1994-1998 Action Plan for the Conservation of Cetaceans Dolphins, Porpoises, and Whales Compiled by Randall R. Reeves and Stephen Leatherwood ,;•/• Zm^LJ,^^.,.^' nh' k.''-'._-tf;s»s=i^" lUCN lUCN/SSC Cetacean Specialist Group 1994 014 c. 2 lUCN The Worid Conservation Union 1994-1998 Action Plan for the Conservation of Cetaceans Dolphins, Porpoises, and Whales Compiled by Randall R. Reeves and Stephen Leatherwood lUCN/SSC Cetacean Specialist Group lUCN >\ Tha Worid Consarvstion Union SPEC its SURVIVAL COMMISMOM i.f«i«u,<^c>™.. WWF Chic«oZoolo,itJS<Kiciy .>r< . FiMESMH^EDsnnB X,'^'„„»^ .o«iitv.i,oN lociiT, ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST Dolphins, Porpoises, and Whales: 1994-1998 was made possible through the generous support of: Chicago Zoological Society DEJA, Inc. Greenpeace Environmental Trust Ocean Park Conservation Foundation People's Trust for Endangered Species Peter Scott lUCN/SSC Action Plan Fund (Sultanate of Oman) U.S. Marine Mammal Commission Whale & Dolphin Conservation Society World Wide Fund for Nature © 1994 International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources Reproduction of this publication for educational and other non-commercial purposes is authorized without permission from the copyright holder, provided the source is cited and the copyright holder receives a copy of the reproduced material. Reproduction for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without prior written permission of the copyright holder. This document should be cited as: Reeves, R.R. and Leathenwood, S. 1994. Dolphins, Porpoises, and Whales: 1994-1998 Action Plan for the Conservation of Cetaceans. lUCN, Gland, Switzerland. 92 pp. ISBN 2-8317-0189-9 Published by lUCN, Gland, Switzerland. Camera-ready copy by the Chicago Zoological Society, Brookfield, Illinois 60513, U.S.A. Printed by Information Press, Oxford, U.K. Cover photo: A young boto, or Amazon River dolphin, caught in a fishing net and later released alive. (Tipishca de Samiria, Peru, 8 July 1992; Stephen Leatherwood) Contents Page Page Preface iv 4. Status of Species and Populations 18 Executive Summary v 5. Recommended Conservation Action 42 Progress and Status of Previously-Identified Acknowledgements vi Projects 42 New Projects: CSG Action Plan, 1994-1998 42 Introduction vii Critically Endangered Species (Northern Right Whale, Vaquita, Baiji, Bhulan) 42 1. Classiflcation 1 Other Platanistoids (Susu, Boto, Franciscana) 51 2. Problems Faced by Cetaceans 7 Neritic and Estuarine Species that Are Direct Exploitation 7 Vulnerable by Virtue of their Proximity Bycatches in Fisheries 8 to Human Activities (Finless Porjxjise, Competition and Culls 10 Irrawaddy Dolphin, Hump-backed Dolphins, Habitat Loss and Degradation 10 Bottlenose Dolphin, Commerson's Dolphin, Chilean Dolphin) 55 3. Possible Solutions to Cetacean Regional Projects 58 Conservation Problems 12 Documentation and Monitoring of Bycatches Role of the CSG in Cetacean Conservation 12 and Direct Catches in Artisanal Fisheries 60 Cooperation and Coordination of Effort 12 Topical Projects Affecting Several Different Inventories and Assessments of Populations 13 Species, Populations, or Areas 68 Incorporation of Cetaceans into Conservation Laws and Strategies 13 References 71 Establishment of Protected Marine and Freshwater Areas 13 Appendices 86 Enactment and Enforcement of Regulations 1. lUCN/SSC Cetacean Specialist on Harvesting 14 Group Members 86 Ensuring that any Use of Cetaceans as 2. lUCN Resolutions 88 Resources Is Sustainable 15 Reduction and Management of Environmental Pollution 16 Development or Reinstatement of Less Wasteful Fish-Harvesting Techniques 16 Preface The previous version of the lUCN/SSC Cetacean Programme Activity Centre, P.O. Box 30552, Nairobi, Specialist Group's Action Plan, compiled by William F. Kenya [Fax: (2542) 230127]. Perrin (first published in 1988, revised in 1989), has been As in the past, abstracts of projects have been prepared, judged by all accounts to be a concise and useful docu­ either by CSG members or by the compilers in consulta­ ment. Thus we have followed Perrin's basic approach and tion with members and other colleagues familiar with the format. While the present version of the Action Plan is problems being addressed. The draft text of the entire more than merely a revised edition of its predecessor, it Action Plan was circulated to CSG members for review, is also intended to reflect continuity with previous work. and their comments and suggested changes were consid­ Many of the section headings in the present document ered in producing the final version. Since it would have are the same as those used by Perrin. We have expanded been all but impossible to achieve consensus among all the scope of the section "Status of Species and CSG