NEWSLETTER OF THE UNEP CARIBBEAN ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME
Vol. 14, No. 2, December 1999
NOTICE TO READERS We welcome your inputs to CEPNEWSon activities that are relevant to CEP. CEPNEWS is publishedquarterly and distributed in March, June, September and December.The deadline for news items is one month in advance. The next scheduled to be published in March, 2000, so please submityour news items before 15 February 2000.
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After seven final days of intensive negotiation, the Protocol Concerning Land-Based Sources and Activities (LBS Protocol) was adopted on 6 October 1999. The adoption of this Protocol represents the culmination of efforts that have spanned nearly a decade.
The Conference of Plenipotentiaries to adopt the Protocol was convened in Oranjestad, Aruba, from 27 September to 6 October, and was co-sponsored by the Governments of Aruba and the United States of America.
The LBS Protocol is the third Protocol to the Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment in the Wider Caribbean Region (Cartagena Convention), joining the Oils Spills Protocol (adopted 1983) and the Protocol Concerning Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (adopted 1990). The Cartagena Convention is a binding environmental treaty for the Wider Caribbean Region (WCR).
The Convention calls upon its 20 Contracting Parties to develop protocols and other agreements to facilitate the Convention's effective implementation. The Convention and its Protocols constitute a legal commitment by these countries to protect, develop and manage their common waters, individually and jointly.
Sixteen Member States signed the Final Act to adopt the Protocol, and four (Costa Rica, France, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the United States of America) signed the Protocol itself. Their signature demonstrates their intent to ratify.
The LBS Protocol establishes a legal framework for regional co-operation to reduce, prevent and control pollution of the Wider Caribbean Region (WCR). Through projects and activities conducted nationally, sub-regionally, and regionally, Contracting Parties to the Protocol will work together toward the common objective of providing sustainability to the marine environment by reducing pollutant loads that foul beaches, harm coral reefs and other sensitive ecosystems, and contaminate seafood.
Regional action is particularly important to the Caribbean because of the large number of countries in a relatively small area. Almost the entire marine environment of the WCR falls under national jurisdiction. In addition, the proximity of the countries and the circulation patterns in the WCR create several transboundary pollution issues, exemplifying the need for regional co-operation and co-ordination to effectively address land-based sources and activities.
The LBS Protocol provides for general obligations, institutional responsibilities and procedures for the prevention, reduction and control of marine pollution from land-based sources and activities, meanwhile, its four Annexes delineate activities to address and significantly reduce the pollution of the Caribbean Sea.
Annex I identifies priority land-based sources and activities and their associated contaminants of greatest concern. Annex II outlines and establishes the process for developing regional standards and practices for the prevention, reduction, and control of the sources and activities identified in Annex I. Annex III establishes effluent limitations and timetables for Contracting Parties to address domestic wastewater pollution. Annex IV addresses best management practices for agricultural non-point sources of pollution. Subsequent annexes, yet to be developed, will address other priority sources identified in Annex I.
Using a source-specific approach, the LBS Protocol establishes effluent limitations and other obligations that are required within a given time frame for specific pollution sources in the region. The conference participants spent several days revising and refining the requirements of the technical Annexes. A key point of the final negotiations was the differences in the needs of small island developing states and those of larger states. During the final negotiations, the Protocol was modified to improve its applicability for all the Contracting Parties and the wide variety of circumstances—economic, environmental, social, and otherwise—they must address.
The LBS Protocol also creates a regional mechanism that will assist States in the WCR to achieve the goals and obligations of two global instruments:
- The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which calls upon States to adopt laws and regulations to prevent, reduce, and control, pollution of the marine environment from land-based sources; and
The Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-Based Activities (GPA), which highlights the need for action to reduce the pollutant load to the seas from land-based activities.
Both of these instruments emphasize the need to act at the regional level to address these problems.
The signatories of the LBS Protocol must now start their internal ratification process. As defined by the Cartagena Convention, nine Contracting Parties must ratify the Protocol before it may enter into force. The Protocol remains open for signature at Bogotá, Colombia, until 6 October 2000.
