Conservation database
At IWC67 in October 2018 the Commission endorsed a proposal from New Zealand to revise the existing template for voluntary conservation reports (VCRs) and develop an integrated database. The detailed proposal, which includes the rationale for changing the reporting template, is in IWC/67/CC/10 (also as CC/68A/INFO/05).
This publicly accessible database is available from the IWC website and searchable by country or conservation theme in alignment with the Strategic Plan and Workplan of the Conservation Committee.The database aims to streamline the reporting requirements on Contracting Governments, and improve the accessibility, effectiveness and reach of information submitted in Voluntary Conservation Reports.
Find our Scientific Literature: Searchable Database
Gabon Research Projects
Current Government programs related to cetacean conservation
Section: Current Government programs related to cetacean conservation
Theme: Cooperation and Research
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
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Status: Active
Cetacean surveys in Gabon have been conducted from five different field sites. These have had several objectives such as assesing population density, abundance and population dynamics;.
External URL: https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/cpops/3/0/3_2020S009/_pdfGabon International Cooperation
International cooperation activities
Section: International cooperation activities
Theme: Cooperation and Research
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
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Status: Active
Gabon is a member of several international agreements.
External URL: https://www.cms.int/en/country/gabonGabon Cetacean Conservation
Current Government programs related to cetacean conservation
Section: Current Government programs related to cetacean conservation
Theme: Other
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
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Status: Active
Gabon is one of the country members of the IWC - Task Team on the Atlantic Humpback dolphin
External URL: https://iwc.int/management-and-conservation/smallcetacean/task-teamsNZ Conservation research
Current Government programs related to cetacean conservation
Section: Current Government programs related to cetacean conservation
Theme: Bycatch, Strandings
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
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Status: Active
The New Zealand Government and other New Zealand organisations fund a range of research projects aimed at determining the population numbers and trend, effects of anthropogenic activities, and important habitat areas for a number of species of whales and small cetaceans.
External URL: https://niwa.co.nz/research-subject/marine-mammalsNZ Threats and conservation measures
Current threats to cetacean conservation and management measures taken/proposed
Section: Current threats to cetacean conservation and management measures taken/proposed
Theme: Bycatch, Ship Strikes
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
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Status: Active
There are three species under threat in New Zealands waters and each have measures in place to mitigate those threats
External URL: https://niwa.co.nz/research-subject/marine-mammalsMarine mammal conservation
Legal developments
Section: Legal developments
Theme: Conservation Management plans
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
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Status: Active
Our role includes responsibilities in whale and dolphin watching, whale strandings and accidental catch of marine mammals in fishing.
External URL: https://www.doc.govt.nz/about-us/our-role/managing-conservation/marine-mammal-conservation/
NZ Agreements
International cooperation activities
Section: International cooperation activities
Theme: Conservation Management plans
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
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Status: Active
New Zealand is party to a number of multilateral agreements related to cetaceans
External URL: https://www.doc.govt.nz/about-us/international-agreements/NZ Legal protection
Legal developments
Section: Legal developments
Theme: Sanctuaries and protected areas
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
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Status: Active
There are four National Regulations and Acts which protect cetaceans around New Zealand.
External URL: https://www.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/public/1992/0322/latest/whole.htmlNZ Threats and conservation measures
Current threats to cetacean conservation and management measures taken/proposed
Section: Current threats to cetacean conservation and management measures taken/proposed
Theme: Bycatch, Ship Strikes
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
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Status: Active
There are three species under threat in New Zealands waters and each have measures in place to mitigate those threats
External URL: https://niwa.co.nz/research-subject/marine-mammalsNZ Whale Watching
Information on WhaleWatching operations
Section: Information on WhaleWatching operations
Theme: Whale watching
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
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Status: Active
The Marine Mammals Protection Regulations 1992 are the primary tool for managing whale and dolphin watching operations. New Zealand supports the Conservation Committee’s Strategic Plan for Whale Watching. The Department of Conservation continues to support research activities investigating the effects of tourism activities on cetaceans.
