Green Balkans expert participated in the meeting that gathered the Scientific Committee members, ACCOBAMS Secretariat, representatives of international scientific organizations and ACCOBAMS Partners like Green Balkans NGO. ACCOBAMS Scientific Committee is a body that provides expert scientific advise to the Meeting of Parties consisting of qualified experts on cetaceans research and conservation. Usually it is convened once per year and topics related to the state of the cetacean populations, threats and research are discussed.
Main topics discussed at the Ninth Meeting were related to the different parts of the ACCOBAMS Work Programme for the Triennium 2014-2016. Regional representatives reported on the current projects and activities in the relevant regions: Western (including contiguous Atlantic), Central and Eastern Mediterranean, Black Sea. Serious concerns have been raised on the recent mass stranding of the threatened species Cuvier’s beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) on the Crete coast after naval exercises of NATO in the region. Unfortunately this is not the first such case and it turns into a major threat for that highly endangered species that was listed in Annex I of the Convention on Migratory Species.
It was interesting to find out that in the EU Member states (Spain, France, Portugal, Greece) large scale research projects in the offshore zones are under way on identification of important sites for the cetaceans to be decklared as SCI/SAC (NATURA 2000) under the EU Habitats Directive. The aim is assuring protection for these highly vulnerable species. We would like to remind that similar project was planned to be implemented also by Bulgarian Government through the Environmental Executive Agency but due to black media campaigns was undermined last summer thus missing a good opportunity for study of cetaceans in Bulgarian waters of the Black Sea that represent a large gap in the scientific knowledge for the basin.
Important topic was last developments in execution of one of the highest priorities for the Agreement Parties – basin wide survey for the whole ACCOBAMS area. More than 10 years since efforts for raising funds and coordination of that large-scale initiative have started aiming to aquire up to date information on the state of the cetaceans in the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea and contiguous Atlantic Ocean.
In the Black Sea region process on actualization of the Conservation Plan for Cetaceans in the Black Sea is planned and will be coordinated by the Black Sea Commission as well as a study on the origin of captive bottlenose dolphins in the region. Reason for the latter is the fact that Black Sea bottlenose dolphins as endemic subspecies are subject to strict regulation and their capture and keeping in captivity is prohibited. For information Bottlenose dolphins in Varna Dolphinarium originate from Atlantic Ocean while those at Constanta from China Sea.
Within the meeting a Workshop for ACCOBAMS Partners was held. The aim was to discuss options for collaboration between Secretariat and Partners as well among Partners themselves. Such workshop was organized for the first time and the Secretariat underlined the important role of the organizations that hold Partner status for successful implementation of the ACCOBAMS Work Programme and achievement of the set goals on study and conservation of cetaceans. It was decided to organize a mailing-list coordinated by the Secretariat for information exchange among partners and electronic newsletter to be published with news, funding opportunities and forthcoming initiatives aiming to improve sinergies among different organizations.
Main topics discussed at the Ninth Meeting were related to the different parts of the ACCOBAMS Work Programme for the Triennium 2014-2016. Regional representatives reported on the current projects and activities in the relevant regions: Western (including contiguous Atlantic), Central and Eastern Mediterranean, Black Sea. Serious concerns have been raised on the recent mass stranding of the threatened species Cuvier’s beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) on the Crete coast after naval exercises of NATO in the region. Unfortunately this is not the first such case and it turns into a major threat for that highly endangered species that was listed in Annex I of the Convention on Migratory Species.
It was interesting to find out that in the EU Member states (Spain, France, Portugal, Greece) large scale research projects in the offshore zones are under way on identification of important sites for the cetaceans to be decklared as SCI/SAC (NATURA 2000) under the EU Habitats Directive. The aim is assuring protection for these highly vulnerable species. We would like to remind that similar project was planned to be implemented also by Bulgarian Government through the Environmental Executive Agency but due to black media campaigns was undermined last summer thus missing a good opportunity for study of cetaceans in Bulgarian waters of the Black Sea that represent a large gap in the scientific knowledge for the basin.
Important topic was last developments in execution of one of the highest priorities for the Agreement Parties – basin wide survey for the whole ACCOBAMS area. More than 10 years since efforts for raising funds and coordination of that large-scale initiative have started aiming to aquire up to date information on the state of the cetaceans in the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea and contiguous Atlantic Ocean.
In the Black Sea region process on actualization of the Conservation Plan for Cetaceans in the Black Sea is planned and will be coordinated by the Black Sea Commission as well as a study on the origin of captive bottlenose dolphins in the region. Reason for the latter is the fact that Black Sea bottlenose dolphins as endemic subspecies are subject to strict regulation and their capture and keeping in captivity is prohibited. For information Bottlenose dolphins in Varna Dolphinarium originate from Atlantic Ocean while those at Constanta from China Sea.
Within the meeting a Workshop for ACCOBAMS Partners was held. The aim was to discuss options for collaboration between Secretariat and Partners as well among Partners themselves. Such workshop was organized for the first time and the Secretariat underlined the important role of the organizations that hold Partner status for successful implementation of the ACCOBAMS Work Programme and achievement of the set goals on study and conservation of cetaceans. It was decided to organize a mailing-list coordinated by the Secretariat for information exchange among partners and electronic newsletter to be published with news, funding opportunities and forthcoming initiatives aiming to improve sinergies among different organizations.
For more information:
Dimitar Popov, email: dpopov@greenbalkans.org
