title: 2006/871/EC: Council Decision of 18 July 2005 on the conclusion on behalf of the European Community of the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds

text:
               8.12.2006

               EN

               Official Journal of the European Union

               L 345/24

         COUNCIL DECISION
   of 18 July 2005
   on the conclusion on behalf of the European Community of the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds
   (2006/871/EC)
   THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
   Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular, Article 175(1), in conjunction with Article 300(2), first sentence of the first subparagraph, Article 300(3), first subparagraph, and Article 300(4) thereof,
   Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
   Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (1),
   Whereas:

               (1)

               The European Community is a Contracting Party to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (hereinafter referred to as the Bonn Convention) (2).

               (2)

               Article IV of the Bonn Convention provides for the conclusion of regional agreements which, for species with an unfavourable conservation status (Appendix II species), should be concluded as soon as possible.

               (3)

               The waterbirds of the African-Eurasian flyways, which are Appendix II species, merit immediate attention in order to improve their conservation status and to gather information as a basis for sound management decisions.

               (4)

               The first Conference of the Parties to the Bonn Convention decided to draw up an Agreement for the Conservation of Western Palaearctic Anatidae. The draft Agreement was subsequently developed and renamed so as to include other species of migratory waterbirds.

               (5)

               In the field relating to this agreement, the Community has adopted Council Directives 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds (3), and 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (4).

               (6)

               The Commission participated on behalf of the Community, and in accordance with the negotiating directives issued by the Council on 7 June 1995, at the negotiation meeting that took place from 12 to 16 June 1995 in The Hague. This meeting adopted by consensus the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (hereinafter referred to as the Agreement).

               (7)

               The Agreement was opened for signature from 16 October 1995. It was signed on behalf of the Community on 1 September 1997. It came into effect on 1 November 1999.

               (8)

               Article X of the Agreement provides for amendments to the Annexes to enter into force ninety days after the Meeting of the Parties at which they are adopted for all Parties, except for Parties that enter a reservation in accordance with paragraph 6 thereof.

               (9)

               The Annexes to the Agreement were amended by Resolutions at the first Meeting of the Parties, held in Cape Town, South Africa, in November 1999, and at the second Meeting of the Parties, held in Bonn, Germany, in September 2002.

               (10)

               The Agreement should be approved,

         HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:
   Article 1
   The Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds, is hereby approved on behalf of the Community.
   The text of the Agreement is attached to this Decision.
   Article 2
   The President of the Council is hereby authorised to designate the person or persons empowered to deposit the instrument of approval with the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, being the Depositary for the Agreement, in accordance with Article XVII thereof.
   Article 3
   1.   As regards matters falling within Community competence, the Commission is hereby authorised to approve, on behalf of the Community, amendments to the Annexes to the Agreement adopted in accordance with Article X(5) of the Agreement.
   2.   The Commission shall be assisted in carrying out this task by a special committee appointed by the Council.
   3.   The authorisation referred to in paragraph 1 shall be limited to those amendments that are consistent with, and do not entail any modification of, Community legislation on the conservation of wild birds and their natural habitats.
   4.   Whenever an amendment to the Annexes to the Agreement is not implemented in the relevant Community legislation within ninety days of the date of its adoption by the Meeting of the Parties, the Commission shall by written notification to the Depositary enter a reservation with respect to that amendment in accordance with Article X(6) of the Agreement before the expiry of that ninety day period. Where the amendment is subsequently implemented, the Commission shall withdraw the reservation without delay.
   Article 4
   This Decision shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

      Done at Brussels, 18 July 2005.

            For the Council

            The President

         M. BECKETT

      (1)  Not yet published in the Official Journal.

      (2)  OJ L 210, 19.7.1982, p. 10.

      (3)  OJ L 103, 25.4.1979, p. 1. Directive as last amended by the 2003 Act of Accession.

      (4)  OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7. Directive as last amended by the 2003 Act of Accession.
   AGREEMENT
   on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds
   THE CONTRACTING PARTIES,
   RECALLING that the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, 1979, encourages international cooperative action to conserve migratory species;
   RECALLING further that the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention, held in Bonn in October 1985, instructed the Secretariat of the Convention to take appropriate measures to develop an Agreement on Western Palearctic Anatidae;
   CONSIDERING that migratory waterbirds constitute an important part of the global biological diversity which, in keeping with the spirit of the Convention on Biological Diversity, 1992, and Agenda 21 should be conserved for the benefit of present and future generations;
   AWARE of the economic, social, cultural and recreational benefits accruing from the taking of certain species of migratory waterbirds and of the environmental, ecological, genetic, scientific, aesthetic, recreational, cultural, educational, social and economic values of waterbirds in general;
   CONVINCED that any taking of migratory waterbirds must be conducted on a sustainable basis, taking into account the conservation status of the species concerned over their entire range as well as their biological characteristics;
   CONSCIOUS that migratory waterbirds are particularly vulnerable because they migrate over long distances and are dependent on networks of wetlands that are decreasing in extent and becoming degraded through non-sustainable human activities, as is expressed in the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, especially as Waterfowl Habitat, 1971;
   RECOGNISING the need to take immediate action to stop the decline of migratory waterbird species and their habitats in the geographic area of the African-Eurasian waterbird migration systems;
   CONVINCED that the conclusion of a multilateral Agreement and its implementation through coordinated or concerted action will contribute significantly to the conservation of migratory waterbirds and their habitats in the most efficient manner, and will have ancillary benefits for many other species of animals and plants; and
   ACKNOWLEDGING that effective implementation of such an Agreement will require assistance to be provided to some Range States for research, training and monitoring of migratory waterbird species and their habitats, for the management of those habitats as well as for the establishment or improvement of scientific and administrative institutions for the implementation of this Agreement,
   HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:
   Article I
   Scope, definitions and interpretation
   1.   The geographic scope of this Agreement is the area of the migration systems of African-Eurasian waterbirds, as defined in Annex 1 to this Agreement, hereafter referred to as the ‘Agreement area’.
   2.   For the purpose of this Agreement:

               (a)

               ‘Convention’ means the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, 1979;

               (b)

               ‘Convention Secretariat’ means the body established under Article IX of the Convention;

               (c)

               ‘Waterbirds’ means those species of birds that are ecologically dependent on wetlands for at least part of their annual cycle, have a range which lies entirely or partly within the Agreement Area and are listed in Annex 2 to this Agreement;

               (d)

               ‘Agreement secretariat’ means the body established under Article VI(7)(b) of this Agreement;

               (e)

               ‘Parties’ means, unless the context otherwise indicates, Parties to this Agreement;
               and

               (f)

               ‘Parties present and voting’ means the Parties present and casting an affirmative or negative vote; those abstaining from voting shall not be counted amongst the Parties present and voting.

         In addition, the terms defined in Article I(1)(a) to (k), of the Convention shall have the same meaning, mutatis mutandis, in this Agreement.
   3.   This Agreement is an Agreement within the meaning of Article IV(3), of the Convention.
   4.   The Annexes to this Agreement form an integral part thereof. Any reference to the Agreement includes a reference to its annexes.
   Article II
   Fundamental principles
   1.   Parties shall take coordinated measures to maintain migratory waterbird species in a favourable conservation status or to restore them to such a status. To this end, they shall apply within the limits of their national jurisdiction the measures prescribed in Article III, together with the specific actions determined in the Action Plan provided for in Article IV, of this Agreement.
   2.   In implementing the measures prescribed in paragraph 1, Parties should take into account the precautionary principle.
   Article III
   General conservation measures
   1.   The Parties shall take measures to conserve migratory waterbirds, giving special attention to endangered species as well as to those with an unfavourable conservation status.
   2.   To this end, the Parties shall:

               (a)

               accord the same strict protection for endangered migratory waterbird species in the Agreement Area as is provided for under Article III(4) and (5) of the Convention;

               (b)

               ensure that any use of migratory waterbirds is based on an assessment of the best available knowledge of their ecology and is sustainable for the species as well as for the ecological systems that support them;

               (c)

               identify sites and habitats for migratory waterbirds occurring within their territory and encourage the protection, management, rehabilitation and restoration of these sites, in liaison with those bodies listed in Article IX(a) and (b) of this Agreement, concerned with habitat conservation;

               (d)

               coordinate their efforts to ensure that a network of suitable habitats is maintained or, where appropriate, re-established throughout the entire range of each migratory waterbird species concerned, in particular where wetlands extend over the area of more than one Party to this Agreement;

               (e)

               investigate problems that are posed or are likely to be posed by human activities and endeavour to implement remedial measures, including habitat rehabilitation and restoration, and compensatory measures for loss of habitat;

               (f)

               cooperate in emergency situations requiring international concerted action and in identifying the species of migratory waterbirds which are the most vulnerable to these situations as well as cooperate in developing appropriate emergency procedures to provide increased protection to these species in such situations and in the preparation of guidelines to assist individual Parties in tackling these situations;

               (g)

               prohibit the deliberate introduction of non-native waterbird species into the environment and take all appropriate measures to prevent the unintentional release of such species if this introduction or release would prejudice the conservation status of wild flora and fauna; when non-native waterbird species have already been introduced, the Parties shall take all appropriate measures to prevent these species from becoming a potential threat to indigenous species;

               (h)

               initiate or support research into the biology and ecology of migratory waterbirds including the harmonisation of research and monitoring methods and, where appropriate, the establishment of joint or cooperative research and monitoring programmes;

               (i)

               analyse their training requirements for, inter alia, migratory waterbird surveys, monitoring, ringing and wetland management to identify priority topics and areas for training and cooperate in the development and provision of appropriate training programmes;

               (j)

               develop and maintain programmes to raise awareness and understanding of migratory waterbird conservation issues in general and of the particular objectives and provisions of this Agreement;

               (k)

               exchange information and results from research, monitoring, conservation and education programmes;
               and

               (l)

               cooperate with a view to assisting each other to implement this Agreement, particularly in the areas of research and monitoring.

         Article IV
   Action Plan and Conservation Guidelines
   1.   An Action Plan is appended as Annex 3 to this Agreement. It specifies actions which the Parties shall undertake in relation to priority species and issues, under the following headings, consistent with the general conservation measures specified in Article III of this Agreement:

               (a)

               species conservation;

               (b)

               habitat conservation;

               (c)

               management of human activities;

               (d)

               research and monitoring;

               (e)

               education and information;
               and

               (f)

               implementation.

         2.   The Action Plan shall be reviewed at each ordinary session of the Meeting of the Parties, taking into account the Conservation Guidelines.
   3.   Any amendment to the Action Plan shall be adopted by the Meeting of the Parties, taking into consideration the provisions of Article III of this Agreement.
   4.   The Conservation Guidelines shall be submitted to the Meeting of the Parties for adoption at its first session, and shall be regularly reviewed.
   Article V
   Implementation and financing
   1.   Each Party shall:

               (a)

               designate the authority or authorities to implement this Agreement which shall, inter alia, monitor all activities that may have impact on the conservation status of those migratory waterbird species of which the Party is a Range State;

               (b)

               designate a contact point for the other Parties, and communicate without delay its name and address to the Agreement secretariat to be circulated forthwith to the other Parties;
               and

               (c)

               prepare for each ordinary session of the Meeting of the Parties, beginning with the second session, a report on its implementation of the Agreement with particular reference to the conservation measures it has undertaken. The format of such reports shall be determined by the first session of the Meeting of the Parties and reviewed as may be necessary at any subsequent session of the Meeting of the Parties. Each report shall be submitted to the Agreement secretariat not less than 120 days before the ordinary session of the Meeting of the Parties for which it has been prepared, and copies shall be circulated forthwith to the other Parties by the Agreement secretariat.

               2.

                           (a)

                           Each Party shall contribute to the budget of the Agreement in accordance with the United Nations scale of assessment. The contributions shall be restricted to a maximum of 25 % of the total budget for any Party that is a Range State. No regional economic integration organisation shall be required to contribute more than 2,5 % of the administrative costs.

                           (b)

                           Decisions relating to the budget and any changes to the scale of assessment that may be found necessary shall be adopted by the Meeting of the Parties by consensus.

