Cetacean conservation project launched with international partnershil

After a year of preparation, London University Marine Biological Station (UMBS) Millport in Scotland, WWF – Pakistan, and Centre of Excellence in Marine Biology (CEMB), University of Karachi has launched a three year project on Pakistan’s endangered cetaceans, entitled the “Cetacean Conservation Project”. The project was formally launched at the University of Karachi on Tuesday, November 22, 2005. Karachi University Vice Chancellor, Dr. Pirzada Qasim was the Chief Guest.

Cetaceans are whales, dolphins and porpoises, all of which are key marine mammals in Pakistan’s marine biodiversity. They are endangered and yet there is still little known about how many we have off our coasts or whether our marine habitat can support them or not. In Oman, there are significant populations that feed off the coast.

The Project funded by Darwin Initiative with support from Ocean Park Conservation Foundation (OPCF), Hong Kong and British Council – HEC aims to survey both the Sindh and Balochistan coast for numbers and species of marine cetaceans, and to collect information on marine habitat quality. It also plans to develop sustainable livelihoods for fishermen by non-destructive exploitation of cetacean population through WWF – Pakistan. The project will be underpinned by capacity building within Pakistan’s marine science community through training in field techniques and introducing a marine mammal module at Karachi University to provide future scientists skilled in this area. A National Cetacean Group is envisaged, the “Pakistan Whale and Dolphin Group”, organised by WWF – Pakistan.

Dr. Mauvis A. Gore, the Darwin Project coordinator from the London University Marine Biological Station, Millport Scotland, said, “With my main project implementing partners, WWF – Pakistan and CEMB, we are very excited that we began our Darwin project on the 20 or so species of marine cetaceans off the coast of Pakistan. These are a very valuable resource for Pakistan, but we know so little about them at present. The project will provide much needed information to better manage Pakistan’s marine biodiversity.”

Dr. Ejaz Ahmad, Deputy Director General of WWF – Pakistan remarked, “It will be crucial that we find out more about our marine habitat. WWF – Pakistan has prioritised this area and we look forward to collaborating on a better outlook for our coasts.”
Dr. Jamal Siddiqui of CEMB, Karachi University said, “We look forward to training new students in the important field of marine mammals.”
The speakers on the launching ceremony besides, KU Vice Chancellor Dr. Pirzada Qasim and Prof. Dr. Mauvis A. Gore, Dr. Rupert Ormond, Director, UMBS, Marcus Gilbert, Director, British Council, Dr. Pirzada Jamal Siddiqui, Associate Professor, CEMB and Syed Ali Hasnain, Project Manager, WWF–Pakistan.

There has been no systematic survey of marine cetacean in any of the coastal waters of Pakistan. Information on these unique creatures along Pakistan coast is also very sparse and very little data has been published.

There is evidence to suggest that there is an undocumented, high diversity of cetaceans in Pakistani waters. Small cetaceans have mostly been sighted in creeks and at the mouth of the Indus along the Sindh coast and in the embayed coast and tidal lagoons on the Balochistan coast while large cetaceans have been sighted off the coast. Cetacean numbers are believed to be in decline, especially in Indus Delta due to ecological deterioration. They are believed to be affected by environmental change that includes noise and chemical pollution, biotoxins from harmful algal blooms, industrial activities, increase in sea traffic, and increase in the salinity of water from the Indus River.

Pakistan has increased their fish export and the number of international contracts for trawlers fishing in Pakistani seas has increased. The impact on the ecosystem is felt by the removal of a level of the food chain, and the increased likelihood of the main problems cetaceans face in Pakistani seas. Oil exploration has also begun off the Pakistan coast. There is a need for urgent action to gain information on the pelagic ecosystem around Pakistan and how this affects the cetacean population.

The survey team has already begun their survey work off the coast of Sindh. The team consists Dr. Mauvis and Ross Culloch from UMBS, Babar Hussain and Attaullah from WWF – Pakistan and Shaista Hameed and Shoaib Kiani from CEMB, Karachi University.