New Migratory Species Agreement to Conserve Small Whales, Dolphins and Manatees in Western Africa and Macaronesia

A new Memorandum of Understanding to conserve the West African Manatee and Small Whales in Western Africa and Macaronesia was concluded in Lomé, Togo, under the auspices of UNEP’s Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) on October 7, 2008.

Rissos Dolphins Photo by Nicola Hodgins

The conservation instrument with two Action Plans for the conservation of these species was adopted at the second intergovernmental meeting on Western African and Macaronesian aquatic mammals (WATCH – Western African Talks on Cetaceans and their Habitats).

Dwarf Sperm Whale Photo by Henk de Groot and Desiree Hilggrason

More than 30 small cetacean species will be covered in the agreement area that stretches from Macaronesia, through Morocco to South Africa. Macaronesia includes the Azores, Madeira, Canary Islands, and Cap Verde and the African Atlantic Coast. The agreement area also includes freshwater areas for manatees in some of the African countries.

False Killer Whale Photo by Brian Smith

The need to conserve and raise awareness of western Africa’s marine mammals is as pressing as ever. Various threats, including direct and accidental catch, coastal development, pollution and habitat degradation, have caused western African marine mammal populations to decline rapidly. These issues require action on a regional, national and global level. The WATCH meetings and related activities under the auspices of CMS are an important part of the progress made in this field and can play a vital role in future conservation efforts.

Short-finned pilot whale Photo by Colin Wood

The new instrument, which will serve as a permanent legacy of the Year of the Dolphin, is crucial for the conservation of marine mammals in the western African and Macaronesian region. It helps to facilitate transboundary cooperation by providing an international platform to negotiate and coordinate research and conservation measures. In this regard, CMS is reinforcing initiatives of other actors in the region. CMS seeks to provide a suitable legal and institutional framework to facilitate the implementation and further development of conservation efforts and optimize use of resources.

Orca or Killer Whale Photo by Barbara Todd

CMS Executive Secretary Robert Hepworth said: “The new agreement in western Africa is the fourth in our network of regional agreements, which now conserve migratory cetaceans in key areas of the Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and beyond. Concluding this agreement, and obtaining so many signatories on the spot, is a real boost for marine conservation in the run-up to the CMS Conference of Parties in December. Now we need to encourage Portugal, Spain and the remaining western African Range States to sign the MoU. I hope CMS Parties as a whole will agree in December to work in partnership with the Range States to get the agreement working effectively across this enormous and critical area.”

Striped Dolphin Photo by Julia Neider

Macaronesia Map from Wikipedia

Fifteen country representatives signed the agreement (Angola, Benin, Cape Verde, Chad, Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Togo), which came into effect immediately on 3 October 2008 and will stay open for signature indefinitely.