The second edition of Monaco’s Académie de la Mer opened this week with a dedicated session on the state of the world’s whale populations, drawing attention to the growing scientific and legal challenges facing cetacean conservation.
On the morning of 8th July, H.S.H. Prince Albert II attended a session of the Académie de la Mer de Monaco (A2M) dedicated to whales, signalling the Principality’s continuing engagement in global marine protection efforts. The session marked the beginning of a series of thematic discussions organised under the academy’s programme, which convenes leading international experts from science, law and environmental policy.
Canadian marine ecologist Lyne Morissette, a professor at the Institut des Sciences de la Mer at the University of Quebec, opened the morning with an overview of the global status of whale populations. Her address highlighted the pressures faced by whales due to climate change, shipping traffic, entanglement and noise pollution, while also identifying pathways for recovery through coordinated conservation policy.
A multidisciplinary approach to marine challenges
This year’s edition of the Académie de la Mer is continuing its mission to foster scientific dialogue and actionable strategies to protect marine ecosystems. The whale session set the tone for a week of in-depth discussions that bring together scientists, legal scholars and environmental advocates to address pressing ocean-related challenges.
Through the lens of whale conservation, the session tackled broader themes such as the role of international law in regulating maritime activity, the use of technology in marine monitoring, and the ethics of human interaction with marine megafauna.
Monaco at the forefront of ocean protection
Organised under the auspices of the Oceanographic Institute and in line with the environmental vision of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, the Académie de la Mer serves as a platform for high-level exchange on the sustainable management of the world’s oceans.
Stay updated with Monaco Life: sign up for our free newsletter, catch our podcast on Spotify, and follow us across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Tik Tok.
Photo credit: Manuel Vitali, Government Communications Department