More News

In this section we’ll keep you informed about issues related with cetaceans which actually take place worldwide. The information provided in these notes does not necessary express Fundación Cethus opinion.

Repercussions of commercial whaling in Iceland  

Iceland finished its commercial whaling season for the year 2009 (See Note), during which more than 200 whales were caught since May, among which there were 125 fin whales - endangered species - and 79 minke whales. These actions threaten conservation efforts from countries in favor of non-lethal use of cetaceans and they are against the moratorium on commercial whaling (agreed by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in 1982) and the prohibition to the international trade in whale products (implemented by CITES - Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).

Currently, there are many conservationist initiatives that condemn this commercial whaling in Iceland. Among them, WDCS (Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society) made a campaign in which you can also be part of this fight and help to conserve these amazing animals. Click here to partake in it, signing a letter to the Prime Minister of Iceland, asking for the stop of commercial whaling. Minke and fin whales need us...


In addition to this, last October 2nd, the government of the United Kingdom, in behalf of several IWC member governments, submitted a Demarche (See Note) to Iceland in which, although the Iceland government's decision to review its stand on commercial whaling is supported, it also expresses the dissatisfaction of those who signed the demarche with the minke and fin whales hunting authorized by this country earlier this year -and for five years more. The demarche also asks Iceland to adhere the moratorium and review the planned increase in its capture quotas.

This diplomatic protest was signed by 26 IWC member countries, including 8 of our region (Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru and Uruguay).



For more information

CBI y CITES

A new Fraser´s dolphin stranding in Uruguayan coasts.

On August 15th, 2009 there was a stranding of approximately 15 Fraser's dolphins on Punta Negra beaches, Piriápolis, Department of Maldonado, Uruguay. Members of S.O.S. Rescate de Fauna Marina de Punta Colorada first attended the site and then call specialists from the Faculty of Sciences of the Universidad de la República, of Montevideo city, who once they took samples of organs and tissues of stranded animals for later analysis, they buried the animals for recovering their skeletons to be studied.

Due to the strong winds that lashed the region, along with severe ocean conditions, several dead dolphins were carried back to sea.

The Fraser's dolphin (Lagenodelphis hosei) live in deep and tropical ocean waters associated with warm currents, therefore, is very unlikely to see them in our southern region.
This species is very common in tropical ocean areas of the Pacific and Indian Ocean and it is thought to be rare in the Atlantic. Its presence in southern latitudes is an accidental fact, as its known distribution range is described between 30°N to 30°S.

Fraser's dolphins have been captured in the Philippines Islands for display in oceanaria, but their survival under these conditions is not successful. It is considered as a little-known species, and its protection depends on the conservation of their environment. In some cases, the cause of strandings is natural, but sometimes, external conditions related to human activities may cause them.

OTHER PUBLISHED STRANDINGS OF THIS SPECIE IN SOUTHERN WATERS
Argentina:
12/1999 Coast of Puerto Madryn, Province of Chubut, Argentina: Southernmost record for the South Atlantic.

11/29/2000 Berisso and Magdalena, Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina: Mass stranding occurred at the coast of Rio de la Plata, 14 individuals were found between the coasts of Punta Lara and Magdalena

Uruguay:
1997 Multiple stranding on the coasts of Rio de la Plata from Piriápolis (Department of Maldonado) to the balneario “El Calabrés” (Department of Colonia). Dolphins were found along 250km of coastline.

If you find a stranded cetacean, seaturtle or seabird, in Argentine, please call to the telephone number 106 of Prefectura Naval Argentina (PNA), which in turn will notice about the event to the proper authority on the subject. The Secretary of Environment and Sustainable Development of the Nation (Secretaría de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sustentable de la Nación) has a link with recommendations to act in case of strandings, although it is always advisable that organizations specialized in the field take the necessary actions.

Available in Spanish - Handbook of recommendations for birds, turtles and marine mammals rescue

If you have information about strandings and/or you want to collaborate, please call Fundación Cethus – Telefax (011)4796-3191 cethus@cethus.org www.cethus.org


Sources:
Fundación Cethus
WDCS Latinoamérica
S.O.S Rescate de Fauna Marina de Punta Colorada


Varamiento Masivo de “delfin de fraser” en costas del rio de la palata,V jornadas de zoología del Uruguay.

Análisis osteológico de ejemplares delfín de Fraser (Lagenodelphis hosei Fraser, 1956) provenientes de la costa de la provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina.; Lucero,S.O., Buono,M.R., Castello,H. Junin,M.; Revista de Biología Marina y Oceanografía 44(1): 23-34, abril de 2009.

Meat consumption of a Fraser's dolphin (Lagenodelphis hosei) stranded alive on the northern Brazilian coast; Carolina H. Tosi, Fagner A. Magalhães and Rosana G. Garri; Marine Biodiversity Records (2009), 2:e4 Cambridge University Press


 

 

Copyright ©2009 - Fundación Cethus - All rights reserved