ACCOBAMS

The Convention for the protection of cetaceans of the Black Sea, the Mediterranean and the adjacent Atlantic zones ( Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Contiguous Atlantic Area, ACCOBAMS ) is a multilateral environmental agreement, which, in on November 24, 1996 Monaco was signed. It entered into force on 1 June 2001.

Target

Objective of the agreement is the improved protection of whales. This will be achieved through detailed protection plans and improved national legislation in the participating states. Among other things, directed fishing of whales are prohibited and special protection areas are established. Furthermore, scientific research and information to the public should be encouraged.

Organization

Formation

ACCOBAMS was created by a collaboration between the secretariats of the three other international environmental agreements, the Barcelona Convention, the Bonn Convention and the Berne Convention. The Bucharest Convention was added later. First coordinations of the representatives of the former three organizations were already on 26 and October 27, 1992 held in Athens, where an action plan was adopted. The main contract negotiations but were made ​​from 26 to 30 September 1995 and from 18 to November 24, 1996 in Monaco, where the agreement was then signed.

Parties

The agreements have been signed by 21 states (as of May 2008). Seven countries are regarded as potential members, since their territory is in direct connection with the protected area designated in the contract. In addition, there would also be the possibility of joining the European Union.

Signatories or potential members (date of entry into force ):

  • Egypt Egypt ( not yet joined )
  • Albania Albania (1 October 2001 )
  • Algeria Algeria ( 1 December 2007)
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( not yet joined )
  • Bulgaria Bulgaria ( 1 June 2001)
  • European Union European Union ( not yet joined )
  • France France (1 June 2004)
  • Georgia Georgia ( 1 June 2001)
  • Greece Greece ( 1 June 2001)
  • Israel Israel ( not yet joined )
  • Italy Italy (1 September 2005)
  • Croatia Croatia ( 1 June 2001)
  • Lebanon Lebanon (1 March 2005 )
  • Libya Libya (1 September 2002)
  • Malta Malta ( 1 June 2001)
  • Morocco Morocco ( 1 June 2001)
  • Monaco Monaco ( 1 June 2001)
  • Montenegro Montenegro ( not yet joined )
  • Portugal Portugal ( 1 January 2005)
  • Romania Romania ( 1 June 2001)
  • Russia Russia ( not yet joined )
  • Slovenia Slovenia ( 1 December 2006)
  • Spain ( 1 June 2001)
  • Syria Syria (1 June 2002)
  • Tunisia Tunisia ( 1 January 2002)
  • Turkey Turkey ( not yet joined )
  • Ukraine Ukraine ( 1 January 2004)
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom ( not yet joined )
  • Cyprus Republic of Cyprus ( 1 May 2006)

Structure

The meeting of the signatory states is the decision making body of the Agreement. It takes place at least every three years. It also representatives of other international organizations such as the United Nations or other environmental agreements may send observers to the meeting.

The permanent Secretariat of the Agreement is in Monaco. His responsibilities include, among other things, the preparation of the meeting of the signatory countries, the coordination between the Member States, the support for the implementation of protective measures and the management of finances.

An important role is also the partner organizations of ACCOBAMS. They include mainly organizations which are in the possession of technical equipment for the protection of whales. The agreement itself has no technical equipment for research or for the protection of whales. Therefore ACCOBAMS is dependent on the equipment of Member States or of the partner organizations.