         3.   The Meeting of the Parties may establish a conservation fund from voluntary contributions of Parties or from any other source for the purpose of financing monitoring, research, training and projects relating to the conservation, including protection and management, of migratory waterbirds.
   4.   Parties are encouraged to provide training and technical and financial support to other Parties on a multilateral or bilateral basis to assist them in implementing the provisions of this Agreement.
   Article VI
   Meeting of the Parties
   1.   The Meeting of the Parties shall be the decision-making body of this Agreement.
   2.   The Depositary shall, in consultation with the Convention Secretariat, convene a session of the Meeting of the Parties not later than one year after the date of the entry into force of this Agreement. Thereafter, the Agreement secretariat shall convene, in consultation with the Convention Secretariat, ordinary sessions of the Meeting of the Parties at intervals of not more than three years, unless the Meeting of the Parties decides otherwise. Where it is possible to do so, such sessions should be held in conjunction with the ordinary meetings of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention.
   3.   On the written request of at least one third of the Parties, the Agreement secretariat shall convene an extraordinary session of the Meeting of the Parties.
   4.   The United Nations, its specialised agencies, the International Atomic Energy Agency, any State not a Party to the Agreement, and the secretariats of international conventions concerned, inter alia, with the conservation, including protection and management, of migratory waterbirds may be represented by observers in sessions of the Meeting of the Parties. Any agency or body technically qualified in such conservation matters or in research on migratory waterbirds may also be represented at sessions of the Meeting of the Parties by observers, unless at least one third of the Parties present object.
   5.   Only Parties have the right to vote. Each Party shall have one vote, but regional economic integration organisations which are Parties to this Agreement shall, in matters within their competence, exercise their right to vote with a number of votes equal to the number of their Member States which are Parties to the Agreement. A regional economic integration organisation shall not exercise its right to vote if its Member States exercise theirs, and vice versa.
   6.   Unless provided otherwise in this Agreement, decisions of the Meeting of the Parties shall be adopted by consensus or, if consensus cannot be achieved, by a two-thirds majority of the Parties present and voting.
   7.   At its first session, the Meeting of the Parties shall:

               (a)

               adopt its rules of procedure by consensus;

               (b)

               establish an Agreement secretariat within the Convention Secretariat to perform the secretariat functions listed in Article VIII of this Agreement;

               (c)

               establish the Technical Committee provided for in Article VII of this Agreement;

               (d)

               adopt a format for the reports to be prepared according to Article V(1)(c) of this Agreement;
               and

               (e)

               adopt criteria to define emergency situations which require urgent conservation measures, and determine the modalities for assigning responsibility for action to be taken.

         8.   At each of its ordinary sessions, the Meeting of the Parties shall:

               (a)

               consider actual and potential changes in the conservation status of migratory waterbirds and the habitats important for their survival, as well as the factors which may affect them;

               (b)

               review the progress made and any difficulty encountered in the implementation of this Agreement;

               (c)

               adopt a budget and consider any matters relating to the financial arrangements for this Agreement;

               (d)

               deal with any matter relating to the Agreement secretariat and the membership of the Technical Committee;

               (e)

               adopt a report for communication to the Parties to this Agreement and to the Conference of the Parties of the Convention;
               and

               (f)

               determine the time and venue of the next session.

         9.   At any of its sessions, the Meeting of the Parties may:

               (a)

               make recommendations to the Parties as it deems necessary or appropriate;

               (b)

               adopt specific actions to improve the effectiveness of this Agreement and, as the case may be, emergency measures as provided for in Article VII(4) of this Agreement;

               (c)

               consider and decide upon proposals to amend this Agreement;

               (d)

               amend the Action Plan in accordance with Article IV(3) of this Agreement;

               (e)

               establish such subsidiary bodies as it deems necessary to assist in the implementation of this Agreement, in particular for coordination with bodies established under other international treaties, conventions and agreements with overlapping geographic and taxonomic coverage;
               and

               (f)

               decide on any other matter relating to the implementation of this Agreement.

         Article VII
   Technical Committee
   1.   The Technical Committee shall comprise:

               (a)

               nine experts representing different regions of the Agreement Area, in accordance with a balanced geographical distribution;

               (b)

               one representative from the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), one from the International Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Bureau (IWRB) and one from the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC);
               and

               (c)

               one expert from each of the following fields: rural economics, game management, and environmental law.

         The procedure for the appointment of the experts, the term of their appointment and the procedure for designation of the Chairman of the Technical Committee shall be determined by the Meeting of the Parties. The Chairman may admit a maximum of four observers from specialised international inter-governmental and non-governmental organisations.
   2.   Unless the Meeting of the Parties decides otherwise, meetings of the Technical Committee shall be convened by the Agreement secretariat in conjunction with each ordinary session of the Meeting of the Parties and at least once between ordinary sessions of the Meeting of the Parties.
   3.   The Technical Committee shall:

               (a)

               provide scientific and technical advice and information to the Meeting of the Parties and, through the Agreement secretariat, to Parties;

               (b)

               make recommendations to the Meeting of the Parties concerning the Action Plan, implementation of the Agreement and further research to be carried out;

               (c)

               prepare for each ordinary session of the Meeting of the Parties a report on its activities, which shall be submitted to the Agreement secretariat not less than one hundred and twenty days before the session of the Meeting of the Parties, and copies shall be circulated forthwith by the Agreement secretariat to the Parties;
               and

               (d)

               carry out any other tasks referred to it by the Meeting of the Parties.

         4.   Where in the opinion of the Technical Committee there has arisen an emergency which requires the adoption of immediate measures to avoid deterioration of the conservation status of one or more migratory waterbird species, the Technical Committee may request the Agreement secretariat to convene urgently a meeting of the Parties concerned. These Parties shall meet as soon as possible thereafter to establish rapidly a mechanism to give protection to the species identified as being subject to particularly adverse threat. Where a recommendation has been adopted at such a meeting, the Parties concerned shall inform each other and the Agreement secretariat of measures they have taken to implement it, or of the reasons why the recommendation could not be implemented.
   5.   The Technical Committee may establish such working groups as may be necessary to deal with specific tasks.
   Article VIII
   Agreement Secretariat
   The functions of the Agreement secretariat shall be:

               (a)

               to arrange and service the sessions of the Meeting of the Parties as well as the meetings of the Technical Committee;

               (b)

               to execute the decisions addressed to it by the Meeting of the Parties;

               (c)

               to promote and coordinate activities under the Agreement, including the Action Plan, in accordance with decisions of the Meeting of the Parties;

               (d)

               to liaise with non-Party Range States and to facilitate coordination between the Parties and with international and national organisations, the activities of which are directly or indirectly relevant to the conservation, including protection and management, of migratory waterbirds;

               (e)

               to gather and evaluate information which will further the objectives and implementation of the Agreement and to arrange for appropriate dissemination of such information;

               (f)

               to invite the attention of the Meeting of the Parties to matters pertaining to the objectives of this Agreement;

               (g)

               to circulate copies of the reports of the Authorities referred to in Article V5(1)(a) of this Agreement and of the Technical Committee, along with copies of the reports it must provide pursuant to paragraph (h) of this Article, to each Party not less than sixty days before the commencement of each ordinary session of the Meeting of the Parties;

               (h)

               to prepare, on an annual basis and for each ordinary session of the Meeting of the Parties, reports on the work of the secretariat and on the implementation of the Agreement;

               (i)

               to administer the budget for the Agreement and, if established, its conservation fund;

               (j)

               to provide information for the general public concerning the Agreement and its objectives;
               and

               (k)

               to perform such other functions as may be entrusted to it under the Agreement or by the Meeting of the Parties.

         Article IX
   Relations with international bodies dealing with migratory waterbirds and their habitats
   The Agreement secretariat shall consult:

               (a)

               on a regular basis, the Convention Secretariat and, where appropriate, the bodies responsible for the secretariat functions under Agreements concluded pursuant to Article IV(3)(4) of the Convention which are relevant to migratory waterbirds, the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, especially as Waterfowl Habitat, 1971, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, 1973, the African Convention on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, 1968, the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, 1979, and the Convention on Biological Diversity, 1992, with a view to the Meeting of the Parties cooperating with the Parties to these conventions on all matters of common interest and, in particular, in the development and implementation of the Action Plan;

               (b)

               the secretariats of other pertinent conventions and international instruments in respect of matters of common interest;
               and

               (c)

               other organisations competent in the field of conservation, including protection and management, of migratory waterbirds and their habitats, as well as in the fields of research, education and awareness raising.

         Article X
   Amendment of the Agreement
   1.   This Agreement may be amended at any ordinary or extraordinary session of the Meeting of the Parties.
   2.   Proposals for amendment may be made by any Party.
   3.   The text of any proposed amendment and the reasons for it shall be communicated to the Agreement secretariat not less than 150 days before the opening of the session. The Agreement secretariat shall transmit copies forthwith to the Parties. Any comments on the text by the Parties shall be communicated to the Agreement secretariat not less than 60 days before the opening of the session. The Secretariat shall, as soon as possible after the last day for submission of comments, communicate to the Parties all comments submitted by that day.
   4.   An amendment to the Agreement other than an amendment to its annexes shall be adopted by a two-thirds majority of the Parties present and voting and shall enter into force for those Parties which have accepted it on the 30th day after the date on which two thirds of the Parties to the Agreement at the date of the adoption of the amendment have deposited their instruments of acceptance of the amendment with the Depositary. For each Party which deposits an instrument of acceptance after the date on which two thirds of the Parties have deposited their instruments of acceptance, the amendment shall enter into force on the 30th day after the date on which it deposits its instrument of acceptance.
   5.   Any additional annexes and any amendment to an annex shall be adopted by a two-thirds majority of the Parties present and voting and shall enter into force for all Parties on the 90th day after the date of its adoption by the Meeting of the Parties, except for Parties which have entered a reservation in accordance with paragraph 6 of this Article.
   6.   During the period of ninety days provided for in paragraph 5 of this Article, any Party may by written notification to the Depositary enter a reservation with respect to an additional annex or an amendment to an annex. Such reservation may be withdrawn at any time by written notification to the Depositary, and thereupon the additional annex or the amendment shall enter into force for that Party on the 30th day after the date of withdrawal of the reservation.
   Article XI
   Effect of this Agreement on international conventions and legislation
   1.   The provisions of this Agreement do not affect the rights and obligations of any Party deriving from existing international treaties, conventions or agreements.
   2.   The provisions of this Agreement shall in no way affect the right of any Party to maintain or adopt stricter measures for the conservation of migratory waterbirds and their habitats.
   Article XII
   Settlement of disputes
   1.   Any dispute which may arise between two or more Parties with respect to the interpretation or application of the provisions of this Agreement shall be subject to negotiation between the Parties involved in the dispute.
   2.   If the dispute cannot be resolved in accordance with paragraph 1 of this Article, the Parties may, by mutual consent, submit the dispute to arbitration, in particular that of the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague, and the Parties submitting the dispute shall be bound by the arbitral decision.
   Article XIII
   Signature, ratification, acceptance, approval, accession
   1.   This Agreement shall be open for signature by any Range State, whether or not areas under its jurisdiction lie within the Agreement Area, or regional economic integration organisation, at least one member of which is a Range State, either by:

               (a)

               signature without reservation in respect of ratification, acceptance or approval;
               or

               (b)

               signature with reservation in respect of ratification, acceptance or approval, followed by ratification, acceptance or approval.

         2.   This Agreement shall remain open for signature at The Hague until the date of its entry into force.
   3.   This Agreement shall be open for accession by any Range State or regional economic integration organisation mentioned in paragraph 1 on and after the date of entry into force of the Agreement.
   4.   Instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession shall be deposited with the Depositary.
   Article XIV
   Entry into force
   1.   This Agreement shall enter into force on the first day of the third month after at least 14 Range States or regional economic integration organisations, comprising at least seven from Africa and seven from Eurasia, have signed without reservation in respect of ratification, acceptance or approval, or have deposited their instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval in accordance with Article XIII of this Agreement.
   2.   For any Range State or regional economic integration organisation which has:

               (a)

               signed without reservation in respect of ratification, acceptance, or approval;

               (b)

               ratified, accepted, or approved;
               or

               (c)

               acceded to this Agreement after the date on which the number of Range States and regional economic integration organisations necessary to enable entry into force have signed it without reservation or have ratified, accepted or approved it, this Agreement shall enter into force on the first day of the third month following the signature without reservation, or deposit, by that State or organisation, of its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession.

         Article XV
   Reservations
   The provisions of this Agreement shall not be subject to general reservations. However, a specific reservation may be entered by any State or regional economic integration organisation on signature without reservation in respect of ratification, acceptance or approval or, as the case may be, on depositing its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession in respect of any species covered by the Agreement or any specific provision of the Action Plan. Such a reservation may be withdrawn at any time by the State or regional economic integration organisation which had entered it, by notification in writing to the Depositary; such a State or organisation shall not be bound by the provisions which are the object of the reservation until 30 days after the date on which the reservation has been withdrawn.
   Article XVI
   Denunciation
   Any Party may denounce this Agreement by written notification to the Depositary at any time. The denunciation shall take effect 12 months after the date on which the Depositary has received the notification.
   Article XVII
   Depositary
   1.   The original of this Agreement, in the Arabic, English, French and Russian languages, each version being equally authentic, shall be deposited with the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands which shall be the Depositary. The Depositary shall transmit certified copies of these versions to all States and regional economic integration organisations referred to in Article XIII(1) of this Agreement, and to the Agreement secretariat after it has been established.
   2.   As soon as this Agreement enters into force, a certified copy thereof shall be transmitted by the Depositary to the Secretariat of the United Nations for registration and publication in accordance with Article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations.
   3.   The Depositary shall inform all States and regional economic integration organisations that have signed or acceded to the Agreement, and the Agreement secretariat, of:

               (a)

               any signature;

               (b)

               any deposit of instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession;

               (c)

               the date of entry into force of this Agreement and of any additional annex as well as of any amendment to the Agreement or to its Annexes;

               (d)

               any reservation with respect to an additional annex or to an amendment to an annex;

               (e)

               any notification of withdrawal of a reservation;
               and

               (f)

               any notification of denunciation of the Agreement.

