and prospects for 2017

Transcription

1 ENSM Conservation 2016 des training cétacés de course Méditerranée report and prospects for 2017 COMMERCIAL SHIPPING AND CETACEANS What is at stake? How to improve relations? French National Superior School of Shipping of Marseille, France Souffleurs d Ecume Document written on April 14, 2016 Scientific organisation for the protection of nature Hôtel de Ville, F La Celle-France Tél. : +33(0) contact@souffleursdecume.com - SIRET Souffleurs d Ecume is a partner association of the Pour la Nature et L Homme Foundation. Working together to encourage changes in individual and collective behaviour at a local level.

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3 IMPORTANT NOTE: If this document is to be printed, the layout fits the duplex printing function of your printer Table of contents 1. Context and background p Achievements. p Module 1.. p Module 2.. p Evaluation and prospects p Press release... p. 10 Appendix 1: programme and participants. p. 10 Appendix 2: some pictures.... p. 13 Appendix 3: extract from the educational file... p. 15 Appendix 4: extract from the press release..... p. 25 3

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5 1. Context and background For the 12 th consecutive year, the organisation Souffleurs d Ecume coordinates a training course for ship crews and the student officers of the ENSM (Ecole Nationale Supérieure Maritime, French National Superior School of Shipping) of Marseille. Developed in the framework of Souffleurs d Ecume s ship strike programme and the activities of the Pelagos Sanctuary 1 with the support from the PACA Regional Council and the ACCOBAMS Agreement 2, this training course is divided into two modules: a 1-day module for professional crews with several speakers (Module 1) and a second module for the student officers of the school (Module 2). Both modules take place in the ENSM of Marseille premises, kindly provided to the organisation. The main objective of this course is to reduce disturbances that shipping can generate on cetaceans and their habitats while dynamizing and highlight the involvement of ship owners in the activities of the Pelagos Sanctuary. The course focuses mainly on the reduction of the risks of ship strikes 3 but other complementary topics are also treated each year (interest of cetacean observation sheets, acoustic disturbances, chemical pollution, climate and energy, behaviour in case of a stranding, code of conduct for approaching cetaceans, etc.). Since 2011, the first module has also been welcoming officers from the French Navy and the Maritime Authorities. Since 2012, the CROSSMED (French Mediterranean MRCC) also attends this course. A web page is dedicated to the presentation of this course 1 Agreement involving France, Italy and Monaco in the protection of marine mammals in an 87,500-km marine area in the corso-liguro-provençal basin. 2 Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and contiguous Atlantic Area ( 3 Ship strikes are one of the main causes of mortality for large cetaceans in the Mediterranean and therefore one of the Pelagos Sanctuary priorities. 5

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7 Achievements 2.1. Module 1 Module 1 is introduced by a presentation of the Pelagos Agreement for the creation of a Sanctuary for marine mammals in the Mediterranean Sea, the reasons behind its creation, its institutional organisation and its relations with other international agreements such as ACCOBAMS. Its activities and initiatives in terms of research, management and awareness for the conservation of Mediterranean marine mammals and their environment are presented, in particular those related to maritime traffic and ship strikes. Speaker: Mrs Fannie DUBOIS, Pelagos Sanctuary. This institutional presentation is completed by an intervention on the ACCOBAMS Agreement Cetacean Critical Habitat identification programme currently being developed. The definition and distribution of the different threats to cetaceans, including shipping traffic, are part of this programme. Speaker: Mrs Maÿlis SALIVAS, ACCOBAMS Agreement. It is followed by a general presentation of the Mediterranean Sea, in order to highlight its special ecological features and especially the biogeographic characteristics explaining the presence of cetaceans in the North of the basin. This introduction especially details the importance of the Mediterranean as a fragile and essential heritage for man and his economy. Speaker: Dr Denis ODY, Independent expert. The morning continues with a presentation of Mediterranean cetaceans and large cetaceans in particular, more susceptible to ship strikes. This presentation allows participants to understand the ecological characteristics of the Mediterranean populations and ends up with the identification criteria for each species. Speaker: Dr Denis ODY, Independent expert. Speakers are then invited to lunch by the organisation and its partners and participants are welcome to join. The afternoon starts with a presentation on the safety issues related to ship strikes (both for ships and passengers), the experience of a Captain having struck whales and actions carried out by a shipping company to reduce the ship strike risks associated with its activities. Speaker: Emmanuelle JARNOT, La Méridionale. The afternoon continues with a presentation on the ecological issues of ship strikes and the concerns of MPA managers around the world, especially for Mediterranean populations. This presentation ends with the interest of the Ship Strike Network implemented by Pelagos to better evaluate the impact of these events. Speaker: Mr Jérôme COUVAT, Souffleurs d Ecume. The issue of ship strikes previously developed is solved through the presentation of the existing and future measures at the international level to reduce the risk of ship strikes in terms of legislation (modification of TSS, mandatory reporting systems, ), techniques (adaptation to navigation, dedicated observer, changing routes, ) and technology (optronics, passive acoustics, ). Speaker: Mr Jérôme COUVAT, Souffleurs d Ecume. This is followed by a presentation of the National Stranding Network, its organisation and management of a stranding of a cetacean dead or alive. Statistics on strandings on the French Mediterranean coast are presented, along with the interest of studying strandings for a better knowledge of cetacean populations and safety rules regarding handling carcasses. Speaker: Dr Frank DHERMAIN, Groupe d Etude des Cétacés de Méditerranée (GECEM, Mediterranean Cetacean Study Group). Finally, the objective of the last presentation is to give an overview of potentially or currently applicable actions to reduce the risk of ship strikes within the Pelagos Sanctuary, with a 7

