Page 37 - IB MAY 2017

Oceans

by the Secreteriat of the
Pacific Regional
Environment Programme whales

THE humpback whale was hunted almost
to the point of extinction last century, with Photo courtesy of Niue Tourism
around 200 of a population that was once
around 10,000, remaining across the entire
region when the hunting ended in 1978.
Hailed as one of the world’s most success-
ful conservation stories, the population has
recovered today to around 3,000 whales.
These whales no longer face the har-
poon, but are affected by new threats,
especially plastic litter, marine noise, and
climatic changes.
In April, 11 Pacific countries signed
the Pacific Whale Declaration, calling for
strengthened whale conservation across
the region, at the Whales in a Changing Surviving in a
Ocean conference hosted by the Kingdom
of Tonga which is fitting given its histori-
cal role. When King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV changing ocean
of Tonga banned all whaling in Tongan
waters in 1978, he ushered in a new era of
conservation for this iconic species.
The Declaration highlights the need “Pacific governments can also take im- the potential impacts of climate change on
for continuing efforts to conserve Pacific portant steps, such as passing legislation Pacific whales, and we were surprised to
whales in the face of emerging and ongo- to protect whales, or by declaring marine learn about the important contribution that
ing threats. “The growing population of the mammal sanctuaries or marine protected whales make by stimulating the produc-
humpback whale is proof that by working areas within their waters.” tion of plant plankton in tropical waters,
together, the Pacific islands can achieve Pacific leadership is showing the way helping to sequester carbon dioxide,” said
great results. But we cannot rest here: the with Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Mr Donoghue.
threats whales face continue to grow,” New Caledonia, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Flocculant fecal plumes, or whale poo,
said Mr Michael Donoghue of the Secre- Samoa, American Samoa, and Vanuatu are rich with nutrients, has been described
tariat of the Pacific Regional Environment having already declared their waters to be as Miracle Grow for the ocean. It enables
Programme (SPREP). “What many of us Whale Sanctuaries. growth of phytoplankton, which takes car-
need to know is that whales are sentinels In April 2010, Tokelau also announced bon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, out of the
of the ocean. What happens to whales its intention to declare a marine sanctuary atmosphere and can carry the carbon to the
may eventually happen to human beings.” within the Tokelau Exclusive Economic ocean floor. “As the world works towards
A glaring threat is the plastic in our Zone (EEZ), and this year in April, Tonga being able to achieve commitments under
ocean. Globally, 6–12 million tonnes of reaffirmed its commitment to the Royal the Paris Agreement, we need to consider
plastic enter the ocean annually, with 50% Proclamation re-affirming that all Tongan the role whales can play in reducing green-
of birds and marine mammal species hav- waters are a Sanctuary for Whales. house gases in the atmosphere.”
ing eaten plastic. And this is not a problem Doing all that can be done to conserve “As this article outlines, the value of
restricted to industrialised countries - Pacific whales makes good sense, both eco- whales for our Pacific islands is immense,
whales have stranded in the Cook Islands, nomically and to mitigate climate change. they contribute in so many different ways
for example, with their stomachs clogged Whale-watching is big money. In 2006, and we plan to take this to the global stage
with plastic bags. Like whales, humans are worldwide expenditure on whale and dol- in June this year - showcasing our Pacific
also experiencing these impacts. phin watching was estimated to be more whales and their role on our planet.” said
A recent study showed plastic was found than USD 1.5 billion. The year before, Donoghue. “We hope to follow through
in one-third of the fish caught in the United in 2005, it was estimated that the total on our Pacific Whale Declaration with a
Kingdom, and another concluded the aver- economic benefit from whale- and dolphin- voluntary partnership between govern-
age European shellfish consumer may be watching tourism in the Pacific islands ments, academia, NGOs and the private
eating 11,000 pieces of microplastics each region exceeded USD 21 million. Those sector to conserve and protect these Giants
year. In the Pacific islands, the national fish numbers were calculated close to a decade of the Deep.”
consumption is three to four times that of ago, and with whale-watching a growing SPREP will be attending the United Na-
the global average. industry, there is little doubt these numbers tions Ocean Conference from 5 - 9 June
“There are some steps we ourselves can have grown considerably. in New York this year, co-hosted by the
take to protect our whales. We can stop Whales not only provide economic value Governments of Fiji and Sweden, work-
buying so much plastic, for example, or but also perform an invisible environmen- ing with the Pacific islands to amplify the
ask our supermarkets not to put everything tal service. Pacific voice and concerns.
into plastic bags,” said Donoghue. “We commissioned a study to review n SPREP