global issues of marine turtle conservation frameworks for international collaboration
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Global Issues of Marine Turtle Conservation Frameworks for International Collaboration. Liz McLellan Global Species Programme/Asia Pacific Marine Turtle Conservation 13 th September 2006. Multilateral Environmental Agreements. What are the benefits? - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Global Issues of Marine Turtle Conservation
Frameworks for International Collaboration
Liz McLellan
Global Species Programme/Asia Pacific Marine Turtle Conservation
13th September 2006
Multilateral Environmental Agreements
What are the benefits?
• Collectively decide upon actions at the national, regional and international level
• Implement shared goals of conservation and sustainable use
• Complementary approaches
and operational tools
Gulf States Parties to MEAs and MOUs
Country CBD FAO CMS IOSEA CITES
United Arab Emirates
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Yemen
Bahrain
Oman
Islamic Republic of Iran
Kuwait
1) All Gulf States are signatories
2) Convention requires Signatories to develop national biodiversity strategies and action plans
3) Not regulatory but legally binding
4) Signatories implement a collectively agreed Programme of Works - Marine + Protected Areas particularly relevant to marine turtles
CMS (Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals)
Not regulatory, but legally binding
Appendix I - Migratory species threatened with extinction throughout all
or a significant proportion of their range
Appendix II - Migratory species that have an unfavourable
conservation status or that would significantly benefit from international co-operation
Saudi Arabia and Yemen are Signatories
The Convention encourages the Range States to conclude global or regional Agreements, or MoUs – e.g.IOSEA
• The only regulatory MEA – power to restrict or stop wildlife trade
• Provides a framework – Parties must adopt their own domestic legislation to implement CITES at the national level.
• Around 5,000 species of animals and 25,000 species of plants are protected by CITES.
Appendix I bans commercial trade in species threatened with extinction.
Appendix II regulates international trade in species whose survival in the wild may be threatened if levels of trade are not regulated.
Appendix III is a list of species included at the request of a Party that needs the cooperation of other countries to help prevent illegal exploitation.
CITES Committees – representation in the Gulf States
•The Standing Committee - Representatives for Asia: China, Japan and Malaysia; alternates: India, UAE and Jordan
•The Animal and Plant Committees - Representatives for Asia: Iran and Indonesia.
Marine Turtle listings
Marine turtle species IUCN Red List CMS listing CITES listing
Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)
Critically Endangered
Appendix I & II Appendix I
Green turtle
(Chelonia mydas)
Endangered Appendix I & II Appendix I
Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
Endangered Appendix I & II Appendix I
Olive Ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea)
Endangered Appendix I & II Appendix I
Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
Critically Endangered
Appendix I & II Appendix I
Hawksbill shells - bekko
The hawksbill trade
Gulf States Signatories
Oman
Iran
Saudi Arabia
• Conservation of marine turtles and their habitats
• 24 signatories to date
• Non-legally binding regional MOU under CMS
IOSEA Conservation and Management Plan Objectives
1. Reduce direct and indirect causes of marine turtle mortality
2. Protect, conserve and rehabilitate marine turtle habitats
3. Improve understanding of marine turtle ecology and populations through research, monitoring and information exchange
4. Increase public awareness of the threats to marine turtles and their habitats, and enhance public participation in conservation activities
5. Enhance national, regional and international cooperation
6. Promote implementation of the MoU including the Conservation and Management Plan
Outcomes of IOSEA 4 years on
• CMP – broad framework for action, vehicle for regional collaboration,
• Website – clearing house and showcase for progress
• National reporting against CMP (+FAO Technical Guidelines) – some analysis of progress
• IMAPs
• Species assessments led by Scientific Committee
What else needs to happen?
Priorities for action from CMP, targets and indicators to measure progress against
Funding base needs to be broadened in order to deliver outcomes
Year of the Turtle 2006“Cooperating to Conserve Marine Turtles – our Ocean's Ambassadors”
CELEBRATE marine turtles
ENSURE a future
SAVE a marine turtle habitat
REDUCE turtle mortality
STUDY your turtles
http://www.ioseaturtles.org/yot2006/index.php
FAO – Technical Guidelines on Reducing Sea Turtle Mortality in Fishing Operations
• 25th Session of FAO COFI - recommendation for review and, if appropriate, guidelines be drawn up
• Technical Consultation held in 2004, Technical Guidelines being developed
• Outcomes of Tech Consultation endorsed by COFI 26th Session
• Actions for FAO, Member States and RFMOs
• Covers all fishing gears, both commercial and artisanal
• All Gulf States are Member States of FAO and are required to observe Guidelines
Outcomes: ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/meeting/009/j3941e.pdf
FAO "Reduction of environmental impact from tropical shrimp trawling" project
12 countries + SEAFDEC (IGO)
Gulf State participants : Bahrain, Iran
“Preliminary results (Mexico) show a by-catch reduction of 30 percent to 60 per cent…….a reduction in fuel consumption and a 20 percent increase in the shrimp
catch,” UNEP News Release 2006/39
ftp://ftp.fao.org/FI/DOCUMENT/rebyc/BycatchBook_Final_05.pdf
Regional Fisheries Management Organisations
• Increasingly, RFMOs are broadening approach and mandates to include ecosystem effects of fishing
• Indian Ocean Tuna Commission – seabird bycatch draft resolution 2006, no marine turtle resolution to date
• Iran and Oman are members
• IOSEA has attended Working Party Bycatch meetings
Multilateral Environmental Agreements can provide a valuable framework for the conservation of migratory species such as marine turtles