South Pacific - Gift to the Earth for whale conservation

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1 Gift: August 2003 South Pacific - Gift to the Earth for whale conservation Blue whale. WWF-Canon / Pieter LAGENDYK

2 Director General s Message When WWF launched the Gifts to the Earth scheme in 1996, we little realised the great extent of goodwill and readiness within the international community to take up the challenge and make conservation commitments of global importance. Nor did we anticipate the magnitude of the conservation achievement this simple idea would help inspire. The aim was to encourage governments, companies, organisations and individuals to make significant conservation commitments reflecting WWF s global priorities, and to celebrate these publicly, highlighting the achievements and the leadership. This was to help mobilise a move towards a world where the environment is treated with respect and responsibility, and ensure we leave our children a living planet. Among the 88 Gifts celebrated to date are major conservation commitments by more than 60 governments and partnerships with environmentally responsible corporations to promote suitable management of forest and fisheries. Gifts have recognised the formal protection of more than 100 million hectares of forest - approximately three percent of the world s remaining forest - the creation of marine parks, restoration and protection of wetlands, and the launch of energy conservation schemes to help combat climate change. Taken together, these undertakings represent new and unprecedented levels of conservation achievement which are, truly, Gifts to the Earth. I warmly welcome this, the 89th Gift to the Earth, which recognises the initiative to establish national whale sanctuaries in the South Pacific, and the commitments made by 11 countries in the region to achieve a network of whale sanctuaries covering almost 30 million sq km. WWF-Canon / Hansruedi WIRZ Dr Claude Martin Contents Take action for a living planet... 1 What is a Gift to the Earth?... 1 The status of whales in the South Pacific... 1 South Pacific - Gift to the Earth for whale conservation How do whale sanctuaries help marine conservation?... 4 Map of whale sanctuaries in the Pacific... 5 Gifts to the Earth celebrate significant conservation achievements, which help to build a world in which people live in harmony with nature, so ensuring we leave our children a living planet. Minke whale. WWF-Canon / Jürgen FREUND

3 Take action for a living planet In the four decades since its foundation, WWF has grown from modest beginnings into a truly global conservation organisation that has been instrumental in making the environment a matter of world concern. In addition to funding and managing numerous conservation projects throughout the world, WWF lobbies governments and policy-makers, conducts research, influences education systems, works with local communities and with business and industry to address global threats to the planet by seeking long-term solutions for the benefit of people and nature. What is a Gift to the Earth? A Gift to the Earth is a public celebration by WWF of a conservation action by a government, a company or an individual that is both a demonstration of environmental leadership and a globally significant contribution to the protection of the natural world. The Gift is a form of recognition, which enables WWF publicly to thank and congratulate the government, the company or the individual for an important conservation achievement, which can also serve as an example to others. WWF has, to date, recognised 88 Gifts to the Earth since the inception of the scheme in Each Gift represents an important success within one or more of WWF s six global conservation priorities: the protection of forest, freshwater and marine ecosystems, the conservation of endangered species, the prevention of climate change, and the elimination of toxic chemicals. WWF focuses on these priorities within the Global 200 Ecoregionsa science-based ranking of the world s most biologically and globally representative areas of biodiversity. The status of whales in the South Pacific The South Pacific Ocean is the world s largest marine habitat. It is to this important oceanic region of the world that 11 of the world s great whale species travel to breed. The South Pacific is also an important migratory route to the rich feeding grounds of the Southern Ocean - also designated as a Whale Sanctuary by the International Whaling Commission (IWC). The sudden appearance of a great whale at the ocean surface is a majestic sight that has spurred people s imagination and spirituality for thousands of years. Whales migrate huge distances between their feeding and breeding grounds. Despite their vast roaming areas, whales are threatened by a range of human activities. Today, populations of nearly all the great whales are at depressed levels, a legacy of unsustainable whaling during the past two centuries. Whales are long-lived mammals with slow reproductive cycles, and scientists believe it may take up to several decades - or more - for depleted whale populations