ASCOBANS

01/09/2026

28/08/2026

Do you know what happens when a harbour porpoise, Risso’s dolphin or other marine mammal strands?

Most ASCOBANS Parties maintain 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 that record and assess cetacean strandings along their coastlines. Only a small percentage of stranded individuals are still alive and can be rescued.

🐬 In many cases, stranded dead animals undergo necropsies to gather crucial information on health status, diet, and potential causes of death. These findings provide essential insights that support the conservation of small cetacean populations.

You may also be interested in :
🔹 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁-𝗺𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 -protocol, annexed to Resolution 8.10 (Rev.MOP9) 𝘚𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘊𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘦: https://www.ascobans.org/document/small-cetacean-stranding-response-0
🔹 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗼𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀: https://www.ascobans.org/document/guidelines-genetic-sampling-harbour-porpoise-carcasses
🔹 The progress report of the 𝘈𝘚𝘊𝘖𝘉𝘈𝘕𝘚 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘎𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱 𝘰𝘯 𝘜𝘯𝘶𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘔𝘢𝘴𝘴 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴: https://www.ascobans.org/document/progress-report-intersessional-working-group-unusual-mortality-events-umes-and-mass

𝘛𝘩𝘦 30𝘵𝘩 𝘔𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘚𝘊𝘖𝘉𝘈𝘕𝘚 𝘈𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘦 (𝘈𝘊30) 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 1–3 𝘚𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 2026 𝘪𝘯 𝘉𝘰𝘯𝘯. 𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥-𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘬𝘦𝘺 𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤 𝘚𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯.

Convention on Migratory Species

📸© Nynke Kouwenhoven - Utrecht University

21/08/2026

𝗔𝗯𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 and 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 are of critical importance for the determination of broader species attributes such as populations levels, health and overall status. These parameters can contribute towards determination of ‘good environmental status’ and provide a reference for mortality events. Abundance and life history parameters are typically assessed from 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲𝘀 🐬🐳🐋

📊 Fluctuations in these parameters can provide insight into trends in populations. Information on abundance and life history parameters can inform the need for mitigation measures, and regional assessment of these parameters allows for a more spatially targeted and concentrated response to support national assessments.

🎙️ One key initiative is 𝗦𝗔𝗠𝗕𝗔𝗛 𝗜𝗜, a project using passive acoustic monitoring to map the entire range of the harbour porpoise population in the Baltic Sea. The data will be used to assess the size of the population, the priority areas of occurrence and possible changes in these areas, and to assess the risk areas for man-made threats.

🎥 Another important survey initiative, 𝗦𝗖𝗔𝗡𝗦-𝗜𝗩 (‘Small Cetaceans in European Atlantic waters and the North Sea’) covered an area of 1.7 million km², where the observer teams using aerial and shipboard surveys recorded thousands of cetacean groups from 17 different species.

🤝 These projects were carried out collaboratively across national borders, strengthening international cooperation and supporting the objectives of ASCOBANS.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 30𝘵𝘩 𝘔𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘚𝘊𝘖𝘉𝘈𝘕𝘚 𝘈𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘦 (𝘈𝘊30) 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 1–3 𝘚𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 2026 𝘪𝘯 𝘉𝘰𝘯𝘯. 𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥-𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘬𝘦𝘺 𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤 𝘚𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯.

Convention on Migratory Species

📸: © Wouter Jan Strietman

14/08/2026

𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗶𝘀, such as macroplastics and discarded fishing gear, poses a threat to small cetaceans due to the potential for these materials to be 𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 or to cause 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.

🚢 Commercial fishing operations, recreational fishing and cargo shipping are notable sources of this material, of which the majority is plastic and ghost nets. However, it is assumed that most of the marine litter worldwide comes from land, although this differs per region.

🥤 Even small amounts of macroplastics that have been ingested may present serious effects on small cetaceans, such as detrimental influence on the gastrointestinal tract or leaching pollutants into the body, potentially leading to mortality or reduced body condition.

Entanglement is well-established as a threat to small cetaceans as plastic debris continues to accumulate in aquatic environments, and may cause physical injuries, reduced survival or drowning. Owing to these concerns, ASCOBANS Parties have adopted Resolution 9.3 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘴: https://www.ascobans.org/document/marine-debris-0

🐬 The overall significance of plastic pollution for cetaceans is still not fully understood. However, it is clear that individuals are affected by marine debris, with documented cases of ingestion and entanglement.

Within the ASCOBANS Parties, marine debris is closely monitored, and a range of mitigation measures are already in place.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 30𝘵𝘩 𝘔𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘚𝘊𝘖𝘉𝘈𝘕𝘚 𝘈𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘦 (𝘈𝘊30) 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 1–3 𝘚𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 2026 𝘪𝘯 𝘉𝘰𝘯𝘯. 𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥-𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘬𝘦𝘺 𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤 𝘚𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯.

Convention on Migratory Species

📸 © Nina Strüh - MEER e.V.

