Conservation of Southern Giant Petrel Macronectes giganteus
The Representatives,
Recalling Resolution 4 (2006) on the Conservation of Southern Giant Petrels;
Noting that the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP) is keeping under review the possibility of designating the southern giant petrel as an Antarctic Specially Protected Species under Annex II to the Protocol on Environmental Protection;
Recalling that the Guidelines for CEP Consideration of Proposals for New and Revised Designations of Antarctic Specially Protected Species under Annex II to the Protocol adopted at CEP VIII, which provide, inter alia, for assessments of the status of species at a regional or local level;
Recognising that, while the southern giant petrel, in its global distribution, is currently being downlisted from Vulnerable to Near Threatened by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, concern has been expressed that populations within the Antarctic Treaty area may fulfill the criteria for higher risk status;
Recognising that the life-history characteristics of the southern giant petrel may make it particularly sensitive to human disturbance;
Noting that the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) encourages the Antarctic Treaty System to further protect breeding sites of southern giant petrels;
Noting that many Parties support a precautionary approach to this matter;
Recommend that:
1. All Parties be encouraged to make available existing relevant scientific data and results to the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research and to implement new research into the population biology of southern giant petrels;
2. SCAR, in collaboration with ACAP, the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) and other relevant bodies as appropriate, complete a review as soon as practical of the population status and trends of the southern giant petrel in the Antarctic Treaty area including an assessment of:
1) whether this species fulfils the criteria for designation as a Specially Protected Species under Annex II of the Protocol at a regional scale (the Antarctic Treaty area), and;
2) the demographic mechanisms underlying any changes in the population size;
3. The Chair of CEP contact the Secretariats of ACAP and CCAMLR to seek information on current conservation management measures for the southern giant petrel;
4. All Parties are encouraged to provide to the CEP website http://cep.ats.aq details of all existing national regulations, management plans or site guidelines for all areas with breeding colonies of southern giant petrels which may be at risk of disturbance that may serve as an example to develop an Action Plan for the Antarctic Treaty area under the Guidelines for CEP Consideration of Proposals for New and Revised Designations of Antarctic Specially Protected Species under Annex II of the Protocol and better inform local and regional measures to protect southern giant petrels in the Antarctic Treaty area;
5. In the intervening period, all Government and non-Governmental activities in Antarctica be planned so as to limit negative impacts on southern giant petrels.
The Representatives,
Recalling Resolution 4 (2006) on the Conservation of Southern Giant Petrels;
Noting that the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP) is keeping under review the possibility of designating the southern giant petrel as an Antarctic Specially Protected Species under Annex II to the Protocol on Environmental Protection;
Recalling that the Guidelines for CEP Consideration of Proposals for New and Revised Designations of Antarctic Specially Protected Species under Annex II to the Protocol adopted at CEP VIII, which provide, inter alia, for assessments of the status of species at a regional or local level;
Recognising that, while the southern giant petrel, in its global distribution, is currently being downlisted from Vulnerable to Near Threatened by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, concern has been expressed that populations within the Antarctic Treaty area may fulfill the criteria for higher risk status;
Recognising that the life-history characteristics of the southern giant petrel may make it particularly sensitive to human disturbance;
Noting that the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) encourages the Antarctic Treaty System to further protect breeding sites of southern giant petrels;
Noting that many Parties support a precautionary approach to this matter;
Recommend that:
1. All Parties be encouraged to make available existing relevant scientific data and results to the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research and to implement new research into the population biology of southern giant petrels;
2. SCAR, in collaboration with ACAP, the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) and other relevant bodies as appropriate, complete a review as soon as practical of the population status and trends of the southern giant petrel in the Antarctic Treaty area including an assessment of:
1) whether this species fulfils the criteria for designation as a Specially Protected Species under Annex II of the Protocol at a regional scale (the Antarctic Treaty area), and;
2) the demographic mechanisms underlying any changes in the population size;
3. The Chair of CEP contact the Secretariats of ACAP and CCAMLR to seek information on current conservation management measures for the southern giant petrel;
4. All Parties are encouraged to provide to the CEP website http://cep.ats.aq details of all existing national regulations, management plans or site guidelines for all areas with breeding colonies of southern giant petrels which may be at risk of disturbance that may serve as an example to develop an Action Plan for the Antarctic Treaty area under the Guidelines for CEP Consideration of Proposals for New and Revised Designations of Antarctic Specially Protected Species under Annex II of the Protocol and better inform local and regional measures to protect southern giant petrels in the Antarctic Treaty area;
5. In the intervening period, all Government and non-Governmental activities in Antarctica be planned so as to limit negative impacts on southern giant petrels.
