UNEP CAR/RCU

Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife in the Wider Caribbean Region (SPAW)

Objectives / Achievements 1994-96 / Outputs 1994-96

The approved l994-l995 and l996-l997 workplans of the Regional Programme for Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW), contained six major activities in addition to the Programme's Co-ordination. Additionally, the Programme also addressed specific requests made by the Second and Third Meetings of the Interim Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (ISTAC) (May l993 and October l995 respectively), Governments, NGO's, and international organizations as required. It is important to note that issues emanating from two major global initiatives are also being addressed under the Programme, i.e. the Convention on Biological Diversity and the International Coral Reef Initiative, as appropriate.

With regard to the achievements listed below, it is interesting to note that despite the lack of substantial financial resources made available to the Programme (except in the case of species conservation) and the number of administrative setbacks which the Programme encountered, considerable progress was achieved. In addition to lack of funding, delays in implementation were mainly the result of the late approval of project documents by UNEP Headquarters. The 1994 workplan was signed in August 1994 and the 1995 workplan in November 1995.

Objectives

The specific objectives of the SPAW Regional Programme for the 1994-1995 biennium were:

* To significantly increase the number of and improve the management of national protected areas and species in the region, including the development of biosphere reserves, where appropriate;

To develop a strong regional capability for the co-ordination of information exchange, training and technical assistance in support of national efforts; and

To develop specific regional, as well as national management plans developed for endangered, threatened or vulnerable species such as sea turtles, the West Indian manatee and the black coral.

To co-ordinate the development and implementation of the Regional Programme for Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife in the Wider Caribbean, in keeping with the mandate of the SPAW Protocol.

Achievements 1994-96

The following can be considered as the major achievements of the SPAW Regional Programme during the period l994-l996:

Convening of the Third Meeting of the Interim Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (ISTAC) to the Protocol Concerning Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) in the Wider Caribbean Region, Kingston, 11-13 October 1995;
Finalization of Terms of Reference for the operations of the Regional Activity Centre (RAC) for SPAW, (UNEP(OCA)/CAR IG.12/7, Annex V, Appendix VIII) and preparation of the Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of France for the establishment of the RAC;
Successful fund-raising of US$645,000 from USAID towards the implementation of CEP activities relevant to conservation of coral reefs and their associated ecosystems and control the impact of tourism activities on these ecosystems;
Consultations with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and initial development of a CBD-SPAW Co-operation Programme;
Active participation in the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) and nomination as regional contact point for ICRI's Agenda for Action;
Finalization of Protected Areas Training Programme for the Wider Caribbean Region -Multiplying Management Skills, (UNEP(OCA)/CAR WG.19/INF.8) and proposal to European Union/CARIFORUM for funding to convene training courses during l997;
Finalization of "Common Guidelines and Criteria for the Wider Caribbean for the Identification, Selection, Establishment and Management of Protected Areas of National Interest", (UNEP(OCA)/CAR IG.12/6) and proposal to European Union/CARIFORUM for funding to assist with implementation of guidelines in six countries of the region;
Implementation of a number of country priority activities as outlined in their Sea Turtle Recovery Action Plan (STRAPs) for Aruba, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Netherlands Antilles, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, emphasizing in particular, capacity building and awareness;
Assistance to countries to support or initiate preparation of their STRAPs (Guyana, Jamaica, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago and U.S. Virgin Islands);
Assistance to countries (Guyana and Venezuela) for the implementation of training and education activities for sea turtle conservation;
Several countries developed and/or enacted legislation relevant to sea turtle conservation, increased number of beaches protected for sea turtle nesting, and retail sale of turtle products has been sharply reduced in countries where STRAPs are being implemented. Sea turtle conservation is an active agenda item, of both new and well established NGOs in countries where STRAPs have been published or are being developed;
Finalization and Publication of "General Guidelines and Criteria for Management of Threatened and Endangered Sea Turtles in the Wider Caribbean Region", (UNEP(OCA)/CAR WG.19/INF.7) in three languages;
Finalization and Publication of "Regional Management Plan for the West Indian manatee, Trichechus manatus", (CEP Technical No.35) in three languages;
Development of co-operative programme between Mexico and Belize to jointly implement activities of mutual interest for manatee conservation;
Production of stickers, posters and colouring books on manatee conservation in several languages of the region;
Successful fundraising of US$80,000 from the Government of the USA for sea turtles, manatee and coastal ecosystems conservation activities during 1994-1995;
Revised and updated comprehensive assessment of the protected areas in the Wider Caribbean Region (to be published in late l996).
Finalization of general guidelines for revenue generation by protected areas for governments and parks managers (expected to be published in early 1997) (formerly UNEP(OCA)/CAR WG.19/INF.3).
Finalization of ecological studies on migratory birds in the island ecosystem of Cozumel, Mexico (in collaboration with University of Mexico and Partners in Flight U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service).

Outputs 1994-96

Report of the Third Meeting of the Interim Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (ISTAC) to the Protocol Concerning Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) in the Wider Caribbean Region, Kingston, 11-13 October 1995, UNEP(OCA)/CAR WG.19/6;
Comparative analysis of the CBD, CITES Convention and SPAW Protocol (UNEP(OCA)/CAR WG.19/4) and draft analysis of the species listed in CITES and the SPAW Protocol (UNEP(OCA)/CAR WG.19/INF.12);
Draft "Regional Activities and Priorities for Conservation and Sustainable Use of Coral Reefs in the Wider Caribbean Region" (UNEP(OCA)/CAR WG.19/5);
Two issues of CANARI's Caribbean Park and Protected Area Bulletin in English, Spanish and French, widely distributed within the region (UNEP(OCA)/CAR WG.19/INF.10 and UNEP(OCA)/CAR WG.19/INF.11);
Fourteen protected areas managers from the insular Caribbean trained on revenue generation (Saba, 5-9 June l995);
Four additional national Sea Turtle Recovery Action Plans (STRAPs) produced for the following countries: Aruba, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Suriname, and widely disseminated in the Wider Caribbean (CEP Technical Reports Nos. 24, 25, 26 and 27);
Sea turtle identification leaflets in Spanish and Dutch (widely disseminated);
Educational slide show of sea turtles conservation for wide dissemination;
Research study on Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) and its impact on shrimp fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico;
Manatee recovery plans for Colombia and Honduras;
Educational materials on manatee conservation in English and Spanish (stickers, poster and colouring book),as well as in Dutch, French and Sranan Tongo (stickers only) published and widely disseminated;
CEP Technical Report No.35 "Regional Management Plan for the West Indian Manatee Trichecus manatus";
Avian Diversity in Cozumel Island, Quintana Roo, Mexico (Instituto de Biología, UNAM, Mexico).