And so to Monaco - ACCOBAMS COP

It is wet in Monaco. Not as wet as in the UK (which is once again ‘enjoying’ some flooding) but the day is overcast here and water is being squeezed in a persistent drizzle from the low grey clouds overhead.

I am attending the sixth meeting of the Conference of Parties to ACCOBAMS (the agreement for cetaceans in the Mediterranean, Black Sea and adjacent Atlantic area) and delegates from countries that are parties to the agreement and various organisations are gathered to take part in the meeting and also in the associated celebrations for this is the twentieth anniversary of the conclusion of the agreement.  

The meeting begins with the arrival of his Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco. The congregation stands as he arrives accompanied by his security and a small entourage.

The Prince flanked by the Executive Secretaries of ACCOBAMS to the left
and CMS to the right.  

First we are addressed by the lead delegate from Morocco (as head of the ACCOBAMS Bureau). She explains that the presence of his Serene Highness gives a ‘higher and deeper meaning’ and she thanks the Prince for his support for the meeting and the agreement. Cetaceans, she notes, are exposed to an increasing anthropogenic pressure. She thanks the ACCOBAMS bureau, Executive Secretary, Scientific Committee and others for their work. She notes that the Agreement brings together the Northern and Southern countries. Funding has been found for the [big] survey; submarine noise is a nuisance and causes mass strandings this needs to be addressed and she notes significant progress on administrative matters. She also describes ongoing work in her own country and then gives everyone good wishes for the meeting.

Bradnee Chambers, the Executive Secretary for the Convention for the Conservation of Migratory Species comes to the podium next. He notes the twenty year anniversary and that this is a pivotal time for many listed species. The range of threats that these animals have to struggle with is illustrated in the documents in front of this meeting.  Threats are multiple, cumulative and simultaneous. Threats such as pollution alter the lives of species in every sea… tackling such threats require global responses. He underlines the importance of multilateral environmental agreements and that they are ‘the life blood of species conservation’.

He adds that as the world’s population continues to grow, so our impacts will continue to grow and calls for us to become proactive and refers to the UN sustainable development goals. He points to the joint noise working group between ACCOBAMS and ASCOBANS as an example of good practice.

He concludes by acknowledging the generous support of the Principality of Monaco for the agreement and its work.

Madam Florence Descroix-Comanducci (the Executive Secretary of the ACCOBAMS agreement) speaks next, thanking the Prince for joining the meeting and notes that the meeting coincides with the 20th anniversary; most parties are present and also organisations and partners to the agreement. Today we are at a U-turn; we are becoming adults because we are twenty years old; at the outset we thought we would have all the tools that we needed and much work has been carried out on draft resolutions (in ‘record number’) in front of us. The ACCOBAMS survey initiative – costing several 

million and planned for ten years – is now going forward. In all we have a heavy schedule in front of us. She too acknowledges twenty years of support from the principality and its princes, first Prince Renier and now you (and she turns to the Prince). She presents him with a piece of art to commemorate this contribution.

Presentation to the Prince

The Prince next comes to the microphone. He is happy to welcome us here for the sixth meeting of parties and the 20^th anniversary of the agreement. He notes the common goal of preserving biodiversity between his government and ACCOBAMS. This topic is important for him and for his foundation. We need to know marine biodiversity because we can only protect what we know well. He has made a contribution of 100,000 US dollars to the ACCOBAMS survey project.

Sometimes we see threats to cetaceans in the media – but sometimes they are hidden like poorly organised whale watching and noises – so we need to restrain activities for longer term gain. We need to convert data into credible measures. This is the task that ACCOBAMS tackles and he notes how difficult it is to address fisheries matters in particular. Noise in a worrying problem – sometime from oil and gas and sometimes from military activities – this presents the animals from knowing where they are going.

ACCOBAMS includes diverse territories and this is the wealth of this agreement. ACCOBAMS trainings are essential tools; beyond its statutory area ACCOBAMS is an ambassador, an example for other areas and I congratulate the secretariat for the quality of its work. Action is urgently needed; let’s work together. [Warm applause.]

A video follows – whales and dolphins calls fill the room and images of animals, research and educational activities. 

