Integrating cetacean science into the conservation and management of Southern Ocean ecosystems – improving interactions between CCAMLR and IWC

As we learn more about the importance of cetaceans in the Antarctic, including their populations’ recovery and needs as krill and fish predators, it is increasingly clear that cetacean science is vital for informing ecosystem-based management. Strengthening the relationship between CCAMLR and IWC is likely to be fundamental to the ability of SC-CAMLR to access and review cetacean science, and to ensure that the best available information is incorporated into management decision-making. Both bodies would benefit from regular exchange of scientific knowledge on common issues, and we should work towards a model of collaboration that helps the whole be greater than the sum of its parts.