A special report to mark the

Silver Anniversary of the Bonn Convention on

Migratory Species (1979–2004)

OF JOURNEYS OF 25 YEARS 25

Convention on Migratory Species

United Nations

Environment

Programme 25 Years A message from the Secretary-General of the United Nations

People have long marvelled at the sight of great flocks, shoals or herds of migratory creatures on the move, or have wondered at that movement’s meaning. Published by the Secretariat of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory animals are not only something spectacular to behold from afar; they Migratory Species of Wild Animals are an integral part of the web of life on Earth. Animal migration is essential for (CMS). healthy ecosystems, contributing to their structure and function and visibly

Bonn, Germany 2004 connecting one to the other. It is a basis for activities that create livelihoods and support local and global economies. Migratory animals are among the top © 2004 CMS attractions of ecotourism, contributing to sustainable development and national Information in this publication may be wealth. And in many religious and cultural traditions, they stand out in ritual and quoted or reproduced in part or in full lore passed down from generation to generation. provided the source and authorship is As nomads of necessity, these species are highly susceptible to harm caused acknowledged, unless a copyright by destruction of ecosystems. Migratory animals are also threatened by man- symbol appears with the item. made barriers and by unsustainable hunting and fishing practices, including ISBN 3-937429-03-4 ‘bycatch’ in commercial fisheries. People tend to underestimate the vulnerability

DISCLAIMER of migratory species, regarding them as hardy and plentiful. Yet if current trends continue unchecked, more and more of them will be driven to the edge of Designations used and materials extinction or beyond. presented in these pages imply no The Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) was one of the first global treaties to be agreed on conservation and opinion on the part of the United Nations Environment Programme sustainable use of biodiversity. It started out from a recommendation by the 1972 United Nations Conference on the (UNEP) or CMS regarding the legal Human Environment in Stockholm, Sweden, which led to the negotiation and adoption of CMS in 1979 in Bonn. It has status of any country, territory, city or since become an invaluable tool in the world community’s response to environmental degradation and loss of biodiversity, area, or of its authorities, or concerning and has spawned over a dozen regional and global agreements between countries through which migratory animals pass. demarcation of its frontiers or For 25 years, the Convention has played a crucial role in protecting and preserving an invaluable natural heritage for boundaries. Invited contributions represent the views of the authors and the benefit of future generations. I call on all governments that have not yet done so, to accede to the CMS and its do not necessarily reflect the positions agreements, so that all countries and peoples are engaged in this effort. As the world marks this anniversary, let us of CMS, its Parties or of UNEP. keep the Convention itself – a unique global initiative – on the move.

For additional copies and further information, please contact the CMS “People tend to underestimate the vulnerability of migratory Secretariat at: species. Yet if current trends continue, more and more of them Martin-Luther-King-Strasse 8 will be driven to the edge of extinction… I call on all Governments D-53175 Bonn, Germany that have not yet done so, to accede to CMS. Let us keep the T: +49 (228) 815 2401 F: +49 (228) 815 2449 Convention itself – a unique global initiative – on the move.” Dr Kofi Annan email: [email protected] Secretary-General of the United Nations http://www.cms.int 25 YEARS OF JOURNEYS A special report to mark the Silver Anniversary of the Bonn Convention on Migratory Species (1979–2004)

JOURNEYS IN NATURE 2 Why migratory animals matter 2 Journeys at risk 5 Agreements and milestones under CMS – the track record 16 THE NEGOTIATING JOURNEY 18 CMS takes off 18 JOURNEYS OF KNOWLEDGE AND CO-OPERATION 22 Framework into action 22 THE JOURNEY CONTINUES 26 Hazards and opportunities 26 The challenging journey onwards 34

Acronyms and Contact details 36 JOURNEYS IN NATURE 2 Why migratory animals matter

Like everything else, the journey holidays and other forms of ecotourism. species less directly – but no less acutely. A recommendation was passed calling on begins in nature, in the remarkable In addition, migratory species command Wetland, forest and grassland habitats the United Nations Environment biological urge that drives some 8000 powerful significance in many cultural are absorbed or replaced by agriculture, Programme (UNEP) – the new inter- to 10,000 of the world’s 1.5 million and spiritual traditions – in legend, story, industry and urban infrastructure, agency and world body for reconciling named animal species to travel at popular song and religious observance as barring them to wildlife movements. environment with development that was regular intervals to other feeding or well as in folk medicine and other Seabed ecosystems are denuded by the Stockholm Conference’s most notable breeding grounds, sometimes many customary usage. The journeys of fishing trawls. Obstacles like dams or legacy – to pursue a multilateral thousands of miles distant from their migratory species can provide game fences turn formerly open agreement responding to these concerns. starting point. Migratory animals can recreational and educational enrichment migratory routes into dead ends, while A lengthy negotiating trail (see page 19) range in form from gorillas, leopards for all societies, no matter how secular or migratory birds risk lethal electrocution led in 1979 to top-level talks in Bonn, and antelopes to fishes, turtles, bats urban. Even the way people measure or crippling injury if they perch on, or Germany where the Convention on the and birds. And they can vary in size time and experience the changing collide with, power transmission lines Conservation of Migratory Species of from whales and elephants to seasons is intimately connected with or towers. Wild Animals (CMS, sometimes also apparently frail and featherweight these natural arrivals and departures. Other, less self-evident dangers called the Bonn Convention) went butterflies like the Monarch. In art and literature, migratory animals include the introduction of antagonistic through the latest of many drafts and Migratory animals are often vital was finally adopted. components of the ecosystems that “Conservation and effective management of migratory species of wild By bringing together the States support life on Earth. For example, by animals require the concerted action of all States within the jurisdictional through which migratory animals passed pollinating plants and distributing seeds boundaries of which such species spend any part of their life cycle.” – their Range States – the Convention they can enrich the diversity and laid a legal foundation for conservation reinforce the functions of forests, FROM THE PREAMBLE TO THE CONVENTION measures throughout extended migratory wetlands, grasslands and other key ranges, measures that were to be biomes. They can provide food for other often occur as metaphors for restlessness alien species into defenceless habitats embedded and defined in greater detail animals or – as predators – keep and exile, or as reminders of an age when where there are no predators to control in detailed conservation and management populations of other animals in healthy our own ancestors are thought to have them, the harmful effects of industrial plans. Thus the Convention set out to balance with the carrying capacity of existed mainly as nomadic hunters. and agricultural pollution and the impact provide a global platform for the environments. They can also serve as Despite persuasive arguments in – yet to be fully measured – of climate conservation and sustainable use of reliable indicators of environmental favour of conserving and cherishing change. Pressures like these have made migratory animals and of places they rely quality. Changes in their behaviour or migratory animals and their habitats, migratory species in general increasingly on for survival. The conservation status numbers often signal underlying shifts in human activity in the modern age has uncommon. A great many now stand at of key species was indicated in two natural conditions, or newly arrived exacted a heavy toll on both. the brink of extinction. appended lists (see overleaf). impacts that could spell trouble for Unsustainable hunting and fishing As well as establishing obligations on people as well as for animal and plant life. practices, such as the entanglement of The world community’s all Member countries to protect the most Migratory animals are also vital to local marine animals in the nets and long-lines response endangered species, listed in its and national economies, yielding food of commercial fisheries, or the motorised Concerns of biologists and Appendix I, the Convention set a and livelihoods from hunting and fishing hunting of scarce wildlife with automatic conservationists over the plight of framework for regional or multi-country activities for subsistence, commercial or weapons in Africa’s Sahel, have reduced migratory species were laid before the agreements for conserving particular recreational purposes. More recently they populations of many species to a tiny world community at the United Nations migratory species or groups of species have become prime attractions for bird- fraction of their pre-industrial numbers. Conference on the Human Environment, across their known ranges. In the past or whale-watching, safari adventure Other human activities affect migratory convened in 1972 in Stockholm, Sweden. 15 years over a dozen such agreements JOURNEYS IN NATURE 3

have been concluded, applying to listed species of bats, birds, large herbivores, A Message from Dr Klaus Töpfer, Executive Director of UNEP dolphins and whales, marine turtles and The early months of 2004 find CMS growing apace, following accession by several new Parties – Côte d’Ivoire, seals. CMS also initiates fact-finding Syria, Belarus, Ecuador and Mauritius – with others about to follow suit and bring the roll-call up to 90. These projects worldwide, seeking partnership numbers reaffirm that CMS is in the major league of biodiversity agreements, especially considering the with other treaty bodies and leading overlapping and sometimes additional membership joined to offspring agreements like the African-Eurasian independent research and conservation Waterbirds Agreement (AEWA). This extended family brings the number of countries involved in CMS to over 110. groups with a view to improving The emerging picture is of a vibrant, ever-growing Convention with a clear focus on – and a steady resolve towards knowledge about migratory animals and – implementation. The CMS instruments now include six formal Agreements and seven Memoranda of Understanding. sharing new insights into the A notable recent gain is the breakthrough represented by the entry into force in February 2004 of another Agreement, practicalities of conserving them. As a Convention dedicated to the on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels in the Southern Hemisphere. The outcomes of the April 2004 Global principle of sustainable development, Flyway Conference in Edinburgh promise to boost international initiatives for conserving biodiversity made under CMS CMS has always upheld the legitimacy and AEWA, as well as the Ramsar Convention and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The thriving interactions CMS enjoys with other of economic activities involving the international bodies and with NGOs make it a benchmark for strength through co-operation – and an impressive example of how to leverage limited sustainable economic use of migratory resources through synergy with like-minded allies. Nothing typifies the spirit of partnership better than the generosity of the Government of Germany species, for purposes ranging from and the City of Bonn, from which the Convention has gained enormously, most recently through the signing of a new Headquarters Agreement. subsistence or sport hunting to the Though CMS and its Agreements muster relatively modest administrative resources, they have something more significant at their disposal – creation of livelihoods and national wealth their status as legally binding commitments made by governments that represent hundreds of millions of people worldwide. They express the will from commercial and income-generating of these people to protect species that cross political boundaries and to set aside political differences to clinch their survival. In this spirit, I would activities such as ecotourism or fisheries. like to urge all countries not yet a Party to CMS, to join. In the Convention you will find an effective, specialised tool, ready with technical and This role was endorsed at the 1992 United financial support, that can help you to achieve national goals set out in biodiversity strategies and action plans. Other biodiversity instruments Nations Conference on Environment and such as CBD add important new dimensions to the global policy shift in favour of sustainable development. But they need national and range- Development (UNCED), held in Rio de wide provisions only available under CMS to make a difference to conserving migratory species and their habitats. CMS can now fairly claim to Janeiro, Brazil and more recently at the form part of an interlocking array of biodiversity-related Conventions, all working towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) World Summit on Sustainable and the objectives of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD). Development (WSSD), convened in UNEP remains keenly committed to the work of CMS and its Parties. Although there is still a long way to go, considering the Convention did not Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2002 (see become fully effective till the early 1990s its sponsors can feel justly proud of its track record and optimistic about its prospects. We must page 26). The work of CMS is geared to acknowledge, however, that in the years since UNCED the Stockholm Conference in 1992 ground is still being lost in the fight to conserve certain implementing goals set at Johannesburg migratory animals or animal groups, even in apparently remote areas where pressures on wildlife might be expected to be lighter than in more by supporting programmes to bring long- accessible or developed situations. Examples include Saiga antelopes and Bactrian camels in Central Asia and the albatrosses, petrels and scarce term benefits to local communities and to reduce the rate of biodiversity loss – marine turtles that wander the high seas. It is uncomfortably clear that human activities such as poaching and indiscriminate fisheries bycatch still a world problem that threatens to play a part in the continuing decline of populations of these and other key migratory animals. Another persistent problem is habitat loss through land curtail potentially vital development degradation, land-use conversion and pollution, driven in many cases by pressures arising from poverty. Climate change and its impacts could well options unless urgent steps are taken to rack up such pressures still further in the future. remedy it. Two generations ago, few would have believed it possible that the world would negotiate CMS and its still-growing number of Agreements. Now in a world enduring stresses that might surprise our predecessors at Stockholm, we have to use that framework to save as many of those species as we can from the threat of extinction. We cannot afford to fail them. 25 YEARS OF JOURNEYS 4

The Convention framework of Understanding (MoUs) or Action The concept of migratory species as Plans. These instruments prescribe shared resources requiring conservation consistent and practical management interventions that span national and conservation measures that will be Conference of the Parties boundaries is interpreted under the applied by Parties (and any non-Party (decision making organ) Convention in two ways, spelt out in the Range State that decides to participate in Reviews implementation Appendices. While Appendix I denotes a specific instrument) out of a shared Adopts budget resolutions endangered species that require concern to make conditions easier for the Amends species lists immediate protective measures by listed species as their populations cross national authorities wherever they occur, successive territories. Standing Committee Scientific Council Appendix II listing is for species with ‘an This way of working makes CMS a (regional representation) (experts appointed by CMS Parties) unfavourable conservation status’ that uniquely versatile framework or umbrella Provides general policy Advises on scientific matters stand to benefit by international for international actions based on Operational and financial direction agreements for improving their agreements tailored to regional and conservation status and survival biological realities. Spared the burden of prospects. It can happen in cases where administering global protocols requiring species fall into both categories that they universal consensus, its compact are listed in both Appendices. A full institutions (see right) reflect this round-up of species listed on Appendix I, customised and streamlined approach. Appendix II (or both) can be found on CMS also promotes co-operative research the CMS website. and conservation projects on migratory Secretariat Any State that joins the Convention animals worldwide. The spectrum of Develops/promotes agreements agrees to strive towards strictly activities ranges from population counts Disseminates information (to Parties and the public) protecting Appendix I animals, to evaluations of the quality of habitats Organises meetings conserving or restoring habitats and threats, and the use of satellite important to them, mitigating obstacles telemetry to determine migratory routes. to their migration and curbing other Other studies have focused on breeding factors that might endanger them, such habits, fencing of nesting areas, site Working Groups Working Groups as hunting other than under agreed identification and mapping, and genetic Regional conditions. Besides establishing this analysis of sample tissues. Species specific common set of obligations in respect of Much of this work and many of the Thematic Appendix I animals, CMS promotes Convention’s other tasks, such as legal concerted action among the Range States and policy studies, have benefited from Inside CMS of species listed in Appendix II or on both partnership with other treaties and The Conference of the Parties (COP) meets at three-yearly intervals and is the decision-making body of Appendices to raise the conservation international bodies, notably the CBD, CMS. Its Standing Committee gives policy and administrative guidance between meetings. The status of these species. To achieve this the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, Scientific Council meets between COP sessions to offer scientific advice and identify research and conservation priorities. The Secretariat develops and promotes Agreements, services meetings, goal, the Convention encourages relevant the Convention on International Trade in supports and supervises research and conservation projects and co-operates with governments and Range States to negotiate legally binding Endangered Species (CITES)and the partner organizations. The Secretariat is provided by the United Nations Environment Programme global or regional Agreements or less International Whaling Commission. (UNEP) and currently has a professional staff of 18, based at headquarters in Bonn, Germany. formal instruments such as Memoranda JOURNEYS IN NATURE 5 Journeys at risk

This section of the Convention’s New and emerging challenges and threats anniversary report will trace some stand in the way of sustainable Land issues of the remarkable journeys – on coexistence between migratory animals Land degradation was estimated around 10 years ago to have affected nearly 2000 million hectares (15 per cent) of land, by water and in the air – that and the realities of development. But the world’s land area and to be worsening at a rate of 5 to 6 million hectares every year (UNEP/GEO3). A key cause migratory animals pursue, relating they also point the way to fresh is loss of natural ground cover during conversion of marginal drylands, wilderness areas or open forest lands to agricultural or range uses. A major co-factor is reduction of biodiversity and wild animal genetic resources, both them to the big picture of opportunities and potential for directly and as a result of hunting by local people forced through hardship to abandon sustainable practices. sustainable development. Specially interaction between countries, Tourists flock from all over the world to countries like Kenya and Tanzania to see vast herds of migrating zebra and commissioned features highlight institutions and economic sectors that wildebeest tracked by lions and other predators. Not all countries have such natural assets but some have tried using cases of outstanding concern to CMS could make a positive difference to the wildlife as a basis for generating income from game ranching and even from sport hunting in marginal and fragile and its partners, and describe how situation of migratory animals in today’s ecosystems, rather than subject the land to intensive agriculture or domestic livestock production. Controversial though these are being tackled through and tomorrow’s world, in step with trials of such approaches have sometimes been, they show that economic alternatives exist for conserving migrant Resolutions and Agreements that poverty reduction, the wealth of nations, wildlife and rangelands. Another pressure on migratory wildlife habitats that is much less predictable or manageable is the impact of drier conditions brought about by climate change, especially in wetland areas already extensively drained or stand as landmarks along the trail of technological progress and the global depleted. A Joint Work Plan, formally signed at the Edinburgh Global Flyways Conference in April 2004, reaffirmed the negotiations that has brought CMS quest to raise levels of environmental importance of these and other common issues and synergies that link Ramsar, the Convention on Wetlands, to CMS and to its present stage of evolution. security and quality for everyone. its Agreements (see page 21). In this and later sections, invited In 2003 a Memorandum of Co-operation was sealed between the Secretariat of CMS and that of the United Nations contributions will focus not only on Uncertain ground – land Convention to Combat Desertification in those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, particularly successes but also on reasons why the mammals on the move in Africa – better known as UNCCD. It recognises that the habitats of a significant number of migratory species listed as endangered on Appendix I of CMS occur in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid parts of the world, and that the survival of Convention’s own journey towards Many migratory land mammals regularly the animals in question depends in part on policy and planning measures taken to curb desertification and other forms or implementation is still far from complete. cross national borders. Several are stages of land degradation. As well as the exchange of information, the Memorandum foresees joint action by both sets endangered, including the Mountain of Parties to identify areas critical to migratory species and to build and share knowledge on how best to manage and African elephant gorilla (see page 8), the African elephant, conserve these areas, including how to regulate uses such as hunting along wise lines. several antelope species in Africa (see An emblem of the wildlife riches of eastern, western, southern and central Africa, the overleaf) and the Saiga antelope of the African elephant has been a notorious victim steppes of Kazakhstan, the Russian surviving populations from declining from which are sold as a supposed cure for of illegal international Federation, over 1m individuals 15 years ago to a mere male impotence in many urban centres trade in ivory and other Turkmenistan and 30,000 by the end of 2003. around North Asia. The wild animal products. It Uzbekistan. The This drastic decline is a result of antlers are cut off while the has also lost large stretches of migratory situation of the latter poaching and smuggling activities antelope is still alive, range as a result of gives cause for special prompted by illegal trade in Saiga antlers, leaving the animal to bleed degradation of savanna concern. For though the and forest habitats and Saiga inhabits some of conflicts with agriculture the least inhabited and other human Saiga antelope territories on Earth, activities. CMS works Poaching and illegal trade in the horns of Saiga antelope, along with uncontrolled closely with CITES and where pressure from hunting for meat, have contributed to its recent decline. Economic hardship and other treaty bodies and © Still Pictures human activities should faulty land use planning are root causes that need to be tackled before this free- wildlife conservation in normal circumstances roaming antelope can be conserved and sustainably managed to economic institutions, to secure an untroubled future advantage. CMS is developing an agreement among its Range States to reverse the

be minimal, a recent census by WWF has © Rotislav Stach for the biggest and most impressive of all situation and restore the Saiga to the Central Asian steppes where its vast herds used shown that this antelope’s ‘strictly migratory land animals. to be a famous sight. protected’ status has not prevented 25 YEARS OF JOURNEYS 6

