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The workshop was designed to help marine turtle resource managers and scientists in the Indian Ocean to identify regional management needs and foster greater collaboration among the governments of the Western Indian Ocean Region, with a view to encourage recovery of the populations in this region. More specifically, the aim was to enhance a regional dialogue to lead to consensus among resource managers on issues such as: recovery goals and criteria for the various species; minimal requirements for monitoring and sharing of information for management; and application of legal approaches for multilateral cooperation in the management of shared populations. Some fifty administrators, conservationists, resource managers and scientists attended, with representation from 15 nations spanning from Egypt south along the coast of Africa to Tanzania, including Comoros, nearly all countries on the Arabian Peninsula, and Pakistan. Five specialists each gave a presentation that served as background and orientation for the discussions: The
General Natural History of Marine Turtles, The Early Life History Stages of Sea Turtles and Considerations for Management, Elements for Successful Sea Turtle Conservation and Management, Status and Recovery of Marine Turtles: How can we tell where we are and what we should be aiming at? and Introduction to Global and Regional Marine Turtle Conservation Instruments. Each of the 15 country representatives provided a synopsis national report on the status of marine turtle conservation in their respective territories.
The workshop built on previous cooperative ventures in the Indian Ocean, including those held in Sodwana Bay, South Africa in 1995 (Humphrey & Salm 1996; IUCN 1996), Bhubaneshwar, India in 1996 (IUCN in press), Mombasa, Kenya in 1997 (Wamukoya & Salm 1998) and Kota Kinabalu, Sabah in 1999 (Pilcher & Ismail 2000). Moreover, it served as a follow-up to the inter-governmental consultation held in Perth, Australia in October 1999 and the inter-governmental negotiations in Cherating, Malaysia in July 2000 (Anon 2000; Hykle 2000). While hosts, organisers, sponsors, and participants have varied among these different regional meetings, nearly all of them have had the cooperative support of the CMS Secretariat and the MTSG, an alliance that was identified in the MTSG Global Strategy for the Conservation of Marine Turtles (IUCN 1995). Of notable importance was the fact that seven countries that had not been able to attend the previous inter-governmental meetings participated in the workshop in UAE: Bahrain, Eritrea, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, and Sudan. With wide regional participation, the meeting not only focused on increasing awareness about marine turtle conservation issues and supporting the development of national expertise in marine turtle biology and conservation, but it also promoted cooperation throughout the Western Indian Ocean Region. Given that political structure for regional collaboration is embodied in the "Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation and Management of Marine Turtles and their Habitats of the Indian Ocean and South-East Asia" (IOSEA), this instrument is central to the activities and outcomes of the workshop. Because the IOSEA is presently being developed, it was felt that the Meeting could profitably support the progress of the IOSEA.
The next major step in the negotiations of the IOSEA will be to finalise the Conservation and Management Plan, and the participants elaborated a series of topics considered to be important for the conservation of marine turtles and their habitats in the region. This framework of major elements was organised into eight headings: Research and monitoring, Institutional arrangements, Legislation and policy, Funding, Capacity building, Awareness, Regional cooperation, and Community participation (Annex 1 of the Emirates Declaration).
It was also felt that it would be advantageous to produce tangible results as quickly as possible, and to this end the Meeting focused on the importance of tagging programs: tagging is used widely throughout the region, and the data from tag returns have been fundamental in emphasising the need for regional cooperation. A drafting committee analysed how best to employ tagging as a focal activity, and after deliberating on the fact that other activities, such as genetic studies, also merit consideration, they developed a set of guidelines for a regional programme to identify and monitor marine turtle populations and their migrations (Annex 2 of the Emirates Declaration). In an effort to enhance political support throughout the region for these various initiatives, the participants developed and adopted the Emirates Declaration, which includes the above-mentioned framework as well as the regional programme to identify populations
In addition to the indoor discussions, a field trip was organised to demonstrate the capture of marine turtles in beach seines, handling, species identification, measuring, tagging, tissue sampling, and other procedures useful for field work. A major effort was made to involve the media in various phases of the workshop, and as a result it was given coverage in the national press and television.
