The First International Conference on Marine Mammal Protected Areas

each site, and help sanctuary staff identify priorities to address gaps, day-to-day
information needs, and new threats.
<strong>The</strong> process of preparing condition reports is closely related to the Delphi Method. This
method involves the administration of questionnaires to a panel of geographically
dispersed experts, ultimately facilitating the formation of a group judgment. It relies on
repeated interactions with experts who respond to questions with a limited number of
choices. Feedback allows the experts to refine their views, and the group gradually
moves toward a judgment that reflects consensus. Condition reports contain 17
questions related to the status and trends of sanctuary resources, with accompanying
descriptions and five possible choices to describe resource condition.
To answer the questions, sanctuary staff members consult with external experts who are
familiar with water quality, living resources, habitat, and maritime archaeology. Either by
phone, e-mail, one-on-one meetings, or workshops, the experts are introduced to the
questions and asked to provide recommendations and supporting arguments for their
suggested ratings. <strong>The</strong> ratings and text in the report summarize the opinions and
uncertainty expressed by the experts, who base their input on knowledge and
perceptions of local conditions. Following the expert review, the draft report is sent to
other subject-matter experts and key partners in research and resource management for
what is called “Invited Review.” After the staff has considered and incorporated
comments, a draft final report is sent for external peer review. This last step is a federal
requirement for information that can reasonably be determined to have a “clear and
substantial impact on important public policies or private sector decisions.” <strong>The</strong>
comments and recommendations of the reviewers are considered by sanctuary staff and
incorporated, as appropriate, into the final condition report.
Latin American cooperation strategy for the conservation of cetaceans
Miguel Iñíguez
Beginning in 2005, IWC member countries in Latin America established a coordination
group (Grupo Buenos Aires) to coordinate efforts and develop common positions
within the IWC and other international organizations and forums. <strong>The</strong> IWC
commissioners from Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, and Peru, together
with the acting commissioner from Chile, met in Buenos Aires in December 2007. This
meeting was also attended by the Ambassadors of El Salvador and Nicaragua, diplomatic
observers from Uruguay and Venezuela, and representatives of the governments of
Colombia, Costa Rica, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic. Among the specific
goals of the group are to: (1) promote the development of responsible whale watching
tourism in the region through regional workshops for training and exchanging national
experiences, (2) support states in the region that are seeking to establish cetaceanoriented
MPAs, (3) share experience in enforcement of protective legislation, (4) identify
threats, (5) promote various kinds of habitat protection, (6) strengthen regional capacity
for all aspects of cetacean research and conservation, including emergency response, and
(7) raise public awareness through environmental education programs. Since 2006, the
Argentine Cooperation Agency of the Foreign Affairs Ministry has developed a
cooperation program to improve capacity building and provide expertise in countries of
Latin America. Seven workshops have taken place under this program to address issues
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