Bukhara deer SAVING AFRICA’S ENDANGERED DESERT ANTELOPES The Bukhara deer was almost as culturally In the 1990s CMS launched a Concerted Action, Unless such practices can be stamped out, area is remote, administrative structures are significant in many parts of Central Asia as involving 14 countries in Sahelo-Saharan and action taken to conserve the area’s lacking and local communities, who depend the cows in India. Today, only a few hundred Africa, to conserve and restore six highly remaining wildlife, several species risk entirely on pastoralism, are poor. The programme’s animals remain due to illegal hunting and endangered desert and sub-desert ungulates extinction in Niger. Addaxes could soon meet basic concept hinges on reapportioning land under poaching as well as artificial regulations of listed on CMS Appendix I. A CMS Action Plan, the same fate as the Scimitar-horned oryx. the stewardship of Tubu pastoralist communities. the water regimes in the adopted in 1998 in Djerba, Tunisia, elaborated Niger’s Dama gazelles are already close to Dialogue with these communities is being sought river valleys where activities that Range States undertake to fulfil extinction. Plans for conserving them include a with a view to involve them in designing small- they live and roam. the Action. Progress was reviewed and the systematic inventory of their range in the Termit scale projects to improve their lives, such as A Memorandum of Action Plan updated in Agadir, Morocco in May Massif on which to base management steps nutrition, health and animal health projects and Understanding developed 2003. Wildlife experts ARNAUD GRETH and and even (if necessary) moves to renew construction of new schools and wells. under CMS is providing a BERTRAND CHARDONNET describe the results populations with introduced animals. The development potential of Saharan tourism route-map for efforts to of a recent mission to Niger, part of baseline A recent field investigation in Niger, which is vast and could become an economic trump card rescue this species from efforts to implement the Action Plan. included officials from the three main natural for Niger. If a new day is to dawn for the addax the brink of extinction. The Addax antelope is in critical danger of resources ministries of the République du Niger, and for large Saharan wildlife in general, it is time extinction, the Dama gazelle, Slender-horned witnessed hundreds of Dorcas gazelles, traces of to mobilise energy and finance to show that gazelle and Cuvier’s gazelle are highly endangered cheetah and several endangered bird species, conservation and sustainable management © Olga Pereladova/WWF Russia Pereladova/WWF © Olga to death. The plight of and the Dorcas gazelle has a very vulnerable including the Arabian and the Nubian bustard. projects for desert regions can boost national the Saiga highlights an status; the Scimitar-horned oryx is probably extinct Such findings suggest that the Termit Massif wealth as well as creating livelihoods and raising uncomfortable truth, that legal in the wild. The ongoing project of which the region ranks as a premier site for conserving the quality of life for local communities. In this mission described here forms a part, initiated by Saharan biodiversity. All ungulates seen in the area light, saving the addax is an international must. instruments for protecting species are CMS and backed by the Fonds Français pour were extremely wary, most keeping a flight only as effective as compliance and l’Environnement Mondial (FFEM), works towards distance of over a kilometre, behaviour typical of enforcement on the ground can make developing a network of protected areas to ensure areas under intense pressure from hunting. them. In such cases, the work of the survival of these species and their habitats. Under the SSA CMS/FFEM project, we hope to Local pastoralists identify fauna in their area. matching the Convention’s agreed The initial CMS Sahelo-Saharan Antelopes launch an integrated conservation and (SSA) regional project involves seven countries, development programme in the Termit Massif principles with local realities evidently including three pilot countries, Tunisia, Niger and region. Development conditions are not easy. The still has a long way to go. Mali. A preliminary field survey for the project took Also listed on the Convention’s place in November 2003 in the Termit Massif area The CMS Secretariat reports that it has Appendices are many species of bats and of south-east Niger’s Zinder region. It appears requested the Director of the lead environmental deer, the Bactrian camel and the Snow likely that this area harbours the last viable wild addax population in the world, although scattered institution of one of the Middle-East countries leopard, the most elusive of the great sightings have been reported in Chad and involved to assist CMS and Niger in developing a cats (see boxes, this page and opposite). Mauritania. All wild migratory ungulates in and plan to protect the Termit Massif as a natural Though the track record of protection around the Termit Massif are under threat. In such heritage site under the UNESCO World Heritage Convention and support the neighbouring area’s and conservation measures is mixed or open terrain, these animals are very vulnerable to economic development. A full recovery of the ineffective in some of these cases, any kind of hunting and poaching. Importantly these activities are not confined to local people wildlife within the site might then, in the success stories and examples of good and traditional hunters. Groups of Middle-Eastern medium term, lead to the establishment of practice also abound. The challenge for sport hunters have been allowed to hunt, targeting buffer zones, in which sustainable utilisation of all CMS Parties is to achieve a consistent mainly Houbara bustards, but ungulates and likely wildlife in the vicinity of the nature reserve could eventually be allowed. The consultations will level of implementation for all listed other wildlife are also actively sought. Opening up take some time, but the CMS Secretariat is very fauna, by seizing the collaborative areas like the Termit Massif to all-terrain vehicles has limited movements of wild animals and left optimistic that co-operation will succeed. opportunities CMS offers. them at the mercy of poachers. © John Newby/SSIG JOURNEYS IN NATURE 7

MOROCCO AND THE BONN CONVENTION For all migratory animals, crossing Wild or Bactrian camel geopolitical boundaries is a risk, seeing Its geographic position between the Atlantic that apply the provisions of the Convention and A native of China and Mongolia, the Bactrian that different standards for implementing seaboard and the western Mediterranean basin strengthen legal instruments for conserving camel has been sorely persecuted by makes Morocco one of the most unique natural resources. Many of these actions also fulfil environmental policies apply in each hunters. It has also had to contend with countries in North Africa in terms of the country’s responsibilities under other country through which they pass. For competition with domestic herd animals for geographical, climatic, ecological and international conventions, among them UNCCD many land mammals, boundaries of a water and pasture, pollution biological diversity. Migratory species of wild and the Ramsar Convention. physical nature create a more immediate arising from oil and gold fauna include Monk seal, turtles, Slender-billed Most notably, steps have been taken to create extraction and prospecting hazard. Fences erected to protect crops or curlews and many scarce or endangered a structure entrusted with monitoring, managing activities, the settling of oases antelope species. ABDELLAH EL MASTOUR, and conserving the wild flora and fauna, to stop epidemic diseases from spreading by formerly nomadic groups of who heads the country’s Service des Parcs et particularly migratory species, and a plan of between wild and domestic herd animals pastoralists and hybridisation Réserves, sums up Morocco’s determination to direction for protected areas as a strategy of have, for example, severely impeded with domestic camel stock. conserve this wealth of biodiversity. conservation of habitats for migratory species of migratory movements of elephants and CMS is co-operating with the Morocco’s migratory species of wild fauna face wild fauna was developed in 1996. National Governments of China and

antelopes in much of Africa. © Flip de Nooyer/Foto Natura many pressures, in particular land conversion to legislation on protected areas, taking into account Mongolia and with the Wild increasingly intensive agricultural use, the provisions of CMS, is currently at an advanced Loss of natural habitats and ranges Camel Protection Foundation on demographic pressure, development of urban stage of preparation. through land conversion, degradation, an ambitious array of conservation and centres, overgrazing and drought. The country Several species that had disappeared from or both, is another problem which – sustainable use projects. therefore took a strong lead in signing and ratifying Morocco are now being rehabilitated in national though it affects many kinds and classes international conventions and treaties relating to parks and reserves, especially the oryx, the of migratory animals – can have the conservation of nature and biodiversity, addax, the red-necked ostrich, the Barbary deer particularly direct and acute impacts on including CMS which it joined in 1993. The High and the dama gazelle. Reserves have been Snow leopard Commission for Water Resources and Forests and specially created for conserving Dorcas gazelles, migratory land mammals. on Combating Desertification was designated as Cuvier’s gazelles and Barbary sheep, while a Antelopes, gazelles and other wild The Snow leopard spends its solitary life the national focal point for the Convention. number of important protected areas have been ungulates living in remote and sparsely on the move across a range of over Over the ensuing decade, the country has designated, covering a representative range of the 1.2 million km2 and at altitudes of 2500 to inhabited desert and semi-desert terrains taken further steps to align itself with four CMS country’s ecosystems. 6000m in the harsh and instruments; the Memorandum on the might be expected to rugged mountains of Conservation of the Slender-Billed curlew (1995), escape heavy pressures Central Asia. Habitat AEWA (1997, and currently in the process of from human activities. But loss, poaching and a ratification), ACCOBAMS (signed in 1997 and the very openness and lack steep decline in ratified in 1999) and the Memorandum on the numbers of prey species of vegetation that gives Conservation of Marine Turtles (2002). The have reduced its Memorandum on the Conservation of the Monk these landscapes their bare numbers to an Seal is in the process of being examined with a and inhospitable character estimated 3000-7000 view to signature. can lay them open to wild individuals. Military Since overall ratification of CMS in 1993, mechanised poaching raids conflicts in parts of its Morocco has participated in all of the Conferences range have added to involving all-terrain © Joe Fox/International Snow Leopard Trust of the Parties (COPs). At COP6 held in Cape these pressures and to Town, South Africa in 1999, Morocco was elected vehicles and automatic the difficulties of sealing by fellow African countries as substitute member weapons. Whether the agreements on conservation measures. of the Permanent Regional Committee and later intent of the poacher is Nevertheless, CMS and the 12 Range became Africa’s regional representative and Vice- unlicensed sport hunting States are conferring with other bodies, President to the same Committee for COP7, held including CITES and the International or commercial hunting and in Bonn in 2002. At national level, the focal point Dorcas gazelles in Niger. Snow Leopard Network, on ways forward institution has spearheaded a number of actions © John Newby/SSIG smuggling for the animal parts or to Concerted Action. bushmeat markets, these illegal practices 25 YEARS OF JOURNEYS 8

Bats MOUNTAIN GORILLAS Nearly 1100 species of bats exist worldwide – The Mountain gorilla (Gorilla gorilla beringei) settled around the Virungas, land has increasingly nearly a quarter of all mammal species – was spotted for the first time in Central Africa been converted to pastures and fields, forcing the Great Apes Survival Project with some 45 species known to occur in almost exactly one hundred years ago by gorillas to withdraw further and further onto the CMS endorses UNEP’s Great Apes Survival Europe. The most immediate threats to them German explorer, Oscar von Beringei. These high ground, and limiting their migratory habit. Project (GRASP), specifically in relation to the nowadays arise from charismatic apes are wide-ranging migratory Mountain gorillas build new nests each day at Mountain gorilla, a species that has been degradation of the places browsers, yet over recent decades they have dusk, constructing them from bent branches or listed on the Convention’s Appendix I since it where they live, been almost constantly on the retreat from from grasses on the ground, then move on at was first drawn up in 1979. Resolutions of the disturbance of roosting poaching, human conflict and habitat loss. dawn to new areas of forest. As they often cross Convention’s COP5 in 1997 and COP6 in 1999 sites and certain MELANIE VIRTUE of UNEP’s Great Apes Survival borders in the process, transboundary collaboration called for urgent action to be taken to protect pesticides. The CMS Project explains how over the past 13 years the is essential to conservation and anti-poaching the gorillas throughout their range. Two Range Agreement on the Mountain gorilla has not only managed to hold activities. Poaching has thrived on trade in gorillas States of the Mountain gorilla are Parties to Conservation of its ground but has risen in numbers, thanks to and gorilla body parts for the trophy and curio trade the Convention – the Democratic Republic of Populations of European © F R Greenaway © F regional conservation initiatives that have but has proved unsustainable and destructive. the Congo since 1990 and (since 2000) Bats (EUROBATS) has involved CMS and many partners. Poachers kill adult specimens to sell their heads Uganda. Both pledge under Article III to strive achieved new and Today some 650 Mountain gorillas remain at and hands, or capture infant gorillas for zoos, to conserve and restore gorilla habitats, to improved legal protection standards for bats. large in Bwindi National Park and Mgahinga tearing apart entire family groups. In addition, counter obstacles to migration and to curb It has done much to dispel outdated National Park in Uganda, Volcano National Park in gorillas frequently fall prey to poachers’ snares or other threats to the species. Rwanda, which misconceptions and prejudices about these Rwanda and Virunga National Park in the traps set for forest antelopes or other game. will soon become a Party, may take steps to harmless fellow occupants of our buildings Democratic Republic of Congo, clustered around In the 1970s, UNESCO joined forces with join them in using the CMS framework and and forests (see opposite). the Virunga Mountains. Habitat loss has been the WWF and other organisations on a ‘People and the new dynamic offered by GRASP to most serious pressure on gorilla numbers. The Plants’ project, promoting sustainable use of advance these moves. dense and diverse forests that surround the plants in Bwindi National Park. At around the same remain a stubborn obstacle to the Virungas lie over rich volcanic soil, highly sought- time The Democratic Republic of Congo became Mountain gorilla and for the region’s other natural after for farming. As more and more people have the first nation to successfully develop gorilla survival not only of vanishingly scarce riches looked bleak. Yet though tourism was driven tourism. A regional ungulates like the addax but away gorilla numbers actually rallied, rising by conservation programme also of conspicuous some 9 per cent above pre-conflict levels. was launched in 1979, This turnaround was owed largely to endangered dryland birds like aimed at maintaining conservation efforts continued under the the Houbara bustard. virgin forest for International Gorilla Conservation Program (IGCP), watershed protection in In many cases, local a joint venture of the African Wildlife Foundation all three countries, and at people become involved in (AWF), Fauna & Flora International (FFI) and the habituating some groups these practices or facilitate World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). ICGP set out of gorillas to tourist in 1991 to conserve Mountain gorilla habitats, them not because they visitations. All these enable participation of rural communities, and condone them but because moves helped ease develop economic alternatives to poaching and encroachment on natural their circumstances leave encroachment on natural forest ecosystems in all forests. But they could them little choice. Given a three range countries. do nothing to avert wider range of more It will take time before security can be waves of armed conflict restored to a level sufficient to attract ape- sustainable livelihood and civil unrest that watching enthusiasts back to the Virungas in options, most local people swept the region in the numbers. But conservationists remain confident 1990s. would keep faith with that conserving Mountain gorillas is a prize that its Amid the general sustainable practices, host countries can grasp. lawlessness that ensued, including traditional ‘lo-tech’ © Mark Attwater/GRASP prospects for the hunting methods. JOURNEYS IN NATURE 9

NEW CHAPTER IN EUROBATS SUCCESS STORY Troubled waters whale-watching activities, a non- Because the problems they face often consumptive use which has proved The Agreement set up under CMS on the monitoring initiatives, arranges MOPs and Advisory occur far out of sight of land, marine feasible and sustainable elsewhere, Conservation of Populations of European Bats Committee sessions, and stimulates proposals for mammals and large fishes listed in the notably along the coasts of Argentina, (EUROBATS) entered into force on 16 January improving the effectiveness of the Agreement and 1994 and nearly 30 European Range States attracting more Range States to participate and join CMS Appendices represent special South Africa and Mexico. When female were Parties by 2004. The Agreement aims to the Agreement. It also strives to alert the general challenges. CMS has framed a regional whales migrate to these coasts from cold protect some 45 of Europe’s bat species public to the threats to bat populations in Europe approach around Agreements on small water areas to give birth they provide a through legislation, education, conservation through popular events like the European Bat Night, cetaceans (toothed whales, dolphins and spectacular ecotourism attraction which measures and international co-operation held in several European countries every year, porpoises) in the Baltic and North Seas keeps many service enterprises afloat, between Parties and those Range States that mainly in August. Over a weekend excursions, have yet to join the Agreement. PETER LINA, exhibitions and information materials are offered to (ASCOBANS) and on all cetaceans in the creating jobs and livelihoods for people Chairman of the Advisory Committee to the the public in cities and towns all across Europe. Black and Mediterranean Seas and who would otherwise expect to find few Agreement, tracks its recent progress, which Many national and local organisations are nearby Atlantic waters (ACCOBAMS). income-generating alternatives. owes much to the NGO connection. devoted to the study and the protection of bats The most urgent threats facing these Another keystone Agreement All European bat species are to a greater or and their environment. Some of them organise species are incidental capture in concerns seals in the shallow eastern lesser extent endangered with extinction, and their own events to improve public awareness of some are already extinct in certain countries. The bat conservation. The Fourth MOP, held in Sofia fisheries, physical disturbance and fringe of the North Sea known as the main reasons are loss of roosts, loss of feeding (Bulgaria) in September 2003, recognised the pollution. The conservation plans of both Wadden Sea (see overleaf). It was areas and flight paths, and the use of pesticides important role NGOs can play in bat conservation, Agreements provide, among other things, concluded as the first CMS agreement in agriculture and for treating construction timber. not least through their voluntary monitoring and for assessing human-cetacean after an epidemic in 1988 wiped out Misunderstanding and prejudice arising from data collection activities. NGO groups have interactions, providing for emergency 60 per cent of the region’s Harbour seals. ignorance about bats – and even some kinds of worked together on national or international research activity – also form part of the problem. projects but have so far lacked a pan-European response measures, establishing The seal population has since regained In 1995, the First Session of the Meeting of umbrella alliance along the same lines as BirdLife protected areas and reducing interaction pre-epidemic levels and – although still Parties (MOP) to the EUROBATS Agreement International or PlantLife Europe. The Sofia with fisheries. They also encourage subject to diseases – the seals are no compiled an international Action Plan, and an Meeting resolved to encourage activities to Advisory Committee was set up to carry forward collaborate and share experience along such lines. this plan between MOPs. Its main tasks are A proposal at the Ninth European Bat monitoring and international activities, largely Research Symposium, held in Le Havre (France) Whale shark through Working Groups that look after particular in August 2002, established BatLife Europe as an The Whale shark is the biggest of studies and conservation projects. Invited delegates umbrella NGO for bat conservation throughout all fish, growing up to 14m long. of NGOs and specialists in bat conservation and Europe, open to all interested groups. BatLife A harmless plankton-eater, it management are able to take part in the MOPs Europe and BirdLife International’s European wanders the tropical oceans from and the Advisory Committee. The Committee has division may well find they have common the equator to around 30-40˚ developed draft resolutions for adoption by the interests in some areas and it is hoped that co- latitude. In recent years its MOP on such topics as monitoring methodologies, operation will follow on (for instance) bats, birds numbers have tumbled, mainly conservation of important underground bat habitats, and wetlands. BatLife Europe can also raise funds as a result of trade in shark meat bat-friendly forest management techniques, the use for transboundary bat care projects and contribute and fins for use as a gourmet of remedial timber treatment, threats to bats from to the scientific programme of EUROBATS. Such food, particularly in Asia. CMS is wind turbines and the issue of permits for the interaction between governments and NGOs promoting multi-country action trapping and study of captured wild bats. acting in their varying capacities is expected to for whale shark conservation and The EUROBATS Secretariat was established by lend an essential boost to the fuller is nurturing a Memorandum of the First Session of the Meeting of Parties and implementation of EUROBATS. Understanding to tackle such started working in Bonn (Germany) in 1996, sharing threats as fisheries bycatch and premises with the CMS Secretariat. It promotes illegal trade. © Fred Doubilet/Foto Natura information exchange, coordinates bat research and 25 YEARS OF JOURNEYS 10

longer threatened with extinction. TROUBLE IN SIGHT FOR AFRICA’S DOLPHINS Besides marine mammals, there are CMS Memoranda of Understanding In Peru, Sri Lanka, and Taiwan the loss of small underway, but annual mortality in Ghana alone is earn only a pittance. A pattern is emerging cetaceans to bycatch has evolved into direct expected to exceed the upper hundreds. The whereby unscrupulous wildlife traders target covering marine turtles, one for the targeting of marine mammals as food, biology of all these populations has yet to be nations experiencing political or economic crisis, Atlantic Coast of Africa and the other for following the collapse of fish stocks. New CMS studied, and impacts cannot be judged without where social unrest makes it easier to obtain the Indian Ocean and South-East Asia study findings raise the spectre of a potential abundance estimates. catch and export permits, uncurbed by any (IOSEA). Part of the problem is ‘marine bushmeat’ crisis in Africa, compounded In the case of inshore Bottle-nosed dolphins, thorough review process. excessive harvesting of turtles and turtle by a boom in live captures of Bottle-nosed a novel threat has emerged in the form of Bottle-nosed dolphin bycatches and direct kills dolphins for export to leisure enterprises. indiscriminate removals, both legal and illegal, for for food are significant and coastal habitat is eggs by local people whose sources of KOEN VAN WAEREBEEK, P.K. OFORI-DANSON the captive industry. Fast economic growth in degrading fast. The effect of these pressures high-protein food are limited. Other and JOSEPH DEBRAH report on studies in West Asia, especially China, is generating persistent compounded by commercial live captures could major problems are fisheries bycatch, Africa that highlight the need for more and demand for western-style commercial recreational endanger populations. A need exists for technical degradation of coastal environments and better management measures to safeguard facilities, including dolphinariums with shows and support from the cetacean expert groups of marine pollution. Little is known about dolphins and other small cetaceans from these swim-with-dolphin ‘programmes’. Unwary officials international institutions like the IWC and IUCN, emerging threats. who issue export and import permits, seem easily to be made available to national authorities to the lives of turtles in the open ocean. The main aim of the study in hand tricked into believing these removals do no harm evaluate live capture proposals before permits can CMS sponsors surveys of key nesting (CMS/WAFCET 3) was to monitor dolphin takes off to wild populations. Official ‘non-detriment’ be issued, possibly channelled via the CMS and Ghana and Togo. Earlier, exploratory efforts statements required under CITES are often CITES Secretariats. Importing countries need to indicated that important numbers of dolphins were rudimentary and rarely reflect up-to-date science. share greater responsibility for ensuring sound being landed in fishing ports of western Ghana, in The international live dolphin trade from wild criteria are obeyed. More generally, the keys to clear violation of the country’s Wildlife issue is fiercely commercial, expanding, and very successful management at national level will be Conservation Regulation No.1971 which protects impatient in the face of regulations. Captive-born sustained monitoring and flexible planning. marine mammals. ‘Artisanal’ drift gillnetters target bottlenose dolphins are available from long- A broader challenge will be to foster a regional, several species of tuna, shark and billfish and established facilities in Europe and North if not a pan-African vision, superimposed on a dolphin captures used to be merely accidental America, but removing specimens from the wild national approach. entanglements. But with declining fish landings proves vastly more lucrative considering locals and shrinking fish size, many more dolphins are now speared, harpooned or netted and hauled in © Jacques Fretey alive and bycatch is slowly turning into more Pacific Leatherback turtles systematic exploitation. Carcasses are expertly gutted and dolphin meat is treated like tuna, The dramatic decline in numbers of Pacific smoked and marketed both locally and in the Leatherback turtles over the past two decades hinterland. Specimens that cannot be sold are – amounting to a loss of 95 per cent of the salted and used as fish bait. The core of the female nesting population – is due in part to problem is lack of any management scheme or an over-harvesting of eggs by local people who adequate nationwide system to log statistics on lack other sources of protein. CMS is working dolphin landings. with countries around the world to put in Ghana’s fishermen operate widely in the sub- place management systems that aim to region, from Senegal south to Gabon and probably benefit people as well as turtles, and to beyond. Wherever they roam, fishermen reduce fisheries bycatch. The Pacific propagate fishing skills, and so export the potential Leatherback is covered by the IOSEA for unsustainable utilisation elsewhere. Tropical Memorandum of Understanding that links the pelagic dolphins are mainly affected, as well as efforts of CMC Parties around the Pacific to small ‘whales’ like Short-finned pilot, False killer, conserve various endangered marine turtles, Pygmy killer, Melon-headed, Pygmy sperm and one of Earth’s most ancient life-forms. Cuvier’s beaked whales. Data analysis is still © Ingrid Visser/WDCS JOURNEYS IN NATURE 11