One issue identified as requiring careful consideration is the concept "Western Indian Ocean Region." Both the CMS and the MTSG have employed the term "Western Indian Ocean" in previous publications, referring to a vast expanse of land and sea. For example, the "Marine Turtle Conservation Strategy and Action Plan for the Western Indian Ocean" (IUCN 1996), as well as the proceedings from the regional meeting where the strategy and action plan were developed (Humphrey & Salm 1996), explicitly include the eastern flank of Africa, from Eritrea to South Africa, as well as all the island nations west of Maldives. These documents are endorsed by both CMS and the MTSG. Moreover, Recommendations for Future CMS Activities for Marine Turtle Conservation, adopted at the Eighth Meeting of the CMS Scientific Council (Frazier 1998) describe the "western Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea" in terms of CMS Parties; the region extends from Somalia south to South Africa, and includes those island States that are members of CMS (Madagascar and Reunion), Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka, as well as the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT).
To avoid misunderstandings and confusion, the Meeting agreed that geographically, the Western Indian Ocean Region (WIOR) should include the entire ocean basin, and associated shores, and a specific definition was developed: from Kanniyakumari ("Cape Comorin"), India, west to Cape Agulhas, South Africa. The southern-most tip of India conveniently delineates the eastern basin from the western basin of the Indian Ocean, and the southern-most tip of Africa is a conventional divider between the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. There have been varying schemes for including, or not including, States from the Red Sea and Arabian/Persian Gulf in previous regional arrangements, and the Meeting agreed that these bodies of water and their shores should be included together in the overall WIOR. As a basic step toward regional cooperation, the Meeting agreed to invite all of the States between Kanniyakumari and Cape Agulhas to recognise this geographic region and integrate into a single organisation.
However, there are also other considerations, notably in regard to international instruments. The IOSEA is the only instrument that contemplates marine turtle conservation in the entire WIOR, but which also spans a much greater geographical scope, across all of the waters and coastal States of the Indian Ocean and South East Asia and adjacent seas, extending eastwards to the Torres Strait. It deals with an enormous area, consisting of nearly 40 countries, with scores of languages, all the world's major religions, ancient civilisations, communities with dire economic and environmental problems, and certain States with oft-strained relations. During the inter-governmental consultations in Perth there was discussion about breaking the IOSEA into "subregions", to facilitate the design and implementation of accords among smaller groups of neighbouring states. The logic for creating "subregions" is that it would be more cost-effective, and simpler, to group States in the Indian Ocean region according to geo-political similarities, and in that way increase the chances of reaching more specific conservation accords with smaller, less heterogeneous groups that also share turtle populations and similar conservation problems. These accords might even be in the form of legally-binding treaties, which would provide a more solid foundation for the wider, non-binding MOU for the entire IOSEA.
Several assemblages of States already exist in the Indian Ocean. Of particular relevance to regional marine conservation initiatives is the UNEP Regional Seas Programme; initiated in 1974, there are now 14 regional seas worldwide (<http://www.unep.ch/seas/>). UNEP recognises five regional groupings that comprise the Indian Ocean; all of these have regional action plans and three of these Indian Ocean groupings are supported by regional conventions that are legally binding. The five Regional Seas in the Indian Ocean are: the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden[1], the Arabian/Persian Gulf, or "Kuwait Region"[2], Eastern Africa[3], South Asian Seas[4], and East Asian Seas[5,6]. There are also groupings such as those in South East Asia (ASEAN[7]) and South Asia (SAARC[8]) in which commercial and political matters are paramount, but they also deal with a wide variety of concerns including environmental. Other sub-groupings for the Indian Ocean that have been contemplated include the franco-phone islands in the south-west corner of the Indian Ocean and Austral-Asian nations.
However, identifying and creating "subregions" for the IOSEA is only part of the challenge. In order to attain effective regional collaboration, the administrative structure between States in the "subregions", and among "subregions", must be sufficiently responsive - and accountable - to enhance integration, while avoiding separation and isolation of States and organisations into detached "subregions". In other words, a "supra-sub-regional" structure must be carefully worked out in order to achieve effective regional collaboration and conservation.
