§ Mr. WhittingdaleTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures have so far been taken to implement the Action Plan contained in the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels; and if she will make a statement. 141074]
§ Mr. MorleyThe Agreement and its associated Action Plan formally come into effect three months after the fifth range state has ratified the Agreement. South Africa became that fifth state in November. The Agreement will therefore enter into force on 1 February 2004.
However, a number of measures in the Action Plan are already being taken forward. For example, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has agreed international action plans which seek to reduce the threat to the birds from longline fishing. The Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) also has such measures. Data are now being collected on foraging areas and migration routes using satellite tracking and "at sea" observations, which will help target the conservation effort—British scientists are involved in this. The Falkland Islands are also already monitoring their colonies, preventing tourist disturbance and looking to tackle the threat from rats.