Whales, dolphins and porpoises suffer
dramatic declines from by-catch in fishing nets
Bonn, 4 February 2010 –
Toothed whales are currently suffering from a major threat which is unsustainable
loss from by-catch in fishery operations. For 86% of all toothed whale species,
entanglement and death in gillnets, traps, weirs, purse seines, longlines and
trawls poses a major risk. Lack of food and forced dietary shifts due to
overfishing pose additional threats to 13 species.
These are among the
findings of a report launched today on the website of the Convention on the Conservation
of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (UNEP/CMS). A corresponding poster
available online shows for the first time all toothed whale species sorted
according to their conservation status as defined by the IUCN Red List of
Threatened Species ™.
This encyclopaedia on all
72 species of toothed whales includes the most recent scientific findings on
the distribution, migration, behaviour and threats to this group of whales.
Maps showing the currently known distribution of each species were provided by
IUCN and the Global Mammal Assessment.
UNEP/CMS Executive
Secretary Elizabeth Mrema said: “During the International Year of
Biodiversity, the Convention on Migratory Species continues to address major
threats such as by-catch, ship strikes, ocean noise impacts and climate change
to safeguard these charismatic marine mammals. Governments need to enhance
their efforts towards implementing targeted action plans under the Convention.”
Toothed whales occur
in a wide range of marine and freshwater habitats, from the Arctic to the
tropics. Some species live in large river systems such as the Amazon, Ganges,
Indus and Yangtze. For 41 of all toothed whales species, our knowledge is too
limited to even know if they are threatened or not. At the same time 6 species
of toothed whales that are listed on Appendix I of the Convention are on the brink
of extinction.
Many populations of toothed
whales were hunted almost to extinction and 50 species continue to be hunted,
often at unsustainable levels. Ingestion of plastic debris or the effects of
pollution by an ever increasing cocktail of chemicals have been reported for 48
species. Habitat degradation from dams and withdrawal of water from rivers and
lakes threatens 18 species while ship strikes have a serious impact on 14
species. Noise caused by seismic explorations, marine construction projects as
well as military sonar pose ever increasing threats to these marine mammals.
Based on the Review of
Small Cetaceans published by CMS in 2003, this report includes the Sperm Whale as
the only large toothed whale as well as the Australian Snubfin Dolphin and the
Guiana Dolphin as new species. Since 2003, the conservation status of the
toothed whales has worsened dramatically. The Baiji River Dolphin, which used
to live in the Yangtze River, is now probably extinct as no living specimens
have been documented in the wild since 2002. With only 150 individuals remaining
in the wild, the Vaquita, a porpoise living in the northern Gulf of California,
is facing the same destiny. Entanglement in fishing gear claimed an
unsustainably high death toll on both species.
Data collection on
the distribution, behaviour and migration of toothed whales, as reflected in
research for the CMS can facilitate the development and implementation of
action plans that can help reduce the threats to many whale species. Being an
official partner of the International Year of Biodiversity,
the Convention on Migratory
Species has joined the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to raise awareness
of the importance of biodiversity on a global scale. CMS, which has been
recognized as CBD’s lead partner on issues regarding migratory species,
continues to take steps to stress the importance of biodiversity for our
well-being and enhance efforts to reduce the rate of biodiversity loss.
Notes to Editors:
The full species reports for
the toothed whales authored by Boris Culik from Kiel University, Germany, can
be downloaded from www.cms.int. The publication
is a joint effort of CMS,
ACCOBAMS, ASCOBANS, IUCN, WWF and Loro Parque
Foundation. The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild
Animals, also known as the Bonn Convention, works for the conservation of a
wide array of endangered migratory animals such as whales and dolphins
worldwide through the negotiation and implementation of agreements and species
action plans. With currently 113 member countries, many of them in Africa, CMS
is a fastgrowing convention with special importance due to its expertise in the
field of migratory species.
Under the Convention, the
following regional treaties were concluded to protect whales and dolphins: Agreement
on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and
Contiguous Atlantic Area (ACCOBAMS), Agreement on the Conservation of Small
Cetaceans of the Baltic, North East Atlantic, Irish and North Seas (ASCOBANS),
Memorandum of Understanding for the Conservation of Cetaceans and their Habitats
in the Pacific Islands Region and the Memorandum of Understanding concerning
the Conservation of the Manatee and Small Cetaceans of Western Africa and
Macaronesia.
For more information please
contact:
Veronika Lenarz, Public
Information, UNEP/CMS Secretariat, on Tel.: +49 228 815 2409 or e-mail: vlenarz@cms.int,
www.cms.int
UNEP/CMS Secretariat
Public Information
Herrman-Ehlers-Str. 10
53113 Bonn, Germany
T.
+49 228 815-2409
F.
+49 228 815-2449