How the dozens of States in the western basin decide to organise themselves, particularly in regard to the IOSEA, is for them to determine, and yet to be resolved. The Meeting agreed that the geo-political sub-groupings that are finally chosen must also be relevant to the biological and conservation problems that are to be solved. The migratory patterns of marine turtles illustrate the enormity of the challenge; animals from some populations disperse and migrate widely across the western Indian Ocean. Green turtles (Chelonia mydas) nesting in Pakistan are known to migrate as far as the Red Sea, a straight-line distance of more than 3,200 km (Firdous 2000). From what is known of other better-studied oceans, it is likely that leatherbacks
(Dermochelys coriacea) that nest in South Africa may feed in the Red Sea, Arabian/Persian Gulf, or even the Bay of Bengal (not to mention the Southern Ocean); olive ridleys (Lepidochelys olivacea) from the large breeding assemblages in Orissa, India, may disperse throughout much of the eastern basin of the Indian Ocean, perhaps even circulating in the western basin; loggerheads (Caretta caretta) nesting in Oman may circulate throughout much of the western basin, possibly penetrating into the eastern basin. Hence, the effective conservation of marine turtles in the western Indian Ocean will depend on successful collaboration throughout this vast, complex region.
For this reason, a critical issue that needs to be resolved is the inclusion of the ALL territories of the region in regional initiatives and agreements. For example, the Chagos Archipelago is a vast area in the western Indian Ocean, of tremendous importance to nesting and foraging turtles (Mortimer & Day 1999). However, to date regional Indian Ocean workshops have not enjoyed any representation from the Chagos (known politically as the British Indian Ocean Territory, "BIOT"). The Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation and Management of Marine Turtles and their Habitats of the Indian Ocean and South-East Asia is an agreement under Article IV, Paragraph 4, of the CMS, and since the United Kingdom is an active Party to CMS, it is hoped that the BIOT will soon participate in the international conservation initiatives being developed in the Indian Ocean. Obviously, to leave these endeavours - especially this important international instrument - with enormous geographic lacunae in the WIOR would debilitate the collaborative efforts of the dozens of nations that are working together for common goals.
Additional to these concerns, there is a major question on how high seas and fisheries issues will be handled. Little is known of the situation regarding marine turtles on the high seas in the Indian Ocean, and this reflects a grave lack of adequate research and observations from commercial fishing operations. There is, however, ample documentation that the same species of marine turtles in the Atlantic, Pacific and Mediterranean confront tremendous problems from incidental capture in pelagic drift nets and long-lines, not to mention coastal gill nets and trawling (Gerosa & Casale 1999; Moore & Jennings, 2000; Williams et al. 1996). The little information available indicates that fisheries, including high seas activities, in the WIOR may have significant impacts on marine turtles (Domingue & Mortimer in press). Clearly, the resolution of high seas and fisheries issues will require solid collaboration, and important commitments, by the States that participate in international agreements such as the IOSEA.
For all of these issues, the need for cooperation transcends the question of nations, and international collaboration. It is absolutely critical that people from diverse disciplines integrate and develop full collaboration in order to reach common goals in the conservation of marine turtles and their habitats: this includes conservationists, development specialists, fisheries managers, legal advisors, policy specialists, and scientists. Hence, as well as being multi-national, the cooperation must also be multi-disciplinary and multi-sectorial!
Although the immensity of the challenge is tremendous, and the number of problems that need to be resolved seems to be endless, it is clear that major advances are being made: the workshop in UAE serves as an important step in fostering much-needed international cooperation. It is important to appreciate that rather than being a product, this is part of a process, and given the on-going collaboration of the CMS Secretariat and the MTSG in this enterprise, we should expect to see ever more frequent cooperative ventures between this inter-governmental agency and the all-volunteer organisation.
