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The Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) commissioned a report from its Flyways Working Group that examines the major migratory bird flyways of the World (click here for background information).  The report (see AC6 Doc 32) reviews the coverage of these flyways by existing Agreements under CMS, proposes priorities for the development of such Agreements, and provides options on how these might be developed.

One of the policy options identified in the report is that the CMS helps in developing a coherent conservation framework and action plan for marine bird species not presently covered by ACAP or by the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA).

The Flyways Working Group has suggested that this could perhaps best be achieved by expanding the remit and work of ACAP, in discussion with AEWA, rather than by initiating any new Agreement; and suggested that this option needs to be discussed, initially by ACAP and by AEWA, so that the Parties to these two Agreements can form a clear view on how to proceed.

Currently the Albatross and Petrel Agreement lists 29 species of albatrosses and petrels.  However, discussions at its meetings have confirmed that all members of the avian order Procellariiformes (tubenoses) are eligible for listing in terms of the Agreement's text.  To date discussions at its meetings on further expansion of the list of species covered by ACAP have been concentrated on Calonectris and Puffinus shearwaters of the family Procellariidae.  At the next meeting of ACAP's Advisory Committee (the Sixth, to be held in Guayaquil, Ecuador next month) consideration will be given to a proposal by Spain that the Balearic Shearwater P. mauretanicus, a Critically Endangered Mediterranean endemic, be included within the Agreement (click here).

Expansion of ACAP to include migratory seabirds of orders other than the Procellariiformes is likely to have far-reaching implications.  Discussion of such implications are set to commence at ACAP's Advisory Committee meeting next month, which will be asked to review the policy options identified in the CMS flyways report that are of relevance to ACAP and to provide advice to the next Meeting of the Parties to ACAP on the potential implications that the adoption of these policy options may have for the Agreement.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 30 July 2011