8 technical focus on the REPCET system 4, how it works and how to use it. Speaker: Mr Jérôme COUVAT, Souffleurs d Ecume. A large educational file is given to each participant. A copy is available upon request to the organisation (formation@souffleursdecume.com). The detailed programme of the day and the list of participants and partners are given in Appendix 1. Pictures are available in Appendix Module 2 The second module of the training course took place on April 31, 2016 between 10 and 12am at the ENSM Conference room; 11 3 rd -year students attended. The presentation focused on the issue of ship strikes in the Mediterranean in general and the Pelagos Sanctuary in particular and on the REPCET system, its functioning, the fleet, the evolution perspectives and the data collected Evaluation and prospects In spite of regular information and sustained solicitation of shipping companies since early January, the number of participants to the first module is lower than in last year (28 people in 2016 and 35 in 2015). Moreover, the number of participants representing the priority targeted public for the training course is also low this year: only 3 officers and 2 sedentary personnel attended the course this year. The list of participants is available in Appendix 1. Beyond the explanations related to officers availability that the organisers already face every year, two reasons seeming antagonistic at first can be provided to explain this year s analysis: - First, the success of these 12 years of training efforts. Indeed, more than 140 officers and sedentary personnel from shipping companies and State services have attended the training course since For example, the ferry company La Méridionale has trained all its officers for a few years and still continues to train its seafarers; - Second, a lack of willingness from several shipping companies to act for the reduction of ship strikes through the training of its crew, among other actions. It is important to continue the training and awareness efforts on ship strikes. They are vital to guarantee the implementation and efficiency of conservation measures such as the REPCET system. In fact, it has been proven that a ship strike-trained officer is more efficient in detecting cetaceans than an untrained officer. To this day, 7 commercial ships (within La Méridionale, Orange Marine, and Gazocéan/ENGIE), 3 state ships (Mauve, Abeille Flandre and a Navy ship) as well as a sailing boat used for research purposes (Tamory) are equipped with REPCET. The CROSSMED and Port-Cros National Park are also equipped with shore versions. This figure remains low regarding the needs. Indeed, at least 30 ships must be equipped within Pelagos to guarantee the efficiency of REPCET. Training efforts must thus be continued but an evolution of the current measures seems necessary to improve its efficiency. Several ways of improvements can be proposed: - The development of an online training course available to shipping companies at any time with downloadable educational tools (documents, animations, videos, etc.). A questionnaire can 4 REal-time Plotting of CETaceans. Collaborative system allowing ships to inform each other of the positions of whales sighted on their route. Experimented and deployed in the framework of the activities of the Pelagos Sanctuary and the ACCOBAMS Agreement. 8