Footnotes:
1. The Red Sea and Gulf of Aden is the responsibility of PERSGA, the Regional Organisation for the Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. It includes 8 States: Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. PERSGA was created to implement the Regional Convention for the Conservation of the Marine Environment of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden Environment (Jeddah Convention, 1982) <http://www.unep.ch/seas/main/persga/persga.html>
2. The Arabian/Persian Gulf, or "Kuwait Region" is managed by ROPME, the Regional Organisation for the Protection of the Marine Environment, which includes 8 States: Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates. ROPME was developed to implement the Regional Convention for Co-operation on the Protection of the Marine Environment from Pollution (Kuwait Convention, 1978) <http://www.unep.ch/seas/dumkap.html>
3. The Eastern Africa Regional Sea is administered by the Regional Coordinating Unit of the Eastern African Region (EAF/RCU), and includes 10 States: Comoros, France (La Réunion), Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa and Tanzania. Although the Convention for the Protection, Management and Development of the Marine and Coastal Environment of the Eastern African Region (Nairobi
Convention, 1985) was developed after the UNEP East African Regional Sea was created, the Convention now provides the political framework for integrating all these countries (except South Africa, which has asked to join) <http://www.unep.ch/seas/main/eaf/eafnews.html>
4. The South Asian Seas are coordinated by the South Asian Cooperative Environment Programme (SACEP), and includes 5 States: Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Although there is no regional convention for this assemblage, there is a South Asian Seas Action Plan that has been adopted by all five nations <http://www.unep.ch/seas/dumsas.html>
5. The East Asian Seas is administered by the Regional Coordinating Unit for the East Asian Seas (EAS/RCU), and includes 10 States: Australia, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. This is the largest and most heterogeneous grouping. There is no regional convention for the overall group, but all ten States have adopted the East Asian Action Plan <http://www.unep.ch/seas/dumeas.html>
6. The UNEP Regional Seas do not include five states that border on the Indian Ocean and south east Asian seas: Dar es Salaam Brunei, Eritrea, Israel, Myanmar (Burma), and UK (BIOT).
7. ASEAN is the Association of South East Asian Nations, and includes 10 States: Cambodia, Dar es Salaam Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
8. SAARC is the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, and includes 7 States: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
There now follows the Emirates Declaration:
Emirates Declaration
A workshop on the Conservation of Marine Turtles in the Western Indian Ocean Region (WIOR): A Dialogue for an Effective Regional Management was held from the 18th to the 22nd of November 2000, in Abu Dhabi and Ras Al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, and was attended by more than thirty resource managers, scientists and conservationists from fifteen countries in the Western Indian Ocean Region (WIOR). The countries represented were: Bahrain, Comoros, Egypt, Eritrea, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, United Republic of Tanzania, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Technical support was provided by specialists from the IUCN/SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group (MTSG), Smithsonian Institution, and the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS). The meeting had as its major objectives: to stimulate the development of national expertise in marine turtle biology and conservation, to increase local awareness about marine turtles and their conservation issues, and to stimulate regional cooperation, which would contribute to ongoing work to develop the Conservation and Management Plan being elaborated under the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation and Management of Marine Turtles and their Habitats of the Indian Ocean and South-East Asia, an agreement under the auspices of CMS. The participants of this meeting have produced this declaration, to provide recommendations on the conservation of marine turtles and their habitats in the WIOR for consideration by governments, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, and other sectors of society.
Observing that "marine turtle" refers to any stage in the life cycle of any of the five species found in the WIOR: Caretta caretta , Chelonia mydas , Dermochelys coriacea , Eretmochelys imbricata , and Lepidochelys olivacea ;
Recognising that marine turtles comprise a unique part of the biological diversity of the WIOR, as well as integral and irreplaceable components of the cultural, economic, historic, social, and spiritual aspects of the societies found therein;
Considering that all marine turtle species of the region are characterised by singular biological characteristics, including slow growth, late maturity, potentially long life and high reproductive potential, and high rate of mortality during the early life stages, and that conservation actions, whether focused on protection or use, must deal adequately with these non-negotiable biological characteristics;
Affirming that marine turtles have complex life cycles, which depend directly on a diversity of environments, including beach (terrestrial), open ocean (pelagic), and near shore (benthic, neritic), in which the animals live during certain phases;