         The Depositary shall transmit to all States and regional economic integration organisations that have signed or acceded to this Agreement, and to the Agreement secretariat, the text of any reservation, of any additional annex and of any amendment to the Agreement or to its annexes.
   In witness whereof the undersigned, being duly authorised to that effect, have signed this Agreement.

      Done at The Hague on the sixteenth day of June in this year one thousand nine hundred and ninety-five.

   ANNEX 1
   DEFINITION OF THE AGREEMENT AREA
   The boundary of the Agreement area is defined as follows: from the North Pole south along the 130° W line of longitude to 75° N; thence east and south-east through Viscount Melville Sound, Prince Regent Inlet, the Gulf of Boothia, Foxe Basin, Foxe Channel and Hudson Strait to a point in the north-west Atlantic at 60° N, 60° W; thence south-east through the north-west Atlantic to a point at 50° N, 30° W; thence south along the 30° W line of longitude to 10° N; thence south-east to the Equator at 20° W; thence south along the 20° W line of longitude to 40° S; thence east along the 40° S line of latitude to 60° E; thence north along the 60° E line of longitude to 35° N; thence east-north-east on a great circle to a point in the western Altai at 49° N, 87°  27' E; thence northeast on a great circle to the coast of the Arctic Ocean at 130° E; thence north along the 130° E line of longitude to the North Pole. The outline of the Agreement Area is illustrated on the following map.

   ANNEX 2
   WATERBIRD SPECIES TO WHICH THE AGREEMENT APPLIES (1)

