ASCOBANS


	2006 (22 December 2006) Third meeting of the Jastarnia Group, Copenhagen, Denmark, 19-21 February 2007 The UNEP/ASCOBANS Jastarnia Group will meet for the third time from 19 - 21 February 2007, in Copenhagen, Denmark. The meeting will be organized by the UNEP/ASCOBANS Secretariat and hosted by the Danish Nature and Forest Agency. The Jastarnia Group was established to carry forward the Agreement's Recovery Plan for Baltic Harbour Porpoises (Jastarnia Plan). Participants from the Baltic Parties to ASCOBANS and Baltic Range States will attend the meeting. More infos: The Jastarnia Group was established within the framework of the UNEP/ASCOBANS Recovery Plan for Baltic Harbour Porpoises to carry forward the relevant recommendations of the Jastarnia Plan. (22 December 2006) Second "ASCOBANS Award" winner to be decided on at 14th Meeting of the Advisory Committee At the 14th Meeting of the Advisory Committee, to be held in San Sebastián, Spain, 19-21 April 2007, the Jury will decide on the winner of the 2nd ASCOBANS Award, which will be presented to the winner at a later date to be announced on this website. The award will go to an individual or institution in recognition of the best cetacean conservation-related PR/educational initiative. On the occasion of the 12th Meeting of the Advisory Committee (Brest, France, 12-14 April 2005), the ASCOBANS Award was presented to the University of Gdansk's Hel Marine Station, Hel, Poland, in recognition of their continuous and highly creative educational work. Parties, NGOs or others can bring nominations for the ASCOBANS Award to the attention of the Secretariat. For further information, please see the Terms of Reference for the ASCOBANS Award on this website. GSM announces winners of its harbour porpoise photo and video competition The harbour porpoise is generally considered to be a very elusive animal, so the organisers at GSM were delighted to receive a total of 63 entries for their photo and video competition, which was announced in May 2006 as one of GSM's activities to mark the International Day of the Baltic Harbour Porpoise. The environmental aid association Deutsche Umwelthilfe provided very welcome financial support for the venture. In October, a jury made up of Dr Harald Benke, Director of the German Oceanographic Museum in Stralsund, Christiane Flatken, Picture Editor of the TV magazine HÖRZU, photographer Peter Neumann of YPS (Yacht Photo Service), and the Executive Secretary of ASCOBANS, Rüdiger Strempel, met to judge the entries. Their decision to award first prize for the photograph submitted by Danish businessman Ulrik Ramsing was unanimous. This shows a harbour porpoise jumping clear of the water, with the vast red hull of a ship in the background. The best competition entries were unveiled at the Oceanographic Museum in Stralsund on 20 October, where the winners were awarded valuable prizes donated by sponsors. The competition was part of the GSM campaign Sailors on the lookout for harbour porpoises, which has been very successful in encouraging yachtsmen and others regularly at sea to report sightings of marine mammals. GSM hopes that this event will contribute to increasing awareness of this little-known but seriously endangered species. 2nd Session of the 5th Meeting of the Parties to ASCOBANS to take place in The Hague on 12 December 2006 The 5th Meeting of the Parties (MOP 5) to ASCOBANS was scheduled to take place in Egmond aan Zee, the Netherlands, from 18-22 September 2006. MOP 5 was, however, adjourned on 20 September 2006 as some budgetary and institutional issues could not be resolved immediately. The MOP will reconvene for the second session at 9.30 a.m. on 12 December 2006 at the World Forum Convention Centre in The Hague. Parties and observers underscored the importance of ASCOBANS as a regional player in the cetacean conservation game and charted an ambitious course for the Agreement in the coming years. Thus, the first session of MOP 5 laid the groundwork for an increase in ASCOBANS activities. Numerous issues such as the implementation of the Jastarnia Plan, the further development of a conservation plan for harbour porpoises in the North Sea, the extension of the Agreement expected to enter into force in 2007, the possible extension of the scope of ASCOBANS to cover all species of cetaceans in the Agreement area, scientific workshops to be carried out within the framework of the Agreement, and outreach and educational work were discussed. Relevant resolutions were adopted. The second session of MOP 5 in December 2006 will likely be devoted largely to issues related to the budget of the Agreement and to future arrangements for the ASCOBANS Secretariat. 