The conservation status of all migratory species, especially threatened species, has considerably improved throughout their range.

 

Note: Actions towards this SPMS target may also contribute to SPMS target 11.

 

Expected result

This target expects a change (“considerable improvement”) in ecological outcomes, and it is not concerned with the reasons for this change.  It can therefore be measured simply and directly by monitoring the status of species.

An improvement in part of the range of a species is not sufficient to satisfy the target, since it expects the improvement to be “throughout their range”.  A small improvement is also not sufficient, since it must be “considerable”, although this term has not been defined and is open to interpretation.

In a CMS context, improvement in conservation status should mean moving closer to the state of “favourable conservation status” as defined by the Convention; which involves parameters concerning population dynamics, range, habitat sufficiency, distribution and abundance.

Another cruder but simpler measure used in some other contexts is based instead on categorical shifts between the IUCN “Red List” population-based extinction risk categories (“extinct in the wild”, “critically endangered”, “endangered”, “vulnerable”, “near threatened” and “least concern”).

Target 8 expects the “considerable improvement” result to be visible for all migratory species.  Full measurement of this may not be very practical to achieve, since not every migratory species is monitored in a way that would give a basis for the judgement, and also some species are in such a favourable status at the outset that “considerable improvement” for them is not necessary or possible.  The target’s emphasis on “especially threatened species” therefore indicates a way of focusing on the most important priorities.

 

A - Outreach, promotion and uptake of the Plan

  • CMS Communication Strategy (under development)
  • Sharks MoU

E - Resourcing for biodiversity (including human, technical and financial resources)

F - Monitoring and evaluation, including indicators, milestones and feedback to the sub-targets, as well as headline measures of success by which overall success of the SPMS may be judged