THE WADDEN SEA SEAL AGREEMENT – TURNING THE TIDE FOR CONSERVATION For centuries, Harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) positive new factor had entered the equation. around. It was widely acknowledged that the The Plan remains an essential tool for populations in the Wadden Sea have been In October 1991, an Agreement was struck Agreement played a part in turning the tide. heading off potential future conflicts of interest under threat from human activities. Hunting between Denmark, Germany and The The Agreement required Parties to develop in an area which must also accommodate water was the main danger in the past but today Netherlands on the Conservation of Seals in the on the basis of scientific knowledge a sports activities, military exercises and aircraft disturbance, degradation of habitats, pollution Wadden Sea. It was the first regional Agreement ‘conservation and management plan for the seal movements that cause noise disturbance. It and incidental capture in fishing gear are under CMS and its aim was multi-country co- population’ – the Seal Management Plan. This aims to strike a balance between managing the mostly to blame. BETTINA REINEKING of the operation to improve the conservation prospects Plan has become the key instrument for area for these and similar human uses, and Common Wadden Sea Secretariat looks back of seals in the entire sea area. It could not have achieving and maintaining the objectives of the conserving viable stocks of seals in sufficient over 13 years of the trilateral Agreement that come at a better time. After the first pdv Seal Agreement. Among other provisions, it set numbers to maintain a natural breeding cycle. sealed the first CMS success. epizootic, between 1988 and 2002, seal numbers up seal reserves throughout the Sea which are The Wadden Sea seal population slumped in rallied significantly. Aerial surveys of the whole closed to all activities in periods when the the mid-1970s to about 3900 individuals – the Sea in 2002 counted some 20,975 seals, of which animals are giving birth and nursing young. lowest number ever logged. A ban on hunting about 4735 were pups. This comeback was It also includes measures for protecting the was introduced in all three Wadden Sea attributed to a higher reproductive rate and lower Grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) in the Sea. countries (Denmark, Germany and The initial juvenile mortality. But later that same year A rise in seal populations may run the risk of Netherlands) and as a result seal numbers pdv struck again and half the Sea’s seals (about conflict with fishermen and other commercial stabilised and in places began to rise. But this 10,500) were found dead users. It may also challenge the current reserve positive development was short-lived. A One year later, however, the maximum system if additional reserves are needed to cope dramatic epizootic (animal disease epidemic) number of surviving seals counted during the with growing numbers. Research projects on the broke out at the end of the 1980s caused by the moult period in August 2003 amounted to some feeding ecology of Harbour seals, and highly infectious phocine distemper virus (pdv). 10,800 seals. In other words the population was investigations of habitat requirements of seals in By 1988, the seal population had slumped by 53 per cent below pre-outbreak levels. Though in relation to recreational demands are the top two about 60 per cent. It happened again 14 years absolute numbers more seals died than during priorities for implementation under the revised later, once more reducing the seal population to the earlier epizootic of 1988, the evidence showed SMP for 2002-2006 (available on the CWSS web- dangerously low figures. Yet in the meantime a that relative mortality was much lower this time site at http://www.waddensea-secretariat.org/). © K E Heers

beaches, assessments of turtle bycatch (sturgeon roe) is a luxury taste, yet if Amazonian manatee and capacity building through training sustainably produced it can be a precious One of the largest mammals on the South American continent, the Amazonian manatee is also the workshops and by other means. Starting asset to local economies, national world’s only exclusively freshwater sirenian. This big (up to 2.8m long) and highly elusive herbivore at a regional level with an emphasis on exchequers and international trade. Other migrates along the basins of the Amazon and its tributaries, crossing the borders of Peru, Bolivia, the requirements of developing countries, fish of concern to CMS are the Whale Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela and Brazil. Like other Amazonian wildlife, it has suffered from unsustainable exploitation of rainforest areas, commercial hunting, the Convention works towards a global shark and Giant Mekong catfish. It is and pollution of their wetland habitats as a result of gold mining and approach for conserving marine turtles in widely recognised that most of the world’s oil drilling activities. In Colombia and Ecuador an additional threat is ways that also help people. marine fisheries are exploited to an aerial spraying of herbicides as a means of suppressing narcotics Sturgeon are fish that migrate in or unsustainable degree. Vast numbers of (coca) production. The manatee’s long gestation period and low rate between marine, brackish and inland non-target species, including migratory of reproduction mean that populations lack scope to recover from such impacts, even though the species is officially protected in most waters in many parts of the temperate animals, are captured incidentally in gill of its Range States. A proposal by Peru to award the manatee Northern hemisphere. They form another nets, trawls and long-lines, then discarded. priority status under CMS is under discussion and could pave the focus of current efforts on the part of CMS Such bycatch threatens not only non- way to concerted action by all these states to develop and to curb unsustainable trade in products target fish but also small cetaceans, implement active conservation measures. © J Novis/Greenpeace derived from migratory animals. Caviar several kinds of marine turtles and diving 25 YEARS OF JOURNEYS 12

seabirds such as albatrosses and petrels STANDING UP FOR CETACEANS (page 14). A recent survey showed that fishing implements used without safety Marine biologist PETRA DEIMER of the Society Since its launch in 1991, the eight Parties to initiative in preparing a draft recovery plan for the for the Conservation of Marine Mammals ASCOBANS with active inputs from NGOs like North Sea Harbour porpoise. Independently of devices kill some 18,000 whales, dolphins (GSM) explains why the world’s whales, GSM, International Fund for Animal Welfare ASCOBANS, further measures are to be taken and porpoises every year, in EU Atlantic dolphins and porpoises need transboundary (IFAW), Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society under the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) of the waters alone. protection – protection that only CMS and (WDCS) and WWF, have identified a range of European Union. To date, however, none of the ASCOBANS can provide. threats caused by human activities that dolphins, Parties to ASCOBANS feels in a position to Whales are flagships of international nature and porpoises – no less than the larger whales – implement the Jastarnia Plan. In the long term, conservation, species conservation and animal encounter during their seasonal migrations the Agreement’s aims will only be achieved if Humpback whale conservation. This is no accident. These between breeding, feeding and over-wintering these are integrated into fisheries policies. Humpbacks travel in all the world’s oceans. impressive and peaceable marine mammals are ranges. Marine pollution and acoustic disturbance Other threats from human activities not related Most migrate from summer feeding grounds unable to fight for their survival, not least because give growing cause of concern, while bycatch is to fisheries, such as pollution and disturbance, in polar seas to warmer waters nearer the most of the over 80 species of cetaceans have no considered the most serious threat. will also require energetic attention. Equator where they breed in winter. natural enemies. Man, their only serious enemy, The Harbour porpoise, one of the smallest The extension of the ASCOBANS area to cover Humpbacks are listed in Appendix I of CMS. came into their lives at a late hour from an cetaceans, could be called the real ‘problem child’ parts of the Eastern North Atlantic, as resolved at Small numbers visit the Mediterranean and evolutionary point of view. But many species, of the ASCOBANS region. In 2002, ASCOBANS the Fourth Meeting of the Parties, will create the the Black Sea, where they are protected under notably the large whales, have been driven to the developed a Recovery Plan for the Baltic Harbour long-awaited link between the ASCOBANS and the ACCOBAMS agreement (see opposite) but brink of extinction by humankind’s excesses. They Porpoise, which is in danger of extinction. Known ACCOBAMS agreement areas, thus creating a all populations remain in decline on account of stand in urgent need of help. as the Jastarnia Plan, it recommends steps to unified front for cetacean conservation throughout deliberate hunting, entanglement in fishing In 1937, the International Convention for the replace dangerous fishing gear with less Europe. A logical next step would now be for nets, depletion of prey species, chemical Regulation of Whaling, also known as the IWC dangerous equipment; that is, drift nets with long UNEP/ASCOBANS to follow the example of pollution and long-term environmental (International Whaling Commission) was lines and bottom-set gill nets with fish traps or fish ACCOBAMS by extending the Agreement’s scope change. Another threat which affects all concluded to prevent the whaling industry from pots. It also urges greater public awareness. This to cover not only small cetaceans but all species cetaceans is noise pollution. Human-created dying out, along with the last of the whales. Even is an endeavour that NGOs can help with. Since of whales, dolphins and porpoises. noise in the marine environment, from so, like CITES, this instrument focuses primarily on 2002, GSM has been asking mariners to report shipping and military activities to fisheries commercial aspects. Whales have long since been porpoise sightings for publication under anti-predation devices and seismic air-guns in need of cross-cutting, comprehensive protection ASCOBANS, to help defend the used to prospect for undersea oil or gas measures to tackle the many other factors that recovery plan as well as to fulfil deposits, can interfere with key aspects of menace them, not least habitat destruction, obligations like the declaration cetacean behaviour – not least food location, pollution, fisheries, shipping and new threats such of reserves under the EC navigating and social interactions vital to as climate change. Habitats Directive. The third breeding cycles. NGOs like GSM therefore welcome the fact Sunday in May has been that the Bonn Convention obliges its Parties to declared Baltic Harbour engage in conserving and restoring habitats and Porpoise Day and NGOs take a tackles regional problems in the framework of lead in staging special events regional agreements. Two such agreements on around the Baltic on this day. cetaceans have been concluded: ASCOBANS The situation does not (Agreement on the Conservation of Small seem to be quite so bad for Cetaceans of the Baltic and North Seas) and the Harbour porpoise in the ACCOBAMS (Agreement on the Conservation of North Sea, even though the Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea annual kill caused by the and Contigous Atlantic Area). Further agreements fishing industry is estimated will hopefully follow, for instance for whales in to be beyond the powers of the South Pacific and South Atlantic, where the recovery of its remaining © R Grace/Greenpeace © R Humpback whale mother and calf, IWC’s efforts to establish protected areas are breeding populations. Pelorus Island, Australia. currently stalled. Germany has taken the JOURNEYS IN NATURE 13

ACCOBAMS ACTION PLAN IS READY TO ROLL A safer world for birds of Andean flamingo passage The Andean flamingo occurs in the high NICHOLAS ENTRUP of the Whale and Dolphin areas a dramatic decline in populations of these Bird migrations are arguably the best- Andes regions of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile Conservation Society (WDCS) outlines species has been monitored over recent decades. known and most spectacular of all animal and Peru. Like most flamingos it prefers to planning advances that will spur multi-country ACCOBAMS requires its Members to feed and breed on large shallow lakes or actions under ACCOBAMS. implement a comprehensive conservation plan journeys. Many species migrate from high lagoons, including some inhospitable places ACCOBAMS is the second Agreement for and to enforce legislation to prevent the latitudes to the tropics and beyond. The where waters are strongly alkaline and cetaceans to be sealed under CMS and the first deliberate taking of cetaceans in fisheries by Arctic tern migrates practically from pole saline. Since the mid-1980s numbers of this of its kind to bind the countries of these two sub- vessels under their flag or within their jurisdiction, to pole, flying to the Antarctic after species have gone into a steep downward regions to work together on issues of common and to minimise incidental catches. Work on a breeding in the Arctic, year-on-year. slide and are presently thought to stand at concern. The Agreement, which entered into comprehensive conservation and management around 26,000. Since 1992, the breeding force in 2001, aims to promote close co-operation Action Plan has recently been completed. Where threatened or endangered species success of the Andean flamingo’s colonies in amongst Parties to achieve and maintain a It obliges all Parties to: are concerned, aerial odysseys on this Northern Chile has been close to zero. favourable conservation status for all species of scale truly require conservation across Extended droughts, mining activities, cetaceans in the Agreement area. Significantly, adopt and enforce national legislation; continents. For single species and for predation, erosion of nest sites and hunting membership is also open to non-coastal States assess and manage human-cetacean interactions; lesser journeys a more pinpoint approach have all been cited among the causes. An (‘third countries’) whose vessels engage in protect cetacean habitat; MoU for conservation of the Andean activities that could harm cetaceans in that area. undertake research and monitoring studies; is often called for and the provisions of flamingo in all ACCOBAMS applies to all cetaceans whose build capacity, share information and skills; CMS allow for conservation measures to four of its range lies entirely or partly within the Agreement respond to emergency situations. be scaled accordingly. Range States area. The latter includes the Atlantic coasts of The largest Agreement developed so exists in draft North Morocco and South Portugal as well as From the beginning, ACCOBAMS has involved in far under CMS focuses on waterbirds. form, based Black Sea and Mediterranean coasts and waters. its work most of the Range States in the on regional Species that accidentally or occasionally frequent Agreement area and has also developed close The African-Eurasian Waterbird workshops the area are also covered. Three cetacean links with NGOs and scientific institutions, Agreement (AEWA, see page 15) covers involving CMS species, isolated from their Mediterranean granting these stakeholder bodies the status of 235 species of migratory birds and and a series of populations, occur in the Black Sea and at least ‘ACCOBAMS Partner'. promotes a flyway approach unique bird censuses 18, many of them genetically among multilateral environment undertaken distinct from their Atlantic since 1998. © Pachamama Foundation counterparts, are known to agreements. AEWA involves 117 inhabit the Mediterranean Sea. countries in Europe, parts of Asia and Many ecosystems within Canada, the Middle East and Africa. Its and around these waters have geographic coverage extends from the instrument on migrant birds of prey is been heavily modified and northern reaches of Canada and the also under discussion. In addition to such disturbed, mainly as a result of pollution, coastal development, Russian Federation to Africa’s wide-ranging tools, some of the world’s constant vessel traffic, over- southernmost tip. rarest birds are covered by CMS regional fishing and impacts of Another crucial CMS achievement in Agreements in the form of MoUs dealing introduced species. Though the making is ACAP, the Agreement on with single endangered bird species. pelagic species such as Sperm the Conservation of Albatrosses and With the aid of the Convention, the whales and Striped dolphins can be badly hit by the impacts Petrels (see page 14) in the Southern relics of once mighty populations of the of fisheries and shipping, Hemisphere, which entered into force in Siberian crane are benefiting from human activities often apply February 2004. Other flyway agreements captive breeding and the release of young the most intense pressure to are in the pipeline, including an birds, which are taught their traditional coastal species, such as instrument for conserving waterbirds migratory routes by hang-glider pilots. common dolphins. In some along the Central Asian Flyway. A new The Siberian crane MoU has attracted a 25 YEARS OF JOURNEYS 14

White-headed duck grant of over US$10 million from the ACAP – A LIFELINE The White-headed duck is a CMS Appendix I Global Environment Facility (GEF) to listed species that ranges over parts of enable six years of work on conserving an FOR OCEAN NOMADS Central Eurasia and North Africa. In the past international network of wetlands on BARRY BAKER, who heads the interim decade its populations, especially in Central which these birds, and many others, Secretariat of ACAP, a new CMS Asia and South Asia, have declined sharply depend. The Slender-billed curlew, one of Agreement for protecting albatrosses to an estimated 10,000 specimens. It has and petrels, foresees fresh hope for these been identified by the Sixth Conference of © Joe Blossom/WWT the rarest of all migrants, is the subject of spectacular seabirds the Parties to CMS as a priority species for urgent efforts under CMS to discover its Albatrosses and petrels are top-order international protection. This bird’s lifestyle is closely linked to shallow, transient types of wetland last winter refuges and where it breeds in predators of the marine ecosystem, roaming and seasonal marshland, hence its choice of breeding, feeding, moulting and wintering sites (and the vastness of Eurasia. vast areas of the high seas. Yet despite this of stopping-places en route between them) is highly prone to environmental change and loss of The challenge of conserving the largely uncharted existence they are threatened habitat. Drought in the Central Asian region over the past several years has left few such wetland globally both at sea and on land. Threat factors areas intact and unsustainable use of freshwater resources has multiplied the problem. spectacular Great bustard under a CMS at sea include direct contact with fishing MoU is to manage modern agriculture operations, consumption of (and entanglement throughout its range in Central Europe. in) marine debris, contamination by pollutants, Another single species covered under and excessive commercial fishing of natural The flyway concept CMS, the Aquatic warbler, is a small prey species. In breeding colonies, the birds are menaced by predators, particularly feral pests, Flyways are broad corridors regularly travelled by migrating birds, conceived of as aerial highways. Four major flyways songbird which entirely depends on a have been defined in Europe and Asia and four in the Americas. These split up into a number of alternative routes and and by introduced herbivores which damage some species or individuals can cross from one flyway to another. Some birds are thought to fly the whole journey in one dwindling number of sites of a particular their nesting habitat. They must also contend flight but most rest along the way at stopovers or staging areas, which may involve significant detours. Although other wetland type in Europe. Fortunately, with parasites and diseases as well as flying animals, such as some bats or butterflies, use flyways, the concept is more conventionally applied to migratory most of its key Range States have now competition with other animals for nesting sites. birds, especially migratory waterbirds. signed up to conserve it, using the The Agreement on Conservation of Albatross and Petrels in the Southern instruments of the Convention. Hemisphere (ACAP), is the latest in a line of The outlook for the Houbara bustard instruments for conserving marine life formed is far less encouraging. Despite and agreed under CMS, offering hope of a recommendations passed at inter brighter future for these spectacular seabirds. It governmental meetings since 1996 this owes its beginnings to the successful nomination and listing by Australia and South large bird continues to be illegally Africa of 17 albatross and petrel species on the hunted in the deserts and drylands of Appendices of CMS. ACAP’s development has North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa. since been remarkably swift. The critical As a result of increasingly systematic conservation status of these species helped and unsustainable hunting practices ensure that it took only two sessions to develop the Agreement, which was opened for involving automatic weapons and all- signature in June 2001 in Canberra, Australia. terrain vehicles, the Houbara bustard is Signatories now include Argentina, Australia, in danger of extinction in all its Range Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, France, New Zealand, States. An Agreement and Action Plan Peru, South Africa, Spain and the UK. Of these, have been proposed but has yet to come Australia, Ecuador, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain and the UK have also ratified ACAP, to the negotiating table. ensuring its entry into force in February 2004 Western Hemispheric flyway Central Asian flyway and enabling the first meeting of the Parties to Western Palearctic or African Eurasian flyway Asian-Pacific flyway be convened later this year. JOURNEYS IN NATURE 15

