Decisions 12.42 to 12.43 - Adverse Impacts of Anthropogenic Noise on Cetaceans and Other Migratory Species

The Secretariat should:

a) Draw this Decision to the attention of other relevant intergovernmental organizations and initiatives, such as the United Nations Environment Programme, United Nations Environment Assembly, Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans, United Nations Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea (UNICPOLOS), Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), International Maritime Organisation (IMO), International Whaling Commission (IWC), Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), Western Hemisphere Migratory Species Initiative (WHMSI), Western African Aquatic Mammals Memorandum of Understanding, Pacific Island Cetaceans Memorandum of Understanding, and North Atlantic Treay Organization (NATO) (and any other relevant military organization), and to keep those bodies informed of progress in implementing  UNEP/CMS/Resolution 12.14 on Adverse Impacts of Anthropogenic Noise on Cetaceans and Other Migratory Species;

b) Draw this Decision to the attention of the IMO with a view to ensuring the minimization of the harmful effects of shipping noise on cetaceans and other biota;

c) Convey the adopted Guidelines to ACCOBAMS and ASCOBANS, as well as Signatories of relevant Memoranda of Understanding concluded under CMS.

The Scientific Council should:

a) Assess the need for, and if required develop, subject to the availability of resources, voluntary guidelines on activities of concern;

b) Assess the need for updating the CMS Family Guidelines on Environmental Impact Assessment for Marine Noise-generating Activities.