Abu Dhabi, 22 September 2016 - The Third Meeting of Signatories (MOS3) to the Dugong MOU will take place on 13–14 March 2017 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. 

The Dugong MOU is a legally non-binding instrument under the auspices of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) with 26 Signatories currently. With a range extending over 40 countries from East Africa to Vanuatu, dugongs play an important role in the culture and livelihood of many coastal communities, and their conservation benefits marine biodiversity. As such, effective conservation of dugongs and their seagrass habitats requires internationally coordinated policies and collaborative efforts by all the Range States involved. MOS3 is an opportunity for Signatory States, Range States, relevant intergovernmental organisations, and non-governmental and private sector agencies to come together to promote cooperation efforts for the ongoing conservation of dugongs and their seagrass habitats.

The meeting will review the implementation of the Dugong MOU and provide an overview of ongoing initiatives and the progression of dugong conservation projects during the three-year period since MOS2 was held (February 2013 in Manila, Philippines). One of the key issues will be for the Signatories to consider the need to review and update the Dugong MOU Conservation and Management Plan. Among the other topics to be discussed will be Standardised Dugong Catch and Incidental Catch Surveying, the Global Environment Facility Dugong & Seagrass Conservation Project, the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association Dugong Project and the E-Resource Kit. Overall, discussion will contribute to developing future policies and directions with a view to promoting effective and sustainable dugong and seagrass conservation and encouraging partners to make the most of the resources available to them.

A Signing Ceremony for new Signatories is anticipated to be held at MOS3.  Any Range State interested in signing the Dugong MOU is kindly requested to contact the Secretariat at their earliest convenience via [email protected].

As information becomes available and the meeting documents are developed, they will be posted on the MOS3 webpage. Please note that when pre-registration for MOS3 opens, a link will be made available on the meeting webpage. In addition, all Signatories, non-Signatory Range States and other stakeholders are encouraged to contribute to the success of the meeting by presenting their work, or any related issues of interest, at a side-event.  If you wish to organize one in the margins of MOS3, please complete the appropriate section of the pre-registration form when it is made available.

The official CMS notification 2016/022 for MOS3 is available online and formal invitations will be issued by the Dugong MOU Secretariat in due course.

There will be a Technical Workshop taking place after MOS3 on 15–16 March 2017.  More information will be shared on the Technical Workshop once it becomes available.

We look forward to seeing you in Abu Dhabi!