AEWA – LARGEST FLYWAY CONSERVATION INSTRUMENT STILL GROWING Slender-billed curlew The Slender-billed curlew is rated as GERARD BOERE, International Programme Co- de Klemm assembled AEWA’s first legal text. Over programme which will run over the coming five or Europe’s most threatened bird species with ordinator for Wetlands International, traces the the years opposition from hunting interest groups six years and includes a substantial multi-region an estimated population of growth of the African Eurasian Waterbird vanished as it became clear that AEWA would not training element. fewer than 50 individuals. Agreement (AEWA), the largest Agreement mean further limits on hunting other than of AEWA has set a precedent on flyway Its current breeding grounds under CMS in terms of its geographical and endangered and vulnerable species, already conservation for a large part of the world. Ideally, are unknown but it was species coverage common policy in many countries and in the EU four or five similar Agreements would cover the reported in the late 1990s to The first Conference of the Parties of the Bonn under the Birds Directive. globe with a legal system for conservation and be wintering in small Convention in 1985 agreed to start assembling a From 1996 through early 2000, The sustainable use of migratory waterbirds and their numbers around the Persian few relatively simple – and Eurocentric – Netherlands provided the Interim Secretariat and habitats. Though AEWA will serve as a precedent, Gulf. A small, inconspicuous agreements to build up experience with the started a number of developments towards each region and flyway will adapt its own design bird, it flies 4–5000 km each Convention, among them a Western Palaearctic practical implementation. Conservation guidelines to policy and political priorities. year from breeding grounds Anatidea Agreement for ducks. This move was were developed, populations monitored via the It is exciting to think about including more in western Siberia to seen a way to spur on international co-operation in International Waterbird Census (coordinated by species other than waterbirds and an even larger wintering grounds in the managing and sustainably harvesting waterbird Wetlands International) and analyses made of area when discussing the development of Mediterranean and Near populations and to ease the antagonism that then species for future addition to the Agreement. structures for the Central Asian Flyway (CAF). East, and the same distance seemed to exist between the hunting and Using AEWA as the legal instrument, countries From a biological point of view the CAF deserves back again. The bird’s conservation communities. From 1988 onwards, developed support programmes on a bilateral and its own flyway institutions but pragmatic historic range spans 29

The Netherlands offered solid assistance to the international level. In particular, The Netherlands, considerations such as cost and bureaucratic © C H Gomersall/RSPB countries and an MoU work of CMS in general and the Anatidae France and the UK were – as they still are – active burdens may make inclusion into AEWA more specifying urgent measures Agreement in particular. in various regions of Africa. After the First MOP in likely. That is for tomorrow: today’s priority is to to save this species from extinction has been The latter, with its relatively limited South Africa in 1999, a permanent Secretariat was implement AEWA to the full. If that succeeds in sealed through CMS between all 18 of its geographical and species range was – however – set up in Bonn. Rapid increase in the number of winning over stakeholders across its range, Range States that are Parties to the soon seen as too restricted. Over time, the whole Parties provided the necessary financial impetus to extension should be a natural sequel. Convention. flyway of the Western Palaearctic was included in start programmes aimed at concrete actions in the work as well as all waterbird species. The such areas as the impact of large scale coastal former UNEP Executive Director Dr M.K. Tolba fisheries on wintering areas of waders. suggested a complete change of name and more Today, AEWA’s international importance is White stork emphasis on the African and Asian component in growing rapidly. Nearly 50 countries are already The White stork is a widespread but declining species which breeds in Northern and Central the flyway. This change served to stimulate North- Members and many more are ready to join in the Europe, wintering in tropical Africa. It breeds in open farmland areas with access to marshy South dialogue and highlight the need for near future. It is often cited as the best example wetlands. In parts of Europe, storks' nests can often be seen on churches and other buildings. sustained support to African and Asian countries of how almost 120 countries can work together, Because of its close association with human interested in taking responsibility for the millions in a practical way, to protect species and habitats. settlements it is traditionally regarded as a of waterbirds migrating through or wintering in This record owes much to the attachment of an bird of good fortune. In recent decades white their countries. Action Plan to the necessary legal text, a way to stork populations have declined in most With financial support from the Dutch underpin multilateral co-operation with a down-to- European countries where they were formerly Government a number of important steps were earth work agenda. abundant, and have disappeared entirely from taken including an expert workshop in The In future, data collection within Africa could be some. The decline largely results from habitat Netherlands (1991), informal consultations with all boosted through the African Waterbird Census and loss through intensified agriculture, wetland Range States in Nairobi (1994) and a final training of field observers. Coordinated ringing drainage and other forms of land conversion. diplomatic conference in The Netherlands in 1995. programmes are planned, to track waterbird Another major threat is electrocution on The whole process was supported by background movements within Africa, of which almost nothing electricity transmission lines and towers (see © Manfred Löffler information provided by Wetlands International and is known. Much attention will be paid to the page 30). BirdLife International, which developed the first protection, including sustainable use by the local drafts of the Action Plan for the Agreement. IUCN population, of a large number of important (The World Conservation Union) and the late Cyrill wetlands under the recently approved AEWA-GEF 25 YEARS OF JOURNEYS 16 Agreements and milestones under CMS – the track record

1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988

1972 UN Stockholm 1976 UNEP and IUCN convene a 1979 A Diplomatic Conference 1985 First COP establishes the Conference on ministerial meeting to define the in Bonn adopts the final Scientific Council and instructs the the Human instrument’s scope. The Government version of the CMS text after Secretariat to develop Agreements Environment calls of the Federal Republic of germany a Declaration by the African for an international (FRG) steers the text through States heads off a lobby to 1984 CMS Secretariat treaty to protect several further drafts exclude marine life established in Bonn endangered species 1983 The Convention enters of migratory wildlife 1975 Ramsar Convention on Wetlands enters into force into force on 1 November, a 11th IUCN General year after ratification by a Assembly endorses 1974 UNEP’s Second Governing Council instructs Executive Director to required number of Parties this proposal pursue a special instrument for conserving migratory species At Germany’s request, IUCN’s Law Commission and Environmental Law Centre start to assemble a draft text for a migratory species convention

This round-up of Agreements and Agreement on the Conservation of Populations of Agreement on the Conservation of African- Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses Memoranda of Understanding concluded European Bats (EUROBATS, see page 9) Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) and Petrels (ACAP, see page 14) Multilateral Agreement to which 29 European Since its entry to force in November 1999, This newly fledged Agreement, adopted 2001, under CMS to date, together with countries had become memebers in 2004. Adopted membership has increased steadily and by May entered into force in February 2004. It has been highlights of recent and ongoing work September 1991, entering into force January 1994. 2004 numbered 46 countries. The Agreement signed by nine countries and ratification by several and achievements, does not include new Covers European populations of Chiroptera (bats). covers over 235 species of waterbirds that depend others is in the pipeline. The Interim Secretariat instruments currently in the making for Parties meet at three-year intervals and an Advisory on wetlands in Africa, Eurasia, Greenland and parts established by the Government of Australia is the African elephant, the Saiga antelope Body appointed by Parties meets between of Canada and the Middle East. The Global planning the First Meeting of Parties, scheduled to sessions. Environment Facility (GEF) has recently approved take place during 2004. and Sahelo-Saharan antelopes and the support for 22 developing countries and countries in Houbara bustard, which are described in Agreement on the Conservation of Small economic transition to participate in AEWA (see Memorandum of Understanding concerning other sections of this report. Cetaceans of the Baltic and North Seas feature on page 15). Conservation Measures for the Siberian Crane (ASCOBANS). Eight countries now belong to the Effective since 1998, the original MoU was Agreement on the Conservation of Seals in the Agreement, which was adopted in September 1991 Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of concluded in July 1993, the revised version in Wadden Sea (see page 11) and entered into force in March 1994. The Fourth the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Contiguous January 1999 and involves 10 Range States as well Trilateral environmental agreement concluded MOP agreed to extend the Agreement’s geographic Atlantic Area (ACCOBAMS) as co-operating organizations the International between Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands area west and southwards to incorporate waters Of 18 Mediterranean coastal countries, 13 have Crane Foundation and the Wild Bird Society of in October 1990, entering into force October 1991. adjacent to Ireland, Portugal and Spain. This means joined since this multilateral agreement was Japan. An associated Siberian Crane/Wetlands GEF Requires Parties to develop on the basis of scientific that once this amendment to the Agreement enters adopted in 1996, entering into force in June 2001. project within the framework of the Siberian Crane knowledge a conservation and management plan into force, the Agreement areas of ASCOBANS and In conjunction with the Barcelona Convention’s MOU, is being implemented in the Russian for the Common or Harbour seal. This plan, also its sister Agreement ACCOBAMS will be Mediterranean Action Plan, ACCOBAMS has Federation, Iran, China and Kazakhstan including known as Seal Management Plan, implements contiguous (see page 12). recently published guidelines for whale watching preparatory work for a full-size five-year GEF project the provisions contained in the Agreement, as for and is building networks to monitor cetacean (see page 13). example on research and monitoring, taking and strandings. A Conservation Plan for cetaceans is protection of habitats. The Seal Management Plan being implemented by way of National Action Plans is revised on a regular basis. The current Seal in Bulgaria, Tunisia and Romania (see page 13). Management Plan for the period 2001-2006 was adopted in Esbjerg, Denmark, in 2001. JOURNEYS IN NATURE 17

1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

1992 The CBD is 1997 Start of Small 2004 ACAP enters opened for signature Grants Programme into force in 25th at the Earth Summit in Anniversary year Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 1996 ACCOBAMS adopted of the Convention

1991 3rd COP. Concerted Actions 1995 AEWA signed by 53 States 2003 MoU on Aquatic warbler to implement Convention are 1994 EUROBATS and ASCOBANS comes into effect. CMS joins initiated. Agreement on the enter into force. Slender-billed Millennium Assessment Conservation of Seals in the curlew MoU comes into effect Ecosystem. Wadden Sea enters into force 2002 World Summit on Sustainable 1990 Agreement on the Conservation Development convened in Johannesburg, of Seals in the Wadden Sea is adopted South Africa, agrees Plan of Implementation of Millennium Development Goals, including those relating to biodiversity. MoU on Bukhara Deer comes into effect

2001 ACAP adopted. ACCOBAMS enters into force. MoUs on Great bustard and IOSEA Marine Turtles come into effect

2000 Millennium Development Goals adopted Memorandum of Understanding concerning Memorandum of Understanding on the by United Nations General Assembly Conservation Measures for the Slender-billed Conservation and Management of the Middle- 1999 AEWA enters into force. Revised Siberian crane MoU and MoU Curlew European Population of the Great Bustard on Marine Turtles of the Atlantic Coast of Africa come into effect 18 of the 30 known Range States of this, one of the This MoU became effective on 1 June 2001 and rarest endangered species listed under CMS, have had 12 signatory states by 2004. It includes an signed this multilateral MoU, which entered into Action Plan specifying national action and effect in September 1994. Two co-operating transboundary co-operation required for improving organisations in addition to the CMS Secretariat the conservation status of this widely over-hunted have signed this instrument and are aiding its species. A meeting of the Signatory States will take implementation, BirdLife International and the place in 2004. International Council for Game and Wildlife Memorandum of Understanding concerning Memorandum of Understanding concerning Conservation. Memorandum of Understanding concerning Conservation and Restoration of the Bukhara Deer Conservation Measures for the Aquatic Warbler Conservation Measures for Marine Turtles of Developed by the CMS Secretariat in collaboration In co-operation with the Government of Belarus and Memorandum of Understanding concerning the Indian Ocean and South-East Asia (IOSEA) with the Central Asia Programme of WWF and the BirdLife International, CMS recently finalised work Conservation Measures for Marine Turtles of the This MoU was concluded under CMS auspices and International Council for Game and Wildlife and negotiations on this new agreement and 10 out Atlantic Coast of Africa became effective on 1 September 2001. Its 16 Conservation, this MoU became effective in May of 15 identified Range States had signed it by the Now with 19 signatories representing the majority Signatory States held their first meeting in Bangkok 2002. Four Range States in Central Asia end of April 2003, ensuring its entry into effect. It of relevant Range States, this MoU took effect in in January 2003 and a regional Secretariat was (Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and will promote more targeted and better coordinated July 1999 and a comprehensive Conservation established in April 2003, housed with the UNEP Uzbekistan) have signed the Agreement. Deer multi-country work to identify the warbler’s Management Plan was agreed in May 2002. Parties Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific populations in Uzbekistan have stabilized, and are migration routes and wintering sites and to report annually on steps towards implementing this (UNEP/ROAP) in Bangkok, Thailand. The MoU now growing both there and in Turkmenistan. The conserve and partly restore the ecosystems on Plan, which incorporates many measures directed applies to waters and coastal States of the Indian global population of this species is now estimated which this scarce and elusive bird depends. towards sustainable use. Ocean and South-East Asia and adjacent seas, at about 550 animals, versus an estimated 350-450 eastwards to the Torres Strait. a few years ago. THE NEGOTIATING JOURNEY 18 CMS takes off

Judging by the turbulent previous use of biodiversity. Since then its development, for the Houbara bustard. key component of the world’s biological history of multilateral agreements membership has grown steadily. By CMS has enabled seven MoUs for birds, diversity. Areas of common concern, applied to wildlife protection, such 2004, the Convention’s 25th anniversary marine turtles and large herbivores and practical complementarities and future as the Convention on Endangered year, it included over 85 Parties from another five are in the making. Since its prospects for interaction between the Species of Wild Fauna and Flora Africa, Central and South America, Asia, Fifth Meeting in 1997, the COP has two are discussed later in this report. (CITES), a bumpy take-off might Europe and Oceania. Thus far, Europe regularly provided a governance have been predicted for CMS as it and Africa are the most comprehensively structure and financing that enable CMS Battling poverty entered the adoption stage of represented regions. actively to support research and CMS has long been committed and negotiations in June 1979. Agreements concluded under the conservation projects. dedicated to poverty eradication and Sure enough, at the two-week umbrella of the Convention often involve, These projects help to catalyse sustainable development. It has Diplomatic Conference mounted in Bonn, in addition to regular Parties, any number conservation actions, fill gaps in supported economic activities involving Germany to approve the Convention’s of Range States that have not yet knowledge and provide a better scientific the sustainable use of migratory species, final draft, it became evident that acceded to CMS but recognise its foundation for conservation action. The such as ecotourism or managed food differences over the most basic Agreements. Including these States, the spectrum ranges from developing status production. Today, it promotes sustainable definitions of its scope would need to be number of countries involved in reports and evaluating habitat quality, to development by striving to implement thrashed out before it could be adopted. implementing CMS is more than 110. assessing migratory behaviour and time-limited goals set at the World Summit The draft Convention text defined CMS also works in co-operation with like- elaborating guidelines for nature on Sustainable Development in migratory species as ‘the entire minded inter-governmental organisations conservation and sustainable use (see Johannesburg in 2002. population or any geographically separate and treaty bodies working in adjacent pages 4 and 22 for more on the Over the past 25 years, numbers of part of the population of any species or areas of concern, such as the Convention operational dimension of CMS). endangered marine, avian and terrestrial lower taxon of wild animals, a significant on Biological Diversity (CBD, see page Many of these activities are species listed on the Convention’s proportion of whose members cyclically 28) and the Ramsar Convention on conducted in close collaboration with Appendices have grown substantially at and predictably cross national Wetlands of International Importance leading non-governmental and each COP. Starting out from 51 species jurisdictional boundaries’. Some (page 21). campaigning organisations, research listed on Appendix I and 44 on delegations took exception to so broad a Over the past few years CMS has centres and policy development institutes Appendix II, Appendix I now lists well definition and lobbied to exclude marine developed more explicit institutional and active in sustainable development, over a hundred species and Appendix II animals. As environmental lawyer collaborative linkages with several conservation of wildlife, game and over a thousand. Françoise Burhenne-Guilmin – a intergovernmental treaties and ecosystems, climate studies, land use, Landmark resolutions and distinguished contributor to the drafting international organizations. These protected areas, animal welfare, recommendations have been adopted by process – recalls (opposite), this linkages have in some cases been environmental law-making and many the COP of CMS on environmental deadlock was eventually broken, though formalized with the conclusion of other relevant fields (see next section). impact assessment and migratory not without some political drawbacks. Memoranda of Co-operation and joint CMS has won global recognition for its species, electrocution risks, oil pollution work programmes, the most recent of efforts to reduce the rate of biodiversity and wind power. Once implemented by Biodiversity in motion which have been concluded with UNCCD loss by conserving an integral portion of Range States they will significantly A year after the required number of (see page 5) and IUCN (see page 20). the genes, species and ecosystems that minimise threats to migratory species. countries had ratified it, CMS entered In the past 15 years, six legally make up the world’s natural heritage. In Much remains to be done to counteract into force on 1 November 1983, binding regional and global Agreements 2002, CMS was acknowledged by the these new obstacles to migration (see becoming one of the first multilateral have been concluded under the CMS Conference of the Parties of the CBD in final section). environment framework agreements to umbrella for bats, birds, cetaceans and The Hague as the lead partner for focus on conservation and sustainable seal species. Another is under conservation of migratory species as a THE NEGOTIATING JOURNEY 19

The Godesburg, one of the oldest castles in Germany's Rheinland and birthplace of the Bonn Convention.

