Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals Secretariat provided by the United Nations Environment Programme THIRTEENTH MEETING OF THE CMS SCIENTIFIC COUNCIL Nairobi, Kenya, 16-18 November 2005 CMS/ScC.13/Inf.3 ACTION PLAN FOR THE RECOVERY OF THE MEDITERRANEAN MONK SEAL IN THE EASTERN ATLANTIC Under this cover is reproduced the Action Plan for the Recovery of the Mediterranean Monk Seal in the Eastern Atlantic, elaborated within the Concerted Action for the species. The document is reproduced as received from the Government of Spain, lead country in the development of the Concerted Action, without editing. 2 ACTIOON PPLAANN FOORR TTHHEE RREECOVERRYY OOFF THE MMEDDIITTEERRRAANEEAN MOONNKK SSEAALL IIN TTHHEE EEASSTERRNN ATLAANNTIC CONVENTION O N THE CONSERVATION OF MIGRATORY SPECIES OF WILD ANIMALS (BONN CONVENTION) 1 ACTION PLAN FOR THE RECOVERY OF THE MEDITERRANEAN MONK SEAL (Monachus monachus ) IN THE EASTERN ATLANTIC Prepared by the WORKING GROUP OF THE MEDITERRAEAN MONK SEAL IN THE EASTERN ATLANTIC For the CONVENTION ON THE CONSERVATION OF MIGRATORY SPECIES OF WILD ANIMALS (BONN CONVENTION) 2005 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS SUMMARY .....................................................................................................................................................4 MEMBERS OF THE ATLANTIC MONK SEAL WORKING GROUP...............................................5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..........................................................................................................................6 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS .......................................................................................................................8 LIST OF TABLES ..........................................................................................................................................9 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................11 PART I ...........................................................................................................................................................14 1. NATURAL HISTORY ............................................................................................................................14 A. SPECIES DESCRIPTION .................................................................................................................14 B. LIFE HISTORY ....................................................................................................................................15 Distribution and movements ............................................................................................................15 Habitat use ............................................................................................................................................18 Diet .........................................................................................................................................................20 Feeding strategy ...................................................................................................................................21 Reproduction ........................................................................................................................................22 Mortality rates and life expectancy ...................................................................................................23 C. POPULATION STATUS AND TRENDS ......................................................................................24 D. NATURAL FACTORS INFLUENCING THE POPULATION ..................................................26 Sub-optimal pupping sites ................................................................................................................26 Toxic phytoplankton ...........................................................................................................................27 Parasites and disease ...........................................................................................................................28 Genetic depression ..............................................................................................................................28 Uncertainty regarding the impact of environmental factors and human pressure .................29 2. KNOWN AND POTENTIAL HUMAN IMPACTS ..........................................................................30 Commercial harvest and human persecution .................................................................................30 Fisheries interaction ............................................................................................................................30 Pollution ................................................................................................................................................32 Toxic substances ..............................................................................................................................32 Impact of human pressure and disturbances .............................................................................32 3. CONSERVATION EFFORTS. ...............................................................................................................33 Conservation efforts by countries ................................................................................................33 Criteria for evaluating the population status ............................................................................35 4. CONCLUSIONS ……............…………………………………………………......................................35 5. REFERENCES ...........................................................................................................................................37 6. TABLES & FIGURES ..............................................................................................................................49 PART II ..........................................................................................................................................................70 1. RECOVERY ACTIONS ..........................................................................................................................70 A. Goal and Objectives ………………………………………………..........................................71 B. Definitions . ……………………………………………………………….................................71 C. Plan structure and list of actions ………………………………………...............………......72 D. Description of the plan ……………………………………………………......………...........75 2. APPENDIX: Habitat and population viability analysis (PHVA 2001)…………………….. …....89 3 SUMMARY The Mediterranean monk seal ( Monachus monachus Hermann, 1779) is one of the most threatened mammals in the world. According to the IUCN, there may be less than 500 seals remaining in the Mediterranean and along the Eastern Atlantic coastline. It has disappeared from most of its distribution range, except for a few isolated groups. The low numbers and negative trends are a cause for concern, even based on the most optimistic estimates. There are two breeding colonies of Mediterranean monk seal in the Eastern Atlantic: one on the Desertas Islands (Madeira) and the other on the Cabo Blanco Peninsula (Morocco-Mauritania). Since the colonies are probably isolated demographically and genetically (with less than 200 seals each concentrated along a few kilometres of coastline), experts regard its status in the Atlantic as very critical. The alarming decline of seals at Cabo Blanco in 1997 increased international concern, to the point that the most important nature conservation bodies urge prompt and effective action. The monk seal populations in the Mediterranean area have been the focus of attention since 1986 (UNEP/MAP 1987). Efforts have centred on implementing the Monk Seal Management Plan (an international strategy), within the framework of the Action Plan for the Mediterranean (Barcelona Convention 1976). Important initiatives and projects have been developed in the Atlantic that are cause for a renewed optimism with regards to monk seal conservation. These include the setting up of the Desertas Islands Nature Reserve in Madeira and the Fisheries Protected Area in the Moroccan waters of Cabo Blanco peninsula. However, there is still a need for a coordinated international strategy and a regional action plan for the monk seal in the Atlantic area. This document contains an Action Plan based on strong international collaboration to recover the Atlantic populations of monk seal and guarantee its continuity as a self-sustaining part of the ecosystem. The Plan reflects international concern about the critical status of the Mediterranean monk seal and the responsibility of Morocco, Spain, Mauritania and Portugal (the four countries in its distribution range in the Atlantic, in the framework of the Bonn Convention), to promote and undertake concerted and effective actions to reverse its decline and recover the species. The threats that have been identified to date and which are reflected in the document range from massive die-offs due to red tides, diseases and sub-optimal pupping sites to interactions with fisheries and habitat disturbance. The Plan seeks to encourage the states involved to implement a series of measures to maintain or re-establish favourable conservation status, the seal’s natural habitat and the seal populations in the region. The main action is the creation of a Network of Special Areas of Conservation for the Monk