WIDECAST and SPAW
Collaborations
What is WIDECAST? The SPAW Programme has worked with the Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network (WIDECAST) for a number of years. WIDECAST is comprised of an international team of sea turtle experts, local Country Co-ordinators and an extensive network of interested citizens. The organizations two main objectives are:
The primary outputs are Sea Turtle Recovery Action Plans developed for each of the Wider Caribbean Region governments. Each Recovery Action Plan summarizes the known distribution of sea turtles, discusses major causes of mortality, evaluates the effectiveness of existing conservation legislation, examines the present and historical role of sea turtles in local culture and economy, and prioritizes implementing measures for stock recovery. Rationale Sea turtle stocks are declining throughout the Wider Caribbean Region. Persistent over-exploitation, especially of adult females on the nesting beach, and the widespread collection of eggs are largely responsible for the depleted status of all six Caribbean species. In addition to direct harvest, sea turtles are accidentally captured in active or abandoned fishing gear, resulting in death to tens of thousands of turtles annually. Coral reef and sea grass degradation, oil spills, chemical waste, persistent plastic and other marine debris, high density beach-front development, and an increase in ocean-based tourism have damaged or eliminated nesting beaches and feeding grounds. Population declines are complicated by the fact that causal factors are not always entirely indigenous. Because sea turtles are among the most migratory of Caribbean fauna, what appears as a decline in a local population may be a direct consequence of the activities of people many hundreds of kilometers away. Thus, while local conservation is crucial, action is called for at the regional level. A Regional Vision The information needed by governments and regional organizations to eliminate causal factors in sea turtle population declines and exercise transboundary stewardship over these migratory species is not presently available in a comprehensive form. Nor is there a regional capability to implement scientifically sound turtle conservation and recovery programs. To promote such a capability, WIDECAST
Beyond supporting local and national efforts, WIDECAST works to integrate these efforts into a collective regional response to a shared problem -- the disappearance of sea turtles. WIDECAST is a Model The successful, integrated approach of WIDECAST is a useful model for international recovery planning on behalf of other depleted species. Article 10 of the Cartagena Convention states that Contracting Parties shall "individually or jointly take all measures to protect ... the habitat of depleted, threatened or endangered species in the Convention area." Similarly, Article 10 of the SPAW Protocol specifies that Parties "carry out species recovery, management, planning and other measures to effect the survival of [endangered or threatened] species" and regulate or prohibit activities having "adverse effects on such species or their habitats." Article 11 of the SPAW Protocol declares that each Party "shall ensure total protection and recovery to the species of fauna listed in Annex II." More than one hundred species, including all species of Caribbean sea turtles, were included in Annex II in 1991. Informing and Empowering People WIDECAST is rooted in the belief that conservation must be nurtured from within, it cannot be commanded from the outside. Further, it can only be effective to the extent that the actions implemented are scientifically sound and tailored to local circumstances. To this end, we provide training, technical support, educational materials, and other tools needed to bring communities into focus with regard to the long-term protection of sea turtles and their habitats. The resulting product, a hand-crafted Sea Turtle Recovery Action Plan, is guaranteed to be customized to local needs, culture, and regulatory systems. The direct involvement of resident conservationists, enforcement officers, policy-makers, fishermen, teachers and others in the development of the Action Plan results in an informed advocacy body to ensure implementation. Each Action Plan follows a standard format and serves as a blueprint for national action, as well as for harmonized regional action. Each is published by UNEP in the CEP Technical Report Series. For further information, please
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