page_title: Pacific Islands Cetaceans Memorandum of Understanding
section_title: Meetings
hierarchical_section_title: Pacific Islands Cetaceans Memorandum of Understanding / Meetings
caption_attribution_description: English: Third Meeting of Signatories to the Pacific Islands Cetaceans Memorandum of Understanding, 8 September 2012, Noumea, New Caledonia
context_page_description: The Memorandum of Understanding for the Conservation of Cetaceans and their Habitats in the Pacific Island Region is a Multilateral Environmental Memorandum of Understanding concluded under the auspices of the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals, also known as the Bonn Convention, and in collaboration with the Pacific Regional Environment Programme. The MoU provides an international framework for coordinated conservation efforts to improve the conservation status of the Pacific Islands Cetaceans and came into effect on 15 September 2006.
  The MoU covers 22 range States. As of September 2012, 15 States have signed the MoU as well as a number of co-operating organisations.
context_section_description: Meetings of Signatories are organised regularly to review the conservation status of the species and the implementation of the MoU and Action Plan. At the meetings there is also a possibility to sign the MoU.
  The First Meeting of Signatories took place in Apia, Samoa, 6 March 2007.  During the meeting representative of two range States, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands, signed the MoU. Furthermore, the conservation status of the Pacific Islands Cetaceans was reviewed, as well as the implementation of the MoU and Action Plan. All the current Signatories were represented at the meeting. Non-Signatory range States present during the meeting were Tonga, Kiribati, Tuvalu and the United States as well as several NGO’s such as IFAW and WDCS.
  The Second Meeting of Signatories was held in Auckland, New Zealand, 28–29 July 2009. At the meeting the Pitcairn Islands, the South Pacific Whale Research Consortium and Whales Alive were added to the Signatories. A proposal, subject to funding, was endorsed to appoint an officier to be based at SPREP to co-ordinate the MoU and to be responsible for CMS activities throughout the region. Moreover, the meeting adopted a Whale and Dolphin Action Plan 2009–2012, based on a similar document developed by SPREP, as an Action Plan for the MoU. The plan emphasis on increasing capacity, awareness and understanding in the region. It outlines how communities can benefit from whale-and dolphin-based tourism. A proposal to develop an Oceania Humpback Whale Recovery Plan was also endorsed. Finally, a Technical Advisory Group for the MoU was formed, consisting of nine specialist experts in the science of cetacean conservation, coordinated with WDCS.
  The Third Meeting of Signatories took place in Noumea, New Caledonia, 8 September 2012. The meeting focused on the following subjects:
  Adopt the SPREP regional Whale and Dolphin Action Plan 2013–2017 for the MoU
  Review the status of implementation of the MoU and Action Plan
  Set future priorities for the MoU
  Discuss strengthened collaboration at the national, regional and international level for the implementation of the MoU and Action Plan.
caption: Third Meeting of Signatories to the Pacific Islands Cetaceans MoU, Noumea, New Caledonia, 8 September 2012
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