17 September 2006 - ACCOBAMS celebrates its 10th Anniversary On 17 September, the Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Contiguous Atlantic Area celebrates its 10th anniversary. This event marks ten years of successful work for the conservation of cetaceans in the ACCOBAMS agreement area and, moreover, a decade of cooperation between ASCOBANS and ACCOBAMS for the benefit of cetaceans in European regional seas. ASCOBANS wishes to congratulate its younger (but larger!) sister Agreement and looks forward to continued and enhanced cooperation between the two Agreements. More UN launch the Year of the Dolphin 2007 Campaign The Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), along with ACCOBAMS and ASCOBANS, have designated 2007 UNEP the Year of the Dolphin (YoD). This campaign will involve Governments, NGOs and the private sector around the world to emphasize the need to protect dolphin species. The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) and TUI are partners. "The Year of the Dolphin gives me the opportunity to renew my firm commitment toward protecting marine biodiversity. With this strong initiative we can make a difference to save these fascinating marine mammals from the brink of extinction", said H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, the patron of the campaign. The Year of the Dolphin will be launched at a public event on Larvotto's beach in Monaco on 17 September 2006. Together with professional divers and the Executive Secretary of the Monaco-based "Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and contiguous Atlantic Area" (ACCOBAMS), Prince Albert will submerge the statue of a dolphin in the Larvotto Reserve to mark the tenth Anniversary of the Agreement and its achievements during the last decade. The statue is a tribute to the memory of Prince Rainier III. Representatives of the Convention on Migratory Species and other UN officials and representatives and of Monegasque institutions will attend the event. For more information see also: www.cms.int www.accobams.org www.yod2007.org 5th Meeting of the Parties, Egmond aan Zee, The Netherlands 18-22 September 2006 From the 18-22 September 2006, The 5th Meeting of the Parties to the Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic and North Seas (UNEP/ASCOBANS) will take place in the pleasant seaside resort of Egmond aan Zee, The Netherlands. At the invitation of the Government of the Netherlands, representatives of the 10 ASCOBANS Parties as well as Range States that have not (yet) acceded to the Agreement, and a large number of intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations will meet to progress the conservation of small cetaceans in the ASCOBANS Agreement area. Following a resolution by the 4th Meeting of Parties to ASCOBANS (Esbjerg, Denmark, 19-22 August 2003) this area will soon cover not only the Baltic and the North Seas but also parts of the Eastern North Atlantic, incorporating waters adjacent to Ireland, Portugal, and Spain into the Agreement area. This extension closes the gap between the areas of ASCOBANS and its sister agreement, the Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black and Mediterranean Seas and the contiguous Atlantic Area (ACCOBAMS). The Meeting will chart the course for the Agreement's activities in the coming triennium and also take stock of progress and achievements in the past three years. Delegates will focus on important issues such as bycatch, adverse effects of noise, vessels and other forms of disturbance on small cetaceans, and species abundance. Other important topics on the agenda are the implementation of the ASCOBANS Recovery Plan for Baltic harbour porpoises (Jastarnia Plan) and a future conservation plan for harbour porpoises in the North Sea. The possible extension of the Agreement's scope to cover all species of cetaceans occurring in the Agreement area will also be discussed. In addition to these substantive issues, Parties will also take decisions on budgetary, administrative, legal and promotional issues concerning the Agreement. To view the 5th Meeting of the Parties