Arabian Sea humpback Whales on the agenda for the CMS COP in February 2024
The Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) will hold its 14th Conference of Parties in Uzbekistan from 12-17 February, 2024 Document UNEP/CMS/COP14/Doc.32.2.3 contains a progress report on the Concerted Action for Arabian Sea humpback whales, and a proposal to extend the Action for the next three years. Why is this important? ...
Collaboration and innovation for Endangered Arabian Sea humpback whales in Oman
From November 21st-December 11th, 2023, an international team of experts collaborated with the Environment Authority of Oman to conduct one of the most ambitious surveys for Arabian Sea humpback whales (ASHW) to date. At the height of the survey, which was coordinated by Future Seas, based in Oman, three boats ...
The Environment Society of Oman celebrates the graduates of a year-long Cetacean Research and Conservation Capacity Building programme
On Friday, October 5th, 2023, the Environment Society of Oman celebrated the achievement of four early-career Omani scientists who completed a year-long long capacity building programme on cetacean research and conservation. The programme, previously funded by HSBC Oman and now by Sohar International Bank, started in September 2022 with a ...
ASWN members participate in a regional meeting showcasing new tools for marine conservation
The Global Biodiversity Initiative Project (GOBI) hosted a meeting in Oman on October 2-4th, 2023 with the theme of ‘New tools to support ocean conservation, planning and sustainable use in the northwest Indian Ocean’. A number of ASWN members participated, representing organizations from Oman, Pakistan, and India. The workshop highlighted ...
Iran’s reporting network yields valuable records of Bryde’s whales
Bryde's whales (Balaenoptera edeni) sighting In recent news from the region, two baleen whales were spotted by fishermen; Mr. Meysam Sajadi Far and Amir Jamshidiat from Kangan, at two different locations in the Persian* Gulf on the 20th and 21st of June 2023. The fishermen shared photos and videos of ...
Arabian Sea Whales at the 2023 IWC Scientific Committee Meeting
This year the annual IWC Scientific Committee (SC) meeting was held in Bled, Slovenia between the 24th April and the 6th May 2023. A few ASWN members had the opportunity to attend the meeting in person or virtually, including Gianna Minton, Andrew Willson, Sal Cerchio, Tim Collins, Aida al Jabri ...
Workshop in Oman brings stakeholders together to discuss conservation management of Endangered Arabian Sea Humpback Whales
Press release issued by the Environment Society of Oman (ESO) Muscat, 28th November 2022 – A workshop focused on the protection of Arabian Sea humpback whales was organized in a collaboration between the Environment Authority (EA) and the Environment Society of Oman (ESO), with funding provided by HSBC Oman. The ...
ENVIRONMENT SOCIETY OF OMAN PARTNERS WITH HSBC OMAN FOR WHALE CONSERVATION AND CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAMMES
Press release shared by ASWN partner, the Environment Society of Oman (ESO): In recent weeks, the ESO signed a two-year sponsorship agreement with HSBC Bank Oman to support its efforts towards the conservation of the Arabian Sea humpback whale. Under the partnership, ESO will carry out two new projects; a ...
Successful release of an entangled humpback whale in Duqm Port, Oman
On the evening of January 18th, 2021, staff at the Environment Authority – Oman (EA) were notified that an Endangered Arabian Sea humpback whale had been observed entangled in fishing gear inside the Port of Duqm. This information was shared with the Oman Stranding Network. The whale had apparently been ...
New population of blue whales discovered in the western Indian Ocean!
Several ASWN members have been involved in the discovery and description of a new blue whale song, that defines a unique population of blue whales in the Arabian Sea and Western Indian Ocean. The official press release is copied here below, and a link to the newly published paper in ...
