Scientific Committee Correspondence Groups

Terms of Reference

Further the preparations for the North Pacific humpback whale Comprehensive Assessment, including organising virtual meetings and an in-person intersessional workshop.

Members

Palka (Convenor), Baker, Calambokidis, Clapham, Cheeseman, Donovan, Herr, Katara, Katsumata, Kitakado, Ivashchenko, Matsuoka, Mizroch,  Palacios, Privitera-Johnson, Punt, Steel, Zerbini, Urbán, Wade, Weinrich.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Further the preparations for the western North Pacific common minke whales In-depth Assessment, including organising an intersessional meeting.

Members

Donovan (Convenor), Allison, Baker, Butterworth, de Moor, Hakamada, Herr, Hoelzel, Katara, J.H. Lee, Kitakado, Palka, Punt, Tiedemann, Wade, Wilberg.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Continue to identify and evaluate data on distribution, abundance, stock structure and catches, with a particular focus on the western North Atlantic.

Members

Cholewiak (Convenor), Breiwick, Brownell, Mallette, Mizroch, Palka, Robbins, Sigurðsson, Weinrich.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Identify and evaluate data available for a potential future assessment.

Members

Robbins (Convenor), Allen, Allison, Cerchio, Cholewiak, Chosson, Clapham, Donovan, Jones, Katara, Lang, Mallette, Mattila, Øien, Palka, Palsbøll, Punt, Rosenbaum, Sigurðsson, Tiedemann, Vély, Weinrich, Wilberg, Weinberg, Witting.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Advise on construction and analysis of southeast Pacific, southeast Indian Ocean and southwest Pacific mark recapture datasets, including timespan, regions to include, and modelling framework.

Members

Jackson (Convenor), Barlow, Butterworth, Cooke, Double, Findlay, Fewster, Galletti, Gill, Herr, Jenner, Matsuoka, Möller, Olson, Salgado-Kent, Torres, Torres-Florez, Weinrich, Zerbini.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Low- and mid-latitude analysis of Antarctic blue whale song to establish any differences between wintering grounds.

Members

Buchan (Convenor),  Barlow, Branch, Brownell, Cerchio, Harris, McCauley, Miller, Samaran, Shabangu,  Sirovic, Sousa-Lima, Stafford, Torres.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat .

Terms of Reference

Consideration of options for proposing alternative population structure hypotheses.

Members

Lang (Convenor) Jackson, Herr, Olson, Branch, Sremba, Torres-Florez.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Finalize a global, standardized southern right whale body condition and visual health assessment protocol for IWC endorsement.

Members

Vermeulen, Charlton (Co-convenors), Christiansen, Findlay, Leslie, Minton, Moore, Hörbst, Gregory, Kent.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Coordination of information, data, and code-sharing among research groups conducting active research using satellite images to monitor whales. This group aims to facilitate development of automated methods, avoid duplication of effort, and negotiate better tasking opportunities with satellite providers.

Members

Clarke (co-Convenor), Cubaynes (co-Convenor), Acebes, Alfaro, Alonso,  Amorim Corrêa, Andrews-Goff, Archer, Arias, Baird, K., Baldwin, Bamford, Barreto, Bejder, Bell, Biuw, Borowicz, Brownell, Burkhardt, Carlyle, Carroll, Charlton, Charry, Cholewiak, Collins, Coscarella, Crespo, Dalla Rosa, Davenport, Di Sciara, Domit, Double, Elwen, Erler, Ferguson, M., Ferguson, S., Fernández, Fewster, Fretwell, Frias, García-Garin, Garita, Goetz, Green, Groch, Ham, Hines, Hodgins, Hoeschle,  Houegnigan, Houliston, Ivanchikova, Jackson,  Jenner, Katara, Kapoor, Kelly,  Khan, Kot, Kreb, Lauriano, Leaper, Lundquist, Mallette, Mcfarlane, Mizroch, Mustika, Natoli, Neveceralova, Olavarría, Olson,  Palacios, D., Palka, Panigada, Pisano, Plön, Porter, Ritter, Robbins, Rodofili, Rogan, Rowles, Sahri, Schteinbarg, Schubert, Simmons, Sousa-Lima, Stack, Stewart, Stockin,  Sucunza, Tissier, Torres-Florez, Tulloch, Urban, Vazquez, Vermeulen, Voss, Watt, Weinrich, Wilkin, Willson, Zerbini.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Assess what southern right whale call data exists offshore and at high latitudes (including IMOS and SOHN data), and consider appropriate analysis framework for using these data to assess southern right whale offshore distribution.

