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 Whale watching
Section:
Theme: Whale watching
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
Date started:
Date ended:
Status:
External URL:
Gabon has no whale-watching laws. Gabon's long-term development goals include expanding and diversifying ecotourism.
Gabon Research Projects
Section:
Theme: Cooperation and Research
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
Date started:
Date ended:
Status:
External URL:
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;.
Gabon International Cooperation
Section:
Theme: Cooperation and Research
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
Date started:
Date ended:
Status:
External URL:
Gabon is a member of several international agreements.
Gabon Cetacean Conservation
Section:
Theme: Other
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
Date started:
Date ended:
Status:
External URL:
Gabon is one of the country members of the IWC - Task Team on the Atlantic Humpback dolphin
NZ Conservation research
Section:
Theme: Bycatch, Strandings
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
Date started:
Date ended:
Status:
External URL:
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.
NZ Threats and conservation measures
Section:
Theme: Bycatch, Ship Strikes
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
Date started:
Date ended:
Status:
External URL:
There are three species under threat in New Zealands waters and each have measures in place to mitigate those threats
NZ Agreements
Section:
Theme: Conservation Management plans
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
Date started:
Date ended:
Status:
External URL:
New Zealand is party to a number of multilateral agreements related to cetaceans
NZ Legal protection
Section:
Theme: Sanctuaries and protected areas
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
Date started:
Date ended:
Status:
External URL:
There are four National Regulations and Acts which protect cetaceans around New Zealand.
NZ Threats and conservation measures
Section:
Theme: Bycatch, Ship Strikes
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
Date started:
Date ended:
Status:
External URL:
There are three species under threat in New Zealands waters and each have measures in place to mitigate those threats
NZ Whale Watching
Section:
Theme: Whale watching
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
Date started:
Date ended:
Status:
External URL:
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.
NZ Conservation research
Section:
Theme: Bycatch, Strandings
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
Date started:
Date ended:
Status:
External URL:
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.
NZ Reporting
Section:
Theme: Strandings
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
Date started:
Date ended:
Status:
External URL:
All stranding events are reported to the Department of Conservation, which maintains a national georeferenced stranding database (1846-2012).
Panama Whale watching
Section:
Theme:
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
Date started:
Date ended:
Status:
External URL:
Corridor (CMAR) with the firm commitment that the four countries (Panama, Colombia, Ecuador and Costa Rica) will work together in a
Panama Background
Section:
Theme: Conservation Management plans
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
Date started:
Date ended:
Status:
External URL:
Panama assumed the “pro tempore” Presidency of the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine
Panama Protected Areas
Section:
Theme: Sanctuaries and protected areas
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
Date started:
Date ended:
Status:
External URL:
Since 2005 Panama declared national waters a Panama Marine Corridor for Protection and Conservation from Marine Mammals areas; our recent National Ocean Policy proposes to turn our country into a model for the Latin American region where marine and coastal resources are protected, conserved, valued and used in a sustainable manner to positively impact the quality of life from our populations in an inclusive and participatory manner, with policies based on scientifical and technological management pillars that can be successful implemented within a legal framework that guarantees respect in the management of the oceans and seas
Panama Protected Areas
Section:
Theme: Sanctuaries and protected areas
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
Date started:
Date ended:
Status:
External URL:
Panama assumed the “pro tempore” Presidency of the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine
UK Threats and Measures
Section:
Theme: Bycatch
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
Date started:
Date ended:
Status:
External URL:
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.
UK Conservation Research
Section:
Theme: Conservation Management plans
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
Date started:
Date ended:
Status:
External URL:
surveillance and monitoring is conducted by a number of organisations
UK Laws and Regulations
Section:
Theme: Sanctuaries and protected areas
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
Date started:
Date ended:
Status:
External URL:
laws, regulations and other regulatory measures related to cetaceans
UK Marine Protected Areas for cetaceans
Section:
Theme: Sanctuaries and protected areas
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
Date started:
Date ended:
Status:
External URL:
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.
USA Legal Protections
Section:
Theme:
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
Date started:
Date ended:
Status:
External URL:
All cetaceans in U.S. waters are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).
Anthropogenic underwater sound has the potential to cause adverse effects on cetaceans and cetacean populations
USA Legal Protections
Section:
Theme: Bycatch
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
Date started:
Date ended:
Status:
External URL:
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.
Marine Mammal Protection Act Imports Rulemaking.
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.
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).
USA Fisheries Bycatch Reporting
Section:
Theme: Bycatch
Country profile on Whale Watching Handbook
Date started:
Date ended:
Status:
External URL:
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.
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.
National initiatives related to cetacean conservation.
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.