9 also be associated to the course to ensure its validation and monitor the number of participants; - The ENSM of Marseille has just equipped its conference room with a videoconference system to film and broadcast conferences in real time to the other ENSM in France (Le Havre, Nantes and Saint Malo). Coordination between the different sites could be initiated so that Module 2 is broadcast to all ENSM students at the national level; A more specific training course carried out directly within the shipping companies equipped with REPCET (and extendible to others) could be developed and organised with each company depending on availability of its crew. From a purely practical point of view, an evaluation sheet is provided to each participant of module 1. The main results are showed below. They are similar to last year s results, with the majority of evaluations falling into the Very good category for the general interest of the course, the presented topics and logistics. NB: a copy of the evaluation sheets is available for partners and speakers upon request to formation@souffleursdecume.com 9

10 2.4. Press release The following table presents the press articles, TV and radio shows and books mentioning the ENSM training course published since the 2015 training report. Date Title Media 1 May 2015 Une formation pour éviter les collisions entre navires et baleines Le Courrier de la Nature 26 June 2015 Nos voisines les baleines (rediffusion) Thalassa 23 March 2016 Eviter les collisions avec les cétacés C est la vie 25 March 2016 Une formation pour éviter les collisions Edition Marseille 29 March 2016 Et si on apprenait aux capitaines à éviter les baleines Marsactu 10

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12 APPENDIX 1 (2/2) COMMERCIAL SHIPPING AND CETACEANS: WHAT IS AT STAKE? HOW TO IMPROVE RELATIONS? 27 MARCH 2015 at the ENSM of MARSEILLE List of participants Last Name First Name Affiliation Status ARRESE-IGOR Didier Les Abeilles Commandant BELHADJER Anissa Souffleurs d'ecume Service Civique BOSSART MASSIANI Gilles La Méridionale Matelot BOURRELLY Marion Souffleurs d'ecume Chargée de mission CALLIER Jérôme La Méridionale Matelot CANIZARES Lola Agence des Aires Marines Protégées Stagiaire CHOLLET Florent La Méridionale Matelot CONTI Christophe La Méridionale Matelot COUVAT Jérôme Souffleurs d'ecume Chargé de mission CRISTOFINI Olivier La Méridionale Matelot DHERMAIN Frank Groupe d Etude des Cétacés de Méditerranée Président DUBOIS Fannie Sanctuaire Pelagos Secrétaire Exécutive GIGUELAY Antoine Gazocéan Officier Polyvalent GIRAUD PARDINI Jacques Indépendant Marin JACOB Théa WWF France Chargée de programme Mammifères marins et pêche JARNOT Emmanuelle La Méridionale Responsable QSSE MARIAGGI Sébastien La Méridionale Matelot MICALEFF Jérémie La Méridionale Matelot MIRA Rémi La Méridionale Matelot MONNIER Maeva Souffleurs d'ecume Chargée de mission MORDRET Michaella ENGIE Stagiaire HSE ODY Denis Indépendant Expert OGER Louis Marine Nationale Chef de Poste OUTRILLA Romain La Méridionale Matelot PERROT Pascal Les Abeilles Chef Mécanicien PICLET Thomas La Méridionale Matelot SALIVAS Maÿlis ACCOBAMS Scientific Officer SANNA Olivier La Méridionale Matelot TARDY Céline GIS3M Chargée de mission 12

13 APPENDIX 2 A few pictures of the 2016 course Fannie Dubois, Pelagos Sanctuary Maÿlis Salivas, ACCOBAMS Dr Denis Ody, Expert Emmanuelle Jarnot, La Méridionale Frank Dhermain, GECEM 13

14 APPENDIX 3: extract from the educational file Conservation of Mediterranean cetaceans Collisions between vessels and large cetaceans in the Pelagos Sanctuary Souffleurs d Ecume Scientific organisation recognised for the protection of nature Hôtel de Ville, F La Celle-France Ph.: +33(0) contact@souffleursdecume.com - SIRET Souffleurs d Ecume is a partner association of the Pour la Nature et L Homme Foundation. Working together to encourage changes in individual and collective behaviour at a local level. Review conducted in 2005 Last updated: 21 March 2012