External URL: https://wwhandbook.iwc.int/en/country-profiles/new-zealandNZ Conservation research
Current Government programs related to cetacean conservation
Section: Current Government programs related to cetacean conservation
Theme: Bycatch, Strandings
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
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Status: Active
The New Zealand Government and other New Zealand organisations fund a range of research projects aimed at determining the population numbers and trend, effects of anthropogenic activities, and important habitat areas for a number of species of whales and small cetaceans.
External URL: https://niwa.co.nz/research-subject/marine-mammalsNZ Reporting
Reporting systems for cetacean injuries/mortality/strandings
Section: Reporting systems for cetacean injuries/mortality/strandings
Theme: Strandings
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
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Status: Active
All stranding events are reported to the Department of Conservation, which maintains a national georeferenced stranding database (1846-2012).
External URL: https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/marine-mammals/marine-mammal-strandings/Voluntary Cetacean Conservation Report
Current Government programs related to cetacean conservation
Section: Current Government programs related to cetacean conservation
Theme: Conservation Management plans
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
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Status: Active
Conservation Plan of Orcinus orca in the Strait and Gulf of Cadiz, approved in 2017 (Order APM / 427/2017, of May 4). It establishes two critical areas for killer whale. In the area of Ensenada de Barbate, Conil and Banco Majuán, the use of active systems for underwater or underground exploration and the developing of whale watching activities, whether commercial, private or scientific, are forbidden from March 1 to August 31.
External URL: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2017-5474
UK Threats and Measures
Current threats to cetacean conservation and management measures taken/proposed
Section: Current threats to cetacean conservation and management measures taken/proposed
Theme: Bycatch
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
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Status: Active
The two main species affected by fishing in UK waters are the harbour porpoise and the shortbeaked common dolphin. All Reports to the European Commission on activities conducted by the UK under Regulation 812/2004, and under Article 12(4) of the Habitats Directive, provide details of the monitoring work undertaken and estimates of bycatch.
External URL: http://ww2.defra.gov.uk/environment/marine/protect/species/cetaceans/
UK Conservation Research
Current Government programs related to cetacean conservation
Section: Current Government programs related to cetacean conservation
Theme: Conservation Management plans
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
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Status: Active
surveillance and monitoring is conducted by a number of organisations
External URL: https://soi.st-andrews.ac.uk/research-overview/research-sea-mammal-research-unit/UK Laws and Regulations
Legal developments
Section: Legal developments
Theme: Sanctuaries and protected areas
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
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Status: Active
laws, regulations and other regulatory measures related to cetaceans
External URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protected-marine-species/cetaceans-dolphins-porpoises-and-whalesUK Marine Protected Areas for cetaceans
Current Government programs related to cetacean conservation
Section: Current Government programs related to cetacean conservation
Theme: Sanctuaries and protected areas
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
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Status: Active
The 28 species of cetacean recorded in UK waters are protected within a strong legal regime which encompasses both international commitments and national laws. Ten Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are in place within UK waters specifically naming cetaceans as a qualifying feature and 31 MPAs specifically naming cetaceans as a non-qualifying feature.
External URL: https://archive.iwc.int/?r=7826USA Legal Protections
Section:
Theme:
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
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Status: Active
All cetaceans in U.S. waters are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).
External URL: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/marine-mammal-protectionUSA Current Threats to Cetacean Conservation and Management Measures Taken/Proposed
Current threats to cetacean conservation and management measures taken/proposed
Section: Current threats to cetacean conservation and management measures taken/proposed
Theme: Anthropogenic underwater noise
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
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Status: Active
Anthropogenic underwater sound has the potential to cause adverse effects on cetaceans and cetacean populations
External URL: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/acoustics/guidelines.htmUSA Legal Protections
Legal developments
Section: Legal developments
Theme: Bycatch
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
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Status: Active
The Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) contains provisions to address the incidental mortality and serious injury of marine mammals in both domestic and foreign commercial fisheries.
External URL: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/marine-mammal-protectionUSA Current Government Programs Related to Cetacean Conservation
Current Government programs related to cetacean conservation
Section: Current Government programs related to cetacean conservation
Theme: Bycatch
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
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Status: Active
Marine Mammal Protection Act Imports Rulemaking.