Members

Vermeulen (Convenor), Burkhardt, Calderan, Carroll, Charlton, Findlay, Friedlander, Leaper, McCauley, Miller, Reyes Reyes, Schall, Shabangu, Širović, Ward, Webster.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Compile new SRW catch series and update regional catch estimates.

Members

Findlay (Convenor), Jackson, Vermeulen, Allison, Andrews-Goff, Azizeh, Bell, Brownell, Carroll, Charlton, Chatwin, Double, Katara, Kemper, Paton, Reeves, Richards, Smith, Tryniw, Zerbini.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Review of the available historical and contemporary evidence for southern hemisphere stock structuring, develop stock structure hypotheses for review and ranking, based on available evidence; and identify data gaps where further work is required to discriminate hypotheses.

Members

Jackson (Convenor) Agrelo, Azizeh, Baker, Carroll, Charlton, Evans, Findlay, Galletti-Vernazzani, Groch, Matsuoka, Richards, Rosenbaum, Sironi, Tiedemann, Torres-Florez, Valenzuela, Vermeulen, Weinrich, Zerbini.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Progress towards the application of a common modelling framework on long-term sighting history datasets from southern right whale calving grounds to assess common 1) population dynamics patterns; and 2) environmental drivers.

Members

Charlton and Vermeulen (Co-convenors), Agrelo, Brandão, Butterworth, Carroll, Cooke, Double, Groch, Leaper, Rayment, Ross-Gillespie, Rowntree, Seyboth, Sironi, Staniland, Watson.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Conduct inter-regional comparisons of SH fin whale songs, similar to Sirovic et al. (2018) for blue whales.

Members

Sirovic (Convenor), Miller, Samaran, Shabangu, Van Opzeeland, Aulich, Harris.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Review protocol for opportunistic sighting data collection.

Members

Herr (Convenor), Babey, Biuw, Buss, Cheeseman, Dalla Rosa, Hevia, Iniguez, Secchi, Burkhardt, Viquerat, Waluda, Weinrich, Mizroch, Torres-Florez.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Provide summary of fin whale data, data gaps and data need for a future In-Depth assessment.

Members

Herr (Convenor), Mizroch, Biuw, Harris, Miller.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Provide summary of humpback whale data, data gaps and data need for a further In-Depth assessment.

Members

Butterworth (Co-convenor),  Weinrich (Co-convenor), Torres-Florez, Vermeulen.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Planning for and distributing the questionnaire, analysing the results.

Members:

Suydam (Convenor), Baldwin, Cooke, Cosentino, Currie, Forestell, Frey, Jiménez-Assmus, Leaper, Minton, New, Noren, Parsons, Reyes, Robbins, Rose, C. Smith, Vermeulen, Weinrich, Urbán, Webster.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Continue to monitor the relevant literature on, e.g. solitary sociable cetaceans, out of habitat cetaceans; seek to produce a new review of information for the Committee across the whole range of interactions with humans; review appropriate terminology (e.g. ‘habituation’); and continue to consider the relevance of this topic to the work of the sub- committee, including how this topic might best be studied in future.

Members

Simmonds (Convenor), Cosentino, Currie, Fonseca, Forestell, Miketa, Minton, Nunny, Parsons, Smith, C., Suydam, Vail, Wells, Weinrich, Urbán

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Continue communication Timor-Leste on development of guidelines and regulations, to facilitate communication between the Commitee and the Government of Timor- Leste and the ATM-TL.

Members

Porter, New (Co-convenors), Edyvane, Höschle, Noren, Parsons, Rose, Suydam, Urbán

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Continue and enhance methods for disseminating information and advice between the SWG and WW.

Members

Iñiguez (Convenor), Campbell, Parsons, Rojas-Bracho, Simmonds, Slooten, Suydam, Urbán.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

To clarify the terminology used to describe the gray whale stock structure hypotheses; re-evaluate plausibility of the hypotheses, including consideration of adding new variants if needed, to inform the Range-wide Review of the Status and Population Structure of gray whales.

