Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals

The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (English Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, CMS) was June 23, 1979 finally negotiated and signed in Bonn and is therefore also known as the Bonn Convention. The regulations came into force on 1 November 1983. The Secretariat of the Convention is based in Bonn and is supported by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Objectives and instruments of the Convention

The Convention contains the obligation of States Parties to take measures for the worldwide protection and the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, including their sustainable use. This will be achieved in particular on the basis of existing or neuzuschaffender instruments of international law internationally agreed conservation measures throughout the migration space of the species concerned. Approximately 1,200 species or regionally separate populations, which are threatened with extinction or recognized as high- risk exposed, are covered by the scope of the Convention.

For individual species or groups who are at risk, but not necessarily threatened with extinction, the development of regional agreements is provided in which regulated legally binding protection, conservation and sustainable use of these species throughout their migration area and the cooperation of the States concerned are coordinated.

Bodies of the Convention

• Regional Agreement on the Conservation of European bat populations ( EUROBATS )
• Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic and North Sea, North East Atlantic and the Irish Sea ( ASCOBANS )
• African - Eurasian Waterbird Agreement ( AEWA ).

• Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and in adjacent areas of the Atlantic ( ACCOBAMS ).

• Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels ( ACAP ).

Other regional agreements based on the Bonn Convention are the Agreement on the Conservation of Seals in the Wadden Sea and the Agreement on the Conservation of Gorillas and their Habitats ( Gorilla Agreement).