External URL: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/foreign/international-affairs/list-foreign-fisheriesUSA Current Government Programs Related to Cetacean Conservation
Current Government programs related to cetacean conservation
Section: Current Government programs related to cetacean conservation
Theme: Bycatch, Other
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
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Status: Active
The Marine Mammal Commission (Commission) is an independent agency of the U.S. government charged by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) to further the conservation of marine mammals and their environment.
External URL: https://www.mmc.gov/USA Current Threats to Cetacean Conservation and Management Measures Taken/Proposed
Current threats to cetacean conservation and management measures taken/proposed
Section: Current threats to cetacean conservation and management measures taken/proposed
Theme: Bycatch
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
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Status: Active
Interaction with fishing gear can incidentally injure and kill cetaceans and is a leading human-related cause of mortality and serious injury for multiple cetacean species (including North Atlantic right whales and harbor porpoise in the Atlantic Ocean, bottlenose dolphins in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, humpback whales in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, and false killer whales in the Pacific Ocean).
External URL: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/document/national-bycatch-reportUSA Fisheries Bycatch Reporting
Reporting systems for cetacean injuries/mortality/strandings
Section: Reporting systems for cetacean injuries/mortality/strandings
Theme: Bycatch
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
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Status: Active
All U.S. fishing vessel owners or operators must report all incidental mortalities and injuries of marine mammals that occur during commercial fishing operations under the Marine Mammal Authorization Program.
External URL: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/marine-mammal-authorization-programUSA International Workshops and Collaborative Initiatives
International cooperation activities
Section: International cooperation activities
Theme: Cooperation and Research, Bycatch
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
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Status: Active
Since the 2016 IWC meeting, the U.S. has worked with international partners to reduce bycatch of marine mammals through gear modification and to support collaborative initiatives to better understand and mitigate serious injuries and mortalities of marine mammal.
External URL: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/international-affairs/international-marine-mammal-conservationUSA Current Government Programs Related to Cetacean Conservation
Current Government programs related to cetacean conservation
Section: Current Government programs related to cetacean conservation
Theme: Cooperation and Research, Conservation Management plans
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
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Status: Active
National initiatives related to cetacean conservation.
External URL: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/marine-mammal-stock-assessmentsUSA Current Threats to Cetacean Conservation and Management Measures Taken/Proposed
Current threats to cetacean conservation and management measures taken/proposed
Section: Current threats to cetacean conservation and management measures taken/proposed
Theme: Marine debris
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
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Status: Active
Through the combination of removal and prevention, the NOAA Marine Debris Program is working towards a global ocean free from the harmful impacts of marine debris, including those of entanglement in and ingestion by cetaceans.
External URL: https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/USA Legal Protections
Legal developments
Section: Legal developments
Theme: Sanctuaries and protected areas
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
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Status: Active
The U.S. also protects cetaceans and their habitat through the designation of national marine sanctuaries, authorized under the National Marine Sanctuaries Act
External URL: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/USA Cross-Border Sanctuaries
International cooperation activities
Section: International cooperation activities
Theme: Sanctuaries and protected areas
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
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Status: Active
The Sister Sanctuary Program, managed by Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, was established in 2006 to facilitate the effective management of a shared population of humpback whales across jurisdictional boundaries throughout its migratory range, from feeding and nursery grounds in the Gulf of Maine to breeding and calving areas in the Wider Caribbean region.
External URL: https://stellwagen.noaa.gov/sister/USA Current Threats to Cetacean Conservation and Management Measures Taken/Proposed
Current threats to cetacean conservation and management measures taken/proposed
Section: Current threats to cetacean conservation and management measures taken/proposed
Theme: Ship Strikes
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
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Status: Active
Ship strikes are a significant threat to large whales. To address this threat, NOAA has developed regulatory and non-regulatory measures to reduce ship strikes, including modification of vessel operations, education and outreach programs, and research and monitoring activities. Stranded large whales are examined externally and internally whenever logistically feasible to assist in diagnosis and appropriate quantification of ship strikes.
External URL: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/shipstrike/