National Meeting on Marine Mammals Yields Numerous Positive Outcomes

Santo Domingo, July 1, 2009

The National Meeting on Marine Mammals, held on June 29, assessed the current state of marine mammals in the Dominican Republic and delineated steps to be taken in the areas of research, conservation and protection to assure the continued existence of whale, dolphin and manatee populations living in the territorial waters of the Dominican Republic. The meeting was organized by Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) and its sister institution in the Dominican Republic, Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE), in partnership with ATEMAR.

The National Meeting on Marine Mammals made clear the key role the Dominican Republic has played as a world leader in the conservation of these species, as it was the first in the region to establish the Silver Bank Humpback Whale Sanctuary in 1986,

The meeting, held at FUNGLODE headquarters in Santo Domingo, united a large number of national and international experts in the area of marine mammal conservation, in order to assess the current status of marine mammal populations in the Dominican Republic. Participants represented organizations that have conducted work in the Dominican Republic in the areas of research, conservation and protection throughout the last 23 years. Participating organizations included: the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) represented by Dr. Phil Clapham; Dr. John Reynolds, Chairman of the Marine Marine Commission; Dr. Chris Clark, Director of the Bio-Acoustics in the Neurology and Behavior Science Department at Cornell University; Dr. Danielle Cholewiak, from the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary; Professor David Mattila, Coordinator of the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary; Eleuterio Martínez, Deputy Minister for Protected Areas and Biodiversity of the Environment and Natural Resources Ministry; Omar Ramírez, Director of the National Commission for Climate Change; Dr. Idelisa Bonnelly de Calventi, Director of the Marine Biology Research Center (CIBIMA) of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo and President of the Dominican Foundation for Marine Research (FUNDEMAR); as well as representatives from Ecomar and The Nature Conservancy.

The National Meeting on Marine Mammals made clear the key role the Dominican Republic has played as a world leader in the conservation of these species, as it was the first in the region to establish the Silver Bank Humpback Whale Sanctuary in 1986, in order to protect the mating, calving and nursery grounds of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). Since then the country has followed suit as a global pioneer, establishing the first “sister sanctuary” arrangement between the NOAA Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary off the coast of Massachusetts and the Marine Mammal Sanctuary of the Dominican Republic, two marine protected areas 1,500 miles apart that provide conservation programs for the North Atlantic humpback whale population on both ends of its range. It is estimated that the Marine Mammal Sanctuary of the Dominican Republic, which presently covers a 19,438-square-mile area including Navidad Bank and part of Samana Bay, receives an estimated 17,000 humpback whales per year, making it the area of highest density of this species of whales in the world.

Outcomes of National Meeting on Marine Mammals:

• Agreement to consolidate different databases and images of whales belonging to various organizations throughout the country
  
• Agreement to develop post graduate programs to raise the level of research and professionalism among the local scientific community
  
• Agreement to create a research center that will contribute to the work of other institutions internationally
  
• Agreement to create a plan of action for the conservation of marine mammals in the entire Caribbean basin
  
• Reaffirmation of the country’s commitment to the protection of marine mammals and its dominant role in the region given its new position as a member of the International Whaling Commission
  
• Proposal to form a National Commission for Marine Mammals in the Dominican Republic

It is worth underscoring the suggestion made by several experts – including Dr. John Reynolds, President of the North American Commission of Marine Mammals – that that the Dominican Republic take on the role as the region’s leader and serve as a model for the wider Caribbean region in the conservation of marine mammals.

Another equally important aspect stressed during the meeting was the economic value of whale watching in the Bay of Samaná, which garners earnings in the area of $9.5 million dollars over a period of only 60 days,

Another equally important aspect stressed during the meeting was the economic value of whale watching in the Bay of Samaná, which garners earnings in the area of $9.5 million dollars over a period of only 60 days, illustrating that marine mammals are more valuable alive than dead.

As part of their commitment to environmental protection, GFDD and FUNGLODE develop national and international projects and organize conferences and forums designed to promote awareness and improved understanding of environmental issues.

