Archived news2010The new status table and population reviews publishedThe status table and reviews discussed and decided upon in Copenhagen in 2009 are finally available on the website. PBSG meet in Oslo to discuss action planApproximately half the members of the PBSG met in Oslo February 8-10, 2010, to meet the request from the Parties to the 1973 Agreement for input to national action plans. Website updated with new guidelines and updated list of membersThe PBSG guidelines have been reviewed and all members except one have been appointed. The new guidelines and list of members have been published on the website. 2009Finally agreement on harvest between Canada and GreenlandAfter several years of harvesting unsustainable numbers of bears in subpopulations shared between the two countries, a Memorandum of Understanding has finally been agreed upon. Russian literature database updatedThe PBSG web database on Russian literature on marine mammals have been updated with articles from the last decade. Nunavut to start counting bears from the air?Local peoples' unease with procedures involving the handling of polar bears might end mark-recapture studies of Nunavut polar bears and start aerial surveys. Final report from Tromso meetingThe final report from the March Meeting of the Parties to the 1973 Agreement has been finalised. The 15th meeting of the PBSG is overAltogether 41 polar bear scientists and managers convened at the North Atlantic House in Copenhagen June 29 - July 3, hosted by the Greenlandic Representation. Amstrup rebutts unscientific auditLong-time PBSG member and USGS senior polar bear scientist Steven Amstrup rebutts a misleading and unscientific audit of two reports published as a part of the US polar bear listing process. Final output from the Tromso Meeting of the PartiesThe Parties to the 1973 Agreement have met in Tromso March 17-19, and the meeting ended in a positive atmosphere that gives some hope for further process. Read the full news item and download the final output summary document. PBSGs presentation at the Tromso Meeting of the PartiesPBSG chairman Andrew Derocher presented circumpolar issues, and present and future challenges for polar bears at the Meeting of the Parties to the 1973 Agreement on the conservation of polar bears in Tromso. Read the full news item and download the pdf of the presentation. New report on the history of the 1973 AgreementAs an apetizer at the Meeting of the Parties in Tromso, the Norwegian Polar Institute has commissioned a report on the history of the 1973 Agreement on the conservation of polar bears. The report can be downloaded from the next level, if you read the whole news item. New PBSG website is up and runningAfter seven years in the same html-suit, a new PBSG website is ready for the world. Meeting of the parties in Tromso March 17-19 2009For the first time since 1981 the official parties to the Agreement on the conservation of polar bears will meet and discuss polar bear issues. Canadian "roundtable" discussion on polar bearsOn January 16, 2009, a National Roundtable on Polar Bears was held in Canada to hear views of various stakeholders in polar bear management and conservation in Canada 2008Updated reference listThe list of references has been updated. All readers are encouraged to send references not found in the database to the editor. 2007Polar bears and climate warmingPBSG chair Andrew Derocher and long-time member Ian Stirling have published a short article in the journal Wildlife Professional. Range states meetingA polar bear range states meeting was held in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, June 26-28. This meeting is probably leading up to the first official meeting of the Parties since 1981, meeting that most probably will be held in Norway in 2009. Map and status descriptions updatedThe map and status descriptions in the "Population status" section are now all updated according to the Seattle meeting. 2006Seattle meeting minor adjustmentThe Group has made a minor adjustment of the numbers in Resolution #3 from the Seattle meeting. 2005New meetingNew meeting of the PBSG is coming up! 20032002 |