CMS - The Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans
in the Baltic and North Seas (ASCOBANS)
Small cetaceans are found in nearly all of the world's seas
and in some inland waters. Several species occur in the North Sea
and, more rarely, in the Baltic. These dolphins and porpoises, in
common with others worldwide, are highly mobile following their
prey over long distances. They encounter a variety of man-made
threats, including accidental entanglement in fishing gear
(bycatch), marine pollution, acoustic disturbance, and competition
with fisheries. Since cetaceans regularly cross national
boundaries, their effective protection requires international
cooperation.
Agreement on the
Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic, North East Atlantic,
Irish and North Seas (ASCOBANS) was adopted in New York,
USA in 1992 and came into force in1994. The aim of the Agreement is
to promote close cooperation amongst Parties with a view to
achieving and maintaining a favourable conservation status for
small cetaceans. A Conservation and Management Plan forming part of
the Agreement obliges Parties to engage in habitat conservation and
management, surveys and research, pollution mitigation and public
information. To achieve its aim, ASCOBANS cooperates with Range
States that have not (yet) acceded to the Agreement, relevant
intergovernmental organisations and non-governmental
organisations.
The UK ratified ASCOBANS in 1993, and housed the ASCOBANS
Secretariat until 1998. ASCOBANS is applied in all UK waters,
including those outside the boundaries of the Agreement, in
accordance with existing statutory protection for cetacean species.
Research and management efforts are focused towards the problem of
cetaceans by-caught in fishing nets and to minimising disturbance
to cetaceans as a result of seismic exploration activity,
cetacean-watching and leisure activities. The Department for
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) acts as the UK
coordinating authority for ASCOBANS, and regularly hosts meetings
with other government departments, statutory agencies, and
non-government organisations (NGO), to assess and help ensure the
UK's continued compliance with the Agreement's obligations.
JNCC contributes to ASCOBANS through
providing advice and baseline data to Government and through
establishing initiatives under the Agreement to conserve cetaceans.
We also provide scientific support for Defra at the annual Advisory
Committee meetings. Guidelines have been established by JNCC for
preventing injury during seismic surveys, pile-driving and
explosive use, which were drawn up partly in response to ASCOBANS.
JNCC has acted as Chair or vice Chair of the Advisory Committee of
ASCOBANS since its establishment in 1994 until 2008.
Feburary 2010