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December 18 2008

A new agreement for whales.

As the Volvo Ocean Race boats cross the Indian Ocean on the race’s second and third legs, it is worth reflecting on various whale moments, landmarks and prospects for the Indian Ocean.

Thirty years ago next year, the International Whaling Commission (IWC) designated the Indian Ocean Sanctuary to protect whales from whaling. Still, many small whales and dolphins continue to be killed in the thousands throughout the Indian Ocean as the by-catch of various fisheries. Thus, the sanctuary designation falls short of providing full protection for the animals and, in terms of their habitat, there is no management plan or body for the sanctuary as there would be with smaller but often more effective marine protected areas (MPAs). Still, the designation has been important as an early high seas agreement between nations and in terms of stimulating research.

In the 1980s, following the naming of the sanctuary, pioneer whale researchers Hal Whitehead and Jonathan Gordon sailed across the Indian Ocean in search of whales. They found sperm, Bryde’s and blue whales and many tropical dolphin species across the region and studied the whales in the waters off Sri Lanka. The expedition produced some of the first underwater video of sperm whale families and initiated the idea of identifying individual sperm whales from markings.

The countries of the Indian Ocean take pride in the whales and dolphins in their waters. For example, all dolphins are currently under the highest form of protection India can offer, though of course this means little without enforcement. In Tanzania, a network of small marine protected areas has contributed to an awareness of the value of the seas, alongside the growing dolphin watching industry in Zanzibar. The Maldives also offers whale and dolphin watching, and a high level of national protection, and next year will host an international conference on marine mammals –to consider where to go next.

One answer, in terms of whale and dolphin conservation, came recently at the Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) which met 1-5 December in Rome. In advance to the meeting WDCS, the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, and environmental Partner of Team Russia, has called for the urgent need to develop regional Agreements to protect whales and dolphins in the Indian Ocean and South East Asia. That was heard by the countries and Parties agreed to start the process. It is now up to the Range States to take this promising initiative forward. The chance is there, but time is rare.

You can also help WDCS to help whales and dolphins by signing our petition to establish safe homes for whales and dolphins:
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Erich Hoyt is WDCS Senior Research Fellow and Global MPA Programme Leader. He is the author of Marine Protected Areas for Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises (Earthscan, London, 2005).