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Regional considerations for marine mammal conservation in the Caribbean
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Marine Mammal Conservation in the Caribbean
Regional context
Paul HoetjesDept. of Environment & Nature Conservation
Netherlands Antilles
Wider Caribbean
• Political context• Regional issues• Regional/international instruments
• Conservation activities• Socio-political considerations• Recommendations
Political context
• 13 island nations• 12 continental nations• 13 territories (UK, France, Netherlands, US)= 38 political unities
political context (2) Island Nations
1. Antigua & Barbuda2. Bahamas3. Barbados4. Cuba5. Dominica6. Dominican Republic7. Grenada8. Haiti9. Jamaica10.St. Kitts & Nevis11.St. Lucia12.St. Vincent and the Grenadines13.Trinidad & Tobago
Continental Nations1. Belize2. Colombia3. Costa Rica4. Guatemala5. Guyana6. Honduras7. Mexico8. Nicaragua9. Panama10. Surinam11. US12. Venezuela
Territories1. Aruba2. Netherlands Antilles 3. Anguilla4. Cayman Islands5. Monserrat6. Turks & Caicos Islands7. British Virgin Islands8. French Guyana9. Guadeloupe10. St. Martin – St. Barth11. Martinique12. Puerto Rico13. US Virgin Islands
Political context (3)• Three languages– English, Spanish, French (and Dutch)
• Two law systems– Common Law (English speaking countries)– Civil Law (everyone else)
• Wealthy and poor• Nevertheless, active regional cooperation
Regional issues• One of the busiest shipping areas in the world– Oil transshipment– Cruise tourism– General cargo
• Tourism economic mainstay• Biodiversity hotspot
Regional issues• Relatively little known about Caribbean Cetaceans• Still targeted hunt in a few islands• Increasing popularity of captive facilities• Increasing marine mammal
watching industry• High ship traffic volume with
unknown effects– (noise) pollution– Collisions
• Pollution
Regional/international instruments
• UNEP-CEP & Cartagena ConventionLBS Protocol (Land-Based Sources of Marine
Pollution)SPAW Protocol (Specially Protected Areas & Wildlife)
• Western Hemisphere Migratory Species Initiative (WHMSI)
• Convention on Migratory Species• International Whaling Commission (IWC)• Marpol Annex I-V
Caribbean Special Area – need for implementation
Regional/international instruments (2)
SPAW Protocol(Specially Protected Areas & Wildlife)–14 member countries–Total protection and recovery all cetaceans (Annex 2)–Protection of areas critical to endangered species–Protected Area guidelines PA network–Marine Mammal Action Plan (MMAP)
Regional/international instruments (3)
• Few member states in Caribbean (5)• Protection and recovery
of endangered species (appendix I)• Cooperation for protection
and management of species (appendix II)• Caribbean cetaceans
protected under SPAW• MoU with SPAW
Regional/international instruments (4)
Western Hemisphere Migratory Species Initiative (WHMSI)
• Supported by OAS• Cooperation for the conservation of
migratory species of the Americas• Strengthening communication and cooperation• Open, informal partnership, not a legal instrument
marine mammal conservation activities
• MMAP• Stranding response training
workshops and stranding network
• Manatee reintroduction (Fr)
• MPA network– French Whale sanctuary– Silver Bank sister sanctuary
(Dom. Rep.-US)
• Marine Mammal expert network
Socio-political considerations
• Extractive use (consumption or live capture) is a sensitive issue
• (perceived) tourism competitiveness is a driving force• SIDS: lack of capacity,
lack of capacity, lack of capacity (people, money, facilities)
Recommendations
• Integrate with regional instruments, MMAP• Need for sustainability – incorporate economic and
social aspects• Communicate
results
Thank you
Photographs courtesy of George Kieffer, Dolphin Academy Curaçao