations:
(1) encourage the Governments of South Asia range
states to sign the UNEP/CMS Dugong MOU; (2) develop
and deliver a practical and resource-efficient strategy
to collaborate in, and implement regional dugong conservation
and management initiatives; (3) enhance communication
among participating countries and organization; and
(4) identify the financial and technological resources
to support implementation of these recommendations.
[Click
here to read the Press Release]
[Click
here to see the Workshop Report]
[Click
here to see the Workshop recommendations]
[Message from Minister of State,
Jairam Ramesh - page
1 - page
2]
India to host First South Asia
Dugong Conservation Workshop
Tuticorin, 6-7 June 2011
– In a major step towards enhanced regional
cooperation for the conservation of the Dugong (Sea
Cow), India will host the First South Asia Sub-Regional
Workshop on the Conservation and Management of Dugongs
on 6th and 7th June 2011, in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu.
Policy and conservation management experts from India,
Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will come together
to discuss the status of dugong conservation in their
respective countries, establish standardized methods
to survey dugongs and their habitats, and work towards
preparing a coordinated Dugong Conservation and Management
Plan in South Asia, under the United Nations Environment
Programme and the Convention on Migratory Species
(UNEP/CMS). The workshop is being organized jointly
by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, and the
UNEP/CMS Secretariat, in collaboration with the Wildlife
Institute of India.
|
Maputo,
18 April 2011 – The largest remaining
dugong populations in East Africa have received a
welcomed boost for their continued survival today,
when Mozambique became the 19th Signatory to the Memorandum
of Understanding (MOU) on the Conservation of Dugongs
and their Habitats throughout their Range. 
Daru,
24 March 2011 – The Pacific Year of
the Dugong was launched in Daru, Papua New Guinea
(PNG), with great celebration on 24 March 2011. Daru
was selected as the launch location because of the
high cultural significance of dugongs to the coastal
villages in the Western Province of PNG. Moreover,
the waters of PNG and Australia in Torres Strait share
the largest remaining dugong population in the world.
Traditional inhabitants from both the Daru region
and the Torres Strait Islands have strong traditions
based on the use of dugong, a right protected under
the Torres Strait Treaty between PNG and Australia.
Palau,
14 March 2011 – The Pacific Year of
the Dugong (PYoD) is a campaign led by the South Pacific
Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and supported
by UNEP/CMS, aiming at boosting the conservation of
dugongs and its seagrass habitats. The campaign invites
individuals, conservation bodies, communities and
governments to support this unique drive for dugong
conservation. The PYoD regional launch took place
in Palau, which hosts the smallest, most remote and
critically endangered dugong population in the region.
National launches will also be organized in New Caledonia,
Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
Goa,
25 April 2010 – The UNEP/CMS Abu Dhabi
Office organised a workshop in the 30th Annual Sea
Turtle Symposium on 25–30 April 2010 in Goa,
India. The workshop entitled “Conservation of
Marine Turtles and Dugongs: Shared Synergies and Opportunities”
explored the overlaps to conservation and management
of these species and their habitats, A focus on species
conservation and habitat protection are features of
both the IOSEA MoU and the Dugong MoU.
Phuket
7-8 April & Brisbane 11-12 April –
UNEP/CMS Office Abu Dhabi financially supported two
training workshops/meetings: the Dugong Asia Sub-Regional
Technical Workshop/Meeting in Phuket, Thailand, and
the Pacific Islands Sub-Regional Technical Workshop/Meeting
in Brisbane, Australia, in collaboration with the
Phuket Marine Biological Centre (PMBC), and the Secretariat
of the Pacific Regional Environment Program (SPREP)
respectively. 
Singapore,
3–4 March 2010 - Under the auspices
of the UNEP/CMS Dugong MoU, a workshop was convened
in Singapore to develop a standardized questionnaire
survey format which will be used in Dugong MoU-funded
regional assessment projects. Developed by a group
of experts from around the world, the survey aims
to determine dugong population status, distribution,
and threats – particularly bycatch. The survey
has potential to enhance national, regional and international
information sharing and cooperation, a key action
required under the 
