Line of action:

Marine ecosystems

Status:

Finalizado

Execution date:

2021

Total budget:

€29,103.50

Amount of aid from the Biodiversity Foundation:

€24,360.50

The sperm whale is a species of worldwide distribution, although the Mediterranean population constitutes a genetically and culturally differentiated unit. It is listed as “vulnerable” in the CEEA and “Endangered” in the Mediterranean on the IUCN red list. This project faces two challenges. One, to explore the feasibility of raising the degree of protection of the sperm whale to “Endangered” in the Mediterranean at the CEEA and two: to contribute to the conservation plan for “deep-diving cetaceans” of all species frequent in the Mediterranean.

• Preparation of a basic technical document for the possible cataloguing of the sperm whale as “Endangered” in the CEEA.
• Preparation of a conservation plan for deep-diving cetaceans in the Mediterranean.
• To raise awareness of deep diving species and especially the Mediterranean sperm whale and the serious problem of collisions to the public.

• Dissemination and communication of the project: The project will be disseminated through communication in the press, social networks, the entity’s website, as well as with the realization of a dissemination day.
  It is also expected that the results report will be sent to the competent administrations.
• Bibliographic review: All available scientific information on P. macrocephalus G. melas, Z. cavirostris, G. griseus in the Mediterranean will be reviewed.
• Identification and contact with research entities: A connection will be established with all entities that work with cetaceans in the western Mediterranean, for the compilation of all the information that may exist in reference to P. macrocephalus and other deep-diving cetaceans not included in published works and that may be relevant to the document.
• Feasibility analysis of the request for an upgrade of the degree of protection from vulnerable to endangered in the Mediterranean in the EAEC: With all the information collected, an analysis of the situation of the degree of conservation of the sperm whale will be carried out, as well as the achievement of the criteria specified in the Resolution of March 6, 2017, of the General Directorate of Environmental Quality and Evaluation and the Natural Environment, which approves the guiding criteria for the inclusion of taxa and populations in the Spanish Catalog of Endangered Species.
• Organization of workshops with experts and technicians from the Autonomous Communities.
• Preparation of a technical document on raising the level of protection of sperm whales in the Mediterranean: After the feasibility analysis of raising the level of protection of the sperm whale in the Mediterranean and consultation with experts and technicians, a document will be drawn up with the conclusions that justify, or not, the application for the degree of protection.
• Preparation of a conservation plan for deep-diving cetaceans in the Mediterranean: After the participation workshops, a document will be prepared that can be included as part of the Conservation Plan for deep-diving cetaceans.

Within the framework of the project, work has been done on the development of tools for the management of deep-diving cetaceans, in coordination with research entities and administrations competent in the field of species in the autonomous communities.
The information collected has served to verify the degree of compliance with the Regulation of March 6, 2017 approving the guiding criteria for the inclusion of taxa and populations in the Spanish Catalog of Endangered Species, confirming a population decrease of more than 70% in the last three generations of sperm whale and the persistence of conservation threats such as collisions with ships, accidental fishing or underwater noise, which would justify the inclusion of the Mediterranean sperm whale in the CEEA as Endangered.
With all this information, the entity has prepared a proposal for the inclusion of the sperm whale as an Endangered species that has been sent to MITECO and at the same time has drafted a conservation plan for deep-diving cetaceans in the Mediterranean.