                  SPHENISCIDAE

                  Spheniscus demersus

               African Penguin

                  GAVIIDAE

                  Gavia stellata

               Red-throated Diver

                  Gavia arctica

               Black-throated Diver

                  Gavia immer

               Great Northern Diver

                  Gavia adamsii

               White-billed Diver

                  PODICIPEDIDAE

                  Tachybaptus ruficollis

               Little Grebe

                  Podiceps cristatus

               Great Crested Grebe

                  Podiceps grisegena

               Red-necked Grebe

                  Podiceps auritus

               Slavonian Grebe

                  Podiceps nigricollis

               Black-necked Grebe

                  PELECANIDAE

                  Pelecanus onocrotalus

               Great White Pelican

                  Pelecanus rufescens

               Pink-backed Pelican

                  Pelecanus crispus

               Dalmatian Pelican

                  SULIDAE

                  Sula (Morus) capensis

               Cape Gannet

                  PHALACROCORACIDAE

                  Phalacrocorax coronatus

               Crowned Cormorant

                  Phalacrocorax pygmeus

               Pygmy Cormorant

                  Phalacrocorax neglectus

               Bank Cormorant

                  Phalacrocorax carbo

               Great Cormorant

                  Phalacrocorax nigrogularis

               Socotra Cormorant

                  Phalacrocorax capensis

               Cape Cormorant

                  ARDEIDAE

                  Egretta ardesiaca

               Black Heron

                  Egretta vinaceigula

               Slaty Egret

                  Egretta garzetta

               Little Egret

                  Egretta gularis

               Western Reef Egret

                  Egretta dimorpha

               Mascarene Reef Egret

                  Ardea cinerea

               Grey Heron

                  Ardea melanocephala

               Black-headed Heron

                  Ardea purpurea

               Purple Heron

                  Casmerodius albus

               Great Egret

                  Mesophoyx intermedia

               Intermediate Egret

                  Bubulcus ibis

               Cattle Egret

                  Ardeola ralloides

               Squacco Heron

                  Ardeola idae

               Madagascar Pond-Heron

                  Ardeola rufiventris

               Rufous-bellied Heron

                  Nycticorax nycticorax

               Black-crowned Night-Heron

                  Ixobrychus minutus

               Little Bittern

                  Ixobrychus sturmii

               Dwarf Bittern

                  Botaurus stellaris

               Great Bittern

                  CICONIIDAE

                  Mycteria ibis

               Yellow-billed Stork

                  Anastomus lamelligerus

               African Openbill

                  Ciconia nigra

               Black Stork

                  Ciconia abdimii

               Abdim's Stork

                  Ciconia episcopus

               Woolly-necked Stork

                  Ciconia ciconia

               White Stork

                  Leptoptilos crumeniferus

               Marabou Stork

                  BALAENICIPITIDAE

                  Balaeniceps rex

               Shoebill

                  THRESKIORNITHIDAE

                  Plegadis falcinellus

               Glossy Ibis

                  Geronticus eremita

               Waldrapp

                  Threskiornis aethiopicus

               Sacred Ibis

                  Platalea leucorodia

               Eurasian Spoonbill

                  Platalea alba

               African Spoonbill

                  PHOENICOPTERIDAE

                  Phoenicopterus ruber

               Greater Flamingo

                  Phoenicopterus minor

               Lesser Flamingo

                  ANATIDAE

                  Dendrocygna bicolor

               Fulvous Whistling-Duck

                  Dendrocygna viduata

               White-faced Whistling-Duck

                  Thalassornis leuconotus

               White-backed Duck

                  Oxyura leucocephala

               White-headed Duck

                  Oxyura maccoa

               Maccoa Duck

                  Cygnus olor

               Mute Swan

                  Cygnus cygnus

               Whooper Swan

                  Cygnus columbianus

               Bewick's Swan

                  Anser brachyrhynchus

               Pink-footed Goose

                  Anser fabalis

               Bean Goose

                  Anser albifrons

               Greater White-fronted Goose

                  Anser erythropus

               Lesser White-fronted Goose

                  Anser anser

               Greylag Goose

                  Branta leucopsis

               Barnacle Goose

                  Branta bernicla

               Brent Goose

                  Branta ruficollis

               Red-breasted Goose

                  Alopochen aegyptiacus

               Egyptian Goose

                  Tadorna ferruginea

               Ruddy Shelduck

                  Tadorna cana

               South African Shelduck

                  Tadorna tadorna

               Common Shelduck

                  Plectropterus gambensis

               Spur-winged Goose

                  Sarkidiornis melanotos

               Comb Duck

                  Nettapus auritus

               African Pygmy-goose

                  Anas penelope

               Eurasian Wigeon

                  Anas strepera

               Gadwall

                  Anas crecca

               Common Teal

                  Anas capensis

               Cape Teal

                  Anas platyrhynchos

               Mallard

                  Anas undulata

               Yellow-billed Duck

                  Anas acuta

               Northern Pintail

                  Anas erythrorhyncha

               Red-billed Duck

                  Anas hottentota

               Hottentot Teal

                  Anas querquedula

               Garganey

                  Anas clypeata

               Northern Shoveler

                  Marmaronetta angustirostris

               Marbled Teal

                  Netta rufina

               Red-crested Pochard

                  Netta erythrophthalma

               Southern Pochard

                  Aythya ferina

               Common Pochard

                  Aythya nyroca

               Ferruginous Pochard

                  Aythya fuligula

               Tufted Duck

                  Aythya marila

               Greater Scaup

                  Somateria mollissima

               Common Eider

                  Somateria spectabilis

               King Eider

                  Polysticta stelleri

               Steller's Eider

                  Clangula hyemalis

               Long-tailed Duck

                  Melanitta nigra

               Common Scoter

                  Melanitta fusca

               Velvet Scoter

                  Bucephala clangula

               Common Goldeneye

                  Mergellus albellus

               Smew

                  Mergus serrator

               Red-breasted Merganser

                  Mergus merganser

               Goosander

                  GRUIDAE

                  Balearica pavonina

               Black Crowned Crane

                  Balearica regulorum

               Grey Crowned Crane

                  Grus leucogeranus

               Siberian Crane

                  Grus virgo

               Demoiselle Crane

                  Grus paradisea

               Blue Crane

                  Grus carunculatus

               Wattled Crane

                  Grus grus

               Common Crane

                  RALLIDAE

                  Sarothrura elegans

               Buff-spotted Flufftail

                  Sarothrura boehmi

               Streaky-breasted Flufftail

                  Sarothrura ayresi

               White-winged Flufftail

                  Rallus aquaticus

               Water Rail

                  Rallus caerulescens

               African Rail

                  Crecopsis egregia

               African Crake

                  Crex crex

               Corncrake

                  Amaurornis flavirostris

               Black Crake

                  Porzana parva

               Little Crake

                  Porzana pusilla

               Baillon's Crake

                  Porzana porzana

               Spotted Crake

                  Aenigmatolimnas marginalis

               Striped Crake

                  Porphyrio alleni

               Allen's Gallinule

                  Gallinula chloropus

               Common Moorhen

                  Gallinula angulata

               Lesser Moorhen

                  Fulica cristata

               Red-knobbed Coot

                  Fulica atra

               Common Coot

                  DROMADIDAE

                  Dromas ardeola

               Crab Plover

                  HAEMATOPODIDAE

                  Haematopus ostralegus

               Eurasian Oystercatcher

                  Haematopus moquini

               African Black Oystercatcher

                  RECURVIROSTRIDAE

                  Himantopus himantopus

               Black-winged Stilt

                  Recurvirostra avosetta

               Pied Avocet

                  BURHINIDAE

                  Burhinus senegalensis

               Senegal Thick-knee

                  GLAREOLIDAE

                  Pluvianus aegyptius

               Egyptian Plover

                  Glareola pratincola

               Collared Pratincole

                  Glareola nordmanni

               Black-winged Pratincole

                  Glareola ocularis

               Madagascar Pratincole

                  Glareola nuchalis

               Rock Pratincole

                  Glareola cinerea

               Grey Pratincole

                  CHARADRIIDAE

                  Pluvialis apricaria

               Eurasian Golden Plover

                  Pluvialis fulva

               Pacific Golden Plover

                  Pluvialis squatarola

               Grey Plover

                  Charadrius hiaticula

               Common Ringed Plover

                  Charadrius dubius

               Little Ringed Plover

                  Charadrius pecuarius

               Kittlitz's Plover

                  Charadrius tricollaris

               Three-banded Plover

                  Charadrius forbesi

               Forbes's Plover

                  Charadrius pallidus

               Chestnut-banded Plover

                  Charadrius alexandrinus

               Kentish Plover

                  Charadrius marginatus

               White-fronted Plover

                  Charadrius mongolus

               Mongolian Plover

                  Charadrius leschenaultii

               Greater Sandplover

                  Charadrius asiaticus

               Caspian Plover

                  Eudromias morinellus

               Eurasian Dotterel

                  Vanellus vanellus

               Northern Lapwing

                  Vanellus spinosus

               Spur-winged Plover

                  Vanellus albiceps

               White-headed Lapwing

                  Vanellus senegallus

               Wattled Lapwing

                  Vanellus lugubris

               Senegal Lapwing

                  Vanellus melanopterus

               Black-winged Lapwing

                  Vanellus coronatus

               Crowned Lapwing

                  Vanellus superciliosus

               Brown-chested Lapwing

                  Vanellus gregarius

               Sociable Plover

                  Vanellus leucurus

               White-tailed Plover

                  SCOLOPACIDAE

                  Scolopax rusticola

               Eurasian Woodcock

                  Gallinago stenura

               Pintail Snipe

                  Gallinago media

               Great Snipe

                  Gallinago gallinago

               Common Snipe

                  Lymnocryptes minimus

               Jack Snipe

                  Limosa limosa

               Black-tailed Godwit

                  Limosa lapponica

               Bar-tailed Godwit

                  Numenius phaeopus

               Whimbrel

                  Numenius tenuirostris

               Slender-billed Curlew

                  Numenius arquata

               Eurasian Curlew

                  Tringa erythropus

               Spotted Redshank

                  Tringa totanus

               Common Redshank

                  Tringa stagnatilis

               Marsh Sandpiper

                  Tringa nebularia

               Common Greenshank

                  Tringa ochropus

               Green Sandpiper

                  Tringa glareola

               Wood Sandpiper

                  Tringa cinerea

               Terek Sandpiper

                  Tringa hypoleucos

               Common Sandpiper

                  Arenaria interpres

               Ruddy Turnstone

                  Calidris tenuirostris

               Great Knot

                  Calidris canutus

               Red Knot

                  Calidris alba

               Sanderling

                  Calidris minuta

               Little Stint

                  Calidris temminckii

               Temminck's Stint

                  Calidris maritima

               Purple Sandpiper

                  Calidris alpina

               Dunlin

                  Calidris ferruginea

               Curlew Sandpiper

                  Limicola falcinellus

               Broad-billed Sandpiper

                  Philomachus pugnax

               Ruff

                  Phalaropus lobatus

               Red-necked Phalarope

                  Phalaropus fulicaria

               Grey Phalarope

                  LARIDAE

                  Larus leucophthalmus

               White-eyed Gull

                  Larus hemprichii

               Sooty Gull

                  Larus canus

               Common Gull

                  Larus audouinii

               Audouin's Gull

                  Larus marinus

               Great Black-backed Gull

                  Larus dominicanus

               Kelp Gull

                  Larus hyperboreus

               Glaucous Gull

                  Larus glaucoides

               Iceland Gull

                  Larus argentatus

               Herring Gull

                  Larus heuglini

               Heuglin's Gull

                  Larus armenicus

               Armenian Gull

                  Larus cachinnans

               Yellow-legged Gull

                  Larus fuscus

               Lesser Black-backed Gull

                  Larus ichthyaetus

               Great Black-headed Gull

                  Larus cirrocephalus

               Grey-headed Gull

                  Larus hartlaubii

               Hartlaub's Gull

                  Larus ridibundus

               Common Black-headed Gull

                  Larus genei

               Slender-billed Gull

                  Larus melanocephalus

               Mediterranean Gull

                  Larus minutus

               Little Gull

                  Xema sabini

               Sabine's Gull

                  Sterna nilotica

               Gull-billed Tern

                  Sterna caspia

               Caspian Tern

                  Sterna maxima

               Royal Tern

                  Sterna bengalensis

               Lesser Crested Tern

                  Sterna bergii

               Great Crested Tern

                  Sterna sandvicensis

               Sandwich Tern

                  Sterna dougallii

               Roseate Tern

                  Sterna vittata

               Antarctic Tern

                  Sterna hirundo

               Common Tern

                  Sterna paradisaea

               Arctic Tern

                  Sterna albifrons

               Little Tern

                  Sterna saundersi

               Saunders's Tern

                  Sterna balaenarum

               Damara Tern

                  Sterna repressa

               White-cheeked Tern

                  Chlidonias hybridus

               Whiskered Tern

                  Chlidonias leucopterus

               White-winged Tern

                  Chlidonias niger

               Black Tern

                  RYNCHOPIDAE

                  Rynchops flavirostris

               African Skimmer

      (1)  As adopted at the second session of the Meeting of the Parties, which took place from 25 to 27 September 2002, Bonn, Germany.
   ANNEX 3
   ACTION PLAN (1)

   1.   Field of application
   1.1.   The Action Plan is applicable to the populations of migratory waterbirds listed in Table 1 to this Annex (hereafter referred to as Table 1).
   1.2.   Table 1 forms an integral part of this Annex. Any reference to this Action Plan includes a reference to Table 1.
   2.   Species conservation
   2.1.   Legal measures
   2.1.1.   Parties with populations listed in column A of Table 1 shall provide protection to those populations listed in accordance with Article III (2)(a) of this Agreement. Such Parties shall in particular and subject to paragraph 2.1.3:

               (a)

               prohibit the taking of birds and eggs of those populations occurring in their territory;

               (b)

               prohibit deliberate disturbance in so far as such disturbance would be significant for the conservation of the population concerned;
               and

               (c)

               prohibit the possession or utilisation of, and trade in, birds or eggs of those populations which have been taken in contravention of the prohibitions laid down pursuant to subparagraph (a) above, as well as the possession or utilisation of, and trade in, any readily recognisable parts or derivatives of such birds and their eggs.

         By way of exception for those populations listed in Categories 2 and 3 in Column A only and which are marked by an asterisk, hunting may continue on a sustainable use basis where hunting of such populations is a long-established cultural practice. This sustainable use shall be conducted within the framework of special provisions of a species action plan at the appropriate international level.
   2.1.2.   Parties with populations listed in Table 1 shall regulate the taking of birds and eggs of all populations listed in column B of Table 1. The object of such legal measures shall be to maintain or contribute to the restoration of those populations to a favourable conservation status and to ensure, on the basis of the best available knowledge of population dynamics, that any taking or other use is sustainable. Such legal measures, subject to paragraph 2.1.3, shall in particular:

               (a)

               prohibit the taking of birds belonging to the populations concerned during their various stages of reproduction and rearing and during their return to their breeding grounds if the taking has an unfavourable impact on the conservation status of the population concerned;

               (b)

               regulate the modes of taking;

               (c)

               establish limits on taking, where appropriate, and provide adequate controls to ensure that these limits are observed;
               and

               (d)

               prohibit the possession or utilisation of, and trade in, birds and eggs of the populations which have been taken in contravention of any prohibition laid down pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph, as well as the possession or utilisation of, and trade in, any parts of such birds and their eggs.

         2.1.3.   Parties may grant exemptions to the prohibitions laid down in paragraphs 2.1.1 and 2.1.2, irrespective of the provisions of Article III(5) of the Convention, where there is no other satisfactory solution, for the following purposes:

               (a)

               to prevent serious damage to crops, water and fisheries;

               (b)

               in the interests of air safety or other overriding public interests;

               (c)

               for the purpose of research and education, of re-establishment and for the breeding necessary for these purposes;

               (d)

               to permit under strictly supervised conditions, on a selective basis and to a limited extent, the taking and keeping or other judicious use of certain birds in small numbers;
               and

               (e)

               for the purpose of enhancing the propagation or survival of the populations concerned.

         Such exemptions shall be precise as to content and limited in space and time and shall not operate to the detriment of the populations listed in Table 1. Parties shall as soon as possible inform the Agreement secretariat of any exemptions granted pursuant to this provision.
   2.2.   Single species action plans
   2.2.1.   Parties shall cooperate with a view to developing and implementing international single species action plans for populations listed in Category 1 of Column A of Table 1 as a priority and for those populations listed with an asterisk in Column A of Table 1. The Agreement secretariat shall coordinate the development, harmonisation and implementation of such plans.
   2.2.2.   Parties shall prepare and implement national single species action plans for the populations listed in Column A of Table 1 with a view to improving their overall conservation status. This action plan shall include special provisions for those populations marked with an asterisk. When appropriate, the problem of accidental killing of birds by hunters as a result of incorrect identification of the species should be considered.
   2.3.   Emergency measures
   Parties shall, in close cooperation with each other whenever possible and relevant, develop and implement emergency measures for populations listed in Table 1, when exceptionally unfavourable or endangering conditions occur anywhere in the Agreement Area.
   2.4.   Re-establishments
   Parties shall exercise the greatest care when re-establishing populations listed in Table 1 into parts of their traditional range where they no longer exist. They shall endeavour to develop and follow a detailed re-establishment plan based on appropriate scientific studies. Re-establishment plans should constitute an integral part of national and, where appropriate, international single species action plans. A re-establishment plan should include assessment of the impact on the environment and shall be made widely available. Parties shall inform the Agreement secretariat, in advance, of all re-establishment programme for populations listed in Table 1.
   2.5.   Introductions
   2.5.1.   Parties shall, if they consider it necessary, prohibit the introduction of non-native species of animals and plants which may be detrimental to the populations listed in Table 1.
   2.5.2.   Parties shall, if they consider it necessary, require the taking of appropriate precautions to avoid the accidental escape of captive birds belonging to non-native species.
   2.5.3.   Parties shall take measures to the extent feasible and appropriate, including taking, to ensure that when non-native species or hybrids thereof have already been introduced into their territory, those species or their hybrids do not pose a potential hazard to the populations listed in Table 1.
   3.   Habitat conservation
   3.1.   Habitat inventories
   3.1.1.   Parties, in liaison where appropriate with competent international organisations, shall undertake and publish national inventories of the habitats within their territory which are important to the populations listed in Table 1.
   3.1.2.   Parties shall endeavour, as a matter of priority, to identify all sites of international or national importance for populations listed in Table 1.
   3.2.   Conservation of areas
   3.2.1.   Parties shall endeavour to continue establishing protected areas to conserve habitats important for the populations listed in Table 1, and to develop and implement management plans for these areas.
   3.2.2.   Parties shall endeavour to give special protection to those wetlands which meet internationally accepted criteria of international importance.
   3.2.3.   Parties shall endeavour to make wise and sustainable use of all of the wetlands in their territory. In particular they shall endeavour to avoid degradation and loss of habitats that support populations listed in Table 1 through the introduction of appropriate regulations or standards and control measures. In particular, they shall endeavour to:

               (a)

               ensure, where practicable, that adequate statutory controls are in place, relating to the use of agricultural chemicals, pest control procedures and the disposal of waste water, which are in accordance with international norms, for the purpose of minimising their adverse impacts on the populations listed in Table 1;
               and

               (b)

               prepare and distribute information materials, in the appropriate languages, describing such regulations, standards and control measures in force and their benefits to people and wildlife.

         3.2.4.   Parties shall endeavour to develop strategies, according to an ecosystem approach, for the conservation of the habitats of all populations listed in Table 1, including the habitats of those populations that are dispersed.
   3.3.   Rehabilitation and restoration
   Parties shall endeavour to rehabilitate or restore, where feasible and appropriate, areas which were previously important for the populations listed in Table 1.
   4.   Management of human activities
   4.1.   Hunting
   4.1.1.   Parties shall cooperate to ensure that their hunting legislation implements the principle of sustainable use as envisaged in this Action Plan, taking into account the full geographical range of the waterbird populations concerned and their life history characteristics.
   4.1.2.   The Agreement secretariat shall be kept informed by the Parties of their legislation relating to the hunting of populations listed in Table 1.
   4.1.3.   Parties shall cooperate with a view to developing a reliable and harmonised system for the collection of harvest data in order to assess the annual harvest of populations listed in Table 1. They shall provide the Agreement secretariat with estimates of the total annual take for each population, when available.
   4.1.4.   Parties shall endeavour to phase out the use of lead shot for hunting in wetlands by the year 2000.
   4.1.5.   Parties shall develop and implement measures to reduce, and as far as possible eliminate, the use of poisoned baits.
   4.1.6.   Parties shall develop and implement measures to reduce, and as far as possible eliminate, illegal taking.
   4.1.7.   Where appropriate, Parties shall encourage hunters, at local, national and international levels, to form clubs or organisations to coordinate their activities and to help ensure sustainability.
   4.1.8.   Parties shall, where appropriate, promote the requirement of a proficiency test for hunters, including among other things, bird identification.
   4.2.   Eco-tourism
   4.2.1.   Parties shall encourage, where appropriate but not in the case of core zones of protected areas, the elaboration of cooperative programmes between all concerned to develop sensitive and appropriate eco-tourism at wetlands holding concentrations of populations listed in Table 1.
   4.2.2.   Parties, in cooperation with competent international organisations, shall endeavour to evaluate the costs, benefits and other consequences that can result from eco-tourism at selected wetlands with concentrations of populations listed in Table 1. They shall communicate the results of any such evaluations to the Agreement secretariat.
   4.3.   Other human activities
   4.3.1.   Parties shall assess the impact of proposed projects which are likely to lead to conflicts between populations listed in Table 1 that are in the areas referred to in paragraph 3.2 and human interests, and shall make the results of the assessment publicly available.
   4.3.2.   Parties shall endeavour to gather information on the damage, in particular to crops and to fisheries, caused by populations listed in Table 1, and report the results to the Agreement secretariat.
   4.3.3.   Parties shall cooperate with a view to identifying appropriate techniques to minimise damage, or to mitigate the effects of damage, in particular to crops and to fisheries, caused by populations listed in Table 1, drawing on the experience gained elsewhere in the world.
   4.3.4.   Parties shall cooperate with a view to developing single species action plans for populations which cause significant damage, in particular to crops and to fisheries. The Agreement secretariat shall coordinate the development and harmonisation of such plans.
   4.3.5.   Parties shall, as far as possible, promote high environmental standards in the planning and construction of structures to minimise their impact on populations listed in Table 1. They should consider steps to minimise the impact of structures already in existence where it becomes evident that they constitute a negative impact for the populations concerned.
   4.3.6.   In cases where human disturbance threatens the conservation status of waterbird populations listed in Table 1, Parties should endeavour to take measures to limit the level of threat. Special attention should be given to problem of human disturbance at breeding colonies of colonially-nesting waterbirds, especially when they are situated in the areas which are popular for outdoor recreation. Appropriate measures might include, inter alia, the establishment of disturbance-free zones in protected areas where public access is not permitted.
   5.   Research and monitoring
   5.1.   Parties shall endeavour to carry out survey work in poorly known areas, which may hold important concentrations of the populations listed in Table 1. The results of such surveys shall be disseminated widely.
   5.2.   Parties shall endeavour to monitor the populations listed in Table 1. The results of such monitoring shall be published or sent to appropriate international organisations, to enable reviews of population status and trends.
   5.3.   Parties shall cooperate to improve the measurement of bird population trends as a criterion for describing the status of such populations.
   5.4.   Parties shall cooperate with a view to determining the migration routes of all populations listed in Table 1, using available knowledge of breeding and non-breeding season distributions and census results, and by participating in coordinated ringing programmes.
   5.5.   Parties shall endeavour to initiate and support joint research projects into the ecology and population dynamics of populations listed in Table 1 and their habitats, in order to determine their specific requirements as well as the techniques which are the most appropriate for their conservation and management.
   5.6.   Parties shall endeavour to undertake studies on the effects of wetland loss and degradation and disturbance on the carrying capacity of wetlands used by the populations listed in Table 1 and on the migration patterns of such populations.
   5.7.   Parties shall endeavour to undertake studies on the impact of hunting and trade on the populations listed in Table 1 and on the importance of these forms of utilisation to the local and national economy.
   5.8.   Parties shall endeavour to cooperate with relevant international organisations and to support research and monitoring projects.
   6.   Education and information
   6.1.   Parties shall, where necessary, arrange for training programmes to ensure that personnel responsible for the implementation of this Action Plan have an adequate knowledge to implement it effectively.
   6.2.   Parties shall cooperate with each other and the Agreement secretariat with a view to developing training programmes and exchanging resource materials.
   6.3.   Parties shall endeavour to develop programmes, information materials and mechanisms to improve the level of awareness of the general public with regard to the objectives, provisions and contents of this Action Plan. In this regard, particular attention shall be given to those people living in and around important wetlands, to users of these wetlands (hunters, fishermen, tourists, etc.) and to local authorities and other decision makers.
   6.4.   Parties shall endeavour to undertake specific public awareness campaigns for the conservation of the populations listed in Table 1.
   7.   Implementation
   7.1.   When implementing this Action Plan, Parties shall, when appropriate, give priority to those populations listed in Column A of Table 1.
   7.2.   Where, in the case of populations listed in Table 1, more than one population of the same species occurs on the territory of a Party, that Party shall apply conservation measures appropriate to the population or populations that have the poorest conservation status.
   7.3.   The Agreement secretariat, in coordination with the Technical Committee and with the assistance of experts from Range States, shall coordinate the development of conservation guidelines in accordance with Article IV(4) of this Agreement to assist the Parties in the implementation of this Action Plan. The Agreement secretariat shall ensure, where possible, coherence with guidelines approved under other international instruments. These conservation guidelines shall aim at introducing the principle of sustainable use. They shall cover, inter alia:

