Methods to assess cetaceans' abundance in Italian waters As you know, Italy has taken several commitments in terms of monitoring populations, in accordance with a number of international Conventions, Agreements, European Directives and Regulations such as, the CBD, ACCOBAMS, the Pelagos Sanctuary, the Habitats Directive and Regulation (EC) 812/2004. To strengthen the coherence among the different monitoring system and to enhance their scientific appropriateness the Italian Agency for Environmental Protection and Technical Services (APAT, www.apat.gov.it), the Central Institute of Marine Research (ICRAM, www.icram.org), and the National Consortium inter-universities of Marine Sciences (CoNISMa, www.conisma.it) organized a workshop on "Methods to assess cetaceans' abundance in Italian waters". The workshop is supported by the Ministry of Environment of the Land and the Sea (www.minambiente.it). The workshop, that will be held in Rome on the 21st and 22nd of April 2008, is aimed to focus on standardisation of methods for data collection to estimate absolute abundance. The first day will be open to the participation of all interested people and invited observers. The second day will be organised in working groups and will be limited to Italian scientist operating in this field. The main goal of the workshop is to provide an agreed methodological basis on which relevant administrations could build up a national monitoring system for cetaceans' abundance and coordinate research efforts. You are kindly invited to attend the first day. Registration form at: www.apat.gov.it Best regards, Organizing Committes