Wildlife Treaties and Soft Law Agreements

Animal Welfare

European Convention for the Protection of Animals for Slaughter (1979)
European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals (1987)
European Convention for the Protection of Animals During International Transport (1968)
European Convention for the Protection Vertebrate Animals Use for Experimental and Other Scientific Purposes (1986)

Biological Diversity

Agreements

Agreement on the Conservation of Seals in the Wadden Sea (1990)
Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Contiguous Atlantic Area (ACCOBAMS) (1996). See also the Indicative List of Species and the Conservation Plan
ASCOBANS (1991)
Eurobats (1991)
Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) (1995). See the Report on the Asia Pacific Migratory Waterbird Conservation Strategy: 2001-2005 International Workshop in Naha City, Japan, 16-19 October 2000

Memoranda of Understanding

Siberian Cranes: Memorandum of Understanding concerning Conservation Measures for the Siberian Crane (1998)
Turtles: Memorandum of Understanding for the Conservation of African Sea Turtles (1999), the Central American Sea Turtle Conservation Workshop and the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation and Management of Marine Turtles and Their Habitats of the Indian Ocean and South-East Asia (2000)
Curlews: Memorandum of Understanding concerning Conservation Measures for the Slender-billed Curlew, Numenius tenuirostris (1994)

Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (1979)

Treaty summary
Signatures and ratifications
National declarations and reservations
Monaco Declaration (1994)

Other

Convention for the Conservation of the Biodiversity and Protection of Wilderness Areas in Central America (1992)
Convention Relative to the Preservation of Fauna and Flora in the Nature State (1933)
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (1973)
Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Animals (1979)
World Charter for Nature (1982)
Convention on Biological Diversity (1992)
Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (2000)
World Heritage Convention (1972)
Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972)
Agenda 21: Conservation of Biological Diversity
International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources (2001)

Fisheries

Agreement for the Establishment of a General Fisheries Council for the Mediterranean (1949). See: The General Fisheries Commission of the Mediterranean (1997 amended text), Meetings of the GFCM and the Scientific Advisory Committee Documents.
Convention for the Establishment of an Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (1949)
Agreement Concerning Measures for the Protection of the Stocks of Deep-Sea Prawns (Pandalus borealis), European Lobsters (Homarus vulgaris), Norway Lobsters (Nephrops norvegicus) and Crabs (Cancer pagurus) (1952)
Convention (with annex) Concerning Fishing in the Waters of the Danube (1958)
North-East Atlantic Fisheries Convention (1959)
Convention Concerning Fishing in the Black Sea (1959)
Convention on Fishing and Conservation of the Living Resources in the Baltic Sea and Belts (As amended) (1973)
Protocol Amending The International Convention for the High Seas Fisheries of the North Pacific Ocean (1978)
Convention on Future Multilateral Co-Operation in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries (1978)
South Pacific Forum Fisheries Agency Convention (1979)
Nauru Agreement Concerning Cooperation in the Management of Fisheries of Common Interest (1982)
Agreement Instituting the Latin American Organization for Fisheries Development (OLDEPESCA) (1982)
Convention for the Conservation of Salmon in the North Atlantic Ocean (1982)
Protocol Amending the International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (1984)
Treaty Between the Government of Canada and the Government of the United States of America Concerning Pacific Salmon (1985). See the Pacific Salmon Treaty: Memorandum of Understanding (1999)
Treaty on Fisheries Between the Governments of Certain Pacific Island States and the Government of the United States of America (1987)
Convention for the Prohibition of Fishing with Long Driftnets in the South Pacific (1989)
Convention on Fisheries Cooperation Among African States Bordering the Atlantic Ocean (1991)
Western Indian Ocean Tuna Organisation Convention (1991)
Niue Treaty on Cooperation in Fisheries Surveillance and Law Enforcement in the South Pacific Region (1992)
Convention for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (1993)
Federated States of Micronesia Arrangement for Regional Fisheries Access (1994)
Convention on the Conservation and Management of Pollock Resources – Central Bering Sea (1994)
(FAO) Agreement to Promote Compliance with International Conservation and Management Measures by Fishing Vessels on the High Seas (1994)
FAO, Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (1995)
United Nations Conference on Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks (1995). See the Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks (2001)
Agreement Between The Government of Iceland, the Government of Norway and the Government of the Russia Federation Concerning Certain Aspects of Cooperation in the Area of Fisheries (1999)
Lake Victoria Fisheries
Council Resolution No. 1239/98, Laying Down Certain Technical Measures for Conservation of Fishery Resources [Driftnets]
Convention for the Conservation of Anadromous Stocks in the North Pacific Ocean (1992)
Convention on the Conservation and Management of Fishery Resources in the South-East Atlantic Ocean (2001)

Habitat Protection

Terrestrial

Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Bern Convention)(1979)

Wetlands

Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat (1971)

Marine Pollution Agreements

See the entry on Marine Pollution Agreements.

Ocean/Living Resources

• Protocol for the Conservation and Management of Protected Marine and Coastal Areas of the South-East Pacific (1989)
• The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1992): see Status of signatures and ratifications and Declarations made upon signature/ratification
• United Nations Conference on Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks (1995): see Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks (2001) and Status of signatures/ratifications

Species-Specific

Birds

Convention for the Protection of Birds Useful to Agriculture (1902)

Cetaceans

International Agreements

International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (1946)
Agreement on the International Dolphin Conservation Program

Baltic/North Seas

Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic and North Seas (1991)

Black Sea

Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea, and Contiguous Atlantic Area (ACCOBAMS) (1996)

Mediterranean

Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea, and Contiguous Atlantic Area (ACCOBAMS) (1996)
Action Plan for the Conservation of Cetaceans in the Mediterranean Sea (1991)
Mediterranean (Ligurian) Whale Sanctuary (1999)

North Atlantic

Agreement on Cooperation in Research, Conservation and Management of Marine Mammals in the North Atlantic (1992)

Sea Turtles

Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles (1996)
Memorandum of Agreement Between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Government of Malaysia on the Establishment of the Turtle Island Heritage Protected Area (1996)
Cooperative Agreement for the Conservation of Sea Turtles of the Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama (1998)
Memorandum of Understanding Concerning Conservation Measures for Marine Turtles of the Atlantic Coast of Africa
Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation and Management of Marine Turtles and Their Habitats of the Indian Ocean and South-East Asia (2000)

Flora

International Plant Protection Committee (1951)
International Tropical Timber Agreement (1983)
International Tropical Timber Agreement (1994)
FAO, International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources (2001)

Polar Bears

Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears (1973)
Marine Mammals
Agreement on Cooperation in Research, Conservation and Management of Marine Mammals in the North Atlantic (1992)
Provisions for the Joint NAMMCO Control Scheme for the Hunting Of Marine Mammals (1996)
Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (1972)
Convention on Conservation of North Pacific Fur Seals (1956)

Other Mammals

Convention for the Conservation and Management of the Vicuna (1979)
Agreement Between the Government of Canada and the Government of The United States of America on the Conservation of the Porcupine Caribou Herd (1987)