               (a)

               single species action plans;

               (b)

               emergency measures;

               (c)

               preparation of site inventories and habitat management methods;

               (d)

               hunting practices;

               (e)

               trade in waterbirds;

               (f)

               tourism;

               (g)

               reducing crop damage;
               and

               (h)

               a waterbird monitoring protocol.

         7.4.   The Agreement secretariat, in coordination with the Technical Committee and the Parties, shall prepare a series of international reviews necessary for the implementation of this Action Plan, including:

               (a)

               reports on the status and trends of populations;

               (b)

               gaps in information from surveys;

               (c)

               the networks of sites used by each population, including reviews of the protection status of each site as well as of the management measures taken in each case;

               (d)

               pertinent hunting and trade legislation in each country relating to the species listed in Annex 2 to this Agreement;

               (e)

               the stage of preparation and implementation of single species action plans;

               (f)

               re-establishment projects;
               and

               (g)

               the status of introduced non-native waterbird species and hybrids thereof.

         7.5.   The Agreement secretariat shall endeavour to ensure that the reviews mentioned in paragraph 7.4 are updated at intervals of not more than three years.
   7.6.   The Technical Committee shall assess the guidelines and reviews prepared under paragraphs 7.3 and 7.4, and shall formulate draft recommendations and resolutions relating to their development, content and implementation for consideration at sessions of the Meeting of the Parties.
   7.7.   The Agreement secretariat shall regularly undertake a review of potential mechanisms for providing additional resources (funds and technical assistance) for the implementation of this Action Plan, and shall make a report to each ordinary session of the Meeting of the Parties.
   TABLE 1
   STATUS OF THE POPULATIONS OF MIGRATORY WATERBIRDS (1)

   Key to classification
   The following key to Table 1 is a basis for implementation of the Action Plan:
   Column A

               Category 1:

                           (a)

                           Species which are included in Appendix I to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory species of Wild Animals;

                           (b)

                           Species which are listed as threatened in Threatened Birds of the World (BirdLife International 2000);
                           or

                           (c)

                           Populations, which number less than around 10 000 individuals.

               Category 2:

               Populations numbering between around 10 000 and around 25 000 individuals.

               Category 3:

               Populations numbering between around 25 000 and around 100 000 individuals and considered to be at risk as a result of:

                           (a)

                           Concentration onto a small number of sites at any stage of their annual cycle;

                           (b)

                           Dependence on a habitat type, which is under severe threat;

                           (c)

                           Showing significant long-term decline;
                           or

                           (d)

                           Showing extreme fluctuations in population size or trend.

         For species listed in categories 2 and 3 above, see paragraph 2.1.1 of the Action Plan contained in Annex 3 to the Agreement.
   Column B

               Category 1:

               Populations numbering between around 25 000 and around 100 000 individuals and which do not fulfil the conditions in respect of column A, as described above.

               Category 2:

               Populations numbering more than around 100 000 individuals and considered to be in need of special attention as a result of:

                           (a)

                           Concentration onto a small number of sites at any stage of their annual cycle;

                           (b)

                           Dependence on a habitat type, which is under severe threat;

                           (c)

                           Showing significant long-term decline;
                           or

                           (d)

                           Showing extreme fluctuations in population size or trend.

         Column C

               Category 1:

               Populations numbering more than around 100 000 individuals which could significantly benefit from international cooperation and which do not fulfil the conditions in respect of either column A or column B, above.

         Review of Table 1
   The Table shall be:

               (a)

               Reviewed regularly by the Technical Committee in accordance with Article VII(3)(b) of the Agreement;
               and

               (b)

               Amended as necessary by the Meeting of the Parties, in accordance with Article VI(9)(d) of the Agreement, in light of the conclusions of such reviews.

         Definition of geographical terms used in range descriptions

               North Africa

               Algeria, Egypt, the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Morocco, Tunisia.

               West Africa

               Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, the Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo.

               Eastern Africa

               Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania.

               North-east Africa

               Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan.

               Southern Africa

               Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

               Central Africa

               Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Sao Tome and Principe.

               Sub-Saharan Africa

               All African States south of the Sahara.

               Tropical Africa

               Sub-Saharan Africa excluding Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland.

               Western Palearctic

               As defined in Handbook of the Birds of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa (Cramp & Simmons 1977).

               North-west Europe

               Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

               Western Europe

               North-west Europe with Portugal and Spain.

               North-east Europe

               The northern part of the Russian Federation west of the Urals.

               Eastern Europe

               Belarus, the Russian Federation west of the Urals, Ukraine.

               Central Europe

               Austria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Poland, the Russian Federation around the Gulf of Finland and Kaliningrad, Slovakia, Switzerland.

               North Atlantic

               Faroes, Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, the north-west coast of the Russian Federation, Svalbard, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

               East Atlantic

               Atlantic seaboard of Europe and North Africa from northern Norway to Morocco.

               Western Siberia

               The Russian Federation east of the Urals to the Yenisey River and south to the Kazakhstan border.

               Central Siberia

               The Russian Federation from the Yenisey River to the eastern boundary of the Taimyr Peninsula and south to the Altai Mountains.

               West Mediterranean

               Algeria, France, Italy, Malta, Monaco, Morocco, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, Tunisia.

               East Mediterranean

               Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Israel, Lebanon, the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Slovenia, the Syrian Arab Republic, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey, Yugoslavia.

               Black Sea

               Armenia, Bulgaria, Georgia, Republic of Moldova, Romania, the Russian Federation, Turkey, Ukraine.

               Caspian

               Azerbaijan, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan.

               South-west Asia

               Bahrain, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the Syrian Arab Republic, eastern Turkey, Turkmenistan, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Yemen.

               Western Asia

               Western parts of the Russian Federation east of the Urals and the Caspian countries.

               Central Asia

               Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan.

               Southern Asia

               Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka.

         Key to abbreviations and symbols

               bre

               :

               breeding

               N

               :

               Northern

               S

               :

               Southern

               NE

               :

               North-eastern

               SE

               :

               South-eastern

               win

               :

               wintering

               E

               :

               Eastern

               W

               :

               Western

               NW

               :

               North-western

               SW

               :

               South-western

               ()

               Population status unknown. Conservation status estimated.

               *

               By way of exception for those populations marked by an asterisk, hunting may continue on a sustainable use basis where hunting of such populations is a long-established cultural practice (see paragraph 2.1.1 of Annex 3 to the Agreement).

         Notes

               1.

               The population data used to compile Table 1 as far as possible correspond to the number of individuals in the potential breeding stock in the Agreement area. The status is based on the best available published population estimates.

               2.

               Suffixes (bre) or (win) in population listings are solely aids to population identification. They do not indicate seasonal restrictions to actions in respect of these populations under the Agreement and Action Plan.

               3.

               The brief descriptions used to identify the populations are based on the descriptions used in the third edition of Waterbird Population Estimates.

               4.

               Slash signs (/) are used to separate breeding areas from wintering areas.

               5.

               Where a species' population is listed in Table 1 with multiple categorisation, the obligations of the Action Plan relate to the strictest category listed.

               A

               B

               C

                  SPHENISCIDAE

                  Spheniscus demersus

                           –

                           Southern Africa

               1b

               2a 2c

                  GAVIIDAE

                  Gavia stellata

                           –

                           North-west Europe (win)

               2c

                           –

                           Caspian, Black Sea and east Mediterranean (win)

               (1)

                  Gavia arctica arctica

                           –

                           Northern Europe and western Siberia/Europe

               2c

                  Gavia arctica suschkini

                           –

                           Central Siberia/Caspian

               (1)

                  Gavia immer

                           –

                           Europe (win)

               1c

                  Gavia adamsii

                           –

                           Northern Europe (win)

               1c

                  PODICIPEDIDAE

                  Tachybaptus ruficollis ruficollis

                           –

                           Europe and north-west Africa

               1

                  Podiceps cristatus cristatus

                           –

                           North-west and western Europe

               1

                           –

                           Black Sea and Mediterranean (win)

               1

                           –

                           Caspian and south-west Asia (win)

               2

                  Podiceps grisegena grisegena

                           –

                           North-west Europe (win)

               1

                           –

                           Black Sea and Mediterranean (win)

               (1)

                           –

                           Caspian (win)

               2

                  Podiceps cristatus infuscatus

                           –

                           Eastern Africa (Ethiopia to northern Zambia)

               1c

                           –

                           Southern Africa

               1c

                  Podiceps auritus auritus

                           –

                           North-west Europe (large-billed)

               1c

                           –

                           North-east Europe (small-billed)

               1

                           –

                           Caspian and southern Asia (win)

               2

                  Podiceps nigricollis nigricollis

                           –

                           Europe/southern and western Europe and north Africa

               1

                           –

                           Western Asia/south-west and southern Asia

               1

                  Podiceps nigricollis gurneyi

                           –

                           Southern Africa

               2

                  PELECANIDAE

                  Pelecanus onocrotalus

                           –

                           Southern Africa

               2

                           –

                           Western Africa

               1

                           –

                           Eastern Africa

               1

                           –

                           Europe and western Asia (bre)

               1a 3c

                  Pelecanus rufescens

                           –

                           Tropical Africa and south-west Arabia

               1

                  Pelecanus crispus

                           –

                           Black Sea and Mediterranean (win)

               1a 1c

                           –

                           South-west Asia and south Asia (win)

               1a 2

                  SULIDAE

                  Sula (Morus) capensis

                           –

                           Southern Africa

               1b

               2a 2c

                  PHALACROCORACIDAE

                  Phalacrocorax coronatus

                           –

                           Coastal south-west Africa

               1c

                  Phalacrocorax pygmeus

                           –

                           Black Sea and Mediterranean

               1

                           –

                           South-west Asia

               1

                  Phalacrocorax neglectus

                           –

                           Coastal south-west Africa

               1b 1c

                  Phalacrocorax carbo carbo

                           –

                           North-west Europe

               1

                  Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis

                           –

                           Northern and central Europe

               1

                           –

                           Black Sea and Mediterranean

               1

                           –

                           Western and south-westAsia

               (1)

                  Phalacrocorax carbo lucidus

                           –

                           Coastal west Africa

               1

                           –

                           Central and eastern Africa

               1

                           –

                           Coastal southern Africa

               2

                  Phalacrocorax nigrogularis

                           –

                           Gulf and Arabian Sea

               1b

               2a 2c

                  Phalacrocorax capensis

                           –

                           Coastal southern Africa

               2a 2c

                  ARDEIDAE

                  Egretta ardesiaca

                           –

                           Sub-Saharan Africa

               3c

                  Egretta vinaceigula

                           –

                           South-central Africa

               1b 1c

                  Egretta garzetta garzetta

                           –

                           Sub-Saharan Africa

               (1)

                           –

                           Europe, Black Sea and Mediterranean/west and central Africa

               1

                           –

                           Western Asia/south-west Asia, north-east and eastern Africa

               (1)