The partner organizations are currently (as of May 2008):

(Start of the partnership)

  • Alnitak Marine Environment Research and Education center (2007)
  • American Society of International Law - International Environmental Law Group (2002)
  • The Biological Conservation Research Foundation ( BICREF ) (2006 )
  • Blue World Institute of Marine Research and Conservation (2004)
  • Brema Laboratory ( 2002)
  • Conservación, Información e Investigación en Cetáceos ( CIRCE ) (2004 )
  • Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes ( EPHE ) (2003 )
  • European Cetacean Society ( ECS ) (2002 )
  • Groupe de Recherche sur les Cétacés ( GREC ) (2005 )
  • Israel Marine Mammal Research & Assistance Center ( IMMRAC ) (2004 )
  • International Fund for Animal Welfare (2004)
  • Istituto Centrale per la Ricerca Applicata al Mare ( ICRAM ) (2002 )
  • Morigenos - Marine Mammal Research and Conservation Society (2005)
  • National Institute for Marine Research and Development " Grigore Antipa " (2002)
  • Nature Trust (Malta ) (2005 )
  • Ocean Care (2003)
  • Oceana (2007)
  • Oceanographic Museum of Monaco ( 2002)
  • Pelagos Cetacean Research Institute ( 2002)
  • Prompter d' Ecume (2007)
  • Spanish Cetacean Society ( SEC) ( 2003)
  • Swiss Cetacean Society (SCS ) (2002 )
  • Syrian Society for the Conservation of Wildlife ( SSCW ) (2007 )
  • Tethys Research Institute ( 2002)
  • University of Genoa - Department of Biology (2005)
  • University of Malta - Conservation Biology Research Group ( 2005)
  • University of Valencia (2002)
  • Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society ( WDCS ) (2004 )
  • World Conservation Union ( IUCN ) (2004 )
  • WWF Mediterranean Programme Office (2007)

Geographic Scope

The protected areas by the agreement include the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, including all bays, all inland waters directly associated with the seas and all waters which connect these seas with each other, as well as part of the Atlantic Ocean west of the Strait of Gibraltar.

Article I. 1 a) of the Agreement, it is regulated as follows:

  • The Black Sea is bounded on the southwest by a line of Cape Kelaga and Dalyan ( Turkey).
  • The Mediterranean Sea is bounded on the east by the end of the Dardanelles between the lighthouses of Mehmetcik and Kumkale (Turkey) and in the west of the by running the lighthouse of Cape Spartel Meridian at the entrance of the Strait of Gibraltar.
  • The adjacent area of the Atlantic Ocean west of the Strait of Gibraltar is bounded on the east by the passing by the lighthouse of Cape Spartel Meridian and the west by the line from the lighthouse of Cape St Vincent ( Portugal) and Casablanca ( Morocco).

Protected whales

The agreement relates to the following whales (Annex 1 of the contract):

Black Sea:

  • Phocoenidae ( porpoises ) Phocoena phocoena ( porpoise )
  • Tursiops truncatus ( Bottlenose dolphin )
  • Delphinus delphis ( common dolphin )

Mediterranean and Atlantic

  • Phocoenidae ( porpoises ) Phocoena phocoena ( porpoise )
  • Steno bredanensis ( Rauzahndelfin )
  • Grampus griseus ( Risso's dolphin )
  • Tursiops truncatus ( Bottlenose dolphin )
  • Stenella coeruleoalba ( Blue-White Dolphin )
  • Delphinus delphis ( common dolphin )
  • Pseudorca crassidens ( Little Whale )
  • Orcinus orca ( killer whale )
  • Globicephala melas ( pilot whale )
  • Mesoplodon densirostris ( Blainville 's beaked whale )
  • Ziphius cavirostris ( Cuvier 's beaked whale )
  • Physeter macrocephalus ( Sperm Whale )
  • Kogia simus ( Little Sperm Whale )
  • Eubalaena glacialis (Atlantic right whales )
  • Balaenoptera acutorostrata ( minke whales )
  • Balaenoptera borealis ( sei )
  • Balaenoptera physalus ( fin whale )
  • Megaptera novaeangliae ( humpback whale )

Also, all whales are not included in this list, which occasionally or accidentally present in the area covered by the Convention, are under the protection of the Convention.

List of international environmental agreements Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals Berne Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats Cap Spartel Oceanic dolphin Rough-toothed dolphin False killer whale Blainville's beaked whale Cuvier's beaked whale Dwarf sperm whale North Atlantic right whale
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