Notification to the Parties

CONCERNING:

Seahorses and other members of the family Syngnathidae

1. At its 11th meeting (Gigiri, 2000), the Conference of the Parties adopted Decision 11.153, which directs the Secretariat to:

a) assist in obtaining funds from interested Parties, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, exporters, importers and other stakeholders, to support a technical workshop of relevant experts on the conservation of seahorses and other syngnathids;

b) contingent on the availability of external funding, cooperate with other relevant bodies, including the fisheries sector, to convene a technical workshop to consider and review biological and trade information that would assist in establishing conservation priorities and actions to secure the conservation status of seahorses and other syngnathids;

c) request Parties to provide, for discussion at the technical workshop, all relevant available information concerning the status, catches and bycatches of, and trade in, seahorses and other syngnathids and on any domestic measures for their conservation and protection, and to review the adequacy of such measures;

d) encourage scientific research to promote the long-term conservation and sustainable use of seahorses and other syngnathids; and

e) explore ways to enhance the participation of fishermen, traders and consumers in the conservation and sustainable use of seahorses and other syngnathids.

2. The Secretariat, in accordance with Decision 11.153, requests that Parties or organizations interested in funding the technical workshop mentioned in paragraph a) of the Decision contact the Secretariat as soon as possible.

3. The Secretariat also requests Parties to provide all relevant available information concerning the status, catches and bycatches of, and trade in, seahorses and other syngnathids and on any domestic measures for their conservation and protection, for discussion at the technical workshop. The Secretariat would appreciate it if this information could be submitted to the Secretariat by 31 October 2001. This is an extension of the deadline given in Notification to the Parties No. 2001/023 of 16 March 2001.

4. Regarding paragraph d) of Decision 11.153, the Secretariat would welcome the results of any scientific research to promote the long-term conservation and sustainable use of seahorses and other syngnathids and encourages Parties to expand their scientific research programmes accordingly.

5. Regarding paragraph e) of Decision 11.153, the Secretariat invites all Parties and organizations engaged in enhancing the involvement of local communities in the conservation and sustainable use of syngnathid species to inform it of its activities and to suggest possible ways of applying such programmes in other regions.

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