documents please visit the following link: Documents GSM announces photo and video competition on harbour porpoises The Society for the Conservation of Marine Mammals (GSM) is happy to announce a Photograph and Video competition. This is the result of the large number of photos and videos received in 2005 featuring harbour porpoises, for which GSM is very grateful. The objective of the contest is to obtain as many pictures as possible of a marine animal that hardly anybody has ever seen. There are very attractive prizes for the winners. All entries must be received by 30 September 2006. For more information about this event please visit the following link: http://www.gsm-ev.de/fotoindex.htm UNEP/ASCOBANS Secretariat moves to UN Campus Bonn The UNEP/ASCOBANS Secretariat> is pleased to join 10 other UN organizations - including UNEP/CMS and the other Bonn-based members of the CMS family, UNEP/AEWA and UNEP/EUROBATS - in moving to new premises in Bonn. Our relocation will take place on the 16th of June 2006. The new building was formerly used by the German Parliament and is known locally as the "Langer Eugen" after a former President of the Parliament. It is part of the newly established UN Campus. The Government of Germany is generously providing this new location. Our new contact details are: The Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic and North Seas UNEP/ASCOBANS Secretariat Hermann-Ehlers-Str. 10 53113 Bonn, Germany Telephone numbers and email remain unchanged: Tel. +49-(0)228-815 2416 Fax +49-(0)228-815 2440 e-mail: ascobans@ascobans.org http://www.ascobans.org World Biodiversity Day and World Environment Day 2006 - the ASCOBANS contribution The months of May and August are marked by several international days dedicated to the environment, protection of biodiversity or even specifically to the conservation of small cetaceans. As in past years, ASCOBANS took advantage of these special days to raise awareness of small cetaceans and issues related to their conservation by participating in or contributing to various public events. In addition to the IDBHP (for more details cf. below) which was celebrated in countries around the Baltic Sea, the Secretariat was involved in two further International Day events in Bonn. The celebration of Biodiversity Day at the Bonn International School took place on Monday 22 May 2006. Representatives from ASCOBANS, The Convention of Migratory Species (CMS) and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) worked together with the students to gain knowledge of the importance of the conservation of endangered species to help celebrate this day. For further information about this event please visit the following link: http://www.cms.int/news/PRESS/nwPR2006/May/nw230506_biodivday_bis.htm World Environment Day was celebrated at the high school Gesamtschule Bonn-Beuel on 5 June 2006. Representatives from both UNEP/CMS and UNEP/ASCOBANS were present. The Executive Secretary of UNEP/ASCOBANS, Rüdiger Strempel, informed students about the Agreement and its aims, inviting the students to participate in numerous activities relating to conservation. He also informed them about the upcoming year of the dolphin, which will provide ample opportunities for students to get involved. For further information about this event please visit the following link: http://www.cms.int/news/PRESS/nwPR2006/June/nw070606_WED.htm 13th Meeting of the Advisory Committee, in Finland from 25 - 27 April 2006. At the invitation of the Finnish Ministry of the Environment, representatives of 10 North Sea and Baltic Parties, one Non-Party Range State and a large number of intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations met in the Murikka Center, near Tampere, Finland from 25 - 27 April 2006 for the 13th Meeting of the Advisory Committee (AC) to the Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic and North Seas (UNEP/ASCOBANS). The Advisory Committee addressed many topics; the most important on the Agreement's agenda was bycatch and bycatch reduction. Other topics the meeting dealt with were the implementation of the ASCOBANS Recovery Plan for Baltic harbour porpoises (Jastarnia Plan), the elaboration of a recovery plan for harbour porpoises in the North Sea and the possible extension of the Agreement's scope to cover all species of cetaceans occurring in the Agreement area. Scientific issues were also on the agenda. The Meeting also discussed the preliminary results of last year's large-scale cetacean abundance survey ("SCANS II") and reviewed new information on population distribution, sizes and structures. Since this was the last AC Meeting prior to the 5th Meeting of the Parties (MOP) to ASCOBANS (to be held in Egmond aan Zee, Netherlands, from 19-22 September 2006), delegates laid the groundwork for that meeting. The AC reviewed numerous draft resolutions for the upcoming MOP and also discussed the draft workplan for the coming triennium (2007-2009). 