Updates the previous version of the IUCN/SSC Cetacean Specialist Group's Action Plan, compiled by William Perrin in 1988. Perrin's basic approach has been followed here, although this new plan is much more than a revised edition, with many of the original headings retained. This Action Plan identifies the major known threats to species and populations, discusses some of the technical, political, and economic changes that are needed to prevent further population declines and promote species recoveries, and briefly summarizes the status of each species. The core of the plan consists of 51 projects that are high priorities for conservation-related research, relating to critically endangered species, vulnerable cetacean populations, or potential regional problems.