15 Collisions between commercial vessels and whales are a threat to several populations of large cetaceans around the world even to the point of extinction, as is the case for North Atlantic right whales. These accidents are an unfortunate reality which affects the safety of both personnel and passengers on board certain vessel types. In the Mediterranean, the scientific community and certain navigation companies are worried about these accidents, particularly within the Pelagos Sanctuary, an area which is protected from international waters by a recently established Franco-Italo-Monegasque agreement. It is for these reasons that since 1999, researchers and maritime transport companies have been developing a collision risk limitation program, which will be tested with a view to expanding it to other regions in the world. 1- Context: the Pelagos Sanctuary in the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea The Corso-Liguro-Provençal basin has a very unique current activity, which combined with the local climate, gives this zone a particularly significant primary productivity. These phenomena attract great biological interest from cetacean populations of the Mediterranean: Dolphins and whales find indispensable food resources in these waters, particularly during the summer months. At the same time, the area has high levels of human activity which though essential to the local economy, can also compromise this fragile ecological balance if not developed in a sustainable manner. For these reasons, on 25 November 1999 in Rome, France, Italy and Monaco signed an agreement to create a Sanctuary for Mediterranean marine mammals in this Figure 1: The Pelagos Sanctuary zone (Figure 1). Given the name Pelagos and a defined area of km², the aim of this agreement is to ensure a favourable conservation status for marine mammal populations by means of research, improving relations with human activities, proposing technical and legal management tools, and informing the public. The Pelagos Sanctuary, founded on 21 February 2002, is now on the list of SPAMIs (Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance), as part of a protocol relating to the Barcelona Convention. This status gives Pelagos official recognition from Mediterranean countries as being part of a network whose aim is the efficient conservation of Mediterranean heritage. On a larger scale, under the aegis of the Bonn Convention, the Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans in the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and contiguous Atlantic area (ACCOBAMS) was signed in 1996 and came into effect in The two entities (Pelagos and ACCOBAMS) share the same objectives concerning cetacean conservation and have complementary approaches, Pelagos being able to test measures which will eventually be applied in the ACCOBAMS area. 15

16 2- Collisions between large cetaceans and commercial vessels a- Why do collisions occur in this zone? With an annual average of crossings for over vessels (SCOT, 2004), shipping is particularly intense in the western Mediterranean Sea (Figure 2). The Pelagos Sanctuary accounts for 2 of the 8 concentration knots of maritime traffic (Genoa and Marseille) identified throughout the basin, and 15 links are ensured by at least 6 passenger transport companies between the continent, Corsica and Sardinia. To be more precise, 68% of all passenger traffic in summer between Corsica and the continent is by sea (ORTC, 2010). Four fifths of transits operate between May and September in 2010, a total of seats and berths were offered for crossings. These figures, which have been steadily rising over the last 10 years, illustrate the density of traffic in the area as well as its seasonal nature. Figure 2: Gridding pattern created by maritime traffic in the Mediterranean. In Di-Méglio & David (2006), based on data from SCOT (2002). When the concentration of several hundred large cetaceans during this same period (Figure 3) is considered alongside the density of marine traffic, it is easy to explain the increased risks of collision. The growth of traffic in this zone, especially that of freight transport (motorways of the sea), increases the necessity of developing collision risk limitation measures. Figure 3: Summer distribution of fin whales in the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea from relative abundance indices. The white rectangles correspond to zones where observation has ensured the reliability of the data, the grey indicating a lack of certainty. Distribution appears to be concentrated around the centre of the Liguro- Provençal basin, above 2000 m, although a few observations indicate the presence of individuals close to coastal areas. Image from the Poseidon Programme (Roussel et al., 2000). 16

