IUCN Report on Shiretoko World Heritage, March 2008

Date: Fri, 6 Jun 2008 07:08:09 +0900
Yesterday, IUCN report on "Shiretoko World Heritage Site, JapanReport of the reactive monitoring mission 18-22 February 2008" was released to press and uploaded on websites in English and Japanese:

http://www.rinya.maff.go.jp/j/press/hozen/pdf/080605-01.pdf

http://www.rinya.maff.go.jp/j/press/hozen/pdf/080605-02.pdf

In this report,
Recommendation 5 Continue the cooperation which has been initiated with the Russian Federation to find long-term solutions to resource use problems, particularly the unsustainable harvesting of the Walleye Pollock, and for regular exchange of scientific information.
The first meeting of Japan-Russia Scientists Meeting for ecosystem conservation was held on 20th-21st May in Tokyo (sorry, in Japanese).

http://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/press/release/h20/5/1180163_907.html

In addition, the IUCN report also wrote:

(9) In relation to the management of key marine indicator species the Mission Team notes that fisheries resources are affected by activities which occur outside of the property, in particular from fisheries activities in the wider Sea of Okhotsk. This is refl ected in fi sh stocks, where for example, the numbers of Walleye Pollock have been stable within the property for a number of years but have been generally declining throughout the Sea of Okhotsk. This requires action beyond the boundaries of the property and underlines the need for dialogue and consultation with relevant authorities and representatives of the fi sheries sector from Russia to address the issue of declining stocks, such as the Walleye Pollock.

Recommendation 6 Address the declining population trends of the two indicator species - Walleye Pollock and Stellar Sea Lion - through sound management interventions for their sustainable conservation within the property and through cooperative measures with relevant parties for areas outside the marine component of the property.

Therefore, we are much encouraged to make an ecosystem management plan including sealions and its prey (walleye pollock). This is our mission for the Pew Fellowship Grant.

Extension Plan of Shiretoko Heritage into Russian island has been promoted by several meetings (joining the past Minister Yuriko Koike).

http://www.nippon-foundation.or.jp/org/press/05262.html

(sorry, in Japanese).
Sincerely yours,

Hiroyuki Matsuda