HOW CMS WAS BORN GERMANY AND THE GENESIS OF CMS

FRANCOISE BURHENNE-GUILMIN of IUCN’s Environmental Law The genesis of CMS is intimately connected – as its Bonn Centre recalls the Bonn Convention’s difficult birth, and how Africa Convention nickname implies – with Bonn, the former capital of the rose to the challenge of becoming its midwife. Federal Republic of Germany. KARL-GÜNTHER KOLODZIEJCOK, a Representatives from 77 States met in Bonn from 11 to 22 June former head of department in the FRG Ministry for the Environment, 1979 at the invitation of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) to describes how this historic link grew from roots in German political negotiate and adopt the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild debate during the 1960s and 1970s. Animals. This event was the culmination of several years of efforts and At the end of the 1960s and the beginning of the 1970s, international consultations steered by the FRG and supported by the environmental protection and nature conservation became big public Environmental Law Programme of IUCN, in particular by its Law Centre issues in Germany. The United Nations Conference on the Human

(ELC). It all started with the adoption by the Stockholm 1972 Conference © Stadt Bonn Presseamt Environment in Stockholm revealed in 1972 that environmental on the Human Environment of Recommendation 32, calling for protection and nature conservation had also become important international conventions and treaties, inter alia for the conservation of should indeed not cover marine species, invoking possible conflicts with international concerns. species which migrate from one country to another, an idea keenly the ongoing UNCLOS negotiations (which were, and also later proved, Although nature conservation had a long tradition in Germany, its pursued at Stockholm by IUCN and its members. unfounded). Another ‘limiting’ proposition was to exclude the Antarctic implementation was not part of federal politics. Until this time the The Government of the FRG decided in 1974 to assume responsibility region, given the desire not to disturb conservation regimes underway economic and social reconstruction of Germany and its reintegration into for following up on this recommendation, and informed the Second for that part of the world. the Atlantic community had dominated the nation’s political agenda. This session of the UNEP Governing Council (Nairobi, 1974) that it would These discussions, as well as a number of others related (for policy vacuum gave rise to increasing public criticism of the Federal assist in preparing a convention on migratory species and would be happy instance) to the recognition of migratory species as 'shared resources', Government and of ministers responsible for natural resources. to act as host to an international meeting to conclude such a convention. a legal concept then being explored and controversial) resulted in an The Government made moves to replace the Reichsnaturgesetz (the From the beginning, the Government requested the collaboration of IUCN increasingly tense and dense climate. And the Migratory Species legal code for nature conservation) of the German Reich, which was still in this endeavour. As a result, for the next four years the IUCN ELC Convention would probably not be a reality today had the African in use in the federal states, with a new federal nature conservation act, worked continuously with the officials of the FRG Ministry of Food, delegations not countered these moves by presenting a remarkable and to ratify CITES. But these steps did not go far enough to calm the Agriculture and Forestry who took the lead in the process. united front on the need to keep a holistic approach. They proclaimed, in critics. The Federal Government, anxious not to be forced onto the As a first step, IUCN was asked to prepare an initial draft. This a joint declaration, their belief that 'wildlife as a whole, and migratory defensive on such issues by the emerging Green Party and others, came unofficial IUCN draft was circulated to the governments of all States with species in particular, are a common heritage of mankind to be conserved up with the idea that it should take the lead in international relations and which the FRG maintained diplomatic relations, with a request for and managed in the common interest and by the common consent of all law-making for nature conservation. comments. A meeting of experts was then held in Bonn from 6 to 9 July peoples'. No exclusion of groups of species or geographical areas could The Environmental Law Centre (ELC) of IUCN, located in Bonn, 1976 to discuss the draft. The comments of the experts provided the FRG be consistent with these views. directed the Ministry of Agriculture´s attention to one of the many government with the basis for the preparation of a revised – and this time Support for this declaration was subsequently forthcoming from Stockholm recommendations, on establishing a framework for a official – draft to be submitted to a plenipotentiary conference. Several of European, Asian and Latin American delegations, but a consensus could multilateral Convention on Migratory Species. The then Minister of the questions which became hot issues during the final negotiations had not be reached, and a vote took place, rejecting any limitation. Agriculture, Joseph Ertl, accepted the suggestion. He announced to already come to the fore in 1976, but it was clear that there was general Ultimately, the Convention as a whole was adopted with only two UNEP’s second Governing Council in 1974, that the Federal Government support for what was referred to as an 'umbrella' convention, or a dissenting votes: from the US and Argentina. Feeling isolated, the US of Germany would develop a draft convention and organize an 'framework', which would coordinate action on the conservation and took the unprecedented step of changing its vote the next day to an international conference to debate and adopt it. Beyond political management of migratory species, and within which international abstention. Argentina followed suit. Commentators at the time considerations, all were agreed that it made obvious technical and agreements covering one or more species would be negotiated. considered that the most distressing aspect of the negotiations was the biological sense to deal with migratory species on a multilateral basis. This was a novel idea, and the flexibility it provided was appealing. impression that, for whatever political reasons, the US was abdicating its An official international summit was duly organized for in June 1979 Opinions diverged on a number of important features, in particular traditional role as leader and innovator in international conservation in Bonn-Bad Godesberg. With the support of the ELC (on a contract scope: some were in favour of a broad approach and others wished to initiatives. Who remembers this interesting history today? Not many, but basis) and by means of bilateral and multilateral contacts and restrict the convention to endangered species, or at least exclude marine it should not be forgotten: it is part and parcel of the development of consultations, the Federal Government of Germany had prepared a draft species, most notably commercially exploited fish species. treaty law in the field of species conservation and management – now Convention text for this event. The conference concluded successfully These and related problems were not overcome in the next phase of recognised as part and parcel of sustainable development. with the signing of the Convention on 23 June. After hard negotiations, drafting and consultations, and so they came to a head during the 1979 A difficult birth, but well worth it. And one of the first in which many changes, new formulations and majority decisions forced by plenipotentiary conference. The so-called 'minority' States (US, USSR, farsighted developing nations, especially the countries of Africa, played differences of opinion on its eventual scope, a Convention was born. Japan, Australia and New Zealand) took the position that the Convention a very significant role. 25 YEARS OF JOURNEYS 20

biodiversity-related Conventions not least Ramsar, World Heritage and delegations to CMS provided much of the impetus behind agreements IUCN AND CMS – A QUARTER OF CITES. This is a record in which CMS can justly take pride and one like AEWA and they continue to take a lead today in innovative regional worthy of celebration on this important anniversary. Our partnership with initiatives on migratory wildlife. A CENTURY OF SOLIDARITY CMS shows how conservation organizations such as ours can help The continent’s biological circumstances form part of the reason why IUCN (The World Conservation Union) has been connected to CMS muster the political momentum for environmental conventions. At the this should be so. Hundreds of bird species ply the African-Eurasian throughout its existence, not just by a shared history but also by a same time, CMS has shown how synergistic relations with more general flyway routes. Moreover, many mammal, fish and insect species are like-minded philosophy and approach to global environmental biodiversity conventions and IUCN’s network can enabled it to record migratory within the region and its sub-regions. Economic factors such governance. ACHIM STEINER, Director General of IUCN, salutes a some major achievements, regardless of its (by traditional standards) as the importance of nature tourism to many African nations have also long and cordial partnership. compact administrative structure and donor support base. played a part. So, too, have institutional advantages. For Africa is rich not As far back as the 1960s, IUCN and others issued alarm calls on only in wild fauna but also in regional co-operation instruments with a behalf of threatened migratory animals. One result was that in 1972 the sustainable development mandate. For instance, several multi-country United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm AFRICA – A LEADER IN REGIONAL mechanisms operate within shared hydrological basins. These include called for a global treaty to protect endangered migratory species. lake and river basin authorities, commissions and management Three months later, the idea was endorsed as a priority by IUCN’s INITIATIVES FOR CONSERVATION programmes for Lake Victoria, Lake Chad, the Okavango Basin, the Nile River, Lake Tanganyika and Lake Malawi-Nyasa-Niasa. Within coastal eleventh General Assembly. None of this happened by accident. And what ANDERSON KOYO of Kenya Wildlife Service looks into some of the areas there is the Western Indian Ocean Marine Scientific Association took place afterwards depended, as always, on the dedication of a small factors that cast Africa in the role of a world leader in regional co- (WIOMSA) and UNEP-sponsored Regional Seas programmes. These number of individuals, including Françoise Burhenne-Guilmin, later to be operation for conserving migratory species under the provisions of mechanisms promote management of natural resources integrated ELC’s Director, and the late and greatly respected Cyrille de Klemm. CMS – and as a testbed for such co-operation elsewhere. across all riparian states. The draft text they developed was visionary, reflecting the latest Every country in the world shares some of its major ecosystems, At country level, many of Africa’s developing countries have National concepts of conservation and environmental management and habitats or biomes and their biological diversity with other countries. Environmental Action Plans (NEAP) and National Biodiversity anticipating further expansion and revision of basic commitments. Thus By providing a framework for international co-operation on Conservation Strategies and Action Plans. Institutional arrangements CMS turned out to be both flexible and adaptable. The German conservation and sustainable use of migratory species of wild animals, support co-operation at national and local levels. They include Village, Government steered the text through new drafts and a Diplomatic CMS is designed to create synergy and solidarity among Parties and District and Provincial Environment Committees, National Environment Conference in Bonn adopted the final version in 1979. This was just the national institutions so as to reinforce one another’s efforts and Councils, Inter-ministerial Committees on Environment, National beginning of IUCN’s partnership with CMS. The Union, through ELC, has optimize the benefits of conserving migratory species as a pathway to Wetlands Committees, National Marine Forums and site-specific continued to develop joint projects for implementing the Convention, sustainable development. A majority of the world’s major regional management committees. These multi-layered arrangements can be and has helped to develop several subsequent agreements under its political and economic blocs nowadays attach priority to environmental effective agents of change but over the coming years they will need to auspices. These have benefited from the participation of IUCN conservation in their programmes as a matter of course, recognizing be strengthened, integrated and made more inclusive in their approach programmes, regional offices and the Specialist Groups of the Union’s the relevance and importance of environmental security and to conserving migratory species and their habitats. Species Survival Commission as and when required. biodiversity to sustainable development. Information on Africa’s successful achievements under the The IUCN Marine Programme is a flagship example of our overlapping Outside Africa, this imperative was not always so universal. In the Convention in the past 25 years deserve be highlighted as an example concerns. Many of the CMS Agreements deal with aquatic species among Convention’s early years, Africa’s regional institutions and national them marine species. For example, ELC helped negotiate the African- to all Parties. But there are still missing links. CMS needs to establish Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA) and prepared the AEWA Africa is justly famed for its safari ecotourism. positions of regional technical officers to help regional representatives Conservation Guideline on Legislation. IUCN sits on AEWA’s Technical build capacity and co-operation. There is also a need for training Committee, and participates in a project on Traditional Knowledge of workshops and seminars as well as public education and awareness Waterbird Management and Rehabilitation of Habitats Damaged by Alien programmes to popularise CMS at regional and local levels. Special Invasive Weeds. The Law Centre also helped negotiate the Wadden Sea information packages targeting different stakeholder groups should also Seals Agreement, provided technical advice to the two cetacean be provided. More effort should be put into developing regional agreements (ASCOBANS and ACCOBAMS) and participated in negotiations collaborative frameworks that encourage stakeholders to work together, on the latter. Later it helped develop agreements on Albatrosses and Petrels, especially in least developed countries. Mobilising resources for Marine Turtles on the Atlantic Coast of Africa and Marine Turtles of the Indian implementing the Convention is another important link. On the Ocean and Southeast Asia. The Union has also participated with CMS and knowledge front, more needs to be known about movements within others in work on a strategy for Caspian Sea sturgeon. Africa of species dealt with under CMS, an area of knowledge that has For 25 years, endangered migratory species have found an inter- so far played second fiddle to research on intercontinental movements. governmental champion in CMS. Their plight has come to be recognised As such knowledge grows, so will Africa’s already widely acknowledged as a cross-cutting issue closely related to the concerns of CBD and other potential to advance the aims of CMS. © AEWA THE NEGOTIATING JOURNEY 21

The Ramsar and CMS Secretariats first cemented relations with an THE RAMSAR CONNECTION MoU signed in February 1997. This partnership promises to become still more fruitful as the recently developed Ramsar-CMS-AEWA Joint Work The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Plan, formally signed at the Edinburgh Global Flyways Conference in April was originally negotiated with conserving wetlands as habitat for – 2004, takes effect. It explicitly recognizes the importance of these predominantly migratory – waterfowl as its goal. NICK DAVIDSON common issues and synergies that link Ramsar to CMS and its and DWIGHT PECK trace Ramsar’s further evolution and its practical Agreements. Implementation of the Plan will provide redoubled support interaction with CMS over three decades. to countries seeking to improve the future prospects of migratory species The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, adopted in 1971, came into and the wetland ecosystems on which so many of them depend. force in 1975. It was initially focused on the importance of wetlands as Further action to maintain the ecological character of wetlands and habitat for waterbirds and on the need to establish networks of key the migratory species which depend upon them is urgently needed, since © Didier Vangeluwe/IRSNB protected sites along their migratory routes. Yet it has always also paid many migratory species have a deteriorating status – for example, over Wandering albatross, the world’s largest flying bird. attention to the full range of wetland-dependent life forms, increasingly twice as many waterbird populations are decreasing as are increasing – so over the years, including globally threatened species and migratory and the strengthened collaboration between our Conventions embodied capacity to join large multilateral conventions, find such arrangements fish, as well as biogeographic population- and habitat/ecosystem-level in this Joint Work Plan is both timely and encouraging. more practical and apt to their requirements. Australia has been conservation and wise use, with an emphasis on international co- proactively involved in several such arrangements. For instance, Australia operation on migratory species. took a leading role in the development of the Indian Ocean and South The approach adopted by CMS from 1977 onwards is both congruent East Asian Marine Turtle Memorandum of Understanding, which was with, and supportive of, Ramsar’s attention to migratory wetland- CMS AND AUSTRALIA adopted on 14 July 2000 and came into effect on 1 September 2001. dependent species. Of special interest to Ramsar is the scope CMS One of the nations that held back from signing CMS at its adoption Australia has also been central in the development of the Agreement offers to develop practical actions at national and international levels for stage in 1979, Australia has emerged since 1991 as one of its most on Conservation of Albatross and Petrels, better known as ACAP (see migratory species conservation, such as its Concerted Actions and Co- active and determined Parties. ROBYN BROMLEY flags the country’s page 14). Australia had long sought to encourage other countries to act operative Actions for listed species or groups of species, including pride in its migratory wildlife riches and its growing influence as a on an international level in respect of these migratory seabirds, species Action Plans. Much valued, too, are the mechanisms for regional sponsor for conservation accords. complementing policies and measures adopted at national level. While establishing Range State Agreements and the provision of information Australia – the world’s smallest continent, yet its largest island – is this approach involved a number of fishing trade bodies and forums, on migratory species compiled under CMS and its Agreements, which one of the most biologically diverse countries in the world. Species that interactions with fisheries was clearly not the only problem. For Australia can greatly assist Ramsar Parties seeking to deliver commitments under migrate to and from Australia range from the largest animal on earth, the and other sponsors, CMS provided a welcome framework for enhancing the Convention on Wetlands. Certain Agreements are of prime Blue whale, through to the small Arctic tern that travels the longest the conservation status of migratory seabird species like albatrosses and significance and relevance to Ramsar, notably the African-Eurasian distance of any migratory species. It was in recognition of the special petrels through co-operative efforts applied by countries and Migratory Waterbird Agreement (AEWA) and the various regional marine place our migratory species occupy in our ecosystems and the special jurisdictions along their migratory paths. turtle Agreements. co-operative protection mechanisms that migratory species require, that As well as ACAP and the Turtle MoU, Australia, along with New Australia joined the CMS family in 1991. Zealand, has recently initiated the development of an arrangement in Being a Party to CMS creates an important opportunity to integrate the South Pacific for the protection and conservation of marine Message from the Secretary General the protection of Australia’s biodiversity with work done under other mammals, also under CMS auspices. In March 2004, representatives of the Ramsar Convention multilateral environment agreements. Since becoming a Party, Australia of 13 Pacific states and several national NGOs met and agreed on a has had an active engagement not just in the Convention itself, but also vision that such an arrangement should work towards – a state of PETER BRIDGEWATER sums up relations between CMS and in developing and implementing arrangements which allow Parties to affairs where populations of marine mammals have recovered to the Convention on Wetlands. conclude regional agreements for the benefit of species listed on sufficiently healthy levels of abundance around their former range of As I have followed the evolution of CMS from the early Appendix II. One of the great strengths of CMS for Australia and its distribution to meet and sustain the cultural aspirations of Pacific 1990s it is clear that the Convention, through its regional neighbouring Pacific countries lies in the fact that each arrangement peoples. This awareness-building exercise seems certain to increase Agreements, has greatly matured. The Agreements are indeed developed under it is a targeted, regional agreement, and is open to all Convention membership in Oceania. Samoa has already announced (in are the strength of the Convention, allowing full expression to Range States for the species it covers, regardless of whether those March 2004) that it will become the first developing island state in the the needs of all the species covered by the Convention. The countries are Parties or not. region to join the Convention. Ramsar Convention looks forward to many more years of fruitful Such flexibility allows more targeted action at ground level than other Australia looks forward to continuing its engagement in the co-operation with the CMS family for migratory species that fly, international agreements, resulting in solutions tailored to the needs of Convention on Migratory Species, as well actively taking part in those swim or walk in our wetlands! the region and sensitive to both environmental and socio-economic regional arrangements it facilitates for protecting and conserving vital objectives. Many Pacific countries that are small islands and may lack the migratory elements of Australia’s mega-diversity. JOURNEYS OF KNOWLEDGE AND CO-OPERATION 22 Framework into action

The inter-governmental and law- Another consideration touched on in one of six specific concerns that define Information about animals listed in making dimension of CMS, this section is the interplay between CMS the GEF portfolio. CMS Appendix I and II, such as highlighted in the preceding section, and other multilateral environmental Developing countries and countries population sizes and trends, or details forms an essential framework and agreements (MEAs) that operate in allied with economies in transition (CETs) that of ongoing research and monitoring mandate for new work to extend or adjacent areas of global concern, such are CMS Parties also take precedence for activities that relate to listed species scientific knowledge about the as CBD and the Ramsar Convention. Small Grants Fund support but non- Information about animal groups of phenomenon of migration and the Avoiding duplication of effort and the risk Parties, NGOs, research institutes and special interest to CMS, such as bats, physical factors that affect of working at cross purposes is but one individuals are also eligible to apply, birds, marine mammals and others, in particular migratory species, or side of this interplay. There are clear either separately or jointly, for such relation to such issues as their current groups of species, their movements signs that the more positive need to make support. Priority is also accorded to status in legislation, obstacles to their and the habitats they interact with the most of potential synergies and projects affecting Appendix I species or migration, factors liable to endanger along the way. This section looks opportunities for cross-fertilisation of groups of species warranting Concerted them and curbs on conservation action into these knowledge activities more ideas and cost-sharing between the Action. Detailed guidelines are available Information about Parties to CMS, thoroughly, and at the operational professional establishments that service on the CMS website. including a country profile for each dimension of CMS that enables these instruments is now coming Party, information on official and non- Parties and partners to fund and increasingly to the fore and progressing Information Management governmental institutions involved in deliver projects and programmes beyond rhetoric or wishful thinking, with Effective conservation action requires implementing CMS at national level and that can serve as a baseline for the emphatic approval of the information on which planning and what each is doing, technical and concerted conservation action. It intergovernmental community. decision-making can confidently be based. financial resources, and listed species also highlights interactions with The CMS Information Management sorted by country other institutions, including leading The project side of CMS System (CMS-IMS), accessible through Information provided to CMS by NGOs and research institutes, that Parties to the Convention accept a the CMS Secretariat website, offers open Parties on specific themes such as help make such investigations and number of basic rights and obligations. access to various components and progress towards implementing actions feasible and cost-effective. But they also benefit from opportunities services required for implementing the particular Resolutions or The NGO connection offers additional to access grant support for research, CMS Information Management Plan. It Recommendations, or use of advanced advantages in terms of raising the profile conservation and capacity or awareness brings together data from a wealth of technology such as satellite telemetry. of CMS in public awareness and esteem, building projects from the CMS Small expert organisations and project teams, Users can obtain an overview on thanks to the access NGOs enjoy to the Grants Fund. The average size of grants including GROMS (see opposite), regional or worldwide scale. media and to their experience of is around US$20–40,000 and some 15 Fishbase, the IUCN Red List, BirdLife and building popular support bases in civil projects are currently receiving support the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Launched in 2003 in collaboration with society worldwide and among special from this source in 25 countries. Since Centre (UNEP-WCMC). It also UNEP-WCMC, the IMS is already the interest constituencies such as bird- 1997 about US$1.4m have been disbursed incorporates knowledge generated within repository for National Reports to the watching and sport hunting associations. from the fund to some 45 projects. CMS and other biodiversity-related CMS Conference of Parties. A new Campaigning wildlife and pro-nature Parties that fall within the accepted agreements such as CITES or CBD, as national reporting format has been groups have much to share in this definition of developing countries can well as information provided by the devised with IMS in mind making it respect, in those areas where their also gain access to GEF, which provides Parties to CMS through the National simpler for country focal points and agenda overlaps with programmes of assistance for projects that benefit the Reports they are required to submit as a others to input or retrieve such work sanctioned by the official and global environment and promote routine obligation under the Convention. information electronically. IMS will also governmental bodies that oversee the sustainable livelihoods in local The four main categories of information be the principal tool for providing the Convention. communities. Conserving biodiversity is obtainable through CMS-IMS are: Scientific Council of CMS with the JOURNEYS OF KNOWLEDGE AND CO-OPERATION 23

