ASCOBANS
Encyclopedia
ASCOBANS is a regional agreement on the protection of small cetaceans that was concluded as the “Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic and North Seas” under the auspices of the UNEP Convention on Migratory Species, or Bonn Convention, in September 1991 and came into force in March 1994. In February 2008, an extension of the agreement area came into force which changed the name to “Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic, North East Atlantic, Irish and North Seas”. ASCOBANS covers all species of toothed whales (Odontoceti) in the Agreement Area, with the exception of the sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus).
ns live in the Baltic
, Irish
and North Sea
s and the North East Atlantic, including dolphins, whales and harbour porpoises. The harbour porpoise
is the most common small cetacean species in the North Sea and the only cetacean species native to the Baltic Sea and therefore is the flagship species of the Agreement.
As migratory species, cetaceans face of a number of threats caused by human activities. These include habitat loss, marine pollution, acoustic disturbances from various sources and, most importantly, incidental catch by entanglement in fishing gear, so-called bycatch
. Every year, thousands of whales, dolphins and porpoises fall victim to bycatch, drowning because they can no longer swim up to the surface for a breath of air.
Originally only covering the North and Baltic Sea, as of 3 February 2008 the ASCOBANS Area has been extended to include also the Irish Sea and parts of the North Eastern Atlantic. It is defined as follows:
"… the marine environment of the Baltic and North Seas and contiguous area of the North East Atlantic, as delimited by the shores of the Gulfs of Bothnia and Finland; to the south-east by latitude 36°N
, where this line of latitude meets the line joining the lighthouses of Cape St. Vincent (Portugal) and Casablanca (Morocco); to the south-west by latitude 36°N
and longitude 15°W
; to the north-west by longitude 15°W and a line drawn through the following points: latitude 59°N
/longitude 15°W, latitude 60°N
/longitude 5°W
, latitude 61°N
/longitude 4°W
; latitude 62°N
/ longitude 3°W
; to the north by latitude 62°N; and including the Kattegat and the Sound and Belt passages."
(HELCOM). Adopted by the Parties at the fourth Meeting of the Parties (MoP 4) in 2003, the objectives of the plan are:
While not being under immediate threat in the North Sea, the populations of harbour porpoises living in this area also face pressure through high bycatch rates and other factors. Therefore, a Conservation Plan for harbour porpoises in the North Sea is under development and will be presented to Parties at their 6th Meeting in 2009.
Since 2003, the International Day of the Baltic Harbour Porpoise, which is observed each year on the 3rd Sunday in May in institutions throughout the Baltic riparian states, has spread awareness of the plight of the harbour porpoise. The ASCOBANS Secretariat publishes a periodic newsletter, which informs about latest activities. Subscriptions are possible via the ASCOBANS website.
ASCOBANS is a partner to the Year of the Dolphin
.
Background
Numerous species of small cetaceaCetacea
The order Cetacea includes the marine mammals commonly known as whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Cetus is Latin and is used in biological names to mean "whale"; its original meaning, "large sea animal", was more general. It comes from Ancient Greek , meaning "whale" or "any huge fish or sea...
ns live in the Baltic
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
, Irish
Irish Sea
The Irish Sea separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is connected to the Celtic Sea in the south by St George's Channel, and to the Atlantic Ocean in the north by the North Channel. Anglesey is the largest island within the Irish Sea, followed by the Isle of Man...
and North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
s and the North East Atlantic, including dolphins, whales and harbour porpoises. The harbour porpoise
Harbour Porpoise
The harbour porpoise is one of six species of porpoise. It is one of the smallest marine mammals. As its name implies, it stays close to coastal areas or river estuaries, and as such, is the most familiar porpoise to whale watchers. This porpoise often ventures up rivers, and has been seen...
is the most common small cetacean species in the North Sea and the only cetacean species native to the Baltic Sea and therefore is the flagship species of the Agreement.
As migratory species, cetaceans face of a number of threats caused by human activities. These include habitat loss, marine pollution, acoustic disturbances from various sources and, most importantly, incidental catch by entanglement in fishing gear, so-called bycatch
Bycatch
The term “bycatch” is usually used for fish caught unintentionally in a fishery while intending to catch other fish. It may however also indicate untargeted catch in other forms of animal harvesting or collecting...
. Every year, thousands of whales, dolphins and porpoises fall victim to bycatch, drowning because they can no longer swim up to the surface for a breath of air.
