Task Force Meetings

At its first meeting in Prangins, Switzerland (9-11 November 2006) the Western Gray Whale Advisory Panel agreed to establish Task Forces to undertake specific work relating to:

In 2011, a new task force was created to replace the Seismic Survey Task Force and undertake work related to:

In 2013, an ad hoc task force met to discuss the Western Gray Whale Population Monitoring off Sakhalin Island to be conducted jointly by Sakhalin Energy Investment Company Ltd and Exxon Neftegas Limited in 2013 as part of their:

What is a Task Force?

To access additional expertise that may be required on specific issues, the Panel may, at the discretion of the Chair, constitute task forces under the coordination of one of the panel members. The task forces may include other members of the panel as well as “non-panel” scientists with relevant expertise. (See WGWAP Terms of Reference)  Task Forces are therefore an opportunity for groups of scientists and other technical specialist to come together to examine specific technical issues. Where appropriate, IUCN may contract additional “Associate Scientists” to contribute to the work of Task Forces, where it is believed such additional technical expertise will be valuable. The findings of each Task Force are reported back to the full panel at successive meetings of the WGWAP to enable all stakeholders to more fully understand what decisions and recommendations have been made by the Task Force.

 

When have the Task Forces met?

Photo-ID Task Force

  1. October 12-14, 2007 in Vancouver, Canada
  2. April 19-20, 2009 in Geneva, Switzerland
  3. December 8-9, 2009 in Geneva, Switzerland

Oil Spill Task Force

  1. November 6-8, 2007 in Lausanne, Switzerland

4D Seismic Survey Task Force

  1. June 25-28, 2007 in Den Haag, the Netherlands
  2. March 13-16, 2008 in Lausanne, Switzerland
  3. January 31 - February 2, 2009 in Vancouver, Canada
  4. December 6-8, 2009 in Geneva, Switzerland
  5. April 13-14, 2010 in Geneva, Switzerland
  6. November 29 - December 1, 2010 in Geneva, Switzerland
  7. May 10-11, 2011 in Geneva, Switzerland

 Environmental Monitoring Task Force

  1. December 7-9, 2011 in Geneva, Switzerland

 Noise Task Force

  1. November 13-14, 2011 in Vancouver, Canada
  2. February 9-10, 2012 in Geneva, Switzerland
  3. November 2-3, 2012 in Busan, Republic of Korea
  4. The next meeting will be held on May 12-13, 2013 in Tokyo, Japan

Joint Programme Task Force

  1. February 11-12, 2013 in Gland, Switzerland

 

Western Gray Whale Conservation Initiative