This month, a wide range of stakeholders will gather in Muscat, Oman, to discuss the next stages of work to introduce a new Conservation Management Plan for Arabian Sea humpback whales.

This population is believed to comprise fewer than 100 animals and is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Entanglement in fishing gear, coastal development, offshore hydrocarbon exploration and increased shipping traffic are just some of the threats facing Arabian Sea humpback whales, the only humpback population that live year-round in the same waters and do not migrate between tropical breeding grounds and polar or temperate feeding grounds. 

IWC Conservation Management Plans were introduced in 2010. They provide a framework for countries within the range of vulnerable populations (known as range states) to work together and in collaboration with other stakeholders to protect and rebuild those populations. CMPs also provide scientific support and advice on policy implementation. Eight CMPs have been introduced, operating in diverse locations all over the world and focused on species ranging from the South American river dolphin to the western North Pacific gray whale.

A CMP for the Arabian Sea humpback has been under discussion for several years, in partnership with the Convention for Migratory Species which introduced  a Concerted Action  for this population in 2017. A dedicated regional network was formed in 2015 and is used to exchange information, showcase research and generally raise awareness of the proposal in key range states. Important marine mammal areas (IMMAs) within the Arabian Sea were identified with support of the IUCN Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force in 2019. These together with a project commissioned in 2024 to evaluate the status of IMMAs in Oman will be used to provide the scientific context and guide development of the management plan within this month's workshop.  

Initially presented to Omani stakeholders in 2022, the latest CMP workshop will run for three days at the end of May and cover a wide range of topics including updates on the latest marine mammal research in the region, regulatory and industry mitigation projects and development of collaborative foundations between IWC member range states. The workshop is funded by the IWC, organised under the auspices of the Oman Environment Authority and supported by the Environment Society of Oman and Futures Seas. It will report back to the Scientific Committee of the IWC at its next biennial meeting in April 2026.

Learn more about IWC Conservation Management Plans
Learn more about humpback whales