Organisational structure
The Agreement has three main bodies that collaborate towards the implementation of ASCOBANS:Meeting of the Parties
The Meeting of the Parties is the decision-making body of the Agreement. It meets every three years to assess progress and develop further steps in the implementation of ASCOBANS. Apart from the Member States, Non-Party Range States and relevant regional, intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations can attain observer status to attend MOP meetings without having a decision-making mandate themselves.Advisory Committee
Each Party to the Agreement can nominate one member and a number of advisors to the Advisory Committee, which meets once a year. The role of the Committee is to provide scientific and policy advice to the Secretariat (see below) and the Meeting of the Parties. As with the MOP, external observers may take part in AC meetings, while the nominated members are the sole decision makers.Secretariat
The ASCOBANS Secretariat, located in Bonn, acts as the coordinating body of the Agreement. It gathers and disseminates information to the MOP and the AC. It plays an important role in awareness-raising and provides advice and support to the Parties, assisting them in the implementation of the agreement. It services the sessions of the Meeting of the Parties and meetings of the Advisory Committee. The ASCOBANS Secretariat along with other Regional Agreement Secretariats within the framework of the Bonn Convention is integrated into the Agreements Unit of the CMS Secretariat. The 5th Meeting of the Parties of ASCOBANS (2006) decided that from 1 January 2007 the UNEP/CMS Secretariat would serve as the Secretariat for the ASCOBANS Agreement; and the Executive Secretary of UNEP/CMS would be the acting Executive Secretary of ASCOBANS for a provisional three-year period.Species
The most important species covered by the Agreement are:- harbour porpoiseHarbour PorpoiseThe harbour porpoise is one of six species of porpoise. It is one of the smallest marine mammals. As its name implies, it stays close to coastal areas or river estuaries, and as such, is the most familiar porpoise to whale watchers. This porpoise often ventures up rivers, and has been seen...
(Phocoena phocoena) - bottlenose dolphinBottlenose DolphinBottlenose dolphins, the genus Tursiops, are the most common and well-known members of the family Delphinidae, the family of oceanic dolphins. Recent molecular studies show the genus contains two species, the common bottlenose dolphin and the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin , instead of one...
(Tursiops truncatus) - common dolphinCommon dolphinThe common dolphin is the name given to two species of dolphin making up the genus Delphinus.Prior to the mid-1990s, most taxonomists only recognised one species in this genus, the common dolphin Delphinus delphis...
(Delphinus delphis) - white-beaked dolphinWhite-beaked DolphinThe White-beaked dolphin is a marine mammal belonging to the family Delphinidae in the suborder Odontoceti .-Taxonomy:...
(Lagenorhynchus albirostris) - Atlantic white-sided dolphinAtlantic White-sided DolphinThe Atlantic White-sided Dolphin is a distinctively coloured dolphin found in the cool to temperate waters of the North Atlantic Ocean.-Taxonomy:...
(Lagenorhynchus acutus) - striped dolphinStriped DolphinThe Striped Dolphin is an extensively studied dolphin that is found in temperate and tropical waters of all the world's oceans.-Taxonomy:...
(Stenella coeruleoalba) - Risso’s dolphin (Grampus griseus)
- killer whale (Orcinus orca)
- long-finned pilot whaleLong-finned Pilot WhaleThe long-finned pilot whale is one of the two species of cetacean in the genus Globicephala. It belongs to the oceanic dolphin family , though its behavior is closer to that of the larger whales.-Description:...
(Globicephala melas) - northern bottle-nosed whale (Hyperoodon ampullatus) and
- other beaked whaleBeaked whaleBeaked whales are 21 species of toothed whales, members of the family Ziphiidae, are notable for their elongated beaks. Beaked whales are one of the world's most extreme divers. They can dive for long periods—20 to 30 minutes is common, and 85 minute dives have been recorded—and to...
s (Ziphiidae).
Agreement area and member states
ASCOBANS is open for accession by all Range States (i.e. any state that exercises jurisdiction over any part of the range of a species covered by the Agreement or whose flag vessels engage in operations adversely affecting small cetaceans in the Agreement area) and by regional economic integration organisations.Originally only covering the North and Baltic Sea, as of 3 February 2008 the ASCOBANS Area has been extended to include also the Irish Sea and parts of the North Eastern Atlantic. It is defined as follows:
"… the marine environment of the Baltic and North Seas and contiguous area of the North East Atlantic, as delimited by the shores of the Gulfs of Bothnia and Finland; to the south-east by latitude 36°N
36th parallel north
The 36th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 36 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Africa, the Mediterranean Sea, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America and the Atlantic Ocean....
