Bonn/Apia, 6 August 2021 - Organized in cooperation with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), the 4th Meeting of the Signatories of Pacific Islands Cetaceans MOU (PIC MOS4) took place virtually 5 - 6 August 2021.

Participants discussed pressing conservation issues ranging from entanglement, fish aggregating devices, marine tourism to strandings, aquatic wild meat, and climate change.

Following a presentation on deep-sea mining, the meeting discussed this important emerging issue, which is controversial in the region.  It was agreed that there was a need to develop a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) guidance, which considers the effects of deep-sea mining on cetaceans.  The meeting further asked CMS to consider raising the issue in global fora.

Participants also considered the draft Regional Whale and Dolphin Action Plan (2022-2026), which will be adopted by both the PIC MOU and SPREP.

Outcomes of the meeting will be published on the meeting website in due course.

The Memorandum of Understanding for the Conservation of Cetaceans and their Habitats in the Pacific Islands Region (PIC MOU) aims to provide an intergovernmental framework for coordinated conservation efforts that address anthropogenic threats to Pacific Islands cetaceans and their habitats, including their migratory corridors. Concluded under CMS and in force since 2006, the PIC MOU has 15 Signatories to date and covers nearly 50 species of whales and dolphins.