Technical Dugong Meeting for SWIO Range States

Antananarivo, 4-6 August 2010 – The Technical Meeting for the Conservation of the Dugong and its Habitat in the South West Indian Ocean (SWIO) brought together 29 participants to Madagascar representing eight dugong range states from the East African coast and Western Indian Ocean Islands: Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Mayotte, Seychelles, Somalia and Tanzania. Participants from Somalia were present for the first time as a range state at a meeting concerning the Dugong MoU. The Meeting was opened by the Honorable General de Brigade Herilanto Raveloharison, Minister of the Environment, Forests and Water, and received a high level of local media attention.

One of the main focuses of the workshop was to discuss the use of the UNEP/CMS Standardised Dugong Catch/By-catch Survey Questionnaire and methodology in the SWIO region. Dr. Nicolas Pilcher, Technical Advisor on the Standardised Survey Methodology from the Marine Research Foundation (Malaysia), provided information on the development and application of the survey questionnaire. Issues in relation to sampling protocols, ensuring data integrity and how to address specific cultural or sensitive circumstances specific to range states were also discussed. Projects will be initiated and supported in part by small grants provided via the Dugong MoU Secretariat.

There was strong interest and support from most range states to use the survey questionnaire to obtain additional data on dugong distribution, abundance and impacts. All participants also exchanged information on in-country dugong research, monitoring and management activities. There was strong agreement and commitment by all range states that a strategic sub-regional approach was needed.