Pacific Islands whale and dolphin conservation
Pacific Cetaceans Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
The Pacific Cetaceans Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is an arrangement under the Convention on Migratory Species, which has 110 member countries. It was opened for signature in September 2007 and has twelve signatories.
With the recent addition of Pitcairn Island, and its 800,000 sq km Exclusive Economic Zone to the list of Signatories, the MoU now covers over 10 million sq km of the Pacific Ocean, from Papua New Guinea to French Polynesia and Pitcairn.
Southern right whale
What is the MOU about?
Signatories agree to work together for the conservation of whales and dolphins in the Pacific Islands, and to take collaborative action to address threats such as hunting, by-catch in fishing operations, entanglement in marine debris, ship strike, pollution and the impacts of climate change.
July 2009 meeting of signatories
DOC played a leading role in organizing the July 2009 meeting in Auckland of the Signatories to the Memorandum of Understanding for the Conservation of Cetaceans and their Habitats in the Pacific Islands region.
Andrew Bignell (Manager, International Relations Unit, DOC) chaired the meeting, which agreed on a four-year Action Plan, that places emphasis on the economic benefits of well-managed whale and dolphin-watching for coastal communities, capacity-building and raising public awareness throughout the region.
The meeting also endorsed the development of a Recovery Plan for the Oceania population of the iconic humpback whale, which will involve a multi-national collaboration. As recently as 60 years ago, humpbacks were abundant and widely distributed through the Pacific Islands during their winter breeding season. Once their summer feeding grounds were opened to whaling fleets, however, the stocks quickly collapsed and have yet to recover.
The global authority IUCN reviewed the global status of humpback whales in 2008 and decided that in most areas of the world's oceans, humpbacks were doing well, and their status could be changed from Vulnerable to Least Concern. The Oceania population, however, was re-classified as Endangered.
back to top