information it needs to track the progress adequately covered, and need a dedicated information system, reflecting individual movements of subspecies or populations along different routes. of Concerted Actions on priority species GROMS – SUMMARISING As envisaged, the database was handed over to CMS at the Conference of listed in the Convention’s Appendix I. An KNOWLEDGE FOR CONSERVATION Parties in Bonn in 2002, and now continues as a co-operative venture between electronic ‘Rolling Paper’ will be KLAUS RIEDE of the Alexander Koenig Research Institute and Museum of the Secretariat and its host institution, the Zoological Research Institute and instituted as a way continually to update Zoology in Bonn describes the evolution of the online Global Register of Museum Alexander Koenig. A concept will be developed on how to maintain and and confer on progress towards this end, Migratory Species, one of the keystone information resources of CMS, and update GROMS under the aegis of CMS, but in partnership with other national and international organizations. It now depends on the scientific community to species by species. It will combine text, assesses its continuing development. pool their data and expertise to complement the basic and global information spreadsheet, data form and database In 1996, the late Professor Clas Naumann zu Koenigsbrueck, Director of the Museum Koenig in Bonn, told me about plans to design a database on migratory provided up to now with more data on a finer scale. Hopefully, these data will features with annotated maps that draw species, in co-operation with the CMS Secretariat. This project was seen as a help conservationists in their difficult task of defending migratory species in a on resources already established as part contribution to Bonn’s new function as a capital for science, with a strong focus world strewn with barriers – and subject to unpredictable climatic changes – of the UNEP-WCMC interactive mapping on North-South dialogue. The new branch of biodiversity informatics was arising from human activities. Visit the GROMS website, www.groms.de, for details of the tools it makes available. service, such as the Global Database on promising, and everybody was convinced that publishing species information on Protected Areas. the World Wide Web would help conservationists. We started in 1997 with a small team, building the database from scratch. The Strategic Plan of CMS outlines Soon we realised that we had taken on some of the most complicated questions objectives that can only be fully achieved in biodiversity informatics. Take distribution maps, for example. It might well if dependable scientific information is seem easier to map a species' genome than to plot its real distribution, especially systematically managed and applied to if it is constantly on the move. Once a desktop Geographic Information System back up conservation action. The Rolling (GIS) became available, and after having solved some of the software glitches, we easily transferred printed maps into digital format. Problems remained, such Paper will cater to a broad spectrum of as accounting for uncertainty and geographic inaccuracy, scale and (in particular) information needs identified in the CMS the time domain: integrating the latter into GIS systems is among the biggest Information Management Plan that was unsolved problems in geo-informatics. devised in response to this aspect of the Inputs from Bonn University’s geo-informatics department and a number of Strategic Plan. These documents are small computer design ventures helped us to figure out how to publish maps on the web, including flyway animation tools. Today, the GROMS website offers an available on the Secretariat website. interactive map server based on Open-GIS technology, animated display of In the future the IMS will also play a migration routes, and dynamic open database access to the entire GROMS dataset prominent part in backstopping efforts on the www.groms.de website. Some 4335 migratory species have been by CMS to achieve targets set for 2010 identified, that pursue predictable and cyclical migrations of more than 100 km. as part of a process of tracking progress Most cross international boundaries and over 800 are already CMS-listed. By way of the Expert Search Function, users can now ask their own questions, towards conserving biodiversity set in such as: How many migrants are also protected under CITES, or how many have motion at the WSSD in Johannesburg. been classified as Threatened using Red List criteria? It is now also possible to find These targets were established mainly migratory species listed by family on CMS Appendix II. All results have been with implementation of the Convention published in book format with CD-ROMs enclosed, so information can also be on Biodiversity in mind, but it is made available off-line in countries or institutions with limited Internet access. From the CD, users can now customise maps, combining geographic with, for recognised that CMS is in a favoured example, political data such as the list of Members of particular CMS agreements. position to deliver action on several of The GROMS project has been funded by the German Government through the them, if it can validate its inputs with Federal Ministry for the Environment, and implemented by the Federal Agency for A GROMS visualisation of 5000 credible indicators for assessing such Nature Conservation for the period 1997 to 2002. A five-year period is short in data points obtained using factors as the degree of threat faced by proportion to the task in hand but a long time in the Information Society. Since 1997 satellite telemetry gives an exact a number of complementary bio-informatics initiatives have grown and thrived. picture of the Eastern White species or ecosystems. Users might well ask, why so many initiatives? But as this project has shown, stork population´s flyway. different databases fulfill different needs. Migratory species in particular are not 25 YEARS OF JOURNEYS 24

CMS AND THE UNITED KINGDOM BIRDLIFE INTERNATIONAL AND – PLAYING TO STRENGTHS CMS – A COMMON VISION

HILARY NEAL, UK Focal Point and Chair of the CMS Standing When two rather different organisations have similar objectives, Committee, looks at the challenges and opportunities involved in they can often achieve a lot by working together. So it is between positioning CMS to tackle the key WSSD pledge to significantly CMS and BirdLife International, an NGO operating in over 100 reduce the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010. countries and territories, reflects BirdLife’s JOHN O’SULLIVAN. CMS has always been important to the UK and we feel we have Our relationship with CMS goes right back to the beginnings of the helped its successful development, today by chairing the Standing Convention in the late 1970s. In the quarter-century since then, the two Committee and the Scientific Council. We are the depositary to the organizations have co-operated on activities ranging from the negotiation EUROBATS Agreement and for a time provided its interim Secretariat. HRH Prince Charles speaking at a BirdLife campaign launch. of CMS Agreements – among them AEWA and ACAP – to the promotion And because many of the UK’s Overseas Territories are in the range of of the Convention via the World Wide Web. BirdLife provides the initiatives beyond Europe, we have been able to play an active part in Secretariat to the working group on the Memorandum of Understanding recent negotiations leading to the MoU on Marine Turtles in the Indian ‘CMS deserves the full support of us all, and… on the Slender-billed curlew, one of the world’s most endangered birds. Ocean and South-East Asia and the Agreement on the Conservation of I have taken particular note of the recent BirdLife teams from around the world have contributed actively at Albatrosses and Petrels. development, under the leadership of the the Conferences of the Parties since the first such event in 1985. It strikes me that one of the CMS’s strengths is its very clear role and Specialist BirdLife staff now work alongside the Secretariat and Parties purpose. Its core objective, to ensure that action to safeguard species governments of Australia and South Africa, of at each meeting of the Scientific Council and Standing Committee of that migrate across national boundaries is coordinated internationally, is an Agreement on the Conservation of CMS, and this co-operation extends to the equivalent bodies of the so simple yet so self-evidently important and it remains as relevant today Albatrosses and Petrels. I am pleased to sustain various Agreements. Central to the effectiveness of this relationship are as it was in 1979. Communicating that purpose in tangible ways to a that support by calling upon the world the powerful BirdLife database of the world’s birds, and the large and wider global community is one of many opportunities that this Silver community, and especially the governments of growing network of national BirdLife Partner organisations. Anniversary presents. A further strength is the Convention’s framework, the Range States and those with relevant fishing CMS and BirdLife share a vision, in which every endangered which allows for the establishment of specific agreements tailored to migratory bird species is given full legal protection, well enforced, in all regions and groups of species. This flexibility enables the special fleets, with the help of international of its Range States. A suite of imaginative Agreements covers all the circumstances affecting different species to be taken into account and organisations, to ratify the Agreement and to appropriate bird families and groups, and Parties to the Convention co- allows new priorities to be addressed as time goes by. This means CMS get it working so as to reduce as soon as operate along the full length of the flyways. The necessary resources are agreements can stay relevant, lively and responsive. possible the factors which have brought these found to ensure that the age-old spectacle of bird migration, and the As to challenges, clearly the Convention needs to secure greater splendid birds to the brink of extinction.’ multitude of benefits that it brings to people, survive to be enjoyed by global coverage to be truly effective. Species are unlikely to redirect their those who come after us. Working together, we can make this happen. migration routes to pick out CMS Parties! How can we optimise the Extract from a message addressed to the Seventh COP of CMS by Convention’s contribution without placing unmanageable burdens on HRH the Prince of Wales endorsing BirdLife International’s campaign Parties and the Secretariat? We could think creatively about using the on behalf of threatened albatrosses and petrels and the subsequent Convention’s mechanisms to extend its reach, whilst sharing the load adoption of the ACAP Agreement (see page 14) in 2004. with other treaties and partners. We need to ensure that our work expands and grows more effective but avoids the ‘agreement fatigue’ some have warned of. A more immediate challenge is the new CMS Strategic Plan for This anniversary provides an important opportunity to take stock. 2006-2011. We must make sure it is clear and relevant and provides a Progress has been made, more people and governments and vision and objectives to steer priorities and budgets in subsequent work organizations are engaged, but serious loss of biodiversity continues. programmes. If we get it right, it will be the driving force as the The philosophy of nature conservation has changed in the past quarter Convention heads towards 2010 and beyond. It is increasingly clear that of a century. We have been reminded of the relevance of ecosystems to migratory species have special significance as barometers of the state of the health and well-being of societies and that human needs must be an the world’s biodiversity. More than many other species, they are likely to integral part of our biodiversity conservation efforts. This makes the task be sensitive to changes in ecosystem quality. Exact knowledge of their more complex, but potentially more effective in the long term. CMS and status should provide a key indicator of progress towards reaching its family – in partnership with other international biodiversity

WSSD’s 2010 biodiversity goals. agreements – must prove itself equal to the task. © D Halleux/Foto Natura JOURNEYS OF KNOWLEDGE AND CO-OPERATION 25

often for international trade; fisheries bycatch; and habitat destruction. WETLANDS INTERNATIONAL AND CMS, WWF AND SUSTAINABLE As these marine turtle populations decline, they have less potential to generate jobs and income for coastal dwellers. Marine turtles are a CMS – PARTNERSHIP IN ITS PRIME DEVELOPMENT strong example of how, through strategic assessment of the pressures 2004 marks the 25th anniversary of CMS and the 50th anniversary of Dr SUE LIEBERMAN, Director of WWF-International’s Species upon, and conservation needs of, key species, organisations like CMS Wetlands International. Co-operation between the two organisations Programme, congratulates CMS on its global contributions to and WWF can work to catalyse new and inventive ways to manage is in its prime, as witness the Joint Work Plan concluded last year conservation and applauds its increasing focus on sustainable species and habitats whilst maintaining or raising natural resource gains between CMS, AEWA and Wetlands International. WARD development values. to local economies. HAGEMEIJER, Head of WI’s Wetland Species Conservation Through the promotion and instigation of scientifically-based In the conservation realities of 2004 and beyond, species conservation Programme, sums up a long and eventful association. international co-operation to preserve the role of migratory species as efforts internationally are facing a number of challenges. We must all more The Seventies were pivotal years for international awareness of the unique components of global biodiversity, CMS has proved an important clearly express the link between species conservation and sustainable importance of the natural environment, with fauna a focal concern. This and valuable contributor to biodiversity conservation as a goal in and of development, and promote our experience and ongoing integrated period gave life to key initiatives such as the Bonn Convention, the Bern itself, and as it underpins sustainable development. Governments around landscape-based, threat-focused, community-based work. We must Convention, the Ramsar Convention and the EC Birds Directive. CMS is the world have committed to reduce the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010. develop and circulate success stories and case studies, which show how unique among them for its worldwide focus on all migratory animals. As the international community moves to implement actions toward this species conservation methodologies based on work with local Birds in wetlands and migratory species in particular, have been a focus target, WWF encourages governments, scientists, NGOs and communities communities, demonstrate the intrinsic and ongoing role of and need for of attention for even longer. Wetlands International’s predecessor, the to draw on the strengths of CMS and its Agreements to achieve strong species-based work and funding to help drive and deliver our outcomes. International Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Bureau (IWRB), has its conservation outcomes – which will also support and contribute to the WWF sees CMS as an important contributor to achieving these roots in 1954 and the International Waterbird Census started in the mid- achievement of the MDGs, and in particular to the alleviation of poverty. ambitions and is committed to building partnerships and working together 1960s. The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of 1971, with its specific For many rural and indigenous communities – amongst the poorest on concrete field and policy-oriented community-based sustainable reference to the importance of wetlands for migratory waterbirds, was a of the world’s people – the biodiversity in natural ecosystems is the basis development programmes, which fully integrate biodiversity conservation, direct result of international concern about wetlands and waterbirds. for their livelihoods. Conservation must have direct and equitable poverty alleviation, and equitable sustainable development. Wetlands International strongly believes in CMS as one of the most benefits for local communities, while governments need to undertake The remarkable journeys of Leatherback turtles are logged over long periods and robust tools for achieving effective international co-operation for the economic studies weighing up both the short and long-term effects of distances by using satellite telemetry to track radio-collared individuals. Redrawn conservation of migratory species through concerted and coordinated effective management of natural resources. Time and from digital map image supplied by Scott A. Eckert. action. It is therefore much involved in working with, and in support of, time again, WWF has found it makes financial sense the CMS Scientific Council, as well as in common initiatives such as the to protect species and landscapes, for the benefit of development of an Agreement for the conservation of wetlands and local and indigenous communities. migratory waterbirds in the Central Asian Flyway, and groundwork for a Working together with many partners worldwide, workshop at the forthcoming IUCN World Conservation Congress on WWF’s Species Programme aims to secure the long- Conserving Migratory Species in a Changing World: Opportunities and term survival of flagship and other priority species Challenges on the Road to 2010. through landscape-level and ecoregion-level Wetlands International has enjoyed support from CMS in many past programmes. Some of these ‘flagship’ animals are ventures, such as the first international meeting for the range states of typically migratory species and WWF's work on them the Central Asian Flyway, in Tashkent in 2001, as well as smaller species- strongly complements that of CMS and its Agreements related projects in Asia and South America. Wetlands International both regionally and nationally. An underlying principle of would like to congratulate CMS on 25 successful years and looks WWF’s Species Programme is the need to link species forward to strengthen co-operation on exciting opportunities to come. conservation approaches to ecosystem outcomes and show the benefits of species conservation in a human development context. A useful example can be found in marine turtles – a priority for CMS and its member states, as well as for WWF in our global conservation work. For centuries, marine turtles have been a source of food and subsistence for coastal communities in tropical and subtropical regions. Drastic declines in marine turtle populations are known to have been caused primarily by human activities such as over-exploitation, THE JOURNEY CONTINUES 26 Hazards and opportunities

On the move for the past 25 years, tied in with human development, such as their Value to Sustainable Development sustainable harvesting guidelines for the Convention has come a long way. population growth, food security, and was presented at WSSD and a number migratory waterbirds, as well as for eco- Unlike the proverbial rolling stone, it rapid growth and overcrowding of cities of subsequent reviews have added detail tourism at wetland sites. The European has gathered a substantial tally of and the spread of urban settlements at to its broad argument. Bats Agreement (EUROBATS) is achievements. In proportion to their fringes. There are no easy answers to developing bat-friendly forestry practices material resources, this track record the puzzle of striking a sound compromise CMS and sustainable to ensure that vital ecosystem services stands comparison with international between these factors and the competing development bats provide continue unabated. Another agreements as a breed – and in needs that go with safeguarding natural CMS instruments and activities are Agreement, on cetaceans of the Black Sea certain respects exceeds the average. biodiversity, environmental quality and intended to bring longer-term benefits and Mediterranean Sea (ACCOBAMS), But there is still far to go. New cultural identity. for indigenous peoples and local encourages whale-watching practices that challenges are constantly demanding to be This section explores some of these communities, benefits that are benefit whales and help to sustain a tackled, not least the background threat of continuing and emerging challenges in inextricably linked to the natural flourishing tourism industry. adverse effects of climate change on the detail. It also features messages from some resource base. CMS promotes It is widely recognised that the majority living world and the overriding need to of the countries that have made the programmes that provide for alternative of the world’s marine fisheries are match pro-biodiversity activities to the Convention their own by adopting and livelihoods, while reducing short-term unsustainably exploited. One of the major sustainable development imperative, and ratifying it in recent months and years. pressures on wildlife populations. problems facing marine ecosystems is especially to the poverty reduction and The many direct advantages Parties have Through its many activities focused on fisheries bycatch, whereby vast numbers livelihood creation agenda declared in the gained in terms of using the framework it Africa, CMS is also helping to build a of non-target species, including migratory MDGs (page 27). provides to inform and strengthen their bridge of co-operation between animals, are captured incidentally and More specifically, the architects of own planning and policy agendas for developed and developing countries. discarded. Bycatch in various types of future achievements under CMS know sustainable development are not the whole These activities include re-establishment fishing gear such as gill nets, trawls and they must get to grips with problems and story. It is no secret that the more of viable populations of antelopes and long-lines threatens populations of small dilemmas associated with global economic, countries follow their example, the sooner gazelles in the Sahelo-Saharan region, cetaceans, marine turtles and seabirds technological and industrial change. Not can major gaps be filled in the geographical conservation of marine turtles in the such as albatrosses and petrels. All of least among these are unforeseen threats coverage of the Convention and its Atlantic and Indian Ocean coastal areas, these are highly migratory. Several CMS like the swift proliferation of alternative ancillary agreements, and the easier it will and the sustainable use of migratory Agreements specifically aim to address energy technologies such as wind turbines be to impel migratory species concerns waterbirds and their habitats. this problem through activities to reduce (page 32) and the worsening impact of into the mainstream of international CMS and its instruments also speed or avoid bycatch. more familiar energy-related problems relations and global public awareness. the attainment of sustainable use goals Environment and development such as power line networks or oil No aspect of the CMS prospectus is by putting in place co-ordinated decisions taken with regard to water pollution at sea (page 31), both of which more important than the Convention’s management tools. For example, many resources, oceans, agriculture, still present a serious and growing menace alignment with mainstream efforts by the CMS instruments seek to harmonise desertification, mountains, tourism, forests to the safe passage of migratory birds and world community to achieve the national hunting legislation to ensure and mining, may directly or indirectly other animals. sustainable development targets set in their coherent application across the affect migratory species. To maximise the Habitat loss or degradation resulting the MDGs and the Plan of migratory range of a species. Guidelines use of increasingly scarce financial from desertification, land use conversion Implementation adopted at the WSSD, can be developed to assist countries in resources and technical expertise, States and urbanisation is another threat that held in Johannesburg, South Africa in sustainable use planning. For example, need to work together to conserve and gives rise to increasing concern, the more August and September 2002. A CMS the African Eurasian Waterbird sustainably use shared biological resources so because it is driven by complex factors submission on Migratory Species and Agreement (AEWA) has produced such as migratory species. Co-operation THE JOURNEY CONTINUES 27

across the entire range of these species sustainable use of biological diversity Wildlife conservation and management CMS will need help from is partners, ensures that funds for conservation are and the fair and equitable sharing of can no longer be considered in isolation initially through the provision of case used more efficiently, and encourages the benefits arising from use of genetic from development issues. Other bodies studies and examples of good practice. application of consistent policies from one resources’ and (in reworded form) such as WWF (see page 25) already link Aligning CMS with WSSD development Range State to the next. The Convention validated its target of achieving by 2010 species conservation to development in goals may open the possibility for more on Migratory Species provides the ‘a significant reduction in the current almost every aspect of their work, funding but a concerted effort will first international legal framework which over rate of loss of biological diversity’, recognizing development as the key to be needed from developing country 100 States already use to secure lasting adding that this effort will require species conservation and vice versa. CMS Parties that are also CBD Parties, to benefits from the valuable resources that provision of new and additional financial needs to make the link in its turn, both request the CBD COP to instruct GEF migratory species represent. and technical resources and certain for conservation reasons and in terms of to fund projects on migratory species. further actions, among them moves to its standing as an international achiever CMS and the Millennium capture effective synergies between whose work proves that science and Millennium Ecosystem Development Goals CBD and other multilateral development can co-exist productively. Assessment The Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) environmental agreements. The need for a shift towards aligning In February 2003, CMS was invited to has firmly committed itself to The 2010 target is seen as an CMS also more closely with today’s global join the board of the Millennium demonstrating that biodiversity intermediate step towards achieving biodiversity and development agenda is Ecosystem Assessment (MA), an conservation contributes to sustainable MDG 7 and CBD’s current work currently under discussion by Parties and international work programme launched development by addressing Millennium programme is being correlated with their representative bodies, particularly in in 2001 that generates scientific Development Goal Seven (MDG7) set targets and indicators that accord with the context of steps to formulate the next information on the consequences of forth in the 2000 Millennium Declaration this overarching agenda so that CBD can CMS medium-term Strategic Plan. Though ecosystem change for human wellbeing of the United Nations, which is directed measure its performance in terms of such a shift would help CMS better and options for dealing with those towards ensuring environmental contributing to the realisation of MDG7 demonstrate the value of its work, it consequences. The MA is intended to sustainability by 2015. The Parties have in the early run-up to 2010. needs to be achieved without abandoning cater to the assessment needs of other adopted a Strategic Plan which commits For CMS, the 2010 target represents the Convention’s science and wildlife inter-governmental agreements besides CBD to achieve by 2010 a significant an opportunity to structure the management roots. Other areas where CMS, including the CBD, the Ramsar reduction of the current rate of Convention’s work in ways that direct it CMS probably needs to grow is in its work Convention and the Convention to biodiversity loss at the global, regional more positively towards outcomes and to on conserving habitats and ecosystems, Combat Desertification, as well as to the and national levels as a contribution to consider how best to measure the status regulating sustainable use, quantifying private sector and civil society. poverty alleviation and to the benefit of of migratory species and the threats and evaluating cultural The MA’s focus is on the benefits all life on Earth. contributions of CMS to the MDGs. This connections between migratory species people obtain from ecosystems, and how In September 2002, world leaders has implications for the forthcoming and people. Work on Environmental to husband these ecosystem services in meeting at the WSSD in Johannesburg Strategic Plan and any future plan of Impact Assessments could also form part the face of change. It operates on a range agreed a Plan of Implementation for implementation. In addition to of a package offered to Parties that would of scales, from local through watershed achieving sustainable development, contributing a migratory species indicator enable them to take action. and national, to regional and global, using building on past agreements and to the global biodiversity indicator Finally, CMS needs to draw the a diverse array of sources, including the achievements. Through this process, required by 2010, CMS needs to come up attention of governments to how species knowledge of local communities, Parties to CBD sought to rally WSSD with a set of sub-targets and indicators conservation, and in particular migratory indigenous peoples and private sector endorsement behind this ambitious goal. against which it can measure its own species conservation, contributes to CMS enterprises. WSSD recognised the CBD as ‘the key performance in relation to the globally and CBD obligations alike, and at one instrument for the conservation and agreed biodiversity agenda. stroke. To make this connection obvious 25 YEARS OF JOURNEYS 28

