The international project on chemical and biological contamination of cetaceans in the Pelagos Sanctuary, financed by the Permanent Secretariat of the Pelagos Agreement, reached its conclusion.
After the presentation of its teaser, here is the video!
Enjoy!
French version:
Italian version:
/>Strikes between ships and large cetaceans (Fin Whale and Sperm Whale) are the main cause of non-natural mortality for these marine mammals in the Pelagos Sanctuary. Speed is the main factor in explaining this mortality: below 10 knots (≃ 20 km/h), ship strikes are very rare; above 13 knots (≃ 25 km/h), strikes and mortality rates skyrocket.
The need for shipping companies to go fast stems from our consumer frenzy, particularly our desire to have everything, right away, or to travel very fast to our vacation destinations (in particular Corsica and Sardinia).
Organized from February 3rd to November 30th, 2020 by the Animation team of the French part of the Pelagos Sanctuary, and in partnership with the WWF, Souffleurs d'écume* and GIS3M*, this contest was designed at establishments welcoming youth in order to express their willingness to slow down this race to speed and to agree to give up the immediacy that generates serious impacts on the cetaceans of the Sanctuary.
Taking into account the quality of their performances, the jury, chaired by Denis Ody (WWF France), decided to declare the winners of the competition "Stop Collision" ex aequo:
The Lavandou day-care center and the Revest-les-Eaux Kindergarten.
Congratulations to the children and their supervisors for their proposals: a fresco for the former, drawings and songs for the latter. The only goal is to draw attention to the strikes between whales and ships, encouraging us to slow down our pace!
The winners will be rewarded during an educational visit on WWF France's boat, the Blue Panda, in the coming months. This will also be the occasion to present them with their prizes: Le Dauphin books, posters and bookmarks representing the 8 most common marine mammal species in the Pelagos Sanctuary.
Congratulations to all and thank you for your participation!
> For more information (in French version): https://initiatives-pelagos.fr/?PagePrincipale
* which became MIRACETI from June 2020
The Intermediate meeting on the Management Plan of the Pelagos Agreement took place on Monday, 25th and Tuesday, 26th January 2021, by videoconference.
This meeting aimed at discussing the drafts of the assessment of the current Management Plan (2016-2022) and of the next Management Plan (2022-2028) of the Pelagos Agreement.
The final drafts of these documents will be presented and discussed during the next meeting, to be held in the end of February 2021. 
The Pelagos Partnership Charter was signed between the President of the Métropole Toulon Provence Méditerranée (TPM), the Maritime Prefect of the Mediterranean and the Permanent Secretariat of the Pelagos Agreement on December 20th, 2020, by post, taking into account the health context.
By signing this Charter, the Métropole Toulon Provence Méditerranée:
- Confirms a strong ambition for the protection of marine mammals, which it has already initiated by signing the eco-responsibility Charter with the shipping company La Méridionale and the network of marine protected areas in 2018;
- Reinforces its commitment to the preservation of the marine environment, marked for many years;
- Contributes to a better visibility of the Pelagos Sanctuary and awareness of the protection of marine mammals to the greatest number.
On the territory of the Metropolis, the Municipality of Hyères - the only coastal municipality concerned - has been a signatory of the Pelagos Partnership Charter since 2010. The membership of the Metropolis is also a means of supporting this commitment and confirming its territory as a center of marine biodiversity.
The Authorities of the Agreement welcome the Métropole Toulon Provence Méditerranée and thank it for its commitment!
Click
pdf
here
to download the Métropole Toulon Provence Méditerranée press release in French version.
The “Pelagos Plastic Free - Integrated actions to reduce plastic debris in the Pelagos Sanctuary ” final report is online.
Click
pdf
here
to consult it. 
The “Biological and toxicological contamination of cetaceans in the Pelagos Sanctuary: assessment, origin, monitoring and mitigation” final report has just been relased.
Click
pdf
here
to consult it.
The “Proposal to develop and evaluate mitigation strategies to reduce the risk of ship strikes to Fin and Sperm whales in the Pelagos Sanctuary ”final report has just been relased.
Click
pdf
here
to consult it.
The Port-Cros National Park, in charge of the animation of the French part of the Pelagos Sanctuary, launches its Call for scientific partnership proposals, within the framework of the 2021-2023 Research program, financed by the Ministry of Ecological Transition.
Click
pdf
here
to download the Call for scientific partnership proposals in French version.
The international project on chemical and biological contamination of cetaceans in the Pelagos Sanctuary, financed by the Permanent Secretariat of the Pelagos Agreement, reached its conclusion.
While waiting for the video realized in the framework of the project, we present you its teaser.
Enjoy!
French version:
Italian version:
/>
The Permanent Secretariat of the Pelagos Agreement wishes you all the best and a Happy New Year!