Recognising that several species of marine turtles are unique components of a variety of marine ecosystems, essential to the ecological structuring and function of these ecosystems in the WIOR;
Noting that the peoples, societies and nations of the WIOR value marine turtles for many diverse reasons, involving both consumptive and non-consumptive use;
Considering that the life cycles of all species of marine turtles in the WIOR involve dispersal and migration over vast distances, which take each individual turtle out to the high seas and through the waters under the jurisdiction of different States;
Affirming that throughout the WIOR marine turtle
populations have declined or disappeared, as indicated by historic and other evidence, while at the same time threats to both marine turtles and their habitats have increased;
Recognising that for the basic needs of conservation in the WIOR there is insufficient scientific information, especially from long-term monitoring of marine turtle populations, migrations and habitats;
Acknowledging that States in the WIOR have national legislation providing for certain levels of protection for marine turtles, illustrating recognition of the need for special attention to conservation activities for these animals and their habitats;
Considering that all species of marine turtles in the WIOR are specifically included under special categories of conservation in diverse international agreements, including: the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES) and the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS);
Aware that all five species of marine turtles of the WIOR are listed as either vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered on the IUCN (The World Conservation Union) Red List of Threatened Species;
Considering that the habitats of marine turtles are protected by numerous international agreements in the WIOR, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar), the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, African Convention on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (Algiers, 1968), the Regional Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Pollution (Kuwait, 1978), the Regional Convention for the Conservation of the Marine Environment of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden Environment (Jeddah 1982), and the Convention for the Protection, Management and Development of the Marine and Coastal Environment of the Eastern African Region (Nairobi, 1985) as well as related protocols;
Recognising that programmes central to the conservation of marine turtles and their habitats are operated by regional organisations including the Regional Organisation for the Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden (PERSGA), and the Regional Organisation for the Protection of the Marine Environment (ROPME);
Noting that States in various parts of the world have adopted international instruments focused specifically on the conservation of marine turtles and their habitats, including the Inter-American Convention on the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles, the International Agreement for the Conservation of Caribbean Sea Turtles, the CMS Memorandum of Understanding Concerning Conservation Measures for Marine Turtles of the Atlantic Coast of Africa, the ASEAN Memorandum of Understanding on Sea Turtle Conservation and Protection, and the Memorandum of Agreement on the Turtle Islands Heritage Protected Area (TIHPA);
Noting further that several non-binding international agreements germane to marine turtle conservation have been accepted by the world community, including the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fishing adopted by the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in its 28th Session (1995) as well as the International Plan of Action for Management of Fishing Capacity created there under and adopted by the 23rd Session of the FAO Committee on Fisheries;
Confirming that the precautionary principle in fisheries management is a central component in these international accords and codes and also in the conservation of marine turtles and their habitats;
Recognising that the nations, societies, and people of the WIOR have great environmental, historical, cultural, linguistic, social, economic and political diversity;
Recognising further that in parts of the WIOR there are historical and cultural traditions of consumptive use of marine turtles as well as other long-standing, well established forms of exploitation such as for sources of food and as commodities used in trade;
Noting that throughout the WIOR numerous human activities may threaten marine turtle populations directly or indirectly from activities which include harvesting of eggs and turtles, inappropriate hatchery operations, destruction or modification of habitats, coastal development, pollution, fishing activities, mariculture and tourism;
Acknowledging that despite limited resources, governmental agencies, international organisations, non-governmental organisations in the WIOR and other stakeholders have advanced to varying degrees the conservation of marine turtles and their habitats at local, national and regional levels;
Recognising that Dr. Saif Al-Ghais, of the Environmental Research and Wildlife Development
Agency (ERWDA), Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, serves as Regional Vice Chair of the IUCN/SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group (MTSG) for the Western Indian Ocean Region, actively promoting regional and international cooperation in the conservation of marine turtles.
