ASCOBANS

23/04/2026

The 22nd Meeting of the ASCOBANS Jastarnia Group (JG22) took place last week 🐬

The Steering Group for the 𝘙𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘉𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘗𝘰𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘴 (Jastarnia Plan) and the 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘗𝘰𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘗𝘰𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯 𝘉𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘤, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘚𝘦𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘒𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘵 - the Jastarnia Group - met online from 14 to 16 April 2026. Joined by invited experts, IGOs and NGOs, the group reviewed progress in implementing the species action plans.

JG22 developed a list of Action Points, which will be available in due course here with the meeting report: https://www.ascobans.org/meeting/jg22

Thank you to the 29 participants!

| Convention on Migratory Species

📷:©️ASCOBANS Secretariat

19/04/2026

The 14th Meeting of the ASCOBANS North Sea Group (NSG14) took place early this week 🐬

The Steering Group for the 𝐴𝑆𝐶𝑂𝐵𝐴𝑁𝑆 𝐶𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑃𝑙𝑎𝑛 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝐻𝑎𝑟𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑃𝑜𝑟𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑠𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑁𝑜𝑟𝑡ℎ 𝑆𝑒𝑎 (North Sea Group) met online from 13 to 14 April 2026. Joined by invited experts, IGOs and NGOs, the group reviewed the progress in implementing the Conservation Plan. Several scientific presentations feeding into the progress were heard, which will be available on the meeting page soon.

NSG14 developed a list of Priority Recommendations, which will be available in due course here with the meeting report: https://www.ascobans.org/meeting/nsg14

Thank you to all the 35 participants!

Convention on Migratory Species

📷:©️ASCOBANS Secretariat

10/04/2026

📣 Last day to register to the ECS-ASCOBANS Workshop 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲, 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗔𝘁𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲-𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲-𝗯𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗗𝗼𝗹𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗻𝘀 !

We have a few seats left at this workshop, organized as part of the 2026 Conference of the European Cetacean Society (ECS) - register today through the ECS website: https://www.europeancetaceansociety.eu/conference-workshops-37

📅 When: Tuesday 21 April 2026, 14:00-18:00 BST
📍 Where: Queens Hotel, Dundee 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
➡️ More information: https://www.ascobans.org/meeting/ecs-ascobans-workshop-building-knowledge-building-action-atlantic-white-sided-and-white

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘱 𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘗𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘌𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘴 (𝘚𝘦𝘢 𝘞𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘍𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 & 𝘉𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘰𝘳 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘺), 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘭 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘻𝘦 (𝘡𝘰𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 𝘔𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘶𝘮 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘩𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘯), 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘦 𝘙𝘢𝘴𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘯 (𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘐𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥)

| Convention on Migratory Species

📷: White-beaked dolphin © Ben Burville

10/04/2026

Are you attending the 2026 Conference of the European Cetacean Society (ECS) in Dundee? Join the ASCOBANS workshop on Risso's dolphins!

⏰ We have a few seats left - today is the deadline to register through the ECS website: https://www.europeancetaceansociety.eu/conference-workshops-37

🧰 What: Workshop 𝑇𝑜𝑤𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑠 𝑀𝑒𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑓𝑢𝑙 𝐶𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝐴𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑅𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑜’𝑠 𝐷𝑜𝑙𝑝ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑁𝑜𝑟𝑡ℎ 𝐴𝑡𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑐
📅 When: Monday 20 April 2026, 14:00-18:00 BST
📍 Where: Apex City Quay Hotel & Spa, Dundee, 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

➡️ More information: https://www.ascobans.org/meeting/ecs-ascobans-workshop-towards-meaningful-conservation-action-rissos-dolphins-north-atlantic

If you cannot attend but wish to contribute relevant information to the workshop, complete this online form by 15 April: https://tinyurl.com/3b5nj6xa

The workshop is organized together with OceanCare International, MARA, and Sea Watch Foundation 🐬

| Convention on Migratory Species

📷: Risso's dolphin © Nicola Hodgins

28/03/2026

GLOBAL WHALE COUNT 2026 KOMT ERAAN! 🐋- In de eerste week van september komen organisaties en mensen wereldwijd weer samen voor de Global Whale Count. Samen tellen we walvissen en vergroten we het bewustzijn over hun cruciale rol in onze oceanen.

En er is goed nieuws… de eerste organisatie heeft zich al aangemeld — welkom Universiteit Alaska! Daarmee zijn de inschrijvingen officieel geopend 😉

Deed je vorig jaar mee? Of wil je dit jaar aansluiten bij deze wereldwijde beweging? Meld jouw organisatie via onderstaande link. Meedoen als "gewone onderzoekende burger"? Zeker kan dat! Houd onze berichtgeving in de gaten en meldt je aan!