to recover from their historically low levels. Most populations of great whales in the Southern Hemisphere collapsed as an estimated 1.5 million whales were killed during the last century. Many of these depleted populations have still not recovered. Today, despite the IWC s moratorium on whaling, seven of the 13 great whales are still considered endangered or vulnerable. Furthermore, the moratorium is not totally effective - more than 23,500 whales of five different species have been killed since the moratorium was introduced in 1986, and the rate is increasing. Over the past few decades, whales have also been subject to other, everincreasing threats, driving several species towards extinction. It is estimated that over 300,000 whales, dolphins and porpoises are killed each year as a result of by-catch in fisheries and entanglement in drifting fishing gear. Further, climate change, the build-up of Southern right whale, mother and calf. WWF-Canon / Michel GUNTHER toxins in the environment, increased habitat degradation, underwater noise pollution and collisions with ships all continue to threaten the world s whales, porpoises and dolphins. Blue, humpback, sperm, southern right, fin, sei, Antarctic minke, dwarf minke, Bryde s, pygmy Bryde s, and pygmy right whales are all known to be present in the South Pacific region. Almost all of these species have been commercially hunted leading to a significant decline in numbers. This initiative to create a network of whale sanctuaries in the South Pacific constitutes a major contribution to the effort to save these great whales, and the wide range of other marine life that co-exists with them. South Pacific - Gift to the Earth for whale conservation The Pacific Islands Leaders Forum - which comprises the Heads of Government of all independent states of the region - first discussed the IWC proposal for a South Pacific Whale Sanctuary in Although the proposed South Pacific Whale Sanctuary has not been established by the IWC, the Pacific Island Leaders gave their full support and the Forum has maintained its stance ever since. This became the impetus for the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) to develop its Regional Marine Mammal Conservation Programme, from which the vision of developing a network of nationally declared whale sanctuaries in the South Pacific has grown. The vision of this network of sanctuaries is one of unprecedented regional co-operation from the governments of Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu. Through a national process of designating the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs*) of each individual country as a whale sanctuary, a group of committed South Pacific nations has spearheaded the creation of a multinational sanctuary which will provide far-reaching benefits for whales, porpoises and dolphins and marine conservation generally. See: * An EEZ refers to the Exclusive Economic Zone, generally defined as an area of marine environment around a country s coastline which is within that country s jurisdiction, generally 200 nautical miles from shore. 1

4 It also demonstrates the power of regional cooperation for the benefit of sustainable development and marine management. WWF s South Pacific office based in Fiji has been helping to secure this Fin whale. WWF-Canon / Gustavo YBARRA commitment, supported also by WWF Australia and WWF New Zealand, and WWF s International Species Programme. The total EEZ for all Pacific Islands and Territories is around 45,000,000 sq km. The total EEZ of the 11 Pacific Islands and territories who have at the time of this event declared or have legislation in place that protects whales is 28,520,000 sq km. The following is a brief description of each of those countries that are contributing to the conservation of marine mammals in the South Pacific Ocean through their EEZ-whale sanctuary initiative. WWF applauds their commitment to conservation and sustainable development and recognises this initiative as a Gift to the Earth. Australia Australia has the biggest EEZ in the Pacific at 8.6 million sq km, and has protected whales in its waters since the signing of the Whale Protection Act in The Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 established the Australian whale sanctuary and provides a high level of protection to all marine mammals. Australia has demonstrated critical international leadership in cetacean conservation through strong conservation advocacy in support of sanctuaries and other conservation measures. The Australian government strongly supported the concept of a Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, and was a co-sponsor of the resolution at the IWC in 1994 that led to its establishment. Critical migratory corridors for humpback whales extend from feeding grounds in Antarctic waters and along the Australian East Coast. The territory also includes significant breeding areas of the southern right whale. The dwarf minke whale can be seen on Australia s Great Barrier Reef. Cook Islands The Cook Islands declared its 1.8 million sq km EEZ a whale sanctuary in September When announcing the declaration