A coffee-break is followed by organisational matters, including voting rights. The Chair of the meeting now becomes France. He thanks everyone for the honour. We proceed by approving the agenda and then through other organisational matters, including the document that establishes the Secretariat which is in part supplied by Monaco

Lunch dawns…. It is sumptuous but, before anyone can attempt a siesta, we are back to the meeting room where various international organisations are competing for who has been around the longest (and also telling us what they have been doing and encouraging cooperation). The IWC wins with 70 years (recently celebrated) and Barcelona Convention comes second with 40 years. The IWC representatives adds that he too has recently had his birthday (he is younger than the IWC but older than the Barcelona convention).

IWC notes a range of common interests including marine debris and entanglement.   

Other international organisations follow and then the first NGO (non-governmental organisation) speaks – it is Aimee Leslie for WWF. She eloquently wishes the meeting well and puts emphasis on this issue of bycatch.

Bradnee Chambers speaks next for CMS and notes that his organisation has its meeting of the parties where Noise Guidelines will be put in front of the parties, among many other issues. He passes the microphone to Heidi to speak to areas of common interests – which she does, noting a resolution on live captures and its link to the discussion at CITES on black sea bottlenose dolphins; she also notes the CMS culture resolution – which she says was ‘ground-breaking’ [I agree] and the addition of Cuvier’s beaked whale in the Mediterranean to the CMS appendices. She details other issues.

Please note that here - as in other reporting from other meetings - I am just sampling what is said and paraphrasing and trying to capture the gist of some of the interventions. If I make mistakes, please let me know.

France: man-made noise, certification of whale watching, bycatch and strandings will be their priorities and they have given 400, 000 euros the Mediterranean survey project.

Lebanon speaks to work in his country, including some research on bottlenose dolphins. He is looking for tissue samples from other countries. Cetology is also taught in two French-speaking Lebanese universities. They need someone to show them how to do photo-iD work and they hope to establish a strandings network.

Egypt has a new national team of young observers and this has already raised a lot of interest.

Tunisia notes cetaceans are protected in her waters and there are a number of project running, including a monitoring network.

Algeria has been working for many years towards the conservation of cetaceans. One of Algeria’s universities has a department looking at cetacean issues and looking forward to a thriving ongoing collaboration.

Morocco lists work on going in this country including strandings work which is leading to databases being updated.   

Italy states the full support of this country for the agreement and support for a full and permanent secretariat. They have donated to the basin-wide survey.

Egypt comes to the microphone again to say that dolphins seem to be coming closer to the shore and asks why this might be. Is this climate change, have we changed marine ‘land-marks’? Where species can be seen from one country to another within a few days, we may need to follow this.

Non-party range states are encouraged to speak and Israel thanks the secretariat and Monaco for their support over the last twenty years. He too mentions anthropogenic noise as an issue. His country brought new guidelines into play which helped cetaceans (and turtles). Efforts to remove bottom-trawling fishing is ongoing. Weather updates are often augmented with photos of dolphins. 

View from the back of the hall,

Next we hear the report of the ACCOBAMS Bureau and then the work of the Secretariat from 2014-2016.

The agreement has twenty members and ratification of its newly-defined area is in progress. The Executive Secretary goes on to list meetings held during this period, including one on climate change.

She continues by describing work on hotspots of noise and some other issues as shown in the slides below and notes ongoing collaborations with a range of other bodies (several of which are in the room).

At the end of the presentation from Florence, Egypt encourages ACCOBAMS to try to achieve a higher profile. Perhaps they need an ambassador and he likes the idea that cetaceans can be used as indicators of climate change. 

The issue of the CITES resolution on Black Sea bottlenose dolphins is touched on. The resolution called for DNA tracking of this sub-species in trade.

Finally, the Secretariat is thanked for all her work. 

The Credential Committee led by Anna of Croatia next tells us that 19 parties are present. 16 have credentials in order. 

Alison Wood of WDC and of Margherita Zanardelli of the Tethys Research Institute..

Aimee Leslie of WWF International (as the sign says).

We closed and make our way to a reception at the Royal Monaco yacht Club... as you do.