17 Finally, it is important to note that, in the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea, Known collisions essentially concern car-ferries (62.5%), followed by merchant ships (15%), yachts (12.5%) and high speed vessels (10%). a- Impacts on cetacean populations The number of collisions as well as their impacts on populations of large cetaceans in the Mediterranean remain difficult to evaluate with precision. However, the creation of the Pelagos Sanctuary has allowed better collaboration between researchers and navigation companies, thus leading to progressive improvement in our knowledge of the phenomenon. Thus today we can say with confidence that two species are significantly affected: The fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) and the sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus). Why should we protect these species? From a pragmatic point of view, preserving these super predators is absolutely essential in maintaining an ecological balance in the Mediterranean. However, their value as natural heritage must also be considered, as both species are classified as being amongst the largest animals the planet has ever known, and actually play an important role in the development of ecotourism (whale watching) in the zone. Finally, from a biodiversity point of view, it has recently been discovered that the populations of these two species are isolated and unique to the Mediterranean, i.e. they are genetically different to those in the Atlantic. Particular attention thus needs to be paid to their preservation by environmental managers, all the more so considering that they are already subject to a whole range of anthropogenic disturbances, that their populations are reduced (around individuals for the fin whale and no more than a few hundred for the sperm whale), that they achieve sexual maturity quite late in life, and their reproductive rates are very low. Since the 70 s, studies showed that at least 69 large cetaceans were killed from collisions, that is to say 1-2 known cases each year, in the Northwestern Mediterranean. Nevertheless, the scientific community agrees that this number is severely underestimated (perhaps by a factor of according to certain authors) as it only takes into account known collisions. Although the number of whales actually killed is as yet undetermined, thanks to the contribution of several shipping companies and scientific investigation into stranded cetaceans, estimations have been made of at least 16 20% of known fin whale deaths being attributable to collisions, a rate which is particularly worrying bearing in mind the population s ecological characteristics. All these elements unite scientists and managers alike, in the following thought: that it is crucial to rapidly develop measures to limit the risks of collisions which pose a serious threat to the fin and sperm whale populations of the Mediterranean. Figure 4: Photo-identification studies have showed that some individuals do not succumb to collisions, but the often very serious resultant injuries remain. The long term impacts from such injuries are still unknown, though one would imagine that the ability of these animals to meet their vital needs would be affected (photos: Tethys Research Institute). b- Safety of vessels and passengers at risk Nowhere in the literature is a single incident mentioned where passengers of traditional vessels (ferries or cargo ships) are placed in danger. Their low speeds, reinforced structure and imposing mass mean that only very rarely do they actually feel the impact of a collision with a large cetacean, and even then it would not be particularly intense. Damage to panelling at the point of impact can be a risk, but the integrity of the hull is not affected. Aboard certain vessels where propellers must be cleaned monthly, pieces of flesh belonging to various cetacean species have occasionally been found. 17

18 Risks relating to collisions involving high speed vessels are however much more substantial. On impact with a tonne whale at 30 to 40 knots, the hull can sometimes be ripped open, meaning leaks are possible. This is precisely what happened in August 1998 and 1999 on board the high speed craft Asco and Aliso of the SNCM between Corsica and the French continent. An even more serious incident occurred in February 1992, when a jetfoil passenger was fatally wounded during a violent collision with sperm whale in the Canary Islands. Injuries to people have remained negligible until only recently ( ) when a series of collisions in Japanese waters involving Humpback whales and Baird s beaked whales caused injuries to hundreds of jetfoil passengers, including one fatality. c- Concerns for operating companies and ports Following impact with a large vessel, a whale can remain attached to the bulbous bow until the boat docks. The said vessel then experiences a reduction in speed, thus a delayed arrival, and all the inconveniences that that entails. Furthermore, a 40-tonne carcass poses serious health risks and must be disposed of quickly at the expense of the port concerned and using extremely expensive methods: explosives for blasting the animal out at sea cost up to Euros. Although this method is in common usage, it should be stressed that it is the source of serious acoustic disturbances for cetaceans in the vicinity at the time of the explosion. Other techniques are sometimes attempted, as in 2001 when the autonomous port of Marseille brought in a team of professional butchers to carve up the carcass of a fin whale Figure 5 : Fin whale brought in on the bulbous bow of a cargo ship in 2001 to the autonomous port of Marseille following a collision. which had been hit by a container ship, in order to fulfil knackery service requirements (Figure 5)! Authorities and scientists are looking into this issue in order to find a satisfactory solution from economic, health and ecological perspectives (like the whale sinking protocol developed by Dr Craig Smith from the University of Hawaii for instance). Additionally, when a vessel brings in a dead cetacean on its bow, the media tend to demonise the liable companies, often neglecting to mention other companies efforts in this area. Where high speed vessels are concerned, in the event of a collision, crew members are confronted by an emergency situation that is rather delicate as well as extremely disadvantageous in terms of the scheduled arrival time in port. In addition, if the vessel is damaged it will be out of action for several days and the company must face major expensive repairs: more than 3.5 million Euros have been spent since 2004 for just such reasons by one of the companies operating high speed vessels between Japan and Korea. In the Ligurian Sea, such events have occurred during operation, and passengers have been seen turning towards traditional vessels that do not necessarily correspond to their needs. 3- Potential solutions To this day there do not appear to be any technological solutions designed to detect (sonar, radar, infrared etc.) or deter (acoustic emissions) cetaceans without risk of adversely affecting their populations. Other systems under development overseas are promising for the future (e.g. the Whale Anti-Collision System in the Canary Islands). Some countries use alternative routes to avoid concentrations of whales (modifications of the Bay of Fundy Traffic Separation Scheme in Canada). In the Mediterranean, envisaging such a solution involves understanding the driving forces behind cetacean distribution, an aspect that is currently being investigated by several research groups. However, rerouting shipping lanes is a particularly delicate alternative, both ecologically (possibly just displacing the disturbances to other habitats or populations), and economically (time 18