21 May 2006- 4th International Day of the Baltic Harbour Porpoise The International Day of the Baltic Harbour Porpoise was once again observed in numerous countries around the Baltic Sea. In addition to institutions in UNEP/ASCOBANS Parties, The Natural History Museum in Riga, Latvia a Non-Party Range State, staged an exhibition on the occasion of the 4th IDBHP. In Bonn, the seat of UNEP/ASCOBANS Secretariat, the IDBHP was observed by the Secretariat in cooperation with Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Koenig and Bonner Personen Schiffahrt (BPS). An open house was given on 21. May 2006 from 10.00 - 18.00h on the riverboat "Moby Dick" courtesy of the Bonner Personen Schiffahrt. ASCOBANS and BPS joined forces to commemorate the appearance of the Beluga Whale nicknamed "Moby Dick" in Bonn in May 1966. The White Whale traveled for one month up the Rhine and stayed in the area of the former capital city for two days before swimming safely back to the open sea. Throughout the day, the documentary film "Tale of the White Whale" a production by Lichtblick Film was shown. Exhibitions about both ASCOBANS and BPS were also on display. In addition, special events such as face painting and a painting contest for children took place. This year, the following institutions and organizations staged special exhibitions or other events celebrating the 4th International Day of the Baltic Harbour Porpoise: Gesellschaft zum Schutz der Meeressäugetiere (GSM) in Quickborn, Germany; Havets Hus in Lysekil, Sweden; Hel Marine Station in Hel, Poland; Latvian Museum of Natural History in Riga, Latvia; Museum Koenig in Bonn, Germany; Särkänniemi Dolphinarium in Tampere, Finland. For more information about the 4th International Day of the Baltic Harbour Porpoise please visit the following websites: GSM: http://www.gsm-ev.de/ Havets Hus: http://www.havetshus.lysekil.se/ Hel Marine Station www.hel.univ.gda.pl Museum Koenig: http://www.museumkoenig.uni-bonn.de/ Natural History Museum Latvia: http://www.dabasmuzejs.gov.lv/en/ Särkänniemi Dolphinarium: www.sarkanniemi.fi/ Achim Steiner to Become New Executive Director of UNEP 16 March 2006: Today the General Assembly of the United Nations approved the recommendation of the UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, and elected Achim Steiner of Germany as the next UNEP Executive Director. Mr Steiner, currently Director General of the World Conservation Union (IUCN), is expected to take up his appointment on 15 June. He will become UNEP's fifth Executive Director since the organization was established in the early 1970s. ASCOBANS wishes to congratulate Mr. Steiner on his appointment. More Second meeting of the Jastarnia Group, Stralsund, 7 and 8 February 2006 On 7 and 8 March 2006, the UNEP/ASCOBANS Jastarnia Group will meet for the second time in Stralsund, Germany. The meeting will be organized by the UNEP/ASCOBANS Secretariat and hosted by the Maritime Museum Stralsund, Germany. The Jastarnia Group was established to carry forward the Agreement #8217;s Recovery Plan for Baltic Harbour Porpoises (Jastarnia Plan). Participants from the Baltic Parties to ASCOBANS and Latvia and Estonia will attend the meeting. More infos: The Jastarnia Group was established within the framework of the UNEP/ASCOBANS Recovery Plan for Baltic Harbour Porpoises to carry forward the relevant recommendations of the Jastarnia Plan. The report of the meeting is available on this website. more Infos: Jastarnia Plan finalized Jastarnia Plan to Save Baltic Harbour Porpoises 4th Meeting of the Parties to ASCOBANS, Esbjerg 12th meeting of the Advisory Committee, Brest News-Archive: News 2010 News 2009 News 2008 News 2007 News 2005 News 2004 News 2003 News 2002 News 2001 News 2000 [About Ascobans] [About Small Cetaceans] [FAQ] [News&Events] [Documents & Publications] [Contact us] [Links] [Home]