A message from Hamdallah Zedan, Complementarities MIGRATING BIODIVERSITY Executive Secretary of the CBD The preamble to the CBD expresses a desire to enhance and JEFFREY A. McNEELY, Chief Scientist at IUCN (the World complement existing international arrangements for the Conservation Union) offers some home truths on what CMS can conservation of biological diversity and sustainable use of its contribute to international efforts to conserve biodiversity and the CMS and the CBD – a partnership of equals components, which includes CMS. Article 22 specifically sustainable use of biological resources. Under the CBD, which now has 188 parties, governments have Despite its youth, the Convention on Biological Diversity recognises that the CBD should not weaken existing international sovereignty over their own biodiversity, and accept responsibilities to (CBD) is often cited as the world’s ‘umbrella’ biodiversity conventions, and the Conference of Parties has been very clear in conserve biodiversity, use biological resources sustainably, and ensure convention. Its implementation requires partnerships with its desire to work with other ‘biodiversity conventions’ such as the equitable distribution of benefits arising from using genetic other organizations such as CMS to capture synergies. The CMS. Article 5 encourages CBD Parties to cooperate directly resources. Sovereignty and responsibility carry strengths and recent CBD Seventh Meeting of the Conference of the Parties through international organizations on matters of mutual interest. weaknesses: strengths because responsibility is clearly assigned; (COP7) again emphasised the importance of an active CBD- This is the primary basis for linking CMS to CBD, encouraging weaknesses because species do not recognise governments and freely CMS synergy, building on its previous (2002) declaration that CBD Parties to work through CMS to conserve/sustainable use move across international borders. migratory species are a unique component of biodiversity migratory species. The National Biodiversity Strategies and Action CMS helps to strengthen measures under the CBD that affect and that CMS is CBD’s lead partner on migratory species. Plans called for under Article 6 of CBD provide an ideal species whose annual movements take them between countries. While But how do the two treaties add value to each other? Does mechanism for ensuring that conventions affecting biodiversity are the CBD seldom specifically mentions migratory species, many of its this interplay extend beyond rhetoric? coordinated at national level, to ensure they are mutually measures are akin to those of CMS and indeed of other biodiversity- It certainly does. Migratory species are unique because they reinforcing to the utmost extent possible. In its Article 7, the CBD related conventions such as Ramsar and CITES. While more specialised move between different habitats in different places at different specifically recognises the importance of ecosystems and habitats conventions, including CMS, properly focus on specific issues, it is times. Necessity therefore dictates that spatial and temporal required by migratory species. It also calls attention to species and apparent that real progress will be made only against a background of dimensions be added to species, habitat and ecosystem communities which are threatened. Article 8, dealing with in situ solid achievement at international policy level. conservation efforts. As migratory species often move across conservation outlines a series of measures to protect ecosystems, The CBD offers a useful forum for addressing key issues. But it, too, international borders an obvious additional need is for preserve natural habitats, and maintain viable populations of suffers from a major shortcoming. The real power in today’s global international co-operation to link species- and ecosystem-based species in natural surroundings. Many other elements of the CBD economy is in the World Trade Organisation (WTO), which is also very approaches at national levels and coordinate them across a are relevant to CMS, but of particular importance are Article 10 on much a migratory species convention. As the CBD enters more into the migratory range, something that is CMS’s speciality. sustainable use of components of biodiversity (CBD terminology arena of dealing with trade-related issues, such as the problem of Migratory species have a high profile in the various CBD for species) and Article 16, which deals with technology transfer. invasive alien species, it will need to mobilise a much stronger work programmes that help set the global agenda on While Parties to the CBD may have been interested especially in constituency of biodiversity-related interests that will be of sufficient biodiversity conservation and sustainable use. Migratory biotechnology, other kinds of technology are highly relevant to magnitude to at least encourage the WTO to consider the issues being species, and CMS, figure most notably in CBD activities on CMS, such as satellite telemetry, echo-location and ultrasound addressed under the biodiversity umbrella. protected areas, the ecosystem approach and as indicators of technologies for tracking animal movements. The CBD and CMS might also enlist the co-operation of the progress towards the 2010 target. Framework Convention on Climate Change, making the argument that The CBD agenda has shifted significantly from one of policy migratory species of animals that are being protected under CMS may and strategy formulation, to a phase clearly marked by the find climate change’s potential to disrupt established migratory urgent need for implementation of existing instruments. Tools pathways an additional challenge. such as the CBD-CMS Joint Work Programme, assisted through The CBD and CMS might also join forces to spur international co- enhanced collaboration between the two Secretariats, help operation in transboundary protected areas, which protect habitats of countries better integrate migratory species considerations into species that cross international borders. For example, the Greater biodiversity strategies and action plans. These are exciting, Limpopo Transfrontier Peace Park involves co-operation between South tangible examples of how the two Conventions work together. Africa, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe and offers protected habitat for We are using migratory species to build connections not just migratory populations of elephants and various other ungulates. between conventions, but across ecosystems, countries, We must be realistic in assessing where power is exerted at national cultures and communities. They offer significant opportunities and international level, and sophisticated in finding ways to present our to promote further synergies amongst our common objectives. conservation and sustainable use arguments in terms that resonate in the corridors of power. The larger the constituency we mobilise, in the international community and civil society, the better. © Yvette Lee/UNEP/Still Pictures © Yvette THE JOURNEY CONTINUES 29

ratification), the Protocol may not reduce the greenhouse gas emissions CLIMATE CHANGE AND of its Parties by more than a few percentage points below 1990 levels. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT By contrast, stabilising atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse MIGRATORY SPECIES gases will ultimately require global reductions in emissions of 60 to 70 ASSESSMENT – A VITAL TOOL WIL BURNS, Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental per cent or more. Given the glacial pace of efforts to combat climate FOR IMPLEMENTING CMS Studies, University of Redlands, Redlands, California and Co-Chair change, CMS has a role to play in developing strategies for protecting DAVE PRITCHARD, International Treaties Adviser for BirdLife of the American Society of International Law – Wildlife Interest migratory species from adverse impacts of climate change. At their Sixth International, considers what EIA can add to global conservation Groups looks at the emerging issue of climate change in the context Meeting, the Parties requested that the Scientific Council establish a efforts and welcomes its integration into the work of CMS. of migratory species and the aims of CMS. small working group to assess scientific research on climate change and Long established in many countries as a legal requirement in land- The phenomenon of climate change was recently portrayed as to foster collaboration with other relevant regimes. Climate change may use planning and industrial processes, Environmental Impact ‘perhaps the broadest and potentially most catastrophic environmental indeed prove to be the gravest future threat to many migratory species. Assessment (EIA) is a process for predicting and evaluating the effects predicament confronting humans’. Some of the direst consequences We can only hope that the world’s institutions and its political leaders are of an action or a series of actions on the environment, then using the may in fact be visited upon the world’s wild flora and fauna. A recent up to the challenge. results in decision-making. Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) study concluded that climate change could result in the extinction of 15 focuses on impacts at the strategic scale of programmes, plans and to 37 per cent of species by 2050, eclipsing habitat destruction as the policies. In the framework of CMS and the Convention text itself greatest threat to wildlife species in this century and beyond. Migratory frequent reference is made to taking action in anticipation of impacts species may be particularly at risk because they are dependent on the that might affect migratory species in the future. Such mentions imply viability of separate climate-sensitive breeding and winter habitats as the application of some suitable process for predicting and evaluating well as stopovers in their migratory routes. relevant effects, including those creating obstacles to migration, and There is growing evidence that climate change is strongly affecting transboundary effects involving migratory species. EIA is also expressly migratory species. A recent study concluded that some long-distance referred to in some of the Agreements under the Convention. migratory birds are responding to warmer spring temperatures by In recent years, Contracting Parties have increasingly sought help to migrating over three weeks earlier than usual. This can mean their arrival deliver and further develop this basic idea. Identified needs include ways is no long synchronised with the appearance of seasonal food sources and means to exchange experience and technical advice, to identify best such as insects, flowers and berries at destination sites, a grave practice and to know where to go for the best guidance and support. EIA disadvantage. also features in efforts to ensure consistency between CMS and other In other cases, migratory species are arriving too late. Caribou, for biodiversity-related conventions. There is also a need to articulate basic example, are finding that vegetation in their spring feeding grounds in principles of EIA in the CMS context and for specific guidance on Canada has gone to seed because spring is arriving earlier in the region, assessing impacts on migratory species. denying them a critical source of food. Research has shown that species and ecosystems have received Climate change may also imperil migratory species by contributing to relatively low-grade attention in EIA practice so far, compared with the the loss of critical ecosystems. For example, in the Antarctic, where attention paid to pollution, landscape and noise impacts. BirdLife 90 per cent of the great whales feed, sea ice may decline by more than International and other NGOs are striving to improve this situation, for 40 per cent this century because of rising temperatures, leading to a instance by drafting policy and technical guidance material for the decline in the production of sea ice algae, the primary source of food for Ramsar Convention, CMS and the Convention on Biological Diversity. the zooplankton species krill, which in turn is the primary food resource CMS Conference Resolution 7.2, adopted in 2002, draws on a common for whales. This shift may further reduce populations of species already set of guidelines that apply equally to the CBD, Ramsar and the CMS. In severely depleted due to overexploitation by the commercial whaling this respect, EIA is a successful example of the much-vaunted synergy industry, including Blue and Humpback whales. between conventions. The Resolution also sets forth other steps and Rising temperatures could also convert 40-57 per cent of Arctic considerations for using EIA and SEA to help implement the Convention. tundra to forest lands, eliminating critical habitat for many Arctic It is a landmark summary of thinking and commitment on this topic for waterbird species. This may mean losing up to half the geese in the the 21st century, and has been widely welcomed. region and witnessing steep declines in many other species. There are other reasons to be positive about current prospects. One The primary inter-governmental response to climate change is is that the global community of impact assessment professionals has in embodied in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate recent years turned its attention increasingly to ecological issues, Change and the Kyoto Protocol. Even if it enters into force (unlikely while including links to the biodiversity-related conventions, facilitated by the US, responsible for 25 per cent of the world’s emissions, rules out BirdLife and others. In particular, the International Association for Impact © Tawat Sontoomoorrakum/UNEP/Still Pictures © Tawat 25 YEARS OF JOURNEYS 30

Assessment (IAIA) has raised its capacity to provide advice and expertise of conservation of marine animals, including migratory species. to Contracting Parties, the Secretariat and the Scientific Council. SYRIA – GLOBAL INSIGHTS The discovery in Syria on spring 2002 of a relict colony of the last wild ‘Globalisation’ of a shared impact assessment agenda is desirable, survivals of the eastern population of Northern Bald ibis stressed once because systematic and consistent EIA regimes help to create stable BOOST NATIONAL PLANNING again the yet unrevealed complete importance of the country. It is hoped and reliable operating conditions over a wide area, and reduce bias and Dr AKRAM ISSA-DARWISH assesses gains in terms of conserving that the measures taken to protect the Northern Bald ibis, will be a abuses in planning systems. It is also desirable to prevent biodiversity and national heritage since Syria joined CMS in 2002. showcase precedent that paves the way for future actions on behalf of environmentally damaging activities from clustering in those countries Syria lies at the western edge of Asia. An ancient land whose history many of the country's other biological treasures. Many species listed on which have the weakest standards of protection. We are still at an early goes back thousands of years, it has witnessed the rise and fall of many the CMS Appendixes also form part of Syria’s Biodiversity Components evolutionary stage of this process. In future ‘on the ground’ testing will civilizations. Though centuries of human exploitation have severely under the CBD. tell us whether EIA measures pursued through conventions are meeting degraded the abundant natural flora and fauna that once graced this rich The Hunting Law in Syria is another example of ongoing action. real needs. In general, there is still a need for better post-project and fertile region, Syria is still home to over 2700 species of wild animal A ten-year moratorium on hunting in Syria is due to come to an end in monitoring of the impacted environment, and verification of predictions. including some 354 bird species. Of these 156 are migratory, either 2004. In some ways this ban was a move in the right direction but it Conserving living resources never boils down to a single prescription passing through or wintering. At least 21 are listed as threatened on the proved unrealistic due to many violations by local communities and or an action taken at one point in time. It relies on continuing IUCN Red List but the number may prove to be much higher once others, and the lack of any awareness campaign before or after the law management, weighing of dynamic balances, feedback, adjustment, and ornithological studies are underway in Syria to survey this major was passed. Today, advice and the knowledge obtained through CMS is predictions based on judgement. Thus even if we were to imagine a segment of the Western Palearctic flyway, a critical resting stop for proving an essential input to steps to update and review implementation. regime in future where every policy and law favoured the conservation migrating birds, particularly birds of prey. Among the main areas of interest for habitat conservation are the of migratory species, EIA would still be required from day to day, for The mammals of Syria – of which a small number of species are Syrian wetlands and semi-arid steppe zones with their globally analysing in a rational way and informing the balances, choices and migratory at the regional level – suffered more than any other group of significant biodiversity and grounds for breeding raptors, storks and judgements we make. In this light, it is clear that EIA is and always will animals through loss of habitat, competition from grazing sheep and cranes, thought to involve up to three million birds a year. be essential to implementing CMS to the full. And the need is mutual, goats along with uncontrolled hunting. Most environmental threats in One of the most important sites is Al-Jabbul, a shallow salt-lake in given that frameworks like CMS offer a structure of policy direction, Syria are directly or indirectly influenced by a rapidly expanding human semi-arid steppe near Aleppo, Syria's second largest city. This 37,500 checks and balances and feedback mechanisms that can be used to test population that is rising in numbers at an annual rate of 2.6 per cent. hectare lake is an important area for the staging and wintering of and refine the theory and practice of EIA. Since becoming a Party to CMS in December 2002, Syria has migratory waterfowl, including storks, cranes and flamingos, and as a embarked on a number of activities designed to fill missing links in local breeding ground for many globally threatened waterbird species. In legislation and the gaps in the knowledge that need to be remedied short, Syria looks forward with great confidence to launching wider before such legislation can be soundly based. The national Law of implementation of CMS Action Plans and gaining significant further Al-Jabbul lake near Aleppo, Syria Far right: Northern Bald ibis nesting. Aquatic Organisms is already being amended to meet the requirements national benefits through the global insight the Convention offers. © A Issa-Darwish © Mahmud Abdallah/FAO THE JOURNEY CONTINUES 31

measure the level of oil pollution in adjacent waters. The proportion of oil OIL – AN EVER-PRESENT THREAT victims in the birds found dead on beaches – the oil rate – is used as an CMS IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE indicator. The results of these surveys in a number of countries DAVID M. FLEET of the State Office for Germany’s National Park bordering the North Sea indicate a steady improvement, with declining CARIBBEAN Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea argues that there is still a long way oil rates over the past 20 years. Regional variation in the oil rate is large The fauna of the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region is very to go before the threat oil pollution poses to the marine and depends on the level of human activities such as shipping, in diverse and includes many migratory species, a growing number of environment can been reduced to an acceptable level. neighbouring waters. In waters with a high concentration of shipping which are listed on the CMS Appendices as threatened or The 20,000 birds found dead or dying on Spanish beaches after the traffic the proportion of oiled birds is still unacceptably large – over 50 endangered. CMS has responded to this situation through a number Prestige oil spill in November 2002 were only the tip of an iceberg. It is per cent in some species. of activities in the region, including a regional fact-finding workshop estimated that hundreds of thousands of seabirds fell victim to the oil International, national and regional anti-pollution regulations have in Lima, Peru in 2001. More recently (in October 2003), a Western from this incident alone. Shipping accidents leading to heavy wildlife certainly helped cut numbers of birds killed by oil pollution in recent Hemisphere Conference on Migratory Species was held in Termas losses are still a regularly occurring event on European coasts and in years. Technological advances in shipping, surveillance of shipping de Puyehue, Chile. This forum marked the launch of an historic coastal waters worldwide. Yet they are not the only sources of oil movements and rescue facilities have improved but more are needed. initiative on behalf of Western Hemisphere migratory species in pollution that kill marine animals. Numbers of animals oiled after contact Also needed are more reception facilities for oil residues in harbours and response to the call by the 2001 Summit of the Americas to develop with everyday illegal operational discharges of oil from shipping are better enforcement standards to make sure illegal oil discharges never a regional conservation strategy for these species. This initiative will harder to estimate but this chronic problem is regarded as a larger threat go unpunished. Accidents involving ships and oil platforms will always focus on migratory birds at the outset, broadening to all migratory to the marine environment, causing mortalities that run into hundreds of happen but by applying state-of-the–art technology it should be possible animals by the year 2005. thousands every year. to reduce such occurrences to a minimum. CMS has also sponsored a Workshop (held in Valdivia, Chile in Waterbirds, especially seabirds, are the main victims. Species that October 2002) on the Conservation Status and Research Priorities of depend on the marine environment for food, especially diving species Aquatic Mammals in Latin America, which involved nearly 80 specialists that spend a lot of time on the water surface, such as auks and sea- from around the region. Initial contact has also been made with the ducks, are the hardest hit. Birds are exceptionally vulnerable to the Secretariats of two regional MEAs, the Convention for the Protection of effects of contact with oil because the oil sticks to their feathers which the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region and the Inter- lose their insulating function. Marine mammals and reptiles, however, American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Marine can also be common victims of oil pollution incidents in some areas. Populations of the Marine otter on the coast of Peru are severely affected by Turtles. CMS has lately worked with BirdLife International and Wetlands Marine mammals such as Sea otters are susceptible to oil contamination industrial pollution and other impacts of human activities as well as by the periodic International on a range of conservation projects in South America and at too. Oiled animals immediately attempt to preen or groom the oil out of El Niño ocean current warming effect. least ten projects supported by the CMS Small Grants Fund are their feathers and fur. This behaviour leads to the ingestion of oil. underway around the region, including studies on the Andean flamingo Affected animals can no longer remain on the water and move onto the (see page 13) and scarce migratory grassland birds in Argentina. shore where they die of hypothermia and poisoning. Large numbers of Marine otters occur on the coast of Peru, often in Only a small fraction of oiled birds can be caught and cleaned. Most association with another CMS Appendix I listed animal, the Humboldt oil victims die. Although losses are high, the population consequences penguin. Both are subjects of Concerted Actions under the Convention, are hard to detect. The distribution of birds at sea is patchy and the to stem adverse impacts of human activities ranging from destructive population dynamics of many affected species are insufficiently hunting and fishing activities to industrial and urban effluent pollution. monitored. Analysis by the British Trust for Ornithology of ringed The periodic ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation) ocean current warming Guillemots recovered during the Tricolor and Prestige oil spills has, effect has also contributed to the decline of both species. A CMS project however, shown that oil pollution could affect bird populations. The is underway in the area, led by the Peruvian Association for the Tricolor oil spill in the English Channel in 2003 for instance affected Conservation of Nature (APECO) in collaboration with the National mainly adult birds from the east coast of Scotland. Loss of adult birds in Institute of Natural Resources (INRENA) of the Peruvian Ministry of this long-lived species, which raises at the most one young a year, could Agriculture. It takes the form of a survey of the population status quo of certainly affect local populations. An alarming scenario is the possibility both animals and an assessment the risks they face, with a view to of a late summer oil spill in the mouth of northern Germany’s River Elbe, identifying areas of Peru’s southern coast suitable for designation as where shipping density is very high. Nearly the entire northwest protected or managed areas. Once the survey is complete, a workshop European population of the Shelduck migrates each year to the mudflats will be convened involving experts and authorities from Chile and Peru of this region to moult. An oil incident here could potentially wipe out to explore the potential for a bilateral Agreement under CMS covering most of this population. either or both of these species in the wider region. Is the oil pollution situation improving? Counts of oil victims on sea coasts (so-called beached bird surveys), have been used for decades to © Michael Sewell/Still Pictures 25 YEARS OF JOURNEYS 32