the then Deputy Prime Minister, Dr Robert Woonton, noted that the declaration was in line with the 1989 Marine Resource Act, that does not allow fishing for marine mammals. The new whale sanctuary is within the spirit of that Act, he said. Dr Woonton said the declaration of the sanctuary was a reflection of the high esteem in which Polynesian peoples hold whales. We have lived peacefully alongside whales for many centuries, he said. But the devastation wrought by the commercial whaling fleets of the last century has left us with only a few animals now returning to their traditional South Pacific breeding grounds each winter. If the nations of the South Pacific wish to protect the breeding grounds which are so critical to the recovery of our depleted whale populations, then clearly we shall have to take matters into our own hands, he asserted. Fiji In March 2003, the Fiji government approved the declaration of Fiji s 1.26 million sq km EEZ as a whale sanctuary. The Fiji government noted that the South Pacific Forum leaders in 2002 were invited to declare their respective waters as whale sanctuaries, given the many developments in multilateral, regional and domestic whale protection. The Minister for Commerce, the Honourable Tomasi Vuetilovoni, spoke on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. He said that Fiji s declaration of a whale sanctuary signalled to the rest of the world their government s willingness to honour its international obligations such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the United Nations Law of the Sea Convention (UNCLOS). A Fiji whale sanctuary will help catalyse research and raise public understanding and ability to manage Fiji s marine biodiversity, he added. French Polynesia In May 2002, the French Government created a cetacean sanctuary within the 5.3 million sq km EEZ of French Polynesia and later passed national legislation to legally bind the declaration. Whale watching operations take place around the many islands of French Polynesia as more and more humpbacks take advantage of the safety of the sanctuary to mate and breed. New Caledonia The first Europeans to spend time on New Caledonia were British and American whalers, who set up an oil extraction station on Lifou in the Loyalty Islands in Now in the 21st Century, the government of New Caledonia has made a positive contribution to whale conservation through its recent declaration of its 1.74 million sq km EEZ as a whale sanctuary. New Zealand New Zealand has been protecting whales within its 4.83 million sq km EEZ since 1978 under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The Act provides complete protection to all marine mammals in the New Zealand EEZ. The protection of great whales that migrate through New Zealand Hector s dolphin. WWF / Stephen DAWSON waters is recognised as part of New Zealand s responsibility to other nations and cultures in the region, and to future generations. New Zealand has demonstrated critical international leadership in cetacean conservation through strong conservation advocacy in support of sanctuaries and other conservation measures. 2 Gifts to the Earth

5 The New Zealand government strongly supported the concept of a Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, and was a co-sponsor of the resolution at the IWC in 1994 that led to its establishment. Whale watching has proved to be a major income earner for the people of Kaikoura on the East Coast of New Zealand. From nothing over a decade ago, Whale Watch Kaikoura has become a multi-million dollar eco-tourism business that has revived the ailing economy of this town. The formula for success is a business based on a powerful mix of indigenous people, culture, heritage and environment, says Whale Watch Kaikoura Chairman, Wally Stone. Niue The population of Niue is around 2,000 and its land area is 259 sq km. Its EEZ is 390,000 sq km and in 2001 the government of Niue declared it a whale sanctuary. In May 2002, the Niuean Cabinet passed the Niuean Whale Sanctuary Regulations, which declares all Niuean waters a whale sanctuary and prohibits the killing or taking of whales and porpoises in waters under its jurisdiction. The regulations are made pursuant to Niue s Territorial Sea and Exclusive Economic Zone Act Cetaceans are also protected by law under the Domestic Fishing Regulations 1996 made pursuant to the Domestic Fishing Act Whale watching is also an important source of income for Niue, especially with the presence of the humpback whales. Whale watching of humpbacks occurs in the winter months of July - November every year. Sperm whale. WWF-Canon / Pieter LAGENDYK Papua New Guinea In May 2002, the Papua New Guinea government declared its EEZ a whale sanctuary and this was gazetted in June Papua New Guinea s (PNG) 3.1 million sq km EEZ is home to a diverse number of marine mammals that require careful management. The Ocean Alliance, formerly The Whale Conservation Institute, conducts rigorous scientific investigation in the interest of the welfare of whales and the ocean environment. Its research vessel the Odyssey visited PNG waters in 2001 and stayed for