Submitted by
berzinaa
on Tue, 11/05/2024 - 19:26
General Information
Resolution
49161
Period covered
Activities to implement this Resolution from Activity Reports
| Relevant operative para(s) of Res/Rec | Activities Overview | Description | Status | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Convene stakeholders/Networking | Collaboration and Working Group Formation Following the European Parliament events, efforts are underway to establish a working group with representatives from the Canary Islands, Madeira, Cape Verde, and the Azores. This group will coordinate efforts to extend the military sonar moratorium and consolidate regional commitments to marine conservation. |
_none | Full activity report | |
| Education/Communication/Raising awareness | Awareness and Outreach The successful touring exhibition featuring life-sized inflatable cetaceans has been pivotal in engaging over 10,000 visitors across the Canary Islands. This exhibition highlighted the impacts of military sonar on marine life and promoted the need for a comprehensive moratorium. |
On-going | Full activity report | |
| Policy influencing/advocacy | In October 2023, we organized two major events at the European Parliament: The exhibition "From Red to Green: Preserving Europe's Most Biodiverse Region" highlighted the ecological significance of the Macaronesia and called for stronger protection measures for marine biodiversity. The event "Echoes of Protection: Extending the Military SONAR Moratorium to Macaronesia"specifically advocated for extending the successful military sonar moratorium currently in place in the Canary Islands to the rest of the Macaronesia. This included participation from stakeholders across the region and policymakers. |
_none | Full activity report |
Actors involved from Activity Reports
| IUCN Members | IUCN Commissions | IUCN Secretariat | Other non-IUCN related organisations |
|---|---|---|---|
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Challenges / lessons learned from Activity Reports
Upload document
SONAR_ENG.pdf
(3.55 MB)
External link(s)
Report status
Published
I. IUCN Constituencies implementing this Resolution
IUCN Members
Fundación Biodiversidad, Argentina ( Argentina )
European Association of Zoos and Aquaria ( Netherlands (Kingdom of the) )
Asociación Guyra Paraguay Conservación de Aves ( Paraguay )
Loro Parque Fundación ( Spain )
World Association of Zoos and Aquariums ( Spain )
Centro de Extensión Universitaria e Divulgación Ambiental de Galicia ( Spain )
Vice Consejería Sostenibilidad Ambiental, Gobierno Vasco ( Spain )
Asociación Herpetológica Española ( Spain )
Sociedad Española para la Defensa del Patrimonio Geológico y Minero ( Spain )
PROVITA ( Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) )
IUCN Commissions
C1FB1D02-C2A3-E011-96D3-002655853524
IUCN Secretariat
No
II. Implementation
Activities carried out to implement this Resolution
Policy influencing/advocacy
Scientific/technical activities
Describe the results/achievements of the activities
Since the previous update, no further updates have been shared on the engagements with the countries in Macaronesia, Members of the European Parliament, the UNESCO Catedra for marine sustainability and the Canary Islands Government on further confirmations and support for the proposal.
Based on publicly avaiable information, since the previous progress update in 2023, on 23-27 October 2023, Loro Parque Foundation with the support of Gabriel Mato, a Member of the European Parliament from the European People’s Party (PPE) organized a week of exhibition at the European Parliament, as well as conferences and debates on the most relevant issues, in which world specialists in biodiversity participated, as well as meetings with political representatives from the Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands and Cape Verde, in which future lines of cooperation around the navy sonar moratorium and the associated marine reserve. The speakers who participated were experts in the different aspects of conservation biology and presented their reports at the three meetings that were scheduled to complement the exhibition, talks at the European Parliament. The exhibition, as well as the meetings, discussions, and knowledge exchange within the framework of the EU, have been made possible through the collaboration of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Species Survival Commission (SSC), the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), the Center for Species Survival of Macaronesia (CSS), and various global experts who are part of these organizations.
In addition, since the resolution was adopted, the IUCN Joint SSC-WCPA Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force has identified several Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs) in the region that could be relevant in the scope of this resolution and offered sharing any information on IMMAs relating to the implementation of this resolution could be helpful.
Based on publicly avaiable information, since the previous progress update in 2023, on 23-27 October 2023, Loro Parque Foundation with the support of Gabriel Mato, a Member of the European Parliament from the European People’s Party (PPE) organized a week of exhibition at the European Parliament, as well as conferences and debates on the most relevant issues, in which world specialists in biodiversity participated, as well as meetings with political representatives from the Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands and Cape Verde, in which future lines of cooperation around the navy sonar moratorium and the associated marine reserve. The speakers who participated were experts in the different aspects of conservation biology and presented their reports at the three meetings that were scheduled to complement the exhibition, talks at the European Parliament. The exhibition, as well as the meetings, discussions, and knowledge exchange within the framework of the EU, have been made possible through the collaboration of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Species Survival Commission (SSC), the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), the Center for Species Survival of Macaronesia (CSS), and various global experts who are part of these organizations.
In addition, since the resolution was adopted, the IUCN Joint SSC-WCPA Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force has identified several Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs) in the region that could be relevant in the scope of this resolution and offered sharing any information on IMMAs relating to the implementation of this resolution could be helpful.
Challenges/obstacles encountered in the implementation of this Resolution and measures taken
Previously reported difficulties sensitizing the Spanish Ministry of Defence on the issue and expected continued talks, however, no further updates have been shared if those have been fruitful yet.
Future actions / activities needed for the implementation of this Resolution
Follow up on the status of other actions - in addition to the EP event - that were indentified in 2022-2023:
- A meeting that was planned in Fuerteventura with researchers on cetaceans from the Macaronesia and will re-launch the proposal;
- Continued working with the Spanish Ministry of Defence;
- Trying to have a compromise from the new MPA that was declared in Salvagem islands (uninhabited islands between Madeira and the Canaries) to adopt the moratorium;
- Getting in touch with the governments of Azores, Madeira and Cabo Verde to impulse the extension on their marine EEZs.
- A meeting that was planned in Fuerteventura with researchers on cetaceans from the Macaronesia and will re-launch the proposal;
- Continued working with the Spanish Ministry of Defence;
- Trying to have a compromise from the new MPA that was declared in Salvagem islands (uninhabited islands between Madeira and the Canaries) to adopt the moratorium;
- Getting in touch with the governments of Azores, Madeira and Cabo Verde to impulse the extension on their marine EEZs.
Are these actions/activities planned?
Yes
III. Status of implementation
Implementation status of this Resolution
Initiated: first stages of implementation