Given these considerations the Meeting developed a framework of major elements fundamental to the conservation of marine turtles and their habitats in the WIOR under the following headings: Research and monitoring, Institutional arrangements, Legislation and policy, Funding, Capacity building, Awareness, Regional cooperation, and Community participation (Annex 1);
The Meeting also developed the components of a regional programme to identify and monitor marine turtle populations and their migrations (Annex 2);
The Meeting recommended that these components form a basis for developing an Action Plan for the WIOR;
The Meeting further recommended that these components be proposed for incorporation into the Conservation and Management Plan for the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation and Management of Marine Turtles and their Habitats of the Indian Ocean and South-East Asia under the auspices of CMS;
The Meeting, in acknowledging the contributions made by the IUCN/SSC MTSG Regional Vice Chair in promoting regional cooperation in the WIOR, proposed that Dr. Al-Ghais continue in this function, as well as in supporting the development and implementation of the above mentioned MOU;
The Meeting proposed that the Environmental Research and Wildlife Development Agency (ERWDA), Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, be invited to serve as subregional coordinator, to facilitate cooperation and communication within WIOR, liasing with other MOU subregional coordinators and concerned agencies, to promote the development and implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation and Management of Marine Turtles and their Habitats of the Indian Ocean and South-East Asia;
The Meeting invites each of the WIOR Range States to consider taking all necessary actions to develop and implement the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation and Management of Marine Turtles and their Habitats of the Indian Ocean and South-East Asia, an agreement under the auspices of CMS;
In considering the geographic scope of the WIOR, the Meeting agreed that the delimitation of the region should be dictated by the known migratory patterns and geographic distributions of marine turtles that occur, during any stage of their life history, in the Western Indian Ocean, and proposed that, for the purpose of regional cooperation, the region encompass the entire ocean basin and associated shorelines from longitude 77 34' E (Kanniyakumari or "Cape Comorin") west to longitude 20 00' E, (Cape Agulhas), including the Red Sea and the Gulf;
While acknowledging the value of other subregional initiatives to enhance cooperation in the conservation of marine turtles and their habitats in the WIOR, including those of the Red Sea and the Gulf, and the southwest Indian Ocean, the Meeting proposed that in the interests of optimising and integrating efforts better tailored to address the conservation needs of marine turtles and their habitats, all States and territories within the Region be invited and encouraged to participate and integrate within a single, overarching WIOR initiative;
The Meeting further noted the desirability of involving States outside the WIOR, but whose nationals or vessels conduct activities that may affect marine turtles or their habitats within the WIOR, as well as States and organisations that may be in a position to contribute resources or expertise that can enhance the conservation of marine turtles and their habitats in the Western Indian Ocean;
The Meeting applauded the efforts of those States, organisations, and individuals who have promoted and supported the actions and measures furthering the conservation of marine turtles and their habitats in the WIOR, and in particular those that have contributed to enhancing regional cooperation, such as the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation and Management of Marine Turtles and their Habitats of the Indian Ocean and South-East Asia;
The Meeting acknowledged with gratitude the support of the Government of the United Arab Emirates, in particular H. H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Emirate, and Chairman of the Environmental Research and Wildlife Development Agency (ERWDA), and of H. H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Vice Chairman of the ERWDA, under whose patronage this meeting was held;
The Meeting also acknowledged with appreciation the financial, administrative, and technical support provided by the CMS, IUCN/SSC MTSG, Shell-UAE, Asmak, and the UAE Coast Guard, as well as the governmental agencies and relevant institutions in each of the represented nations.
Annex 1 Elements of a Regional Action Plan
The following framework of elements have been developed by the participants in the workshop "Conservation of Marine Turtles in the Western Indian Ocean Region (WIOR): A Dialogue for an Effective Regional Management" with the objective or promoting the conservation of marine turtles and their habitats in the WIOR. This framework is offered as a series of possible options, to be employed in nation and locality as deemed appropriate.
A. Research & Monitoring
1. Identify threats and their causes, their magnitude and possible solutions;
2. Modernise and standardise techniques for research and monitoring (long-term studies);
3. Implement research and monitoring;
4. Carry out baseline studies on nesting and foraging sites;
5. Develop and implement a coordinated regional tagging programme;
a) Carry out research on turtle migrations;
b) Carry out DNA sampling and stock assessment;
6. Revive / utilise traditional knowledge;
7. Facilitate information exchange among individuals and nations;
B. Institutional Arrangements
1. Identify / confirm a focal point agency within each country;
2. Identify individuals to be responsible for follow-up and reporting;
3. Participants of this workshop to act as interim focal points and national promoters of the Action Plan;
