Shiretoko

• Water infrastructure (River engineering, in particular dams, impeding or restricting fish migration, including major runs of salmonids)
• Aquaculture (Management of commercial fisheries, including coordination and cooperation with neighbouring States Parties)
• Hyper-abundant species (Excessive population density of Sika Deer affecting forest regeneration and vegetation more broadly)
• Impacts of tourism/visitor/recreation and Management system/Management plan (Tourism and visitor management)
• Climate change and severe weather events (Anticipated effects of climate change)
• Management of the Western Steller Sea Lion population

N/A

On 1 December 2022, the State Party submitted a state of conservation report, which is available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1193/documents/ and reports the following:

• The predicted impacts of climate change on the attributes of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property are being reinvestigated and the government is aiming to establish an adaptive management strategy by 2024 to minimize climate change-driven impacts. Effects of climate change are generating greater concern, and there is insufficient data for grasping biological responses brought by climate change.
• The populations of Steller sea lions that migrate to the Japan Sea have been managed in line with a Basic Management Policy, which aims to minimize the damage they cause to the fishing industry “within a range where there is no risk of extinction”. The policy will be revised in 2024, under which the number of individuals in the migratory population will be estimated based on data acquired in the breeding area, migration and other trends of Stellar sea lions that migrate to Japan including the Nemuro Strait. Management will be based on scientific evidence with consideration of the precautionary principle;
• The damage caused by Stellar sea lions to the fishing industry in the waters around Nemuro decreased by 36.8% from 357 million yen (approximately USD2.6 million) at the highest recorded level in 2013 to 131 million yen (approximately USD972,000). However, the value of fishery landings also decreased significantly during this period, therefore the damage caused by Steller sea lions continues to be a threat to the sustainability of coastal fisheries. Until the Basic Management Policy is revised, non-lethal measures such as reinforced fishing nets will be continued, however since only limited effects have been achieved, the current catch quota will be maintained within a range where there is “no risk of extinction of the Asian population” of Steller sea lions based on past records;
• A Comprehensive Evaluation Report of the 2012-2021 Long-Term Monitoring Plan for the property (LTMP) was published in 2022 (annexed to the State Party report), which evaluated the property to have maintained its natural World Heritage value. The LTMP revision is expected to be completed by March 2023. It will set out enhanced monitoring of climate change driven impacts from 2022 and reflect biodiversity attributes under Criterion (x). Scientific evaluation of the status of the OUV is to be continued based on the results of this monitoring;
• Improvement work regarding dam modifications on the Rusha River is expected to be completed in 2024 in line with the roadmap developed based on hydraulic modeling and numerical simulation. Monitoring includes riverbed topography, numbers of migrating salmon, spawning beds, and juveniles migrating downstream. Factors affecting the distribution of spawning beds (e.g. water depth, flow velocity, riverbed materials, distribution of driftwood) are analyzed, and the improvement of the natural spawning environment and reproductive efficiency of salmon associated with dam modifications will be evaluated.

Noting that effects of climate change are generating greater concern and that there is a lack of data to monitor climate change impacts, the State Party’s commitment to researching predicted impacts of climate change on the attributes of OUV is positive, and the development of an adaptive management strategy by 2024 that is expected to minimize such impacts is welcomed. It is recommended that the Committee reiterate its request to the State Party to submit the finalised strategy to the World Heritage Centre.

The State Party’s concern that Steller sea lions continue to be associated with a reduction in fisheries catch is noted. It is also noted that the Basic Management Policy will be revised in 2024 based on the data acquired on population dynamics and will give more consideration to the precautionary principle. Recalling however that the Western Steller sea lion is classified as ‘Endangered’ since 2012 it remains concerning that culling will be continued under the Basic Management Policy until it is revised in 2024 (since non-lethal methods are considered to be less effective), and it remains an important priority for authorities to reconcile sustainable fisheries operations with the conservation of the Steller sea lion as an attribute of the OUV. The potential further reduction of the sea lion population in the absence of clear population dynamics remains concerning and it is recommended that the Committee request the State Party to accelerate the development of a population dynamic model to inform the planned 2024 policy revision as soon as possible, and that it urge again the State Party to reconsider, reduce or eliminate current levels of culling, and to consult the IUCN Species Survival Commission, as needed. The update of the policy should be based on scientific population data.

With the 2012-2021 LTMP concluding in 2021, it is positive that an evaluation of the heritage values of the property was undertaken by the Scientific Council in consultation with the Regional Liaison Committee, and that a new LTMP is being finalised in 2023. While noting the conclusion of the evaluation report that the natural heritage values have been maintained, the World Heritage Centre and IUCN are concerned about the reported decrease by half of some seabird populations (cormorants and gulls) since inscription, the reason for which is unknown, and recall that seabird populations are an important attribute of the OUV. It will therefore be important to ensure that the monitoring and management priorities identified through this process, such as climate change related impacts, a decrease in sea bird and fish populations including the Dolly Varden which is representative of the ichthyofauna of the property, conflicts between brown bears and humans, or an increase in sika deer, are addressed in the new LTMP and that measures are implemented to effectively manage pressures on the OUV going forward. The noted inclusion of biodiversity-related attributes under Criterion (x) will allow management authorities to respond to pressures as they arise.

The report that improvement work to address dam modifications on the Rusha river is expected to be completed in 2024 is positive, noting also that the evaluation report highlights a growing interest in dam improvement among fishers and promotion of more active dam improvement in the context of OUV. Recalling that the 2019 IUCN Advisory mission observed that models did not adequately represent the natural biological functions of the river needed to accurately inform decision making, the reported monitoring of factors related to salmon spawning and migration processes is important. The State Party should be encouraged to continue to explore additional tools that could enhance the current understanding of river restoration approach and options in line with the mission recommendations.