Members

Lang (Convenor), Bickham, Donovan, Hoelzel, Goto, Nakamura, Pampoulie, Punt, Scordino, Tiedemann, Weller.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Review genetic and other evidence relating to population structure in Sotalia guianensis; provide advice on the proposed management unit delineations.

Members

Lang and Caballero (Co-Convenors), Archer, Baker, Briceño, Buss, Cipriano, Cunha, Domit, Fruet, Hoelzel, Lunardi, Natoli, Sousa-Lima, Tiedemann, Torres-Florez, Zerbini.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Review existing stock structure hypotheses and identify additional analyses that may be used to assess plausibility of existing hypotheses and to inform mixing parameters.

Members:

Pampoulie and Tiedemann (Co-convenors), Buss, Lang, Mizroch, Palsbøll, Witting.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Review recent revisions in sections of the DNA quality guidelines that pertain to data produced using NGS approaches. Identify approaches to increase the visibility and use of the guidelines.

Members

Tiedemann (Convenor), Archer, Baird, Baker, Bickham, Carroll, DeWoody, Hoelzel, Goto, Jackson, Lang, Palsbøll, Pampoulie, Sremba, Taguchi, Torres Florez, Waples.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Generate a checklist of key aspects of the genetic data analysis guidelines and identify aspects of the guidelines that may need updating, particularly in the context of genomic methodologies and analysis. Identify approaches to increase the visibility and use of the guidelines.

Members

Tiedemann (Convenor), Bickham, Buss, DeWoody, Hoelzel, Lang, Pampoulie.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Discuss and provide recommendation on genomic approaches to maximise the utility of tissue samples, particularly those in danger of depletion.

Members

Lang (Convenor), Archer, Baker, Bickham, Buss, Carroll, Harmon, Hoelzel, Goto, Jackson, Natoli, Palsbøll, Robertson, Sremba, Taguchi, Tiedemann, Torres Florez.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Revisit the definitions that were previously put forward for stock-related terms at IWC 2014, particularly those related to large whale assessments, and revise them where necessary.

Members

Tiedemann (Convenor), Baird, Bickham, Carroll, Cipriano, Hoelzel, Lang, Scordino.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Engage a group composed of Arabian Sea humpback whale experts, veterinarians/ cetacean health experts, and satellite tagging practitioners, to advise on best practices for a proposed renewed tagging effort, aimed at informing species distribution modelling and associated ship strike and bycatch risk assessment.

Members

Willson (Convenor), Baldwin, Brownell, Cerchio, Collins, Gulland, Minton, Palacios, Robbins, Van Bressem, Weller, Zerbini.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Continue work.

Members

Cholewiak (Convenor), Borsani, Burkhardt, Campbell, Cosentino, Frisch-Nwakanma, Genov, Kinneging, Leaper, Lundquist, Miller, B., Plön, Rosenbaum, Renell, Reyes, Simmonds, Širović, Sousa-Lima, Vrooman, Webster, Williams.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Continue work.

Members

Stimmelmayr (Convenor),  Brownlow, Cholewiak, Colegrove, Davison, Delaney, Fernandez, Groch, Gulland,  Hernandez, Holm, Lee, Marcondes, Mazzariol, Noren. Rowles, Sierra, Simmonds, Tashima, Uhart.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Take into account the latest information on how cetacean populations are affected by climate change; (2) Provide clear advice on tools to mitigate the negative impact of climate change and build resilience; (3) Seek to develop an IWC climate change response programme.

Members

Simmonds (Convenor), Barreto, Campbell,   Frey, Frisch-Nwakanma, Genov, Gulland, Holm,  Mallette,  Marcondes, Noren, Nunny, Palka,  Renell, Rowles, Simmons, Vrooman,  Sousa-Lima, Staniland.  Stimmelmayr, Tulloch, Webster, Zerbini.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

1) Identify “hotspots” of cetacean exposure to plastic debris; (2) Prepare a synthesis of information related to the impacts of marine plastics on cetaceans;

(3) Prepare a summary of approaches that the Scientific Committee should consider in developing global and regional risk assessments related to cetacean exposure to plastic debris.

