A Great Day for Marine Wildlife!

Today, the 11th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CMS (COP11) concluded in Quito, Ecuador. After a week of intense deliberations and negotiations, the Parties to CMS passed a large number of resolutions, taking bold steps forward for the conservation of marine, terrestrial and avian migratory species.

The most relevant resolutions to ASCOBANS, which is a regional daughter Agreement of CMS, include:

Widely called the "Shark COP", Parties listed a total of 21 shark and ray species, in addition to a resolution on Conservation of Migratory Sharks and Rays (CRP20). In addition, 1 other fish species, 5 bird species, 2 terrestrial mammals and 2 aquatic mammals, the Mediterranean population of Cuvier's beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris) and the polar bear (Ursus maritimus), were added to Appendices I and/or II of the Convention.

All COP11 documents can be accessed here. The CMS Newsroom with articles, video interviews, press releases and more related to COP11 is found here.

Last updated on 30 December 2014

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