23 December 2013: The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) has announced plans to boost marine mammal conservation initiatives in 2014, with particular focus on supporting implementation of the SPREP Marine Species Action Plans 2013-2017.

Initiatives to be undertaken include a new website to document and report whale and dolphin strandings throughout Oceania. Stranding information and photos will be stored in a searchable database, and the South Pacific Whale Research Consortium will coordinate an annual review and report to be forwarded to the International Whaling Commission and the Secretariat of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), as well as SPREP member countries. The website has been developed with support from the Pew Marine Conservation Fellowship, through a Memorandum of Understanding between SPREP and the South Pacific Whale Research Consortium.

SPREP will also play a central role in the organization of the next International Conference on Marine Mammal Protected Areas (ICMMPA), to be held in Adelaide, Australia from the 9-11 November 2014. The Conference will aim to facilitate both formal and informal connections between marine mammal protected areas that share common species, populations, threats and other issues.

SPREP has also announced plans to collaborate with CMS, national authorities and experts to improve the conservation of dugongs and sea grass beds under a programme funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and to organize, with the International Whaling Commission, a workshop for Pacific island countries and territories on how to safely disentangle whales from rope and nets. [SPREP News] [Strandings of Oceania Website]