Members

Simmonds (Convenor),  Campbell, Cholewiak, Dolman, Eisfeld-Pierantonio, Fossi, Frey, Frisch-Nwakanma, Genov, Gulland, Holm,  Hunter, Kumar, Long, Malatji, Marcondes, Mallette, Mankeshwari, Mattila, Neave-Webb, Nelms, Nunny, O'Loughlin, Panti, Perry, Pierantonio, Porter, Rowles, Sutaria, Svoboda, Warrie, Webster

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

(1) Review the topic and report back to the next SC with a further assessment of the likely consequences of deep sea mining for cetaceans; (2) Seek to establish contact with others who are investigating this matter; (3) Encourage further submissions on this topic to the SC.

Members

Rose (Convenor), Barreto, Childerhouse, Cholewiak, Lucke, Parsons, Porter, Rowles, Simmonds, Smith, C., Thaler, Thompson, Walloe, Williams, Zerbini.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

TBC.

Members

Brownlow (Convenor), Fisher, Gulland, Holm, Lee, Mallette, Marcondes,  Noren, Plön, Renell, Rowles, Sucunza,  Simmonds, Stimmelmayr, Uhart.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Develop response protocol, develop recommendations for improved data sharing (SC2181).

Members

Simmonds (Convenor), Babey, Baird, R., Brownlow, Cholewiak, Dolman, Fonseca, Hartny-Mills, Iniguez, Lomax, Plon, Stimmelmayr, Thompson, Trujillo, Vrooman, Zerbini.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

(1) to finalize the guidelines for single species distribution models (SDMs); (2) to develop guidelines for multi-species distribution models (MSDMs); (3) to continue to conduct a literature review of SDMs and MSDMs; and (4) to develop possible simulation platforms to evaluate SDMs and MSDMs.

Members

Ferguson (Convenor), Palacios (Co-convenor), Kitakado (co-convenor), Biuw, El-Gabbas, Genov, Herr, Kelly, Miller, New, Palka, Solvang.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Prepare the 2^nd Workshop under a Steering Group.

Members

Kitakado (Co-convenor), Ritter (Co-convenor), Biuw, Butterworth, Donovan, Double, Ferguson, Freitas, Galletti, Lindstrom, Punt, Renell, Roman, Schubert (organizing convenor), Stainland, Zerbini, Webster, (more to come, TBD).

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Continue development of framework for SM work on Aquatic Wildmeat.

Members

Porter (Convenor), Avila, Cassani, Ingram, Hodgins.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Provide ongoing advice and support to established Task Teams and consider any new proposals.

Member:

Simmonds (Convenor), Donovan, Genov, Minton, Parsons, Porter, Reeves, Rojas-Bracho, Staniland, Thomas, Trujillo.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Progress towards developing a South Asian River Dolphin CMP.

Members

Porter (Convenor), Trujillo (Co- Convenor), Bell, C., Iñiguez, Khan.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Make progress on a review framework and propose a mechanism to establish regional and species assessment teams.

Members

Trujillo (Convenor), Porter, Jimenez, Couto di Tullio, Vrooman, Hodgins, Hielscher.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Conduct proposed workshop; provide a  plan for CMP development; continue work on LBD TT objectives.

Members

Vermeulen (Co-convenor), Fruet (Co-convenor), Berninsone, Coscarella, Daura-Jorge,  Laporta, Porter, Von Fersen.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Make progress on the analysis of direct take database of small cetaceans held by the IWC Secretariat.

Members

Katara (Convenor), Allison, Fisher, Hines, Porter.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Monitor new publications related to this issue and update Tursiops taxonomy database developed by this ICG.

Members

Natoli (Convenor), Almosawi, Archer, Barreto, Brownell, Cipriano, Costa, Hoelzel,  Krutzen, Lang, Louis, Porter, Rosel.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Compile information on the behaviour of the Strait of Gibraltar killer whale subpopulation; if possible, organise a workshop comprising experts, including marine mammal behaviouralists, to decide how best to approach this escalating issue.

Members

Esteban (Convenor) Carvalho,  Cosentino, García, Guinet, Barrett-Lennard, Bellido, Genov, Jimenez, Jourdain, Nunny, Pitman, Porter, Rose, Samarra, Sequeira, Simmonds, Smith, C., Staniland, Tixier, Towers, Zerbini.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Seek funding for a workshop focused on establishing collaborations with local researchers and other stakeholders throughout the South Pacific Island area; develop a workplan for 2024-28.

