12th Pelagos Agreement Scientific and Technical Committee

Costanza Favilli, Executive Secretary of the Pelagos Agreement, and Alain Barcelo, Chair of the Scientific Committee © Government Communication Department/Michael Alesi

The twelfth Pelagos Agreement* Scientific and Technical Committee, chaired by Mr Alain Barcelo, met at the Oceanographic Museum on Thursday 23 January.

The meeting was attended by the three member countries’ (France, Italy and the Principality of Monaco) representatives to the Scientific and Technical Committee, and reviewed the work programme and preliminary budget for 2020–2021. Numerous observers also attended the meeting, from ACCOBAMS, WWF France, Legambiente Onlus, Tethys Research Institute, Souffleurs d’Ecume, CIMA Research Foundation, the Portofino Marine Protected Area, GIS3M, and the French Riviera Conurbation Community.

An update on the progress of international projects funded by the Pelagos Agreement Permanent Secretariat was provided, allowing proposals to be put forward for management measures to reduce human-induced threats in the Sanctuary area.

Following the meeting, the Scientific and Technical Committee came up with some recommendations. These will be submitted during the next meeting of the parties to the Pelagos Agreement, which will be held in Italy this year.

*: The Pelagos Agreement on creating a sanctuary in the Mediterranean for marine mammals was signed in Rome on 25 November 1999 by Italy, France and the Principality of Monaco. It entered into force on 21 February 2002. Its goal is to protect marine mammals and their habitats from all sources of disruption. The Pelagos Sanctuary recently renewed its status as a Specially Protected Area of Mediterranean Importance (SPAMI) under the Barcelona Convention. It is the only international marine protected area in the Mediterranean dedicated to protecting marine mammals.