On Tuesday, November 22, 2016, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco attended the opening of the Sixth Meeting of the Parties à l’ACCOBAMS in Monte-Carlo, Monaco.

The purpose of the four-day meeting is to adopt measures to improve knowledge of cetaceans, reduce threats from human activities and enhance understanding and techniques among the State parties, in addition to collaboration with other international organizations.

During Tuesday’s event the sovereign prince witnessed the launch of the ACCOBAMS Survey Initiative project. The purpose of the campaign is to assess populations of cetaceans and their distribution in the whole of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea by observers on specially equipped aircraft or ships has been made possible thanks to the MAVA Foundation and the commitment of all the ACCOBAMS countries. It will provide reliable data that is harmonized at the regional level to increase knowledge of cetaceans and ensure their protection.

In particular, the following will be studied: a joint protocol between the various international organizations for the management of cetacean strandings, the adoption of the principle of the systematic undertaking of independent impact studies prior to all work likely to generate underwater noise that could prove harmful to cetaceans, and decreasing the effects of interaction between cetaceans and human activities, such as fishing.