Pictures Gallery

Panel los mamiferos marinos en Republica Dominicana 29-06-2009	Encuentro Nacional sobre Mamifero Marino 29-06-2009

See background document

Dr. John e. Reynolds, II Biography

David Mattila CV

Oswaldo Vasquez CV

See the presentations:

El santuario de mamíferos marinos – Estado actual y perspectivas
Eleuterio Martínez, Deputy Minister for Protected Areas and Biodiversity of the Environment and Natural Resources Ministry; Rita Sellares, Patricia Lancho e Idelisa Bonnelly de Calventi, Fundación Dominicana de Estudios Marinos (Fundemar)

Los delfines en la República Dominicana: ¿Cautivos o libres? Situación legal, cautiverio, investigaciones y conservación, Haydee Domínguez, M.Sc. and Enrique Pugibet, Marine Biology Research Center (Cibima), UASD

Situación actual del manatí antillano (Trichechus manatus manatus) en la República Dominicana
Haydee Domínguez, M.Sc. and Enrique Pugibet, Marine Biology Research Center (Cibima) of the UASD

La investigación y conservación de las ballenas jorobadas (Megaptera novaeangliae, Borowski 1871) en la República Dominicana, Héctor Ramírez, M.Sc., Director of the Cibima Marine Mammal Project and Oswaldo E. Vásquez, M.Sc.

Humpback whale research and conservation in the Dominican Republic and Wider Caribbean, Phil Clapham (NOAA), Oswaldo Vasquez, Atemar; and Idelisa Bonnelly de Calventi, Fundemar (Videoconference)

El turismo de observación de ballenas y delfines en la Bahía de Samaná, Ing. Augusto González, Motomarina; Kim Bedall, Whale Samaná

Efectos del cambio climático global sobre los cetáceos y su medio ambiente marino
Dr. Carol Franco Billini; Omar Ramírez, Consejo Nacional para el Cambio Climático

Datos sobre Ballenas jorobadas (Megaptera novoaengliae) en la Bahía de Samaná
Dr. Liliana Betancourt Fernández, Programa EcoMar; Rosa Lamelas, M.Sc., CEBSE, Inc.

Experiencia sobre turismo sostenible en la observación de ballenas jorobadas en la Bahía de Samaná
Dr. Alejandro Herrera-Moreno, Programa EcoMar

The role of marine mammal parks in conservation
Steve Walton, Marine Mammal Advisor Dolphin Island, Manatee Park and Aquarium

Hermanamiento de santuarios: áreas protegidas de mamíferos marinos más allá de las fronteras. Una innovadora herramienta de gestión para especies transforterizas, Dr. Nathalie Ward and Craig MacDonald, presented by Dr. Danielle Cholewiak, Acoustic Specialist, NOAA

El Santuario Nacional Marino Stellwagen Bank: Desarrollo de herramientas y conceptos para monitorear y reducir el impacto de la contaminación acústica submarina, Dr.Danielle Cholewiak, Specialists Acústica, NOAA

La Observación de Ballenas en el Banco de la Plata, Santuario de Mamíferos Marinos de la República Dominicana
Lorenzo Martínez, Samaná Tourist Service S.A; Aquatic Adventure, LC

Proyecto DSTA-USAID: Evaluación del impacto potencial del tránsito marítimo sobre la ocurrencia de las Ballenas jorobadas en la Bahía de Samaná, a través de grabaciones acústicas
Ilianny Dominguez, M.Sc. Marine Program Manager, The Nature Conservancy

The Dominican Republic and Marine Mammal Conservation: Opportunities for regional and international collaboration
Courtney Vail, Caribbean Program Director, Whales and Dolphins Conservation Society (WDSC) (Videoconferences)

La Comisión Nacional de Mamíferos Marinos de la Secretaria de Estado de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales: Una propuesta viable
Oswaldo Vásquez, M.Sc., Environmental and Maritime Technology Adviser, (Atemar, S.A.)

La Investigación de las Ballenas Jorobadas en la Región del Caribe
David Mattila, NOAA

La investigación bioacústica de cetáceos – una alternativa en contra de la Cacería Científica, Chris Clark, Cornell University

El papel de la Comisión de Mamíferos Marinos de los EEUU en la conservación global
Dr. John Reynolds, Chairman, US Marine Mammal Commission

Links:

• http://stellwagen.noaa.gov/
  
• http://research.cals.cornell.edu/entity?home=3&id=5549
  
• http://mmc.gov/
  
• http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/education/hawaii/
  
• http://www.mote.org/
  
• http://espanol.geocities.com/ongprogramaecomar/
  
• http://www.nature.org/