                  Egretta gularis gularis

                           –

                           West Africa

               (1)

                  Egretta gularis schistacea

                           –

                           North-east Africa and Red Sea

               (1)

                           –

                           South-west Asia and south Asia

               2

                  Egretta dimorpha

                           –

                           Coastal Eastern Africa

               2

                  Ardea cinerea cinerea

                           –

                           Sub-Saharan Africa

               1

                           –

                           Europe and north Africa (bre)

               1

                           –

                           West and South-west Asia (bre)

               (1)

                  Ardea melanocephala

                           –

                           Sub-Saharan Africa

               (1)

                  Ardea purpurea purpurea

                           –

                           Tropical Africa

               1

                           –

                           Western Europe and westMediterranean/west Africa

               2

                           –

                           Eastern Europe and South-west Asia/Sub-Saharan Africa

               (2c)

                  Casmerodius albus albus

                           –

                           Western, central and south-east Europe/Black Sea and Mediterranean

               2

                           –

                           Western Asia/south-west Asia

               (1)

                  Casmerodius albus melanorhynchos

                           –

                           Sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar

               (1)

                  Mesophoyx intermedia brachyrhyncha

                           –

                           Sub-Saharan Africa

               1

                  Bubulcus ibis ibis

                           –

                           Southern Africa

               1

                           –

                           Tropical Africa

               1

                           –

                           South-west Europe and north-west Africa

               1

                           –

                           East Mediterranean and south-west Asia

               2

                  Ardeola ralloides ralloides

                           –

                           Medit., Black Sea and north Africa/Sub-Saharan Africa

               3c

                           –

                           West and south-west Asia/Sub-Saharan Africa

               (1)

                  Ardeola ralloides paludivaga

                           –

                           Sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar

               (1)

                  Ardeola idea

                           –

                           Madagascar and Aldabra/central and eastern Africa

               1b 1c

                  Ardeola rufiventris

                           –

                           Tropical eastern and southern Africa

               (1)

                  Nycticorax nycticorax nycticorax

                           –

                           Sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar

               (1)

                           –

                           Europe and north-west Africa/Mediterranean and Africa

               2c

                           –

                           Western Asia/south-west Asia and north-east Africa

               (1)

                  Ixobrychus minutus minutus

                           –

                           Europe and north Africa/Sub-Saharan Africa

               2c

                           –

                           West and south-west Asia/Sub-Saharan Africa

               (1)

                  Ixobrychus minutus payesii

                           –

                           Sub-Saharan Africa

               (1)

                  Ixobrychus sturmii

                           –

                           Sub-Saharan Africa

               (1)

                  Botaurus stellaris stellaris

                           –

                           Europe (bre)

               3c

                           –

                           South-west Asia (win)

               2

                  Botaurus stellaris capensis

                           –

                           Southern Africa

               1c

                  CICONIIDAE

                  Mycteria ibis

                           –

                           Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding Madagascar)

               1

                  Anastomus lamelligerus lamelligerus

                           –

                           Sub-Saharan Africa

               1

                  Ciconia nigra

                           –

                           Southern Africa

               1c

                           –

                           South-west Europe/westAfrica

               1c

                           –

                           Central and eastern Europe/Sub-Saharan Africa

               2

                  Ciconia abdimii

                           –

                           Sub-Saharan Africa and south-west Arabia

               (2c)

                  Ciconia episcopus microscelis

                           –

                           Sub-Saharan Africa

               (1)

                  Ciconia ciconia ciconia

                           –

                           Southern Africa

               1c

                           –

                           Iberia and north-west Africa/Sub-Saharan Africa

               3b

                           –

                           Central and eastern Europe/Sub-Saharan Africa

               1

                           –

                           Western Asia/south-west Asia

               2

                  Leptoptilos crumeniferus

                           –

                           Sub-Saharan Africa

               1

                  BALAENICIPITIDAE

                  Balaeniceps rex

                           –

                           Central tropical Africa

               1c

                  THRESKIORNITHIDAE

                  Plegadis falcinellus falcinellus

                           –

                           Sub-Saharan Africa (bre)

               1

                           –

                           Black Sea and Mediterranean/west Africa

               3c

                           –

                           South-west Asia/eastern Africa

               (1)

                  Geronticus eremita

                           –

                           Morocco

               1a 1b 1c

                           –

                           South-west Asia

               1a 1b 1c

                  Threskiornis aethiopicus aethiopicus

                           –

                           Sub-Saharan Africa

               1

                           –

                           Iraq and Iran

               1c

                  Platalea leucorodia leucorodia

                           –

                           West Europe/west Mediterranean and west Africa

               1c

                           –

                           Cent. and south-east Europe/Mediterranean and tropical Africa

               2

                  Platalea leucorodia archeri

                           –

                           Red Sea and Somalia

               1c

                  Platalea leucorodia balsaci

                           –

                           Coastal west Africa (Mauritania)

               1c

                  Platalea leucorodia major

                           –

                           Western Asia/south-west and south Asia

               2

                  Platalea alba

                           –

                           Sub-Saharan Africa

               2*

                  PHOENICOPTERIDAE

                  Phoenicopterus ruber roseus

                           –

                           West Africa

               3a

                           –

                           Eastern Africa

               3a

                           –

                           Southern Africa (to Madagascar)

               3a

                           –

                           West Mediterranean

               2a

                           –

                           East Mediterranean, south-west and south Asia

               2a

                  Phoenicopterus minor

                           –

                           West Africa

               2

                           –

                           Eastern Africa

               2a 2c

                           –

                           Southern Africa (to Madagascar)

               3a

                  ANATIDAE

                  Dendrocygna bicolor

                           –

                           West Africa (Senegal to Chad)

               (1)

                           –

                           Eastern and southern Africa

               (1)

                  Dendrocygna viduata

                           –

                           West Africa (Senegal to Chad)

               1

                           –

                           Eastern and southern Africa

               1

                  Thalassornis leuconotus leuconotus

                           –

                           West Africa

               1c

                           –

                           Eastern and southern Africa

               2*

                  Oxyura leucocephala

                           –

                           West Mediterranean (Spain and Morocco)

               1a 1b 1c

                           –

                           Algeria and Tunisia

               1a 1b 1c

                           –

                           East Mediterranean, Turkey and south-west Asia

               1a 1b 1c

                  Oxyura maccoa

                           –

                           Eastern Africa

               1c

                           –

                           Southern Africa

               1c

                  Cygnus olor

                           –

                           North-west mainland and central Europe

               1

                           –

                           Black Sea

               1

                           –

                           West and central Asia/Caspian

               2a 2d

                  Cygnus Cygnus

                           –

                           Iceland/United Kingdom and Ireland

               2

                           –

                           North-west mainland Europe

               1

                           –

                           Northern Europe and western Siberia/Black Sea and East Mediterranean

               2

                           –

                           West and central Siberia/Caspian

               2

                  Cygnus columbianus bewickii

                           –

                           Western Siberia and north-east Europe/north-west Europe

               3c

                           –

                           Northern Siberia/Caspian

               1c

                  Anser brachyrhynchus

                           –

                           East Greenland and Iceland/United Kingdom

               2a

                           –

                           Svalbard/north-west Europe

               1

                  Anser fabalis fabalis

                           –

                           North-east Europe/north-west Europe

               1

                  Anser fabalis rossicus

                           –

                           West and central Siberia/north-east and south-west Europe

               (1)

                  Anser fabalis johanseni

                           –

                           West and central Siberia/Turkmenistan to western China

               (1)

                  Anser albifrons albifrons

                           –

                           North-west Siberia and north-east Europe/north-west Europe

               1

                           –

                           Western Siberia/central Europe

               3c*

                           –

                           Western Siberia/Black Sea and Turkey

               1

                           –

                           Northern Siberia/Caspian and Iraq

               2

                  Anser albifrons flavirostris

                           –

                           Greenland/Ireland and United Kingdom

               3a*

                  Anser erythropus

                           –

                           Northern Europe and western Siberia/Black Sea and Caspian

               1a 1b 2

                  Anser anser anser

                           –

                           Iceland/United Kingdom and Ireland

               1

                           –

                           North-west Europe/south-west Europe

               1

                           –

                           Central Europe/north Africa

               1

                  Anser anser rubrirostris

                           –

                           Black Sea and Turkey

               1

                           –

                           Western Siberia/Caspian and Iraq

               1

                  Branta leucopsis

                           –

                           East Greenland/Scotland and Ireland

               1

                           –

                           Svalbard/south-west Scotland

               2

                           –

                           Russia/Germany and Netherlands

               1

                  Branta bernicla bernicla

                           –

                           Western Siberia/western Europe

               2b 2c

                  Branta bernicla hrota

                           –

                           Svalbard/Denmark and United Kingdom

               1c

                           –

                           Canada and Greenland/Ireland

               2

                  Branta ruficollis

                           –

                           Northern Siberia/Black Sea and Caspian

               1a 1b 3a

                  Alopochen aegyptiacus

                           –

                           West Africa

               2

                           –

                           Eastern and southern Africa

               1

                  Tadorna ferruginea

                           –

                           North-west Africa

               1c

                           –

                           East Mediterranean and Black Sea/north-east Africa

               2

                           –

                           Western Asia and Caspian/Iran and Iraq

               1

                  Tadorna cana

                           –

                           Southern Africa

               1

                  Tadorna tadorna

                           –

                           North-west Europe

               2a

                           –

                           Black Sea and Mediterranean

               3c

                           –

                           Western Asia/Caspian and Middle East

               1

                  Plectropterus gambensis gambensis

                           –

                           West Africa

               1

                           –

                           Eastern Africa (Sudan to Zambia)

               1

                  Plectropterus gambensis niger

                           –

                           Southern Africa

               1

                  Sarkidiornis melanotos melanotos

                           –

                           West Africa

               1

                           –

                           Southern and eastern Africa

               1

                  Nettapus auritus

                           –

                           West Africa

               1c

                           –

                           Southern and eastern Africa

               (1)

                  Anas capensis

                           –

                           Eastern Africa (Rift Valley)

               1c

                           –

                           Lake Chad basin2

               1c

                           –

                           Southern Africa (north to Angola and Zambia)

               1

                  Anas strepera strepera

                           –

                           North-west Europe

               1

                           –

                           North-east Europe/Black Sea and Mediterranean

               2c

                           –

                           Western Siberia/south-west Asia and north-east Africa

               (1)

                  Anas penelope

                           –

                           Western Siberia and north-east Europe/north-west Europe

               1

                           –

                           Western Siberia and north-east Europe/Black Sea and Mediterranean

               2c

                           –

                           Western Siberia/south-west Asia and north-east Africa

               2c

                  Anas platyrhynchos platyrhynchos

                           –

                           North-west Europe

               1

                           –

                           Northern Europe/West Mediterranean

               1

                           –

                           Eastern Europe/Black Sea and East Mediterranean

               2c

                           –

                           Western Siberia/south-west Asia

               (1)

                  Anas undulata undulata

                           –

                           Southern Africa

               1

                  Anas clypeata

                           –

                           North-west and central Europe (win)

               1

                           –

                           Western Siberia, north-east and eastern Europe/southern Europe and west Africa

               2c

                           –

                           Western Siberia/south-west Asia, north-east and eastern Africa

               2c

                  Anas erythrorhyncha

                           –

                           Southern Africa

               1

                           –

                           Eastern Africa

               1

                           –

                           Madagascar

               2

                  Anas acuta

                           –

                           North-west Europe

               1

                           –

                           Western Siberia, north-east and eastern Europe/southern Europe and west Africa

               2c

                           –

                           Western Siberia/south-west Asia and eastern Africa

               (1)

                  Anas querquedula

                           –

                           Western Siberia and Europe/west Africa

               2c

                           –

                           Western Siberia/south-west Asia, north-east and eastern Africa

               (1)

                  Anas crecca crecca

                           –

                           North-west Europe

               1

                           –

                           Western Siberia and north-east Europe/Black Sea and Mediterranean

               1

                           –

                           Western Siberia/south-west Asia and north-east Africa

               2c

                  Anas hottentota

                           –

                           Lake Chad Basin

               1c

                           –

                           Eastern Africa (south to northern Zambia)

               1

                           –

                           Southern Africa (north to southern Zambia)

               1

                  Marmaronetta angustirostris

                           –

                           West Mediterranean/West Mediterranean and west Africa

               1a 1b 1c

                           –

                           East Mediterranean

               1a 1b 1c

                           –

                           South-west Asia

               1a 1b 2

                  Netta rufina

                           –

                           South-west and central Europe/West Mediterranean

               1

                           –

                           Black Sea and east Mediterranean

               3c

                           –

                           Western and central Asia/south-west Asia

               1

                  Netta erythrophthalma brunnea

                           –

                           Southern and eastern Africa

               1

                  Aythya ferina

                           –

                           North-east Europe/north-west Europe

               1

                           –

                           Central and north-east Europe/Black Sea and Mediterranean

               1

                           –

                           Western Siberia/south-west Asia

               2c

                  Aythya nyroca

                           –

                           West Mediterranean/north and west Africa

               1a 1c

                           –

                           Eastern Europe/east Mediterranean and Sahelian Africa

               1a 3c

                           –

                           Western Asia/south-west Asia and north-east Africa

               1a 3c

                  Aythya fuligula

                           –

                           North-west Europe (win)

