Countries Step up Protection for Small Whales, Porpoises and Dolphins in Europe

24 October 2012 Today, ASCOBANS Parties successfully concluded the 7th Meeting of the Parties in Brighton, United Kingdom. Key outcomes include the adoption of a new Conservation Plan for the Harbour Porpoise Population in the Western Baltic, the Belt Sea and the Kattegat which aims to intensify research and conservation efforts in this heavily used sea area shared by Denmark, Germany and Sweden. In addition, participants agreed on priorities for research and conservation actions in the western part of the ASCOBANS Area, which comprises the Irish Sea and the European North Atlantic, an area home to a large diversity of whale and dolphin species, as well as the harbour porpoise. A resolution on the impacts of chemical pollution on small cetaceans draws attention to knowledge gaps that need to be closed in order to improve the understanding of how lesser-studied contaminants or those of particular concern affect individuals and populations.
The full press release can be accessed here.
The meeting report will be made available on this website in due course.

Last updated on 25 March 2014

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