Notification 2014-001

Dear Madam/Sir, Reference is made to the earlier notification, dated 11 November 2013, regarding the nomination of experts to the Expert Workshop on Underwater Noise and its Impacts on Marine and Coastal Biodiversity, which will take place from 25 to 27 February 2014 at the headquarters of the International Maritime Organization in London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Conference of the Parties to the Convention, at its eleventh meeting, requested the Executive Secretary to collaborate with Parties, other Governments, and competent organizations, including the International Maritime Organization, the Convention on Migratory Species, the International Whaling Commission, indigenous and local communities and other relevant stakeholders, to organize an expert workshop with a view to improving and sharing knowledge on underwater noise and its impacts on marine and coastal biodiversity, and to develop practical guidance and toolkits to minimize and mitigate the significant adverse impacts of anthropogenic underwater noise on marine and coastal biodiversity, including marine mammals, in order to assist Parties and other Governments in applying management measures, as appropriate. The report of the workshop is to be made available for consideration by a meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) prior to the twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (paragraph 20, decision XI/18). Pursuant to the above request the CBD Secretariat is convening this expert workshop which will be hosted by the International Maritime Organization, with financial support from the European Commission. Therefore in order to prepare necessary scientific input to the workshop in a timely manner, I invite Parties, other Governments and relevant organizations to kindly provide relevant information concerning the objectives of the above-mentioned expert workshop, in particular regarding: (i) The impacts of underwater noise on marine and coastal biodiversity; (ii) Practical guidance and toolkits to minimize and mitigate the significant adverse impacts of anthropogenic underwater noise on marine and coastal biodiversity, including marine mammals Kindly provide your submissions, addressed to the Executive Secretary, via e-mail to secretariat@cbd.int or fax to +1 514 288-6588 as soon as possible but no later than 10 February 2014 to allow enough time for the Secretariat to compile and collate information. Information can be submitted in any format (e.g. scientific articles, relevant reports or documents), as appropriate. Thank you for your continued cooperation and support towards the work of the Convention. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: CBD National Focal Points and SBSTTA Focal Points; other Governments; International Maritime Organization; Convention on Migratory Species; International Whaling Commission; indigenous and local communities; and other relevant organizations