(spoken text can vary)

The Year of the Dolphin: a Global Awareness Project

The UN Convention on Migratory Species is the only Convention to protect animals during their migration over land, air and sea. CMS has proven outstanding expertise across the globe specifically in conserving dolphins and whales.

Two specialized agreements were developed under the auspices of CMS: the first agreement ASCOBANS was concluded 15 years ago. Today we congratulate ACCOBAMS on its 10th anniversary.

In spite of the Convention’s success in conservation, the threats that dolphins face are on the rise: habitat loss, pollution, bycatch, overfishing, climate change and deliberate hunting. Therefore we declare 2007 to be the Year of the Dolphin. To this end we have built a strong alliance with ACCOBAMS, ASCOBANS, and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society. It will benefit from the strong support of the world’s leading tourist group TUI. For the first time, the United Nations Environment Programme, a Non-Governmental Organization and the private sector collaborate closely to implement a campaign of this kind.

TUI has sponsored a website on the Year of the Dolphin. You will find there illustrated information on all dolphin species and their habitats as well as their role in culture and ecotourism. Over the next year there will be news on our activities, press information, as well as educational and awareness raising materials. We invite organizations dealing with conservation worldwide to join the campaign by registering their activities online. The website will be maintained in English and German.

Since we aim to address a large public, we will publish a one-page announcement in TUI catalogues of which there will be several million copies. The logo of the campaign will adorn aircrafts of a TUI owned airline. Articles to be published in in-flight magazines will give comprehensive information on the Year of the Dolphin. This is a unique chance to reach a large worldwide audience with information about these marine mammals.

A book on the world of dolphins with amazing pictures will be published by the end of the Year of the Dolphin 2007. It will contain a list of all the events held during the campaign and useful addresses for professionals and all those interested in dolphins.

The work of CMS to preserve dolphins is ongoing. Today we will conclude in Noumea, New Caledonia, a third agreement to protect whales and dolphins in the Pacific Islands region. And in 2007, another agreement to protect coastal dolphins in West Africa will be signed. As a global player the Convention on Migratory Species and its partners will strive to make the Year of the Dolphin a complete success.

To download this statement as PDF, click here