follow-up report submitted to the Council of Europe. It set out to apply the BIRD PROTECTION IN A WIRED guidelines to non-migratory birds and to enlarge on the collision risk posed WINDFARMS AND BIRDS – A 21ST to birds, and on negative impacts of above-ground power lines on staging LANDSCAPE and wintering habitats. NABU’s report Protecting Birds on Power Lines CENTURY DILEMMA DIETER HAAS and MARKUS NIPKOW of NABU (BirdLife Germany) now covers all these aspects. It serves as a basic tool for the draft ROWENA LANGSTON of BirdLife in the UK examines some survey the threat that power transmission lines and towers can pose recommendation submitted to the Bern Convention, and for further implications for migratory bird movements of a swiftly expanding to migratory birds. development of that issue within the Bonn Convention, with a view to renewable energy technology. Around the world, the widespread availability of electricity has become adoption of worldwide guidelines in due course. The generation of electricity using wind turbines is a topical and part of normal living standards. The transport of electricity from power controversial issue. It can be hard to find objective information on the plants to users is mainly along above-ground power lines. Worldwide, this Legislating for safer power lines impacts of this technology on migratory birds. A recent BirdLife ‘wiring’ of the landscape continues to advance even into the most remote International report commissioned by the Council of Europe for the Bern parts of the world. Most power lines constructed so far pose fatal risks for The Resolution on Electrocution of Migratory Birds adopted by Convention, seeks to present an objective review of the available birds and significantly affect the habitats of large migratory birds in their COP7 focuses on the following essentials: It calls on all Parties information on the impacts of wind turbines on birds and to provide breeding, staging and wintering areas. Many birds use electricity and Non-Parties to include appropriate measures in legislation guidance to minimize the risks of such impacts. The main hazards for structures for perching and vantage points, nesting, obtaining shade, and and other provisions for planning and consenting medium- birds associated with wind turbines are collision, disturbance sensing air currents. Electrocution occurs when the bird makes voltage electricity transmission lines and associated towers to displacement from otherwise suitable habitat, and direct loss of habitat simultaneous contact with two conductors or conductor and pole. secure safe constructions and thus minimise electrocution due to turbines, their access roads and other infrastructure. There are NABU, the partner organization of BirdLife International in Germany, impacts on birds. It encourages constructors and operators of high profile instances where wind turbines have caused unacceptable has been investigating this subject for over 20 years, co-operating with new transmission lines to incorporate appropriate measures levels of collision mortality of birds. From a biological perspective, other NGOs as well as with electricity companies and the Federal Ministry aimed at protecting birds against electrocution. collision mortality due to wind turbines is most likely to be a problem for for the Environment. After early success related to a bird protection clause More specifically, it calls on Parties and Non-Parties alike to large, long-lived species that are slow to mature and have a low for technical design guidelines, national progress was made in 2002, when suitably neutralize existing towers so that birds are not allowed reproduction rate. Even relatively small increases in mortality rates may for the first time the German Nature Conservation Law regulated bird be significant for populations of such species, particularly when to roost on parts dangerously close to live transmission conservation at electric power facilities. Under the Law, new power poles cumulative mortality occurs across their migratory range, notably so for equipment. The Resolution also encourages constructors and must be constructed in ways harmless for birds and electricity companies rare species. operators to co-operate with ornithologists, conservation must abolish dangerous types of poles within 10 years. Many factors influence bird flight behaviour, and hence the risk of organisations and competent authorities with a view to reduce NABU next raised its efforts to tackle the electrocution death of birds collision. Collision risk is greatest in poor flying conditions, such as the electrocution risk posed to birds from transmission lines. In to the level of international co-operation. NABU’s electrocution working strong winds, or the absence of rising winds for soaring species, that respect of collisions and electrocution on electricity transmission group mounted a research project in eastern and southern parts of Europe. affect the birds’ ability to control flight manoeuvres, or in rain, fog, and lines of railway infrastructure and other related issues, the Alarming incidences of electrocution risks had been documented in on dark nights when visibility is poor. It is recognised that the actual rate countries like Poland, Estonia, Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia which resolution finally requests the CMS Secretariat to collect more of collision is likely to be under-recorded. In studies involving corpse contain major breeding areas, migration routes and resting sites for many information concerning that area of concern in the future. searches, it is essential that calibration (allowing, for instance, for threatened bird species. The study results much improved NABU’s scavenger removal) is undertaken at each site to enable correction knowledge of both the extent of the problem and possibilities for solving it. Two White storks (Ciconia ciconia) on a mitigated power pole. The dangerous factors to be applied to produce more realistic estimates of collision Together with the German Ministry of the Environment, and supported upright insulators have been safeguarded using plastic molded caps. mortality. Remote sensing techniques such as radar and thermal by BirdLife International, NABU submitted a draft resolution on imagery are particularly useful for offshore studies, where the problem electrocution of migratory birds at the Seventh meeting of the CMS of recovering dead birds is compounded. Conference of the Parties in September 2002. The resolution text and its What factors determine whether or not there is an adverse impact annex included technical guidelines to protect birds from electrocution. It due to direct habitat loss or disturbance exclusion? The scale of habitat was adopted as Resolution 7.4 by delegations of more than 80 countries. loss will be one indication, together with the extent of availability and The brochure in the annex was published and contains technical standards quality of other suitable habitats that can accommodate displaced birds, for safer construction as well as mitigation within the medium voltage and the conservation status of those birds. Disturbance may arise from range. NABU, its partners, and the CMS Secretariat hope that these the presence or noise of the turbines or owing to increased human guidelines will be energetically supported and implemented in the years to activity nearby, such as maintenance visits, often in areas where there come, in as many countries as possible. was little human activity before the wind farm arrived. Loss of (or For the 23rd meeting of the Standing Committee of the Bern damage to) habitat resulting from wind turbines can be a concern in

Convention in December 2003, NABU presented the essentials of a © Fiedler/NABU sensitive habitats. THE JOURNEY CONTINUES 33

Wind turbines can impede bird movement. Whether or not this is a scratched the surface of the problem. Many species remain invisible to problem will depend on the size of wind farm, spacing of turbines, the BYCATCH – RESOLVING AN ISSUE any mitigation regimes. A CMS Recommendation (7.2) calls on Parties to extent of displacement of flying birds and their ability to compensate for compile information and take action regarding fishing activities within increased energy expenditure. The cumulative effects of large wind farm OF URGENT GLOBAL CONCERN their jurisdiction as a first step towards addressing the problem. Others installations may disrupt ecological links between feeding, breeding and MARGI PRIDEAUX, Executive Director of the Whale and Dolphin are schemes to assess the impact of bycatch on migratory species, roosting areas. Wind farms could be designed in ways that avoid any Conservation Society’s Australasia regional office and International research in areas outside existing CMS Agreements, and reducing the barrier effect. Research and post-construction monitoring at several pilot Coordinator for the Society’s CMS Programme, sizes up the flotsam of discarded and lost nets. sites will be necessary to establish whether (and where) this is a feasible importance of the CMS bycatch resolution and other aspects of the Effective bycatch reduction requires an appropriate management solution. In addition, it is clear that there is a need for robust, objective role of CMS in this landmark initiative. framework to ensure that conservation objectives are identified and baseline studies to inform sensitive siting of wind farms to minimise Bycatch, the accidental capture of a non-target species during fishing appropriate action taken to meet them. It is seldom possible to harmful effects on birds, other wildlife and their habitats, and for post- operations, is common and alarmingly widespread. An estimated 20 to 25 generalize from one bycatch problem to another. Most responses will construction monitoring at installations where there are environmental per cent of the global fisheries catch is discarded into the sea, translating need to be fitted to the species and fishery involved. Developing sensitivities. A distinction needs to be drawn between effects of a to some 20 million tonnes of marine life lost each year. Marine mammals, arrangements that are regionally and species specific – a great strength temporary versus those of a permanent nature, and between other sea birds, turtles and sharks get caught in trawls, seines, hooks and lines, of CMS – can fulfil this need. The problem of bycatch is likely to increase variables such as scale. gillnets and driftnets and even lines of pots or creels. The species level as the world fishing fleet expands and employs faster boats with ever Furthermore, there is a need to properly consider the environmental impact of bycatch can be acute in the case of long-lived and slow- longer, deeper and more efficient gear. The international community can benefits and costs of different energy solutions. Many unknowns still reproducing marine mammals and birds. The very structure and function look to the good work of CMS and its Agreements for guidance and hamper sound decision-making. Until these are cleared up, on of marine systems at the population, community and ecosystem levels WDCS stands ready to assist the Convention in the vital task of precautionary grounds wind farms should not be sited in statutory or are probably also being affected. In response to this escalating threat, removing the blight that bycatch visits on marine life. qualifying international (such as Natura 2000) protected areas, or national CMS has taken a firm stand within the international community by sites for nature conservation, or other areas with large concentrations of addressing the issue of bycatch and migratory species in the form of (or home to) species of conservation concern. Most evidence so far strongly worded resolutions at successive COP meetings (see below). suggests locations much used by birds, especially by protected species, Like so many marine conservation issues, bycatch is a problem that are inappropriate sites for wind farm development. has until recently remained at sea. Insufficient data and poor levels of observer coverage across the world fishing fleet have meant that the reality of bycatch has only lately come into focus. Flagship species like Lynetten windfarm consists of 7 Bonus 600 kW wind turbines with a hub height of 50 m. They are placed on a dyke in Copenhagen Harbour near a the Macquarie Island Wandering albatross and Amsterdam albatross are Dead Sperm whale thought to have been killed by illegal driftnets in the waters sewage plant and other industrial facilities. close to extinction. Marine turtles, bycaught across their migratory near Mallorca in the Mediterranean Sea. range, have also prompted international concern. Over the past ten years an average 6000 harbour porpoises were bycaught annually in fishing operations around the North Sea. Populations will not recover until bycatch rates are sharply reduced. Other species have not yet had the benefit of high-profile attention. Some cetacean species, such as the vaquita, a small porpoise found only off Mexico in the Gulf of California, risk extinction through bycatch. Similar cases, such as bycatch of Irrawaddy dolphins, are under investigation but not yet subject to remedial action. A recent estimate of marine mammal bycatch concluded that the global toll of cetaceans may top 300,000 per year. Not all the news is bad. CMS has a positive track record on bycatch and has established no fewer than five instruments that tackle the issue. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), too, has agreed International Plans of Action for reducing bycatch of sharks and sea birds. New fishing techniques are being piloted in the Southern Ocean to reduce sea bird mortality, while turtle excluder devices are now required in many Indian Ocean and South Pacific fisheries. Various countries and regions have also taken tentative steps towards regulating © Zenit/Greenpeace bycatch in their jurisdictions. Yet all this international activity has only © Obiol/Greenpeace 25 YEARS OF JOURNEYS 34 The challenging journey onwards

ARNULF MÜLLER-HELMBRECHT, Achieving by 2010 the goal of Governments to sign it. I am happy outgoing CMS Executive Secretary, reversing the prevailing species that they have shown keen interest bids farewell and asks: Will CMS extinction trend and that the next CITES Conference mean a better world for our Conserving natural life as a basis for of the Parties will also deal with the children? human livelihoods and our quality problem. It is good, too, that a After a gradual start between of life number of dedicated individuals, 1979 and 1990, the sails of CMS Assuring sustainable use of shared expert groups, NGOs, foundations natural resources and their material caught a fair wind. The Convention and bilateral government funding benefits found its direction, gained agencies are supporting efforts by Alleviating poverty in rural areas by momentum and finally became helping local communities capture Range States to rescue the recognised as the global platform for the economic and cultural values of remaining herds of Saiga antelope. conservation and stewardship of migratory species. But there is still scope to enlarge animals that journey across frontiers. this circle of support. Accordingly, It developed its tools: legally binding Yet at the very time CMS has found I call on companies operating in the Range State Agreements, politically its rightful place in the orchestra of affected countries, together with binding Memoranda of global instruments for maintaining their trade associations, to recognise Understanding (MoU), small projects and properly managing the natural and live up to their social to improve the scientific basis to act environment, the consumption – or responsibilities by joining forces and to assist implementation in rather destruction – of Nature is with others already active in the developing countries, and COP accelerating beyond reach of any cause to save the Saiga and use resolutions on cross-cutting issues obvious or standard remedy. A CMS’s action-oriented framework to such as wind turbines, oil spills, sobering example is the dramatic enable this endangered species and by-catch and the need for decline of Saiga antelopes in Central its habitat to make a decisive environmental impact assessments. Asia’s ‘Southern Serengeti’, from comeback. The same applies to Along the way, CMS formed around one million down to fewer albatrosses and petrels. A special partnerships with most of the other than 30,000 over the past 15 years, global agreement (ACAP) has been global conventions and leading mainly on account of poaching nurtured under CMS, with the organisations working to conserve activities. That a loss of this Governments of Australia and South nature and biodiversity. It clarified magnitude can happen in one of the Africa taking the lead, backed up by its role and identified potential globe’s least populous areas, where BirdLife International. His Royal synergies in relation to each partner. wild animals might normally expect Highness the Prince of Wales has In a short 25 years since the to pass unmolested, is an alarm call expressed his personal support for Convention was first adopted in not only for the responsible Range ACAP. ACAP entered into force on Bonn, CMS today is now poised to States but for the entire world. 1 February in this anniversary year. make a real difference in such key A CMS MoU has been under I could go on to cite hundreds of endeavours as: development for two years and the species of animals that regularly time is finally ripe for the concerned migrate across political borders, THE JOURNEY CONTINUES 35

all of which run a grave risk of private or semi-private dwindling away to the point of organizations or institutions. All can extinction. Their plight characterises use the catalytic and coordinating the lack of long-term care and dimensions of CMS to advance their cooperation that afflicts our planet’s own projects, including sponsorship living resources. The world’s wild and fundraising campaigns as well places are becoming fragmented and as on-the-ground project activities. denatured as runaway human I take advantage of this population growth and ill-thought-out celebratory report to call upon all economic development exert ever- who represent State authorities, greater pressure on wildlife and NGOs, public and private ecosystems. foundations, agencies, scientific The financial means and political research institutions and the private influence of public sector sector, to seize the opportunities institutions are shrinking as a result that CMS and its instruments of economic globalisation and present. I urge them all to help the structural adjustment and are world implement existing CMS simply not enough to tackle the instruments and to assist in problems in hand. Hence CMS developing and implementing cannot expect State authorities to more such instruments. continue to carry on bearing the full As my career’s journey with CMS burden of implementing and further draws to a close, I feel optimistic that refining the Convention and its the next generation will care more related instruments. Initial attempts wisely for the natural world that is to find allies in the private sector humankind’s life-support system, have taught us that fundraising is than mine has done. I leave it to not the Convention’s forte. The younger people now to take care of Secretariat is too small and lacks humankind’s future journey and the the necessary knowledge and role CMS will play in it. To quote a experience. And as CMS itself does famed CMS poster slogan: They’re on not implement projects, it is hard to the move – Give them a hand! explain to private companies the added value of sponsoring its activities. I see here an important opportunity for project-oriented NGOs, foundations and other 36 Acronyms Contact details

ACAP Agreement on Conservation of IOSEA Memorandum of Understanding Convention on Migratory Species Albatrosses and Petrels on Marine Turtles of the Indian CMS Secretariat ACCOBAMS Agreement on Cetaceans of the Ocean and South East Asia Martin-Luther-King-Str. 8 Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea IUCN International Union for 53175 Bonn, Germany and Contiguous Atlantic Areas Conservation of Nature and Tel. (49 228) 815 2401/02 AEWA Agreement on Conservation of Natural Resources (World Fax (49 228) 815 24 49 Africa-Eurasian Migratory Conservation Union) e-mail: [email protected] Waterbirds IWC International Whaling ASCOBANS Agreement on Small Cetaceans Commission Web sites of CMS and the Agreements and MoU of the Baltic and North Seas MA Millennium Ecosystem under CMS: CBD Convention on Biodiversity Assessment http://www.cms.int CITES Convention on International MEA Multilateral Environmental Trade in Endangered Species of Agreement ACAP Fauna and Flora MDGs Millennium Development Goals http://www.ea.gov.au/coasts/species/seabirds/ CMS Convention on Migratory Species of the United Nations albatross/index.html of Wild Animals MOP Meeting of the Parties CMS-IMS CMS Information Management MoU Memorandum of Understanding AEWA System NGO Non-governmental organization http://www.unep-aewa.org COP Conference of the Parties UNFCCC United Nations Framework CWSS Common Wadden Sea Convention on Climate Change ASCOBANS Secretariat UNCCD United Nations Convention to http://www.ascobans.org EIA Environmental Impact Combat Desertification Assessment UNEP United Nations Environment ACCOBAMS ELC Environmental Law Centre (IUCN) Programme http://www.accobams.mc EUROBATS Agreement on the Conservation UNESCO United Nations Educational, of Populations of European Bats Scientific and Cultural EUROBATS EU European Union Organization http://www.eurobats.org FRG Federal Republic of Germany WCMC World Conservation Monitoring GEF Global Environment Facility of Centre Common Wadden Sea Secretariat the World Bank WDCS Whale and Dolphin Conservation http://www.waddensea-secretariat.org GRASP UNEP Great Apes Survival Society Project WI Wetlands International IOSEA GROMS Global Register of Migratory WSSD World Summit on Sustainable http://www.ioseaturtles.org Species Development GSM German Society for the WTO World Trade Organization Conservation of Marine WWF World Wide Fund for Nature Mammals Contributing Editor: Robert Lamb Design and production: bounford.com

The CMS Secretariat wishes to thank all who gave generously of their time, expertise and picture resources to help complete this anniversary report. Every effort has been made to source and acknowledge copyright and credits of images and statistical data reproduced in these pages. CMS regrets (and asks to be informed of) any unintentional breach or omission of rights or credits. 25 YEARS OF JOURNEYS In many cases migratory animals are essential to the health of ecosystems and to human well-being. Yet human activities around the globe have driven many to the brink of extinction. Since 1979, the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) has formed a last line of defence against further loss of migratory species and their habitats. It gives Range States across whose territories the scarcest, most endangered of these species travel, a framework that policy- and law-makers can use to agree conservation measures that safeguard them at every point along their journey.

This booklet celebrates the Convention’s 25th Anniversary, looking back over the negotiating journey and the journeys of knowledge and cooperation that have brought it to its present stage of evolution. It also looks at the way ahead, at hurdles and hazards still to be tackled, and – above all – at the opportunity CMS has to contribute to the imperative to conserve biodiversity as part of the global struggle to overcome human poverty, defined in the Millennium Development Goals and the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development’s Plan of Implementation.