Meer info: https://rugvin.nl/global-whale-count/

23/03/2026

🎉Today marks the start of the Fifteenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Migratory Species !

CMS COP15 is hosted by the Government of Brazil in Campo Grande from 23–29 March 2026. The COP agenda includes several items that are closely related to ASCOBANS’ work on small cetacean conservation, such as bycatch, marine pollution, underwater noise, vessel strikes, and conservation priorities for cetaceans. Check out the provisional agenda here: https://www.cms.int/document/provisional-agenda-and-documents-39

🐬 ASCOBANS has submitted its progress report to COP15, which is available here: https://www.cms.int/document/report-agreement-conservation-small-cetaceans-baltic-north-east-atlantic-irish-and-north


📷 © 髪結師 / AdobeStock

03/03/2026

🌍 Today is World Wildlife Day! A good moment to spotlight the wildlife ASCOBANS exists to protect: ASCOBANS focuses on conservation of small cetaceans, including harbour porpoises and dolphins, across its Agreement area.

🐬Protecting these species requires not only national efforts, but also transboundary cooperation including preventing harm and mitigating impacts. World Wildlife Day is a reminder that this work is ongoing and that progress depends on consistency of our actions.

Check out our activities via www.ascobans.org !

🇺🇳 United Nations World Wildlife Day (WWD) is celebrated every year on 3 March to recognize the unique roles and contributions of wildlife to people and the planet.

Convention on Migratory Species |

📷 : Orcas © Rob Lott

05/02/2026

26/01/2026

↗️ Offshore renewable energy development is accelerating ↗️

Today, on the International Day of Clean Energy, it feels especially timely to talk about what it means offshore, where climate action meets marine life. 🌊

At ASCOBANS MOP10 (2024), Parties adopted two Resolutions focused on this exact intersection: Resolution 6.2 (Rev.MOP10) on the 𝘈𝘥𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘌𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘜𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘕𝘰𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘋𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘖𝘧𝘧𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘈𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘙𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘸𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘌𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘺 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 and Resolution 8.6 (Rev.MOP10) on 𝘖𝘤𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘌𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘺. These Resolutions, among other ASCOBANS contributions, speak to managing impacts on cetaceans so that climate action and marine protection can move forward together.

🐳 For cetaceans, the construction phase is particularly detrimental. Pile driving and increased vessel traffic can add intense and chronic noise conditions that whales and dolphins rely on for communication, navigation, foraging, and other everyday activities.

The goal is to build policies and practices that cut emissions while also reducing risk to marine life through intentional planning, mitigation, and cooperation across all industries involved.

➡️ Resolution 6.2 (Rev.MOP10): https://www.ascobans.org/document/adverse-effects-underwater-noise-marine-mammals-during-offshore-construction-activities-0
➡️ Resolution 8.6 (Rev.MOP10): https://www.ascobans.org/document/ocean-energy-1

Read more about the International Day of Clean Energy: ➡️ https://www.un.org/en/observances/clean-energy-day

Convention on Migratory Species

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📷: © Canva

20/01/2026

🌊 At the 10th Meeting of the Parties (MOP10) in Odense, ASCOBANS Parties gathered to tackle pressing conservation issues for marine life. One of the key resolutions focused on the conservation of beaked whales, a vulnerable species highly sensitive to human impacts.

🐋This resolution emphasizes actions to protect beaked whales from threats like underwater noise, bycatch, and pollution. Enhanced monitoring, noise mitigation, and designated protected areas are among the strategies encouraged. ASCOBANS Parties are committed to international cooperation to support the survival of these elusive, ecologically important cetaceans.

Read Resolution 10.4 here ➡️ https://www.ascobans.org/document/conservation-beaked-whales

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Convention on Migratory Species

📷 © Andrea Izzotti / Adobe Stock

14/01/2026

That's a wrap 🎁

The 6th Meeting of the ASCOBANS Common Dolphin Group (CDG6) gathered 40+ participants over two days, who shared updates on:
✅ implementation of the Common Dolphin SAP
✅ strandings patterns
✅ bycatch
✅ other work on any hazardous substances, causes of mortality, health status, nutritional status, diet or life history analysis on the common dolphin
✅ ...and much more.

Thank you everyone for the discussions and active participation!

The agreed recommendations and the meeting report will be made available in due course on the ASCOBANS website: https://www.ascobans.org/meeting/cdg6

📷: Some of the CDG6 participants on Day 2. ©️ ASCOBANS Secretariat

Convention on Migratory Species | EU Maritime & Fish | EU Environment | Sea Watch Foundation | Irish Whale and Dolphin Group | OceanCare International