19 management, fuel consumption, etc.). A more promising alternative would be to limit the speed of the vessels in certain zones and during certain periods. The US National Marine Fisheries Services (NMFS) proposed a similar measure for vessels over 19.8m in certain zones in the North Atlantic, with the aim of protecting a population of right whales in severe decline due to collisions (fewer than 350 individuals remain). The Spanish government on the other hand has had a 13-knot recommended maximum speed in place since 2007 in the strait of Gibraltar, in areas of high concentrations of sperm whales. Recent reports however, show that this recommendation is only partially being followed, due to lack of enforcement. Although it may be impossible to reduce the risk of collision to zero in the short term, applied studies and the development of certain tools should allow this objective to be obtained progressively. It is for these reasons that since 1999, researchers and maritime transport companies have been developing a programme to limit collision risks. The programme aims to improve the detectability of large cetaceans from the bridge of commercial shipping vessels. A study conducted on board three High Speed Craft along with other data gathered from traditional car ferries and cargo ships have actually shown that several factors reduce the ability of watchkeeping personnel to detect cetaceans from their vantage point on the bridge. The reasons for this reduced detectability include: operational requirements related to navigation, the ergonomics of the bridge, vessel speed, the weather, recognition and interpretation of visual signals produced by cetaceans, as well as awareness of the issue. Recommendations for surveillance have thus been established, and having a specialised observer has been proven to be beneficial - of all whales identified as potentially heading for collision, 65% were detected by the specialised observer. Other recommendations have also been made for bridge designs with improving detectability of large cetaceans in mind. Since 2005, the ENMM (French National Merchant Marine School) of Marseille has been running a training programme for seagoing personnel and cadets which teaches awareness of the collision problem as well as methods and principles of risk limitation. This course is currently being developed for expansion in Italy. Finally in 2010, a collaborative tool has been established for use within Pelagos. Known as REPCET (Real time Plotting of CETaceans), it is a software system dedicated to navigation where every sighting of a large cetacean made by the watch from a REPCET-equipped vessel is transmitted by satellite in semi-real-time to a server on land. The server then centralises the data and sends out an alert to equipped vessels that are likely to be affected. The alerts are displayed cartographically on a dedicated screen on board ( Figure 6: System overview diagram 19

