ation ▁of ▁Small ▁Cet ace ans ▁of ▁the ▁Balt ic , ▁North ▁East ▁Atlantic , ▁Irish ▁and ▁North ▁Se as ▁( AS CO B AN S ), ▁and ▁the ▁Ag re ement ▁on ▁the ▁Conserv ation ▁of ▁Cet ace ans ▁in ▁the ▁Black ▁Sea , ▁Mediter rane an ▁Sea ▁and ▁Cont igu ous ▁Atlantic ▁Area ▁( AC CO BA MS ). ▁The ▁purpose ▁of ▁these ▁two ▁groups ▁is ▁to ▁reduce ▁thre ats ▁to ▁cet ace ans ▁through ▁impro ving ▁current ▁knowledge , ▁and ▁enfor cement ▁of ▁the ▁out lined ▁conservation ▁measures . ▁ ▁The ▁species ▁is ▁further ▁included ▁in ▁the ▁Mem or and um ▁of ▁Under standing ▁Conc ern ing ▁the ▁Conserv ation ▁of ▁the ▁Man ate e ▁and ▁Small ▁Cet ace ans ▁of ▁Western ▁Africa ▁and ▁Mac ar ones ia ▁( West ern ▁African ▁Aqu atic ▁M amm als ▁Mo U ) ▁and ▁the ▁Mem or and um ▁of ▁Under standing ▁for ▁the ▁Conserv ation ▁of ▁Cet ace ans ▁and ▁Their ▁Hab itats ▁in ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Islands ▁Region ▁( P ac ific ▁Cet ace ans ▁Mo U ). ▁In ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁short - f inned ▁pilot ▁wh ales ▁are ▁protected ▁under ▁the ▁Marine ▁M amm al ▁Prote ction ▁Act . ▁G lob ally , ▁they ▁are ▁listed ▁in ▁Append ix ▁II ▁of ▁the ▁Convention ▁on ▁International ▁Trade ▁in ▁End anger ed ▁Species ▁( C IT ES ), ▁which ▁aim ▁is ▁to ▁ensure ▁that ▁international ▁trade ▁in ▁spec im ens ▁of ▁wild ▁animals ▁and ▁plants ▁does ▁not ▁threaten ▁their ▁surv ival