11/08/2026

📢 We're excited to share our two new open-access papers on the role of European marine mammal stranding networks in monitoring population status and bycatch impact.

🦭 Part I explores how stranding networks operate and how monitoring efforts can be optimised.

🐬 Part II assesses the utility of stranding networks for monitoring bycatch mortality.

This work was led by Marie Petitguyot, Andrea Fariñas-Bermejo and Graham Pierce from the INMARE group at the IIM-CSIC, under the umbrella of the ICES Working Group on Marine Mammal Ecology (WGMME), and would not have been possible without the collaboration of researchers and stranding networks across Europe.

📖 Read them here:
Part I: https://doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsaf194
Part II: https://doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsag119

Several sources of funding include the projects: SEACHANGES, CetAMBICion, TRANSITION, CIBBRiNA and REDUCE.

04/08/2026

🐟 Herring, mackerel, and sandeel are key prey species for many dolphins and whales in the ASCOBANS Area. However, these fish stocks are not only under pressure from fisheries but are also affected by the long-term exploitation of marine ecosystems. Combined with increasing anthropogenic impacts such as climate change, this has led to 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆, significantly affecting the diet, health, and overall well-being of cetacean populations.

🤝 Recognising these challenges, ASCOBANS Parties have adopted 𝑅𝑒𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 9.4 𝑜𝑛 𝐹𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝐴𝑣𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑎𝑏𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅𝑒𝑠𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑐𝑒 𝐷𝑒𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛, encouraging Parties to prioritise and support relevant monitoring, assessment, and research activities.

➡️ Resolution 9.4: https://www.ascobans.org/document/food-availability-and-resource-depletion

ASCOBANS also works closely with the European Commission, as well as other regional agreements such as OSPAR and HELCOM, to strengthen coordinated marine conservation efforts across regions.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 30𝘵𝘩 𝘔𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘚𝘊𝘖𝘉𝘈𝘕𝘚 𝘈𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘦 (𝘈𝘊30) 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 1–3 𝘚𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 2026 𝘪𝘯 𝘉𝘰𝘯𝘯. 𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥-𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘬𝘦𝘺 𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤 𝘚𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯.

➡️ AC30 documents: https://www.ascobans.org/meeting/ac30

Convention on Migratory Species

📸 © Tilen Genov / Morigenos

29/07/2026

📍 Save the Date!

The 38th European Cetacean Society Conference is coming to Piran, Slovenia!
Join the marine mammal science community from across Europe and beyond for an inspiring few days of science, collaboration, and networking in one of the Adriatic's most picturesque coastal towns.

🗓️ Mark your calendars now!
Workshops: 19th and 20th April, 2027
Conference: 21st, 22nd, 23rd April, 2027

Stay tuned for more information on abstract submission, registration, and the conference programme.

We look forward to welcoming you to Slovenia in 2027!

27/07/2026

🎣 𝗕𝘆𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 remains the greatest threat to small cetaceans globally and also across the ASCOBANS Area. Although countries have implemented strong regulations and monitoring programmes, many animals are still killed each year as a result of bycatch and entanglement. In Europe, particularly harbour porpoises are affected due to its ecological traits, hunting behaviours, and overlaps with high-intensity fishing.

🐬 Encouragingly, reduced use of gillnets in recent years has contributed to a slight decrease in bycatch risk for harbour porpoises across the ASCOBANS Area. This reflects the value of sustained international conservation efforts.

🤝 But there is much work to be done. At AC30 in Bonn this September, Parties will come together to review and address challenges, and consider the recommendations from the Joint Bycatch Working Group of ASCOBANS and ACCOBAMS.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 30𝘵𝘩 𝘔𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘚𝘊𝘖𝘉𝘈𝘕𝘚 𝘈𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘦 (𝘈𝘊30) 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 1–3 𝘚𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 2026 𝘪𝘯 𝘉𝘰𝘯𝘯. 𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥-𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘬𝘦𝘺 𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤 𝘚𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯.

Convention on Migratory Species

📸 © Krzysztof Skóra Hel Marine Station

23/07/2026

In many parts of the world, summer is well underway. ☀️🌊

Beaches, boat trips and wildlife encounters may be part of the holiday season, but how we experience marine wildlife matters.

Whether you’re watching dolphins, snorkelling on wildlife-rich reefs or joining a whale-watching tour, small actions can make a big difference for migratory marine species.

The CMS International Guidelines for Sustainable Marine Wildlife Interactions: Boat-Based & In-Water Activities offer simple ways to help protect wildlife.

Learn more: https://www.cms.int/publication/international-guidelines-sustainable-marine-wildlife-interactions-boat-based-and-water

11/06/2026

🌊The ocean covers 70% of our planet
🌊About 50% of the Earth's oxygen production comes from the ocean
🌊The ocean absorbs around 25% of anthropogenic CO2 emissions

Yet 40% of the ocean area is heavily altered.🚨

On , dive into some details from the 🌍