               1

                           –

                           Central Europe, Black Sea and Mediterranean (win)

               1

                           –

                           Western Siberia/south-west Asia and north-east Africa

               (1)

                  Aythya marila marila

                           –

                           Northern Europe/western Europe

               1

                           –

                           Western Siberia/Black Sea and Caspian

               1

                  Somateria mollissima mollissima

                           –

                           Baltic, Denmark and Netherlands

               1

                           –

                           Norway and Russia

               1

                  Somateria mollissima borealis

                           –

                           Svalbard and Franz Joseph (bre)

               1

                  Somateria spectabilis

                           –

                           East Greenland, north-east Europe and western Siberia

               1

                  Polysticta stelleri

                           –

                           Western Siberia/north-east Europe

               1a

               1

                  Clangula hyemalis

                           –

                           Iceland and Greenland

               1

                           –

                           Western Siberia/northern Europe

               1

                  Melanitta nigra nigra

                           –

                           Western Siberia and northern Europe/western Europe and north-west Africa

               2a

                  Melanitta fusca fusca

                           –

                           Western Siberia and northern Europe/north-west Europe

               2a

                           –

                           Black Sea and Caspian

               1c

                  Bucephala clangula clangula

                           –

                           North-west and central Europe (win)

               1

                           –

                           North-east Europe/Adriatic

               1

                           –

                           Western Siberia and north-east Europe/Black Sea

               2

                           –

                           Western Siberia/Caspian

               2

                  Mergellus albellus

                           –

                           North-west and central Europe (win)

               3a

                           –

                           North-east Europe/Black Sea and east Mediterranean

               1

                           –

                           Western Siberia/south-west Asia

               3c

                  Mergus serrator serrator

                           –

                           North-west and central Europe (win)

               1

                           –

                           North-east Europe/Black Sea and Mediterranean

               1

                           –

                           Western Siberia/south-west and central Asia

               1c

                  Mergus merganser merganser

                           –

                           North-west and central Europe (win)

               1

                           –

                           North-east Europe/Black Sea

               1c

                           –

                           Western Siberia/Caspian

               2

                  GRUIDAE

                  Balearica pavonina pavonina

                           –

                           West Africa (Senegal to Chad)

               2

                  Balearica pavonina ceciliae

                           –

                           Eastern Africa (Sudan to Uganda)

               3c

                  Balearica regulorum regulorum

                           –

                           Southern Africa (north to Angola and southern Zimbabwe)

               1c

                  Balearica regulorum gibbericeps

                           –

                           Eastern Africa (Kenya to Mozambique)

               3c

                  Grus leucogeranus

                           –

                           Iran (win)

               1a 1b 1c

                  Grus virgo

                           –

                           Black Sea (Ukraine)/north-east Africa

               1c

                           –

                           Turkey (bre)

               1c

                           –

                           Kalmykia/north-east Africa

               1

                  Grus paradisea

                           –

                           Extreme southern Africa

               1b 2

                  Grus carunculatus

                           –

                           Central and southern Africa

               1b 1c

                  Grus grus

                           –

                           North-west Europe/Iberia and Morocco

               1

                           –

                           North-east and central Europe/north Africa

               1

                           –

                           Eastern Europe/Turkey, Middle East and north-east Africa

               3c

                           –

                           Turkey and Georgia (bre)

               1c

                           –

                           Western Siberia/south Asia

               (1)

                  RALLIDAE

                  Sarothrura elegans elegans

                           –

                           NE, Eastern and southern Africa

               (1)

                  Sarothrura elegans reichenovi

                           –

                           S West Africa to central Africa

               (1)

                  Sarothrura boehmi

                           –

                           Central Africa

               1c

                  Sarothrura ayresi

                           –

                           Ethiopia and southern Africa

               1a 1b 1c

                  Rallus aquaticus aquaticus

                           –

                           Europe and north Africa

               1

                  Rallus aquaticus korejewi

                           –

                           Western Siberia/south-west Asia

               (1)

                  Rallus caerulescens

                           –

                           Southern and eastern Africa

               (1)

                  Crecopsis egregia

                           –

                           Sub-Saharan Africa

               (1)

                  Crex crex

                           –

                           Europe and western Asia/Sub-Saharan Africa

               1b

               2c

                  Amaurornis flavirostris

                           –

                           Sub-Saharan Africa

               1

                  Porzana parva parva

                           –

                           Western Eurasia/Africa

               2c

                  Porzana pusilla intermedia

                           –

                           Europe (bre)

               2

                  Porzana porzana

                           –

                           Europe/Africa

               2c

                  Aenigmatolimnas marginalis

                           –

                           Sub-Saharan Africa

               (2)

                  Porphyrio alleni

                           –

                           Sub-Saharan Africa

               (1)

                  Gallinula chloropus chloropus

                           –

                           Europe and north Africa

               1

                           –

                           West and south-west Asia

               (1)

                  Gallinula angulata

                           –

                           Sub-Saharan Africa

               (1)

                  Fulica cristata

                           –

                           Sub-Saharan Africa

               1

                           –

                           Spain and Morocco

               1c

                  Fulica atra atra

                           –

                           North-west Europe (win)

               1

                           –

                           Black Sea and Mediterranean (win)

               1

                           –

                           South-west Asia (win)

               (1)

                  DROMADIDAE

                  Dromas ardeola

                           –

                           North-west Indian Ocean, Red Sea and Gulf

               3a

                  HAEMATOPODIDAE

                  Haematopus ostralegus ostralegus

                           –

                           Europe/southern and western Europe and north-west Africa

               1

                  Haematopus ostralegus longipes

                           –

                           South-east Europe and western Asia/south-west Asia and north-east Africa

               (1)

                  Haematopus moquini

                           –

                           Coastal southern Africa

               1c

                  RECURVIROSTRIDAE

                  Himantopus himantopus himantopus

                           –

                           Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding south)

               (1)

                           –

                           Southern Africa (meridionalis)

               2

                           –

                           South-west Europe and north-west Africa/west Africa

               1

                           –

                           Central Europe and east Mediterranean/north-central Africa

               1

                           –

                           Western, central and south-west Asia/south-west Asia and north-east Africa

               (1)

                  Recurvirostra avosetta

                           –

                           Southern Africa

               2

                           –

                           Eastern Africa

               (1)

                           –

                           Western Europe and north-west Africa (bre)

               1

                           –

                           South-east Europe, Black Sea and Turkey (bre)

               (3c)

                           –

                           West and south-west Asia/eastern Africa

               2

                  BURHINIDAE

                  Burhinus senegalensis senegalensis

                           –

                           West Africa

               (2)

                  Burhinus senegalensis inornatus

                           –

                           North-east and eastern Africa

               (2)

                  GLAREOLIDAE

                  Pluvianus aegyptius aegyptius

                           –

                           West Africa

               (1)

                           –

                           Eastern Africa

               (2)

                  Glareola pratincola pratincola

                           –

                           Western Europe and north-west Africa/west Africa

               2

                           –

                           Black Sea and eastern Mediterranean/eastern Sahel zone

               2

                           –

                           South-west Asia/south-west Asia and north-east Africa

               (1)

                  Glareola nordmanni

                           –

                           South-east Europe and western Asia/southern Africa

               3b 3c

                  Glareola ocularis

                           –

                           Madagascar/east Africa

               (2)

                  Glareola nuchalis nuchalis

                           –

                           Eastern and central Africa

               (1)

                  Glareola nuchalis liberiae

                           –

                           West Africa

               (2)

                  Glareola cinerea cinerea

                           –

                           south-eastern west Africa and central Africa

               (2)

                  CHARADRIIDAE

                  Pluvialis apricaria apricaria

                           –

                           United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark, Germany and Baltic (bre)

               3c*

                  Pluvialis apricaria altifrons

                           –

                           Iceland and Faroes/east Atlantic coast

               1

                           –

                           Northern Europe/western Europe and north-west Africa

               1

                           –

                           Northern Siberia/Caspian and Asia Minor

               (1)

                  Pluvialis fulva

                           –

                           North-central Siberia/South and south-west Asia, north east Africa

               (1)

                  Pluvialis squatarola

                           –

                           Western Siberia and Canada/western Europe and west Africa

               1

                           –

                           Central and eastern Siberia/south-west Asia, Eastern and southern Africa

               1

                  Charadrius hiaticula hiaticula

                           –

                           Northern Europe/Europe and north Africa

               1

                  Charadrius hiaticula psammodroma

                           –

                           Canada, Greenland and Iceland/west and southern Africa

               (2c)

                  Charadrius hiaticula tundrae

                           –

                           North-east Europe and Siberia/south-west Asia, east and southern Africa

               (1)

                  Charadrius dubius curonicus

                           –

                           Europe and north-west Africa/west Africa

               1

                           –

                           West and south-west Asia/eastern Africa

               (1)

                  Charadrius pecuarius pecuarius

                           –

                           Southern and eastern Africa

               (1)

                           –

                           West Africa

               (1)

                  Charadrius tricollaris tricollaris

                           –

                           Southern and eastern Africa

               1

                  Charadrius forbesi

                           –

                           Western and central Africa

               (1)

                  Charadrius pallidus pallidus

                           –

                           Southern Africa

               2

                  Charadrius pallidus venustus

                           –

                           Eastern Africa

               1c

                  Charadrius alexandrinus alexandrinus

                           –

                           West Europe and west Mediterranean/west Africa

               3c

                           –

                           Black Sea and East Mediterranean/eastern Sahel

               3c

                           –

                           South-west and central Asia/south-west Asia and north-east Africa

               (1)

                  Charadrius marginatus mechowi

                           –

                           Southern and eastern Africa

               2

                           –

                           West to west-central Africa

               2

                  Charadrius mongolus pamirensis

                           –

                           West-central Asia/south-west Asia and eastern Africa

               (1)

                  Charadrius leschenaultii columbinus

                           –

                           Turkey and south west Asia/east Mediterranean and Red Sea

               1c

                  Charadrius leschenaultii crassirostris

                           –

                           Caspian and south-west Asia/Arabia and north-east Africa

               (1)

                  Charadrius leschenaultii leschenaultii

                           –

                           Central Asia/eastern and southern Africa

               (1)

                  Charadrius asiaticus

                           –

                           South-east Europe and western Asia/eastern and south-central Africa

               3c

                  Eudromias morinellus

                           –

                           Europe/north-west Africa

               (3c)

                           –

                           Asia/Middle East

               (1)

                  Vanellus vanellus

                           –

                           Europe/Europe and north Africa

               2c

                           –

                           Western Asia/south-west Asia

               (1)

                  Vanellus spinosus

                           –

                           Black Sea and Mediterranean (bre)

               1

                  Vanellus albiceps

                           –

                           West and central Africa

               (1)

                  Vanellus senegallus senegallus

                           –

                           West Africa

               (1)

                  Vanellus senegallus solitaneus

                           –

                           South-west Africa

               (1)

                  Vanellus senegallus lateralis

                           –

                           Eastern and south-east Africa

               1

                  Vanellus lugubris

                           –

                           Southern west Africa

               2

                           –

                           Central and eastern Africa

               3c

                  Vanellus melanopterus minor

                           –

                           Southern Africa

               1c

                  Vanellus coronatus coronatus

                           –

                           Eastern and southern Africa

               1

                           –

                           Central Africa

               (2)

                  Vanellus coronatus xerophilus

                           –

                           South-west Africa

               (1)

                  Vanellus superciliosus

                           –

                           West and central Africa

               (2)

                  Vanellus gregarius

                           –

                           SE Europe and western Asia/north-east Africa

               1a 1b 1c

                           –

                           Central Asian republics/north-west India

               1a 1b 1c

                  Vanellus leucurus

                           –

                           SW Asia/SW Asia and north-east Africa

               2

                           –

                           Central Asian Republics/South Asia

               (1)

                  SCOLOPACIDAE

                  Scolopax rusticola

                           –

                           Europe/south and west Europe and north Africa

               1

                           –

                           Western Siberia/south-west Asia (Caspian)

               (1)

                  Gallinago stenura

                           –

                           Northern Siberia/south Asia and sastern Africa

               (1)

                  Gallinago media

                           –

                           Scandinavia/probably west Africa

               1

                           –

                           Western Siberia and north-east Europe/south-east Africa

               2c

                  Gallinago gallinago gallinago

                           –

                           Europe/southern and western Europe and north-west Africa

               2c

                           –

                           Western Siberia/south-west Asia and Africa

               1

                  Gallinago gallinago faeroeensis

                           –

                           Iceland, Faroes and northern Scotland/Ireland

               1

                  Lymnocryptes minimus

                           –

                           Northern Europe/southern and western Europe and west Africa

               2b

                           –

                           Western Siberia/south-west Asia and north-east Africa

               (1)

