APOLOGIES FOR CROSS-POSTING

Dear MARMAM list members,

The following workshop entitled THE CHALLENGE OF SPATIALLY MANAGING CETACEANS - A HIGHLY MOBILE ANIMAL GROUP, sponsored by the regional conservation agreements ASCOBANS and ACCOBAMS, will be held at the upcoming Annual Conference of the European Cetacean Society at Fórum Luísa Todi in the Luísa Todi Avenue  in Setúbal, Portugal, on Sunday 7th April.

The workshop will start at 09:30 and finish at 18.00. There will be a charge of ¤25 per person. If you would like to participate and have not yet registered, please contact <peter.evans@bangor.ac.uk> as soon as possible.

PROGRAMME

09:15-09:30. Registration

09:30-09:40. Introductory Remarks

Regional Frameworks

09:40-10:00. Heidrun Frisch: Protecting Mobile Species: Reflections on recent efforts by OSPAR, HELCOM & the European Commission

10:00-10:20. Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara: Protecting Mobile Species in the Mediterranean Sea       

10:20-10:40. Jeff Ardron: CBD & other approaches

10:40-11:00. Discussion                        

11:00-11:30. Tea/Coffee Break

Impacts on Cetaceans in a Spatial Context

11:30-11:50. Christopher Clark: Noise

11:50-12:10. Ana Tejedor:Shipping              

12:10-12:30. Enrico Pirotta: Recreation

12:30-12:50. David Mattila (presented by Brad Barr):    Fisheries

13:00-14:00. Lunch

14:00-14:30. Discussion

Case Studies

14:30-14:50. Mike Tetley: Addressing ecological coherence in MPA networks and MSP: principles of best practice

14:50-15:10. Brad Barr: Management of large areas: experiences from Stellwagen Bank, USA

15:10-15:30. Christina Geijer: Marine Spatial Planning for fin whales

15:30-16:00. Tea/Coffee Break

16:00-16:20. Peter Evans: Evidence-based management recommendations for bottlenose dolphins in the Irish Sea

16:20-16:40. Signe Sveegaard: From research to management: harbour porpoise conservation in Danish waters

16:40-17:00. Ricardo Sagarminaga: Managing activities in the Alborán Sea

17:00-17:20. Natacha Aguilar, Ana Cañadas, Alexandros Frantzis, and Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara: A moratorium on naval sonar: from the Canary Islands success to the Mediterranean

17:20-17:50. Discussion                        

17:50-18:00. Erich Hoyt: Concluding Remarks


Organising Committee

Peter Evans             Erich Hoyt              Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara
Heidrun Frisch          Camille Montiglio       Marie-Christine Grillo-Compulsione
Michael Tetley


BACKGROUND

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.

--
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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