4. Form a National committee, where necessary, encompassing Government agencies, NGOs, Universities, private sector etc., to facilitate activities and avoid duplication of effort;
C. Legislation and Policy
1. Enact / strengthen and enforce legislation pertinent to marine turtles and their habitats;
2. Ensure that measures proposed are consistent with national and international obligations;
3. Produce case examples of legislation / technical guidelines to assist countries to develop their own legislation;
4. Establish protected areas associated with marine turtles;
5. Integrate marine turtle issues into Coastal Zone Management Plans;
6. Develop / update existing National Action Plans;
7. Develop rescue and rehabilitation guidelines and procedures;
D. Funding
1. Develop fundraising taskforce;
2. Develop projects for submission to funding agencies (e.g. GEF, UNEP);
3. Allocate available funding to priority actions;
E. Capacity Building
1. Assess capacity building needs;
2. Improve individual and institutional capacity for research, monitoring and conservation, including staff training;
3. Preferentially use regional expertise (institutions, individuals, etc.);
4. Make list of recommended literature, including that from regional sources, and distribute among country focal points;
5. Develop exchange programmes;
6. Compile an inventory of regional experts in sea turtle research and conservation;
F. Awareness
1. Improve public awareness of sea turtles and their habitats;
2. Improve awareness among the sectors responsible for causing and / or mitigating threats;
3. Educate fishermen on turtles, their habitats and needs;
4. Incorporate marine turtles and other conservation issues into school curricula;
5. Demonstrate values / benefits of marine turtles;
6. Encourage use of traditional knowledge and technologies in developing awareness;
7. Celebrate a Day of the Sea Turtle
8. Involve the media and press in education / awareness campaigns;
G. Regional Cooperation
1. Identify a coordinating body for the sub-region and develop Terms of Reference for the operation of such;
a) Link the Western Indian Ocean sub-region with other sub-regions and global initiatives;
b) Establish a strong regional network of focal points;
c) Improve communication and share knowledge;
d) Produce regular newsletter / publication / website;
2. Hold regular meetings at the sub-regional level in different venues, which can provide, as appropriate, inputs to the CMS Memorandum of Understanding on Conservation and Management of Marine Turtles and their Habitats in the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia;
H. Community Participation
1. Investigate incentive schemes and alternative livelihood for fishermen;
2. Develop environmentally-friendly ecotourism activities where appropriate;
3. Recognise traditional values and incorporate traditional knowledge in conservation programmes;
4. Involve schools and coastal communities in turtle conservation activities
Annex 2: Components of a regional programme to identify and monitor marine turtle populations and their migrations
Objective: To provide a scientific / biological basis for regional cooperation and collaboration
1. Identify funding sources;
2. Procure funding for turtle studies;
3. Identify rookeries and foraging sites;
4. Select lesser-studied areas for initial surveys;
5. Prioritise where research and monitoring is realistic and
appropriate at the regional and national levels;
6. Establish national databases and a regional data coordinating center / database;
7. Promote exchange of information regarding data collection, sampling and tagging programmes within the region;
8. Ensure national involvement in project design, fieldwork, data collection, analysis and publication;
9. Establish an appropriate system to reward tag returns (monetary, letters, certificates, etc.);
10. Promote awareness of tagging programmes among individuals likely to encounter tagged turtles;
11. Assess approximate population sizes in feeding and nesting sites in order to decide how many tags to distribute;
12. Coordinate tag series use, including use of ISO country codes;
13. Conduct workshops to train fieldworkers with best known practices including the design of studies that will determine tag loss, collection of tissue samples, and database management;
14. Obtain appropriate CITES permits for tissue import and export for genetic analysis;
15. Supply equipment (e.g. tags, applicators, etc.);
16. Commit staff and resources (e.g. vehicles, boats, tags, applicators, salaries, etc.) to turtle monitoring and research;
17. Involve volunteers and local communities in data gathering;
18. Carry out fieldwork
·1 Identify species,
·2 Tag turtles on nesting and feeding grounds,
·3 Sample tissues on nesting and feeding grounds,
·4 Measure turtles on nesting and feeding grounds,
19. Analyse data;
20. Report annually to the coordinating bodies on activities and general findings;
21. Incorporate results into Action / Management plan for the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asian region;
22. Publish / disseminate results promptly.
ANON. 2000. Final Act of the Negotiation Meeting; Memorandum of Understanding; Draft Conservation & Management Plan. International Journal of Wildlife Law & Policy 3 (2): 188-189; 190-195; 196-198. on-line: <http://www.jiwlp.com/>
DOMINGUE, G. & J.A. MORTIMER. in press. The Impact of Commercial Fisheries on Turtles in Seychelles. Proceedings of Seminaire Tortues Marines Ocean Indien, held in Saint Leu, Ile de La Reunion, 29 November- 2 December 1999. (abstract).
FIRDOUS, F. 2000. Sea Turtle Conservation and Education in Karachi, Pakistan. In: N.J. Pilcher & G. Ismail (Eds.) . Sea Turtles of the Indo-Pacific: Research Management & Conservation, ASEAN Academic Press; London. pp 45-58
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