Apologies for cross posting
The following workshop, sponsored by
the ASCOBANS & ACCOBAMS Regional Conservation Agreements, will be
held at the forthcoming ECS Conference:
ECS/ASCOBANS/ACCOBAMS Workshop on
"THE CHALLENGE OF SPATIALLY MANAGING
CETACEANS
- A HIGHLY MOBILE ANIMAL GROUP"
to be held in Setubal, Portugal, Sunday 7 April
2013
Organising Committee: Peter
Evans, Heidrun Frisch (ASCOBANS Secretariat), Marie-Christine
Grillo-Compulsione (ACCOBAMS
Secretariat), Erich Hoyt, Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara, and Michael
Tetley
During its history, the European
Cetacean Society has held two workshops on Marine Protected Areas, the
first entitled "Protected Areas for Cetaceans" was held in
Valencia, Spain in April 1999, and the second "Selection Criteria
for Protected Areas for Cetaceans" in San Sebastian, Spain in April
2007, in conjunction with the international conservation agreements,
ASCOBANS and ACCOBAMS. These workshops introduced the concept of
marine protected areas for cetaceans, the various functions they can
serve, and recommended criteria for use in their
selection.
The main piece of legislation catering for MPAs in Europe has been the
EU Habitats Directive with the Natura 2000 network of Special Areas of
Conservation for Annex I habitats and Annex II species. However, the
Natura 2000 network has been of limited benefit for marine mammals in
general. First, amongst cetaceans, only harbour porpoise and
bottlenose dolphin are considered for SAC designation, and offshore
foraging areas for seals have scarcely been considered. Second, many
countries have been slow to propose cetacean SACs and where they have
done, they often comprise only small areas covering a minor portion of
the range of the population they were established to protect. Thirdly,
even once an SAC has been designated for a marine mammal species,
managing threats to that species remains a
challenge.
The concept of marine spatial planning and the zoning of areas for
different activities and with different levels of protection has
become incorporated in the new EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive.
Beyond the European Union, countries throughout Europe and adjacent
seas are looking to ways to establish wider marine protected areas,
although focus remains upon the coastal zone where potential conflict
with human activities is greatest. This inevitably presents many
challenges, particularly for highly mobile marine species such as
cetaceans. In addition, the work undertaken through OSPAR and the
Barcelona Convention on the identification of Ecologically or
Biologically Significant Areas, and the development of representative
networks of MPAs including not only national waters but also the high
seas, is of particular relevance for cetacean
conservation.
This workshop proposes to examine best
ways to spatially manage threats to marine mammals in Europe and
adjacent seas both within and beyond MPAs. Attention will be paid to
the areas covered by the two Regional Agreements, including the area
of overlap. The intention is to draw upon the direct experiences of
policy makers, managers and scientists using case studies where
appropriate from Europe and beyond; and to examine possible approaches
to improve MPA management so that it can deal with the wide range of
threats that impact marine mammal populations throughout their range.
Emphasis should be placed upon consideration of large zoned MPAs and
the incorporation of multiple species across marine taxa as well as
more general ecosystem considerations.
The workshop will run from 9.30 am
until 6.00 pm, and will have session themes covering both Problems and
possible Solutions, followed by a general discussion
session. There will be a charge of 25 euros per
person.
Anyone interested in participating or offering a talk, please
contact me at <peter.evans@bangor.ac.uk>. Further details with a
programme will be sent closer to the date of the workshop to those who
have registered to attend.
best regards,
Peter Evans
on behalf of Workshop Organising Committee
--
Dr Peter G.H. Evans
Director
Sea Watch Foundation,
Ewyn y Don,
Bull Bay,
Amlwch,
Isle of Anglesey
Wales LL68 9SD
Hon. Senior Lecturer
School of Ocean Sciences,
University of Bangor,
Menai Bridge,
Anglesey, Wales LL59 5AB
Tel: 01407-832892
Mobile: 0776-556-6102
E-mail: peter.evans@bangor.ac.uk>
--
Rhif Elusen Gofrestredig / Registered Charity No. 1141565
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