six months. It recorded sightings of: baleen whales, beaked whales, sperm whales, pygmy whales and dwarf whales, porpoises and riverine, coastal and oceanic dolphins. In 2002, the former Prime Minister, Sir Mekere Morauta, referred to that research in the government s decision to declare PNG s EEZ a whale sanctuary. Recent research shows that Papua New Guinea s waters cover migratory routes and possibly contain important breeding grounds for certain whale species. Whales are part of the ocean food chain, and if one link in the chain is removed, other sections are put at risk. Samoa In May 2002, the Samoan Minister for Lands Survey and Environment announced the decision to establish a sanctuary for whales, dolphins, sharks and turtles in its 120,000 sq km EEZ. Samoa is an important port of call in the grand migration of humpback whales up and down the South Pacific. Biologists have long recognized these whales as a distinct group which migrates northward from Antarctica with some going towards Australia and others branching off towards Tonga. It is believed that most of this latter group remains near Tonga, but at least some migrate onward to Samoa. Creation of the whale sanctuary is expected to spur research on the movements of these humpback whales. Tonga In 1979 the King of Tonga issued a royal decree banning whaling in Tongan waters. This was backed up by the 1989 Tongan Fisheries Act that prohibits the killing of whales and other marine mammals in Tongan Waters. Tonga s EEZ is 700,000 sq km and provides a sanctuary for the humpback whale. Humpback whales migrate to Tonga from the Antarctica to breed and mate, and this has attracted whale-watching operations. The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), SPREP and the Australian based NGO Whales Alive banded together to build the foundations for whale watching in Tonga including: government workshops, development of guidelines, operator training, public education and the IFAW Marine Awareness Centre run and coordinated by Filipe Tonga. Filipe Tonga runs a whale watching operation in Vava u which is now a thriving industry generating around US 1 million dollars annually for the Tongan economy. Vanuatu Humpback whale. WWF-Canon / Catherine HOLLOWAY The 1982 Vanuatu Fisheries Act prohibits the killing of marine mammals in Vanuatu waters. This is soon to be replaced by the Fisheries Bill 2003 that includes protection measures for marine mammals and declares Vanuatu s 680,000 sq km EEZ a whale sanctuary. This includes protection of the dugong or sea cow. With a dwindling world population, protection efforts are vital wherever the dugong is found to help the species recover. 3

6 How do whale sanctuaries help marine conservation? Helping endangered marine species to recover Whales are important around the world for a range of cultural, economic and ecological reasons. As large migratory species, they travel vast distances and require both coastal and pelagic environments to survive. This makes whales extraordinarily important ambassadors for marine conservation. By conserving the habitats of great whales and working to increase numbers of whales, we also help to conserve the habitats of many other animals which coexist with whales, and maintain healthy, well functioning marine ecosystems. Sanctuaries are a valuable tool to help vulnerable whale populations recover by ensuring key areas are safe from harm, and out of bounds for any form of whaling. It is well established that threatened migratory species need protection in breeding grounds and along important migratory routes, as well as on feeding grounds. The great whales are highly migratory. The current boundaries of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary around the Antarctic do not include their mating or calving grounds or migratory pathways to the north. This is why the establishment of EEZs as whale sanctuaries in the Pacific, to the north of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, is crucial. It is the combination of these sanctuaries which will provide the best benefit for whale conservation by protecting a large area of the whales migratory habitat. Whales will stand a much better chance of survival and, eventually, of recovering back to pre-whaling population numbers. Whale watching & eco-tourism: an investment in the future Whale watching is now an economically viable and fast growing branch of the tourism industry. Internationally, more than nine million tourists took part in whale watching in 2000 and the total revenue amounted to USD 1 billion. Carefully monitored, whale watching can have massive economic benefits for the small island states in the South Pacific, as is already happening in Tonga. Here, the whale watching industry has contributed to a positive overall image for the whole country as a tourist destination, and indeed 10 percent of all tourists visiting the islands are whale watchers. Whale watching can be a unique opportunity to build and ensure sustainable livelihoods for local communities while also protecting and valuing marine biodiversity. Humpback whale and whale watching boat. WWF-Canon / Jürgen