Members

Porter (Convenor), Amepou, Beasley, Baird, K., Baird, R., Baker, Brannan, Childerhouse, Constantine, Garrigue, Hancock-Hanser, Katara, Lang, Mallette, Martien, Miller, Oremas, Passadore, Poole, Read, Trujillo, Ward.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

(1) Further develop the data management strategy, including consideration of all data submission processes andrelated IWC databases; (2) Consider ongoing maintenance, resourcing, capacity needs for SC-related IWC databases in preparation for the budgeting process at SC69B.

(2) Consider ongoing maintenance, resourcing, capacity needs for SC-related IWC databases in preparation for the budgeting process at SC69B.

(3) Review the information received from the National Progress Report questionnaire and continue to assess ways to improve the submission rates, data quality and value of these reports.

Members: Staniland (Convenor), Allison, Bell, E., Branch, Barreto, Charlton, Double, Fortuna, Katara, Ki Sow, Reeves, S.,  O’Loughlin, Sigurðsson, Tandy, Zerbini.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

1. Assist the Committee in planning for a new reduced budget scenario and a revised meeting structure once the Commission agrees on a new budget for the IWC.

2. Provide advice to the Commission with respect to:

• The existing SC meeting format and possible changes to optimize a new meeting schedule,
• the use of the SC Research budget to support virtual meetings and in-person meetings,
• the alignment of SC and Commission meetings should the SC meeting schedule change.

Members

Zerbini (Convenor),  Bartmeier, Bjørge, Choi, Double, Fortuna, Iñiguez, Nelson, Palka, Porter, Staniland, Seakamela, Stachowitsch, Tandy.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

(1) Develop a process to enhance coordination among IUCN, the IWC SC, and other relevant parties involved in conservation actions for cetaceans

(2) Facilitate coordination between those responsible for managing IUCN Red List assessments for cetaceans and developers of the IWC Status of Stocks Initiative, including:

(a) Providing input to the Status of Stocks Steering Group regarding prioritisation of cases to consider.

(b) Assisting the Status of Stocks Group on Language, terminology, and content development in drafting website text for comparison of IUCN Red List and IWC Status of Stocks assessments.

(c) Advising all groups working on this project, as necessary, to help avoid duplication of effort, the appearance of conflicting results, and public confusion about whale statuses.

Members: Braulik, Porter (Co-convenors), Abel, Allison, Andriolo, Cipriano, Cooke, Donovan, Fortuna, Givens, Minton, Panigada, Punt, Reeves, Sigurðsson, Staniland, Taylor, Trujillo, Zerbini.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

1. Refine advice on data to be collected by observers and crew when whale entrapments occur including finalisation of data reporting form and data collection protocols;

2. In the longer term, provide advice for krill trawling operators to minimise whale entrapments (including development of technology to study how whales are interacting with krill trawling nets, move-on rules, etc), and on refining designs of the marine mammal exclusion device.

Members

Leaper (Convener), Biuw, Double, Favero, Forster, Heinemann, Hines, Johnson, Kelly, Landry, Long, Mattila, Meyer, Parker, Passadore,  Reeves, Soffker, Stimmelmayr, Walker, Weinrich.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Collaboration with Baltic range states and European Commission on technical issues associated with acoustic interference of military activities by pingers.

Members

Carlen (Convenor), Bell, C., Berggren, Bjorge, Cosentino, Dolman, Leaper, Parsons, Plön, Ritter, Simmonds, Staniland.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Develop a list of potential methods for estimating/setting Rmax and an evaluation of the data requirements, strengths, and weaknesses of each approach.

Members

Wilberg (Convenor), Butterworth, Cipriano, Cooke, Demaster, Donovan, Jackson, Lang, Mizroch, Punt, Slooten, Wade, Zerbini.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Adapt NOAA Small Cetacean Entanglement Response Best Practices for use in countries with fewer resources in terms of personnel and equipment/facilities.

Members

Minton (Convenor), Aranha, Baird, Genov, Kolesnikovas, Marmontel, Mattila, Porter, Renell, Rojas-Bracho, Simmonds, Trujillo, Wells.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Coordinate the intersessional review of abundance estimates by the ASI SWG.