members on every point, the compilers had to make Populations." The list of national agencies, research insti­ some of their own decisions about what to include or tutions, and conservation organizations in problem areas, omit. Thus, we accept full responsibility for any errors which appeared as Appendix 2 in Perrin (1988,1989), has of fact or judgment, and we welcome corrections and been dropped. Readers interested in locating such agen­ additions from readers. cies, institutions, and organizations should consult the This document is intended to stimulate and guide action published list of marine mammal specialists that will prevent cetacean extinctions and support the (NOAA/IUCN/UNEP 1988; soon to be updated) and the recovery of depleted populations worldwide. Just as the directory of marine mammal databases (Klinowska 1992), processes that threaten cetaceans are complex and diverse, both of which are available from the United Nations the actions taken to reverse or control these processes must Environment Programme, Oceans and Coastal Areas/ be carefully considered, dynamic, and broad-based. IV Executive Summary The mammalian order Cetacea, including the whales, dol­ Action Plan. It identifies the major known threats to phins, and porpoises, has at least 79 species and is repre­ species and populations, discusses some of the technical, sented in all oceans and some large river systems of Asia political, and economic changes that are needed to prevent and South America. Most populations of large whales further population declines and promote population recov­ and many populations of medium-sized and small eries, and briefly summarizes the status of each species. cetaceans have been heavily hunted for their oil, meat, The core of this Action Plan consists of 51 projects baleen, and other products. This direct exploitation has that are high priorities for conservation-related research. led to severe depletion of such species as the blue whale, Eleven of the projects relate explicitly to critically endan­ fin whale, humpback, bowhead, and right whales. Certain gered species—the northern right whale, baiji, and bhu- local or regional populations of belugas, harbor porpoises, lan. Another ten concern platanistoid dolphins other than striped dolphins, and river dolphins have also been seri­ the baiji and bhulan—the boto, susu, and fransciscana. ously reduced. During the past 30 years, high-seas fish­ Eight projects involve populations or species of small eries for tuna, salmon, and squid have killed millions of cetaceans that, because of their nearshore distribution, cetaceans as a bycatch. Coastal net and trap fisheries for are especially vulnerable to the effects of human activi­ fish and crustaceans have also caused the depletion of ties. The rest of the projects are either regional in scope, cetacean populations. covering areas where cetacean conservation problems are The first Cetacean Action Plan was published by the suspected, or topical, covering subjects that relate to sev­ Cetacean Specialist Group (CSG) in 1988. It included 45 eral different species and areas. The project summaries projects that were considered high priorities for cetacean are expected to help governments, conservation organi­ conservation. Nearly all of these projects related to popu­ zations, and individual donors to set funding priorities, lations of small and medium-sized cetaceans which were and to help researchers and activists allocate their ener­ not being adequately conserved through national laws or gies and resources. As in the previous version, our international agreements (e.g. the International Whaling emphasis is on populations that are not adequately pro­ Commission). Since 1988, some of the original projects tected under some kind of national or international con­ have been completed and many others are in some stage of servation regime. Most of the projects are centered in implementation. The present document is in many respects Asia, Latin America, or Africa, where financial and tech­ a revised, expanded, and updated version of the 1988 nical support for conservation is critically needed. Acknowledgements The CSG was established in the 1960s, with Masaharu International, Oceans Unlimited, Peter Scott lUCN/SSC Nishiwaki as its first chairman and Sidney Brown as Action Plan Fund, and John R. Twiss, Jr. deputy chairman. After a brief period in the mid-1970s Like other lUCN/SSC specialist groups, the CSG relies when it was combined with other specialist groups to form on host organizations for office space and basic adminis­ the Marine Mammal Specialist Group, the CSG was re­ trative support. Both were provided by the U.S. National formed in 1979, with Michael Tillman as chairman. Marine Fisheries Service through its Southwest Fisheries William