The Pelagos Agreement is proud to announce its active participation in the 1st International Workshop on Ship/Whale Collisions, taking place on Monday, June 16, 2025, at Le Quartz, Brest (France). The event is organized as a side event of the IEEE OCEANS 2025 Conference, one of the leading global platforms dedicated to ocean science and technology.

On this occasion, Dr. Anne Marie Marc, member of the Pelagos working group on Shipping&Collisions, will deliver a dedicated presentation titled: “The ongoing efforts of the Pelagos Agreement in the context of the NW Mediterranean PSSA”.

This intervention will highlight the initiatives and strategies implemented within the framework of the Pelagos Agreement to mitigate the risk of ship strikes and to promote safer navigation practices across the North-Western Mediterranean Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA).

Ship Strikes: A Growing Threat to Cetaceans

Every year, thousands of large whales suffer injuries or are killed due to collisions with vessels — an often underestimated yet critical threat to the conservation of cetacean populations worldwide. The aim of this international workshop is to:

• Raise awareness of the scale and impact of ship strikes
  
• Promote detection systems and cutting-edge technologies for real-time whale monitoring
  
• Encourage more responsible maritime traffic management
  
• Strengthen international cooperation to safeguard vulnerable marine mammal species 

A Shared Commitment

The participation of the Pelagos Sanctuary in this workshop reflects a strong and ongoing commitment to protecting cetaceans in the Mediterranean Sea. Through cross-border collaboration, scientific research, and targeted conservation actions, the Pelagos Agreement continues to serve as a key player in promoting marine biodiversity and sustainable navigation practices.

For more information on the IEEE OCEANS 2025 event and the workshop agenda, please visit the official event website.