Pelagos Agreement

What Pelagos Agreement does

The Pelagos Agreement is an international intergovernmental treaty signed on November 25, 1999, in Rome by France, Italy, and the Principality of Monaco, and in force since February 21, 2002. It establishes and manages the Pelagos Sanctuary — a 87,500 km² transboundary marine protected area in the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea (with over half located in international waters) dedicated to conserving cetaceans and their habitats against human-induced threats including ship strikes, bycatch, underwater noise, pollution, recreational boating disturbance, and climate change. The Agreement operates through a rotating presidency (currently held by Monaco for 2026–2027), a Scientific and Technical Committee, and a small Permanent Secretariat headquartered in Monaco with approximately 6 staff members.

The organization's core activities span scientific research (cetacean abundance and distribution studies, AIS-based maritime traffic analysis covering over 60 million data points from 2019–2023, underwater noise monitoring, pollution assessment), conservation policy coordination across the three member states, and stakeholder engagement programs. Its product portfolio includes the Pelagos Sanctuary Management framework, the HQWW® (High Quality Whale Watching) certification for sustainable whale watching operators (entrusted to Fondazione CIMA as the sole accredited body since 2019), the Pelagos Partnership Charter signed by 100+ coastal municipalities, the Pelagos Ambassador citizen program, the annual Pelagos Theses Award, and the Sustainable Ports in the Pelagos Sanctuary project (mapping 255 ports and marinas with operational sustainability recommendations).

The business model is non-commercial. Funding derives from member state contributions, the Voluntary Pelagos Fund established to support the Pelagos Action Plan (2022–2027), and direct public donations processed through the organization's website. The Agreement holds SPAMI (Specially Protected Area of Mediterranean Importance) status under the Barcelona Convention/UNEP-MAP and maintains strategic partnerships with ACCOBAMS, REMPEC, RAMOGE, MPAs and National Parks, CIMA Foundation, Centre Scientifique de Monaco, and the Princely Government of Monaco.

Name

Pelagos Agreement

Legal name

Permanent Secretariat of the Pelagos Agreement

Website

https://pelagos-sanctuary.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Pelagos Agreement is an intergovernmental treaty between France, Italy, and Monaco that manages the 87,500 km² Pelagos Sanctuary in the Northwestern Mediterranean, coordinating scientific research, cetacean conservation, and stakeholder programs including the HQWW® whale watching certification and the Pelagos Partnership Charter for municipalities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Conservation Services

NAICS

Administration of Conservation Programs (92412), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241)

SIC

International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI), Oceans, Coastal & Marine Resource Management (BPADALAI)

Keywords

• Marine conservation services
• Cetacean protection
• Marine protected area management
• Whale watching certification
• Transboundary environmental agreement

Headquarters

HQ city

Monaco

HQ country

Monaco

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Voluntary Pelagos Fund: The Pelagos Agreement established a voluntary fund to financially support the ambitious Pelagos Action Plan (2022-2027). Donations are collected and managed by the Permanent Secretariat for conservation activities.
2. Direct Donations: Individual donations collected through the website's donation functionality, processed via secure payment systems. Donors provide name, surname, and email address.

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Pelagos Agreement manages the Pelagos Sanctuary, an 87,500 km² transboundary marine protected area in the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea, through an international treaty between France, Italy, and Monaco. Its core activities include coordinated scientific research on cetacean populations (8 regular whale and dolphin species), conservation management measures addressing threats such as ship strikes, bycatch, underwater noise, pollution, and disturbance, and policy harmonization across the three member states. The Permanent Secretariat in Monaco coordinates the Pelagos Partnership Charter, the HQWW® certification program, citizen ambassador engagement, and an annual theses award.

Product overview

The Pelagos Agreement is an international conservation treaty between France, Italy, and Monaco, signed in 1999 and in effect since 2002, managing the Pelagos Sanctuary - a 87,500 km² marine protected area in the Northwestern Mediterranean. The organization offers a portfolio of services including the HQWW® certification for responsible whale watching operators, the Pelagos Partnership Charter for municipalities, the Pelagos Ambassador Program for citizen engagement, the annual Pelagos Theses Award for scientific research, and the Sustainable Ports project providing environmental guidance for port infrastructure. The Voluntary Fund supports financing of conservation activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pelagos Sanctuary Management Coordinated management of the 87,500 km² transboundary marine protected area in the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea, dedicated to protecting cetaceans and their habitats across France, Italy, and Monaco.
• Pelagos Partnership Charter Voluntary commitment framework for municipalities along the Sanctuary's coastline to formally pledge protection of marine mammals and their habitats and implement associated operational measures.