, where this line of latitude meets the line joining the lighthouses of Cape St. Vincent (Portugal) and Casablanca (Morocco); to the south-west by latitude 36°N
36th parallel north
The 36th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 36 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Africa, the Mediterranean Sea, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America and the Atlantic Ocean....
and longitude 15°W
15th meridian west
The meridian 15° west of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, Greenland, Iceland, the Atlantic Ocean, Africa, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole....
; to the north-west by longitude 15°W and a line drawn through the following points: latitude 59°N
59th parallel north
The 59th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 59 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean....
/longitude 15°W, latitude 60°N
60th parallel north
The 60th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 60 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean....
/longitude 5°W
5th meridian west
The meridian 5° west of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, Europe, Africa, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole....
, latitude 61°N
61st parallel north
The 61st parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 61 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses the Atlantic Ocean, Europe, Asia and North America....
/longitude 4°W
4th meridian west
The meridian 4° west of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, Europe, Africa, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole....
; latitude 62°N
62nd parallel north
The 62nd parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 62 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses the Atlantic Ocean, Europe, Asia and North America....
/ longitude 3°W
3rd meridian west
The meridian 3° west of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, Europe, Africa, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole....
; to the north by latitude 62°N; and including the Kattegat and the Sound and Belt passages."
Harbour porpoise conservation
The need for a recovery plan for the Baltic Sea harbour porpoise has long been acknowledged internationally since only about 600 individuals are estimated to be left in the Baltic Proper. The Jastarnia Plan, a Recovery Plan for Harbour Porpoises in the Baltic Sea was drawn up under the auspices of ASCOBANS over the course of several years, in close collaboration with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Helsinki CommissionBaltic Marine Environment Protection Commission
The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission is an international organization governing the Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area . HELCOM works on protection of the marine environment of the Baltic Sea...
(HELCOM). Adopted by the Parties at the fourth Meeting of the Parties (MoP 4) in 2003, the objectives of the plan are:
- To reduce the annual bycatch rate within the area surveyed in 1995 to no more than 2 harbour porpoises;
- To improve scientific knowledge in key subject areas;
- To develop more specific recovery targets based on the latest population and bycatch data.
While not being under immediate threat in the North Sea, the populations of harbour porpoises living in this area also face pressure through high bycatch rates and other factors. Therefore, a Conservation Plan for harbour porpoises in the North Sea is under development and will be presented to Parties at their 6th Meeting in 2009.
Public reception
Over the years, the Agreement has appeared in a number of newspapers, both national and international. Attention has been drawn to ASCOBANS activities, successes and setbacks. While the WWF praised ASCOBANS’ efforts towards bycatch reduction in 2001, it voiced criticism in 2004 claiming that gaping loopholes in ASCOBANS agreements permit the continued unnecessary killing of small cetaceans by fishermen, and that stronger measures would reduce mammalian bycatch. Meanwhile, in 2005, the TAZ presented the crucial role ASCOBANS plays in the protection of harbour porpoises in the Baltic Sea – pointing out the successful introduction of a regulation that by 2007 all fishing vessels be equipped with pingers to warn porpoises and hence avert bycatch. In a more recent statement, the Gesellschaft zum Schutz der Meeressäugetiere, GSM, has called for increased attention to the work of ASCOBANS on the wider scale. Some NGOs have voiced concern about possible effects of the changed Secretariat arrangements since January 2007, which they see as weakening the capacity of this body of the Agreement.Since 2003, the International Day of the Baltic Harbour Porpoise, which is observed each year on the 3rd Sunday in May in institutions throughout the Baltic riparian states, has spread awareness of the plight of the harbour porpoise. The ASCOBANS Secretariat publishes a periodic newsletter, which informs about latest activities. Subscriptions are possible via the ASCOBANS website.
ASCOBANS is a partner to the Year of the Dolphin
Year of the Dolphin
The year 2007 was proposed and declared as the Year of the Dolphin by the United Nations and United Nations Environment Programme , along with the UN Convention on Migratory Species, and its specialized agreements on dolphin conservation ACCOBAMS and ASCOBANS and the WDCS.-Background:Dolphins are...
.