20 4- Awareness of international and national bodies a. IMO recommendations Since 1999, the IMO (International Maritime Organisation) has regarded the heightened risk of hitting marine mammals as being part of the effects of shipping on the environment, in particular where high speed vessels are concerned. This awareness was made concrete in 2002 when the international maritime traffic management body accepted an amended Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) in the Gulf of Maine (Nova Scotia, Canada) in order to protect one of the North Atlantic right whales main habitats. In 2007, to complete this scheme, the IMO designated part of the site (Roseway basin) as an area to be avoided by commercial shipping, on a seasonal basis. The designation area to be avoided is only a recommendation. It is aimed at vessels weighing over 300 gross tonnes, in the period 1st June to 31st December, when whales are found in this zone. b. International Whaling Commission In 1946, the International Whaling Commission (IWC) was created, which today includes 66 countries. Every year since 2005, a working group has been meeting on the theme of collisions. The aim of this group is to evaluate scientific information relating to the collisions issue from around the world and to provide recommendations to its member states. The following are some of the recommendations from the 2007 report: sharing data on known collisions (a collaborative database where anyone can report a collision is available online: adopting local and national regulations, rules and action plans to limit the risks of collision, designating training programs for officers and crew members. In addition, a collaborative project between the IWC and the IMO was initiated in c. ACCOBAMS and Pelagos recommendations In November 2009 in Monaco, Pelagos 4 th Conference of the Parties (the decision-making body) voted for a resolution on maritime traffic, which involved the States contributing to the REPCET project (see above) and promoting the Pelagos Sanctuary s recognition as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA) to the IMO. Concerning this point, a study was first carried out by a group of experts, at the request of the French Ministry of the Environment and in consultation with Monaco and Italy. The associated propositions are being validated by the French Ministry and will be presented shortly to ship-owners for consultation, before being submitted to the IMO. At a Mediterranean level, ACCOBAMS 4 th Conference of the Parties, which took place in Monaco in November 2010, voted for a resolution called collisions between vessels and large cetaceans in the Mediterranean Sea. The following are some of their main recommendations addressed to the parties: Improve knowledge of collisions, in particular by facilitating information exchange between scientists and maritime companies Deploy the REPCET system, tested in PELAGOS with some companies, throughout the entire ACCOBAMS area Consider adaptive measures, such as Mandatory Ship Reporting Systems or the establishment of Particularly Sensitive Areas (PSSA), as part of the IMO Request for notification of collisions from maritime companies to competent authorities Consider collisions between vessels and cetaceans as a complementary topic for the training of companies crew Use the Strait of Gibraltar and the Pelagos Sanctuary as models and experimental areas to test the measures efficiency d. National commitments Finally, at a national level, the Grenelle de la Mer was the occasion to reaffirm the French commitments relative to PELAGOS. Commitment 16b from the Blue Book of the Oceans Round Table (Grenelle de la Mer) stipulates that the necessary measures will be taken to limit collisions between vessels and marine mammals (République Française, 2009). These perspectives were transformed in the Vessels of the future and Sea Transports operational committees into the following terms: 20

21 - Revision of the territorial continuity mechanism between Corsica and the mainland considering the ecological aspects and the PELAGOS Sanctuary in the public service delegation. - Preparation of the PELAGOS Sanctuary classification into a PSSA (Particularly Sensitive Sea Area). - Encourage the development of real-time alert systems of cetaceans positions in order to limit the risks of collision and initiate, when possible, avoidance procedures. Text: Pascal MAYOL Translation: Emma McKenzie This document can be downloaded from 21