FREUND Research The declaration of the 50 million square km Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary by the IWC in 1994 facilitated a substantial increase in marine mammal research in that area. Similarly, it is hoped interest in co-operative research will be boosted in the South Pacific, providing opportunities to develop integrated research efforts to acquire further information about the biological and ecological role of cetaceans in their various environments. The Sanctuary also provides a focus for regional cooperation in other marine research, in a large habitat undisturbed by whaling activities. Cooperative management of the marine environment Overall, creation of these whale sanctuaries also focuses attention on the wider marine environment at a critical time. As recognised in the collapse or depletion of fisheries worldwide, the seas are in crisis and urgent conservation action is required. Creation of marine protected areas and other conservation mechanisms such as whale sanctuaries greatly contributes to restoring the health of the marine environment. In addition, the creation of a network of EEZ whale sanctuaries in the South Pacific provides a framework for international cooperation in the South Pacific Region, a platform for ongoing management of shared marine resources across the region, and acknowledges the cultural importance of whales to many cultures across the South Pacific. This is essential for the global, long-term conservation and management of marine biodiversity and the sustainable development of the world s largest marine habitat. Conclusion Sperm whale. WWF- Canon / Stephen DAWSON The long-term vision of WWF is for all whale populations to have recovered and to be thriving throughout the oceans. The praiseworthy effort by the 11 South Pacific countries and territories to form a network of EEZ whale sanctuaries will serve as a winning example for other island states in the region, and creates a blueprint for whale conservation and co-operation for marine management in both the South Pacific and elsewhere in the world. WWF hopes these valuable first designations will set a precedent that will soon be followed by other states. Combined with well defined, scientifically-based management plans, and mechanisms for implementation, the whale sanctuaries can provide an invaluable tool for biodiversity conservation throughout the region, as well as providing opportunities for sustainable development. 4 Gifts to the Earth

7 Palau Northern Marianas Guam Federated States of Micronesia Papua New Guinea Australia Map Legend Wake Declared EEZ Whale Sanctuary Potential EEZ Sanctuaries (Pacific Island Countries) Marshall Islands Potential EEZ Sanctuaries (Territories) Banned/Prohibited Whaling Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) Proposed South Pacific Whale Sanctuary Boundary (Equator to 40 o S and 130 o E and 120 o W) Nauru Kiribati Phoenix (Kiribati) New Caledonia Solomon Islands Vanuatu Tuvalu Fiji Wallis & Futuna Tonga Tokelau A.Samoa Samoa Niue Cook Islands Kiribati French Polynesia Pitcairn Norfolk New Zealand EEZ WHALE SANCTUARIES OF THE PACIFIC Not to Scale July 2003 statistics 5

8 Let s leave Our Children A Living Planet Contacts WWF South Pacific Programme Tel: Fax: general@wwfpacific.org.fj WWF South Pacific works closely with the South Pacific states and territories and congratulates the efforts of those that are leading whale conservation in the region. The individual actions of the South Pacific countries collectively add up to a significant conservation commitment that WWF has recognised as a Gift to the Earth. Dermot O Gorman, Director, WWF South Pacific Programme. WWF New Zealand Tel: +64 (0) Fax: +64 (0) info@wwf.org.nz WWF New Zealand works closely with WWF South Pacific through the International Programme. WWF New Zealand s priority is marine conservation. The Gift to the Earth event is a wonderful celebration of the South Pacific s commitment to whale conservation. The achievements recognised demonstrate the global impact of collective national actions in creating whale sanctuaries. Jo Breese, Chief Executive, WWF-New Zealand. WWF International Species Programme Tel: + 41 (0) Fax: + 44 (0) info@wwf-species.org This is tremendous news for whales and represents an unprecedented level of co-operation towards the stewardship of marine mammals and other marine resources at an international level. Dr Susan Lieberman, Director, WWF International Species Programme WWF applauds the governments of the Pacific and remains committed to a partnership that aims to guarantee the future of these special creatures, the traditions and values they embody, and the region s marine resources. Chief Emeka Anyaoku, WWF International President. WWF is one of the world s largest and most experienced independent conservation organisations with almost five million supporters and a global network active in more than 90 countries. WWF s mission is to stop the degradation of the planet s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by: conserving the world s biological diversity ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.