At a pre-meeting for SC69B, review abundance estimates, make recommendations to ASI, and consider progress on the Status of Stocks Initiative.

Establish a SOSI Glossary working group with the terms of reference to draft a glossary of terminology for display on the SOSI website, and submit this draft for SC69B

Members

Givens (Convenor), New (Co-convenor), Bell, Brownell, Cholewiak, Donovan, Jackson, Katara, Kitakado, Palka, Porter, Staniland, Walløe, Zerbini.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Oversee the Status of Stocks Website project, ensuring consistency and communication among the related ICGs.

Determine priority order in which species will be added to the website.

Receive draft material from other ICGs. Solicit review of draft content as needed for consistency, clarity, and accessibility to the appropriate audience.

Solicit SC approval of final material Organize creation of draft website.

Members: Givens (Convenor), Staniland (Co-convenor), Braulik Cipriano, Fortuna, Katara, New, Porter, Punt, Tandy, Wilberg, Wilson, Zerbini.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

TBD

Members

Wilberg (Convenor), Allison, Branch, Butterworth, Donovan, Givens, Katara, Palka, Punt, Zerbini.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Draft Status of Stocks Website text for explanation of concepts such as population dynamics, carrying capacity, definition of stocks/population, and scientific uncertainty.

Finalize website text for comparison of IUCN Red List and IWC Status of Stocks assessments

Finalize choices for terminology, labels, nature of statements about recovery, and similar aspects of the draft website.

Draft text for summary pages, ensuring consistent format and language, in consultation with species experts to be solicited by this group as necessary

Members

Cipriano (Convenor), Wilson (Co- convenor), Braulik, Butterworth, DeMaster, Donovan, Givens, Katara, Lang, Minton, Porter, Staniland, Tandy, Wade, Zerbini.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Draft a paper with guidelines for mark-recapture abundance estimation, including survey design, data processing and matching, analysis, diagnostics, and interpretation, also noting issues associated with data over long time frames or from very heterogeneous sources.

Present the paper to SC69B

Members

Wade (Convenor), Butterworth, Fewster, Kelly.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Update the IWC webpage to reflect any changes in content, design, or inclusion criteria agreed at SC69A or prior Committee meetings.

Consider amended and expanded explanation of a ‘confidence interval’ on this webpage

Members

Givens (Convenor), Allison, Donovan, Genov, Katara, New.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

To provide advice on the 2023-2024 IWC-POWER cruises (including holding a Technical Advisory Group Meeting and Planning Meetings), on data analyses, storage and on requests for data/sample use of IWC- POWER/SOWER cruises.

Members

Matsuoka (Convenor), An, Bizikov, Brownell, Clapham, Crance, Donovan, Goetz, Gushcherov, Kato, Kelly, Katsumata, Kitakado, Lang, Staniland, Miyashita, Murase, Palka, Pastene, Wade, Zerbini.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Identify ways to (1) facilitate ATLAFCO participation in the SC; and (2) build capacity and training for scientists and early career researchers.

Members

Staniland (Convenor),  Cerchio, Collins, Diallo,  Freitas, Laamrich,  Minton, Panigada,  Plon, Ridoux, Tiedemann, Genov. Zerbini.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Convene to review scope and Terms of Reference Report progress to SC69B.

Members

Katara (Convenor), Anderson, Braulik, Calderon, Cerchio, Collins, Dulau, Kelly, Kitakado, Minton, Nelson, New, Palka, Passadore, Seakamela, Sutaria, Tiwari, Willson, Zerbini.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Look into how the IWC can provide a Child Care Support Network at the SC.

Members

Brownell, Atkinson, Bell, Cerchio, Charlton, Cholewiak, Iniguez, Jackson, Lang, Lent, Luna, Mallette, Porter, Svoboda, Stachowitsch, Trejos, Vermeulen.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Review progress on previous recommendations. Report progress.

Members

Dolman (Convenor), Collier, Fisher, Hodgins, Hunter, Porter, Sigurdsson, Suydam, Zerbini.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.

Terms of Reference

Sanctuary Review Steering Committee.

Members

Parsons (Convenor), Rojas-Bracho (Co-Convenor), Bell, Double, Heinemann, Lauriano, Leaper, Porter, Slooten, Staniland, Zerbini.

To join this group please contact the Secretariat.