22 MAIN REFERENCES USED TO WRITE THIS DOCUMENT ACCOBAMS (2005) Report of the Joint ACCOBAMS/Pelagos Workshop on Large Whale Ship Strikes in the Mediterranean Sea. Monaco, November p. ACCOBAMS (2010) Rapport de la quatrième réunion des Parties contractantes à l ACCOBAMS. Monaco, 9-12 novembre p. ACCOBAMS (2010) Résolution sur les collisions entre navires et grands cétacés en mer Méditerranée. Votée en novembre 2010, 4 ème Conférence des Parties à l ACCOBAS, Monaco. 3 p. BEAUBRUN P., CAPOULADE F., et DAVID L. (2001) First experiment on the fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) visual detectability on board of a French high speed craft in the N.-W. Mediterranean Sea. Poster presented at the 15 th European Cetacean Society Conference, Roma, 6-10 may 2001, 15 : BEAUBRUN P., CAPOULADE F. & MAYOL P. (2005) - Visual detection of large cetaceans from High Speed Crafts in order to limit the risks of collision: Context, results and applications. Joint ACCOBAMS/Pelagos workshops on fin whale and collisions. Monaco, November 2005 (com. or). CAPOULADE F. (2001) Whales and ferries in Ligurian Sanctuary: Captain s experience and owner s actions. Proceedings of the workshop collisions between cetacean and vessels: can we find solutions? of the 15 th Annual Meeting of the European Cetacean Society, Rome, Italie, 6 mai ECS newsletter n 40, Mars 2002, édition spéciale. PESANTE G., PANIGADA S. et ZANARDELLI M. éd., 40 : CAPOULADE F. et MAYOL P. (2004) - Compte-rendu de l opération REPCET 2004 au Directeur de l Armement et de la Sécurité Maritime Terrestre de la SNCM. 4p. DI-MÉGLIO N. et DAVID L. (2006) Etude préliminaire du trafic maritime en vue d une meilleur gestion de son impact dans le Sanctuaire Pelagos. 3 ème Journée Nationale Pelagos, 4 mars 2006, Hyères. Com. or. GAMBAIANI D., MAYOL P., CAPOULADE F., MCKENZIE C., MCKENZIE E., SCHNEIDER M. (2010)- Impact du trafic maritime sur les cétacés. Synthèse des connaissances sur l impact du trafic maritime (étude réalisée par le GIS3M pour le compte de Pelagos France). 1 : IWC (International Whaling Commission) (2007) Ship strikes working group, Second progress report to the conservation committee (doc IWC/59/CC 3). 59th Annual Meeting of the International Whaling Commission. 31 p. LABACH H., MAYOL P., GAMBAIANI D. & CAPOULADE F. (2010) - Eléments pour la désignation du Sanctuaire PELAGOS en tant que ZMPV (Zone Maritime Particulièrement Vulnérable). Document rédigé par le GIS3M pour le compte de la Partie Française du Sanctuaire PELAGOS, dans l objectif d un dépôt auprès de l Organisation Maritime Internationale. 40 p. MAYOL P. (2005) - Enjeux des collisions entre grands cétacés et navires de commerce en Méditerranée et moyens de limiter les risques. Actes des 4ème Rencontres Régionale de la Mer. Atelier n 1 (Ports Transports maritimes Sécurité Maritime). 15 novembre 2005, Marseille. 4 : MAYOL P., CAPOULADE F., BEAUBRUN P. (2004) Détectabilité Visuelle des Grands Cétacés à Bord des Navires à Grande Vitesse (NGV) pour Limiter les Risques de Collision. Journées Nationales PELAGOS, Hyères-les-Palmiers, 7 et 8 mai : 20 et com. or. MAYOL P., CAPOULADE F. & BEAUBRUN P. (2005) Comment améliorer la Détectabilité Visuelle des Grands Cétacés depuis les NGV pour limiter les Risques de Collision? Sciences et technologies marines du futur : Un enjeu pour la Méditerranée (Toulon Var Technologie). 19 mai 2005, Marseille. Poster. MAYOL P., CAPOULADE F. & BEAUBRUN P. (2007) - Navires de commerce et collisions avec les grands cétacés en Méditerranée nord-occidentale : Enjeux et mesures de limitation des risques. Annales 2007 de l'institut Méditerranéen des Transports Maritimes : MAYOL P., BEAUBRUN P., CAPOULADE F. & MUGNIER P. (2008) - Whale-ship collisions: Work and outlook from a team in the Pelagos Sanctuary. The example of the REPCET project. 60th International Meeting Commission (IWC/60/CC9rev - Agenda item 4). Santiago, Chile, 12 p. ORTC (Observatoire Régional des Transports de la Corse) (2010) L offre «passagers» sur les lignes maritimes au cours de la saison 2010 (mai à septembre). 8 p. PANIGADA S., CAPOULADE F., CASTELLOTE M. LEAPER R. and MAYOL P. (2010) Fin whales: progress report on the evaluation of ship strikes in the ACCOBAMS area and protocol to assess ship strikes. Document: SC6-Doc 11. ACCOBAMS Scientific Committee, January PANIGADA S., PESANTE G., ZANARDELLI M., CAPOULADE F., GANNIER A. et WEINRICH M.T. (2006) - Marine Pollution Bulletin. 52 : PELAGOS (2009) Recommandation trafic maritime, COP4/REC4/FR. Votée en octobre 2009, 4 ème Conférence des Parties Pelagos, Monaco. 22

23 ROUSSEL E., BEAUBRUN P., DAVID L., DI-MÉGLIO N., AIROLDI S., ZANARDELLI M., NOTARBARTOLO DI SCIARA et coll. (2000) Programme POSEIDON ( ) : Distributions des cétacés et des activités humaines en Méditerranée nord-occidentale. 104p. REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE (2009) Livre Bleu des engagements du Grenelle de la Mer. 71 p. SCOT (Services et Conception de systèmes en Observation de la Terre) (2004) Etude du trafic maritime en Méditerranée. Pour le Ministère de l Équipement, des Transports, du Logement, du Tourisme et de la Mer et la Direction des Affaires Maritimes et des Gens de Mer, 60 p. + annexes. These documents are available from the author: pmayol@souffleursdecume.com 23

24 APPENDIX 4 Extract from the press release: 24