Quantifiable outcome

• 255 ports and marinas mapped with sustainability recommendations
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• REMPEC (Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 November 2025Memorandum of Understanding signed at MOP10 to strengthen cooperation for the protection of the marine environment in the Mediterranean, with particular focus on the Pelagos Sanctuary. Aims to coordinate emergency response and pollution prevention efforts.
• UNEP-MAP (UN Environment Programme Mediterranean Action Plan)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial partner of the UNEP-MAP Barcelona Convention since 2023. SPAMI status under the Barcelona Convention facilitates coordination, scientific cooperation, international visibility, and access to funding opportunities for the Pelagos Sanctuary.
• ACCOBAMS (Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Contiguous Atlantic Area)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the HQWW® (High Quality Whale Watching) certification program. ACCOBAMS registers the HQWW® label and works jointly with Pelagos Agreement on whale watching standards and marine mammal conservation.
• CIMA Research FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on scientific studies, whale watching operator training, and the HQWW® certification program. Fondazione CIMA is the only accredited body for HQWW® certification in Italy since 2019.
• Centre Scientifique de MonacocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScientific collaboration with representation at events such as the Ocean Space Forum. Contributes scientific expertise to marine conservation efforts within the Sanctuary.
• RAMOGE Agreement (Man and the Sea)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on marine environment protection in the Ligurian Sea area, including protocols for dealing with historic munitions at sea and coordinated environmental initiatives.
• Municipalities (Pelagos Partnership Charter)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOver 100 municipalities along the Sanctuary coastline have signed the Pelagos Partnership Charter, committing to marine mammal protection measures, cetacean stranding response, and sustainable coastal management.
• Marine Protected Areas and National ParkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with MPAs and National Parks within the Sanctuary for harmonized management measures, particularly for priority species like bottlenose dolphin and Mediterranean monk seal.
• Parco Nazionale Arcipelago ToscanocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding and hosting the 6th edition of the HQWW® training course. Located within the Sanctuary boundaries and actively participates in conservation initiatives.
• Bergeggi Marine Protected AreacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organized technical workshop on cooperation between Marine Protected Areas, National Parks, and Partnership Charter municipalities held at Fortezza del Priamar in Savona.
• Princely Government of MonacocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost country and founding member of the Agreement. Currently holds the Presidency of the Agreement for biennium 2026-2027 under the rotation system. Co-organizes the Ocean Space Forum.
• CNES (French National Centre for Space Studies)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of the Ocean Space Forum 2026, bringing together space technology expertise for ocean protection and monitoring applications.
• Prométhée Earth IntelligenceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of the Ocean Space Forum 2026, contributing earth observation and intelligence capabilities for marine monitoring.
• Yacht Club de MonacominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for the Adapt-Pelagos workshop on sustainable cruising and recreational activities. Active participant in marine conservation awareness events.
• Rotary Club Cap d'AilminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRaised public awareness of marine mammal protection at the Sea Festival in Cap d'Ail through interactive educational games, supporting the Agreement's outreach mission.
• Fondation Princesse Charlène de MonacominorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupported 'The Crossing 2026' initiative combining sports, solidarity, and marine protection awareness during the event from Viareggio to Monaco.
• INFO/RAC (Information and Communication Centre of UNEP-MAP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipated in UNOC3 round table discussions, contributing to Mediterranean environmental policy coordination and data sharing initiatives.
• International Whaling Commission (IWC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on large cetacean disentanglement training, bringing international expertise to rescue operations in the Sanctuary.
• European Blue Schools NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the European network of hundreds of schools and teachers from EU member countries, engaging students in marine protection education through the Pelagos Agreement's youth programs.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• International Whaling Commission (IWC): Intergovernmental body for whale conservation and management. Pelagos already collaborates with IWC on large cetacean disentanglement training and shares the large-cetacean protection mandate, though IWC operates at a global scale.
• OSPAR Commission: Regional intergovernmental cooperation for the protection of the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic. Comparable as a regional marine protection body with broader geographic and thematic scope than Pelagos, including cetacean and habitat conservation.
• WWF Mediterranean: World Wildlife Fund's Mediterranean programme focuses on marine protected areas, cetaceans, and sustainable fisheries in the region. Comparable geographic scope and cetacean conservation mandate, though structured as an NGO rather than an intergovernmental agreement.
• UNEP-MAP (Barcelona Convention): United Nations Environment Programme Mediterranean Action Plan and the Barcelona Convention framework. Umbrella treaty under which Pelagos operates as a SPAMI, providing governance, scientific cooperation, and funding opportunities for Mediterranean marine protected areas.
• IUCN Centre for Biodiversity Conservation: Global conservation organization that publishes the Red List and develops marine protected area standards. Comparable in mission (species and habitat conservation) and influence on global marine conservation policy.

Direct peers

• ASCOBANS: Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic, North East Atlantic, Irish and North Seas. A parallel cetacean-focused multilateral treaty under the Bonn Convention with similar legal structure and species-protection mandate, though covering a different geography.
• RAMOGE Agreement: Intergovernmental agreement between France, Italy, and Monaco for the protection of the marine environment in the Ligurian Sea. Directly comparable legal structure, member states, and Mediterranean coastal protection scope.
• ACCOBAMS: Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Contiguous Atlantic Area. Operates as a sister intergovernmental cetacean protection treaty under UNEP-MAP, sharing the same legal framework, target species, and Mediterranean geographic scope as Pelagos.

Emerging players

• MedPAN (Mediterranean Protected Areas Network): Network of Mediterranean marine protected area managers coordinating conservation efforts across the region. Comparable in coordinating role across MPAs and alignment with SPAMI designations, though broader in scope and managed by a non-profit rather than a treaty body.
• Sovena Foundation (Fondazione CIMA): CIMA Research Foundation is the only accredited body for the HQWW® certification in Italy since 2019. Directly implements the Pelagos whale watching certification program and is a key operational partner for training and standards delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pelagos-agreement

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Pelagos Agreement