                  Limosa limosa limosa

                           –

                           Western Europe/north-west and west Africa

               2c

                           –

                           Eastern Europe/central and eastern Africa

               2c

                           –

                           West-central Asia/south-west Asia and eastern Africa

               (1)

                  Limosa limosa islandica

                           –

                           Iceland/western Europe

               3a*

                  Limosa lapponica lapponica

                           –

                           Northern Europe/western Europe

               2a

                  Limosa lapponica taymyrensis

                           –

                           Western Siberia/west and south-west Africa

               2a 2c

                  Limosa lapponica menzbieri

                           –

                           Central Siberia/south and south-west Asia and eastern Africa

               (1)

                  Numenius phaeopus phaeopus

                           –

                           Northern Europe/west Africa

               (1)

                           –

                           West Siberia/southern and eastern Africa

               (1)

                  Numenius phaeopus islandicus

                           –

                           Iceland, Faroes and Scotland/west Africa

               1

                  Numenius phaeopus alboaxillaris

                           –

                           South-west Asia/eastern Africa

               1c

                  Numenius tenuirostris

                           –

                           Central Siberia/Mediterranean and south-west Asia

               1a 1b 1c

                  Numenius arquata arquata

                           –

                           Europe/Europe, north and west Africa

               1

                  Numenius arquata orientalis

                           –

                           Western Siberia/south-west Asia, eastern and southern Africa

               3c

                  Numenius arquata suschkini

                           –

                           South-east Europe and south-west Asia (bre)

               2

                  Tringa erythropus

                           –

                           Northern Europe/southern Europe, north and west Africa

               (1)

                           –

                           Western Siberia/south-west Asia, north-east and eastern Africa

               (1)

                  Tringa totanus totanus

                           –

                           North-west Europe/western Europe, north-west and west Africa

               2c

                           –

                           Central and eastern Europe/east Mediterranean and Africa

               2c

                  Tringa totanus britannica

                           –

                           United Kingdom and Ireland/United Kingdom, Ireland, France

               2c

                  Tringa totanus ussuriensis

                           –

                           Western Asia/south-west Asia, north-east and eastern Africa

               (1)

                  Tringa totanus robusta

                           –

                           Iceland and Faroes/western Europe

               1

                  Tringa stagnatilis

                           –

                           Eastern Europe/west and central Africa

               (1)

                           –

                           Western Asia/south-west Asia, eastern and southern Africa

               (1)

                  Tringa nebularia

                           –

                           Northern Europe/south-west Europe, north-west and west Africa

               1

                           –

                           Western Siberia/south-west Asia, eastern and southern Africa

               (1)

                  Tringa ochropus

                           –

                           Northern Europe/siouthern and western Europe, West Africa

               1

                           –

                           Western Siberia/south-west Asia, north-east and eastern Africa

               (1)

                  Tringa glareola

                           –

                           North-west Europe/west Africa

               2c

                           –

                           North-east Europe and western Siberia/eastern and southern Africa

               (1)

                  Tringa cinerea

                           –

                           North-east Europe and western Siberia/south-west Asia, eastern and southern Africa

               1

                  Tringa hypoleucos

                           –

                           West and central Europe/west Africa

               1

                           –

                           Eastern Europe and western Siberia/central, eastern and southern Africa

               (1)

                  Arenaria interpres interpres

                           –

                           North-east Canada and Greenland/western Europe and north-west Africa

               1

                           –

                           Northern Europe/west Africa

               1

                           –

                           West and central Siberia/south-west Asia, eastern and southern Africa

               (1)

                  Calidris tenuirostris

                           –

                           Eastern Siberia/south-west Asia and western southern Asia

               1c

                  Calidris canutus canutus

                           –

                           Northern Siberia/west and southern Africa

               2a 2c

                  Calidris canutus islandica

                           –

                           North-east Canada and Greenland/western Europe

               2a 2c

                  Calidris alba

                           –

                           East Atlantic Europe, west and southern Africa (win)

               1

                           –

                           South-west Asia, eastern and southern Africa (win)

               1

                  Calidris minuta

                           –

                           Northern Europe/southern Europe, north and west Africa

               (2c)

                           –

                           Western Siberia/south-west Asia, eastern and southern Africa

               (1)

                  Calidris temminckii

                           –

                           Fennoscandia/north and west Africa

               (1)

                           –

                           North-east Europe and western Siberia/south-west Asia and eastern Africa

               (1)

                  Calidris maritima maritima

                           –

                           North and west Europe (excluding Iceland) (win)

               1

                  Calidris alpina alpina

                           –

                           North-east Europe and north-west Siberia/western Europe and north-west Africa

               1

                  Calidris alpina centralis

                           –

                           Central Siberia/south-west Asia and north-east Africa

               (1)

                  Calidris alpina schinzii

                           –

                           Iceland and Greenland/north-west and west Africa

               1

                           –

                           Britain and Ireland/south-west Europe and north-west Africa

               2

                           –

                           Baltic/south-west Europe and north-west Africa

               1c

                  Calidris alpina arctica

                           –

                           North-east Greenland/west Africa

               3a

                  Calidris ferruginea

                           –

                           Western Siberia/west Africa

               1

                           –

                           Central Siberia/south-west Asia, eastern and southern Africa

               1

                  Limicola falcinellus falcinellus

                           –

                           Northern Europe/south-west Asia and Africa

               3c

                  Philomachus pugnax

                           –

                           Northern Europe and western Siberia/west Africa

               2c

                           –

                           Northern Siberia/south-west Asia, eastern and southern Africa

               (2c)

                  Phalaropus lobatus

                           –

                           Western Eurasia/Arabian Sea

               1

                  Phalaropus fulicaria

                           –

                           Canada and Greenland/Atlantic coast of Africa

               (1)

                  LARIDAE

                  Larus leucophthalmus

                           –

                           Red Sea and nearby coasts

               1a 2

                  Larus hemprichii

                           –

                           Red Sea, Gulf, Arabia and eastern Africa

               2a

                  Larus canus canus

                           –

                           North-west and central Europe/Atlantic coast and Mediterranean

               2c

                  Larus canus heinei

                           –

                           North-east Europe and western Siberia/Black Sea and Caspian

               (1)

                  Larus audouinii

                           –

                           Mediterranean/north and west coasts of Africa

               1a 3a

                  Larus marinus

                           –

                           Northern and western Europe

               1

                  Larus dominicanus vetula

                           –

                           Coastal southern Africa

               1

                  Larus hyperboreus hyperboreus

                           –

                           Svalbard and northern Russia (bre)

               (1)

                  Larus hyperboreus leuceretes

                           –

                           Canada, Greenland and Iceland (bre)

               (1)

                  Larus glaucoides glaucoides

                           –

                           Greenland/Iceland and north-west Europe

               1

                  Larus argentatus argentatus

                           –

                           North and north-west Europe

               1

                  Larus argentatus argenteus

                           –

                           Iceland and western Europe

               1

                  Larus heuglini

                           –

                           North-east Europe and western Siberia/south-west Asia and north-east Africa

               (1)

                  Larus (heuglini) barabensis

                           –

                           South-west Siberia/south-west Asia

               (1)

                  Larus armenicus

                           –

                           Armenia, eastern Turkey and north-west Iran

               3a

                  Larus cachinnans cachinnans

                           –

                           Black Sea and western Asia/south-west Asia, north-east Africa

               1

                  Larus cachinnans michahellis

                           –

                           Mediterranean, Iberia and Morocco

               1

                  Larus fuscus fuscus

                           –

                           North-east Europe/Black Sea, south-west Asia and eastern Africa

               (2c)

                  Larus fuscus graellsii

                           –

                           Western Europe/Mediterranean and west Africa

               1

                  Larus ichthyaetus

                           –

                           Black Sea and Caspian/south-west Asia

               3a

                  Larus cirrocephalus poiocephalus

                           –

                           West Africa

               (1)

                           –

                           Central and eastern Africa

               (1)

                           –

                           Coastal southern Africa (excluding Madagascar)

               (1)

                  Larus hartlaubii

                           –

                           Coastal south-west Africa

               1

                  Larus ridibundus

                           –

                           Western Europe/western Europe, west Mediterranean, West Africa

               1

                           –

                           East Europe/Black Sea and east Mediterranean

               1

                           –

                           West Asia/south-west Asia and north-east Africa

               (1)

                  Larus genei

                           –

                           West Africa (bre)

               2

                           –

                           Black Sea and Mediterranean (bre)

               2a

                           –

                           West, south-west and south Asia (bre)

               2a

                  Larus melanocephalus

                           –

                           West Europe, Mediterranean and north-west Africa

               2a

                  Larus minutus

                           –

                           Central and eastern Europe/south-west Europe and west Mediterranean

               1

                           –

                           Western Asia/east Mediterranean, Black Sea and Caspian

               (1)

                  Xema sabini sabini

                           –

                           Canada and Greenland/south-east Atlantic

               (1)

                  Sterna nilotica nilotica

                           –

                           Western Europe/west Africa

               2

                           –

                           Black Sea and east Mediterranean/eastern Africa

               3c

                           –

                           West and central Asia/south-west Asia

               2

                  Sterna caspia caspia

                           –

                           Southern Africa (bre)

               1c

                           –

                           West Africa (bre)

               1

                           –

                           Europe (bre)

               1c

                           –

                           Caspian (bre)

               2

                  Sterna maxima albidorsalis

                           –

                           West Africa (bre)

               2a

                  Sterna bengalensis bengalensis

                           –

                           Gulf/southern Asia

               2a

                  Sterna bengalensis par

                           –

                           Red Sea/eastern Africa

               3a

                  Sterna bengalensis emigrata

                           –

                           Southern Mediterranean/north-west and west Africa coasts

               1c

                  Sterna bergii bergii

                           –

                           Southern Africa (Angola – Mozambique)

               2

                  Sterna bergii enigma

                           –

                           Madagascar and Mozambique/southern Africa

               1c

                  Sterna bergii thalassina

                           –

                           Eastern Africa and Seychelles

               1c

                  Sterna bergii velox

                           –

                           Red Sea and north-east Africa

               3a

                  Sterna sandvicensis sandvicensis

                           –

                           Western Europe/west Africa

               2a

                           –

                           Black Sea and Mediterranean (bre)

               3a 3c

                           –

                           West and central Asia/south-west and south Asia

               2a

                  Sterna dougallii dougallii

                           –

                           Southern Africa

               1c

                           –

                           East Africa

               3a

                           –

                           Europe (bre)

               1c

                  Sterna dougallii arideensis

                           –

                           Madagascar, Seychelles and Mascarenes

               2

                  Sterna dougallii bangsi

                           –

                           North Arabian Sea (Oman)

               1c

                  Sterna vittata vittata

                           –

                           Prince Edward, Marion, Crozet and Kerguelen/South Africa

               1c

                  Sterna vittata tristanensis

                           –

                           Tristan da Cunha and Gough/South Africa

               1c

                  Sterna hirundo hirundo

                           –

                           Southern and western Europe (bre)

               1

                           –

                           Northern and eastern Europe (bre)

               1

                           –

                           Western Asia (bre)

               (1)

                  Sterna paradisaea

                           –

                           Western Eurasia (bre)

               1

                  Sterna albifrons albifrons

                           –

                           Eastern Atlantic (bre)

               3b

                           –

                           Black Sea and east Mediterranean (bre)

               3c

                           –

                           Caspian (bre)

               2

                  Sterna albifrons guineae

                           –

                           West Africa (bre)

               1c

                  Sterna saundersi

                           –

                           Western southern Asia, Red Sea, Gulf and eastern Africa

               (1)

                  Sterna balaenarum

                           –

                           Namibia and South Africa/Atlantic coast to Ghana

               2

                  Sterna repressa

                           –

                           Western southern Asia, Red Sea, Gulf and eastern Africa

               2c

                  Chlidonias hybridus hybridus

                           –

                           Western Europe and north-west Africa (bre)

               3c

                           –

                           Black Sea and east Mediterranean (bre)

               (1)

                           –

                           Caspian (bre)

               (1)

                  Chlidonias hybridus sclateri

                           –

                           Eastern Africa (Kenya and Tanzania)

               1c

                           –

                           Southern Africa (Malawi and Zambia to South Africa)

               (2)

                  Chlidonias leucopterus

                           –

                           Eastern Europe and western Asia/Africa

               (1)

                  Chlidonias niger niger

                           –

                           Europe and western Asia/Atlantic coast of Africa

               2c

                  RYNCHOPIDAE

                  Rynchops flavirostris

                           –

                           Coastal west Africa and central Africa

               2

                           –

                           Eastern and southern Africa

               2

      (1)  As adopted at the second session of the Meeting of the Parties, which took place from 25 to 27 September 2002, Bonn, Germany.