Twenty water bird species, relevant to wetland and marine ecosystems are given enhanced international protection as they are now included under the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement (UNEP/AEWA), the treaty dedicated to the conservation of migratory waterbirds in Africa and Eurasia.
Traditionally considered as seabirds these species are insufficiently covered by other Multilateral Environmental Agreements in the African-Eurasian region. Most seabird populations are highly threatened. Amongst the most significant threats are food shortages due to depletion of fish stocks, to which overfishing and climate change both contribute. The decision to give 20 waterbird species – traditionally considered as seabirds – greater international protection was made at the Fourth Meeting of the Parties to AEWA (MOP4) which was held in Antananarivo, Madagascar from 15-19 September 2008.

Read the press release by AEWA

Updated on 10/6/2008 4:20:05 PM.