In the end, the LBS Protocol will be effective only if it is well implemented. Effective implementation of the Protocol requires the co-operation and co-ordination of entities at the international, regional, national and local levels, the private sector, and donor institutions.
Key challenges include obtaining funding to identify, develop, design, and construct pollution control facilities; institutional capacity building; and technology exchange. The Caribbean Regional Co-ordinating Unit of UNEP (UNEP-CAR/RCU), along with the Contracting Parties and other relevant organizations, is already designing and implementing projects to meet these challenges. The Assessment and Management of Environmental Pollution (AMEP) sub-programme at UNEP-CAR/RCU serves as the focal point for co-ordinating activities on marine pollution from land-based sources and activities, including the implementation of the LBS Protocol and its Annexes. The AMEP Programme has already begun working with Member States to assist them in fulfilling their obligations under the LBS Protocol.
Adoption of the LBS Protocol demonstrates that the Governments of the Wider Caribbean Region are committed to protect, improve, and preserve our common seas.
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Havana was the site of the Fourth Meeting of the Interim Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (ISTAC) to the SPAW Protocol, 3-6 August 1999. The Meeting, which was co-sponsored by the Governments of Cuba and the United Kingdom, was convened with a view to:
The ISTAC reviewed the projects and activities of the SPAW Programme, including the regional network on marine protected areas; implementation of activities in celebration of the International Year of the Reef (IYOR) and International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI); ratification of the SPAW Protocol; fundraising activities; and the positive growth and direction of the Programme. The ISTAC determined that these activities had been successfully implemented during the period under review, despite the constraints in funding. Participants reported that their respective countries had implemented or had begun to implement various laws, legislation, regulations, training programmes in public awareness, fundraising activities, the establishment of protected areas and the conservation of endangered species.
The proposed Workplan and Budget for the SPAW Regional Programme for 2000-2001 was presented by the Secretariat for review and was welcomed by the participants, who provided useful contributions for its implementation.
The Meeting endorsed the Renewed Call to Action of the International Coral Reef Initiative as developed by ICRI´s International Symposium in Townsville in November 1998. In this context, the Meeting congratulated the Secretariat for its active leadership in the promotion and implementation of ICRI in the region, in particular for the strategic partnerships developed with the private, public and community sectors in the area of sustainable tourism.
In light of the imminent entry into force of the SPAW Protocol, the Meeting examined the relationship of the Protocol with the CITES Convention and through an open-ended working group of Governments and NGOs, both Secretariats agreed to analyse the compatible elements of the treaties to assist with their implementation by Governments which are Parties to both. The outcome of this analysis will be presented at the next Intergovernmental and Contracting Parties Meeting of the Caribbean Environment Programme in February 2000.
The Meeting was successful in achieving its objectives, including reviewing the establishment of the Regional Activity Centre (RAC) for SPAW in Guadeloupe, which the French Government informed should occur prior to the end of 1999. Additionally, the Meeting reviewed the activities for marine protected areas, including the guide for funding protected areas developed in co-operation with TNC, and agreed it be finalised by the end of 1999 after a review by all SPAW focal points. With regard to marine mammals, the Meeting considered and recommended the development of a Regional Action Plan for their conservation and management.
For more information, please contact:Alessandra Vanzella-Khouri Programme Officer Tel: (876) 922-9267 Fax: (876) 922-9292 avk.uneprcuja@cwjamaica.com
CEPNET will strengthen the role of the CAR/RCU and assist theCEP to better serve the environmental information, technical co-operationand specialised consulting needs of the focal points, non-governmentalorganizations, other stakeholders and the public at large.
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The CEP Web site continues to expand in content. A majority of CEP Technical reports are now available on-line, with others scheduled to be added this year. The topics include a variety of subjects related to coastal zone management, protected areas, tourism, land-based sources of marine pollution, sea turtle recovery and so on. Many reports are available in English, Spanish and French. To view the technical reports on-line or to download them in Microsoft Word format, go to http://www.cep.unep.org/pubs/techreports/techreports.html. The CEPNET staff hopes that you will find the on-line technical reports useful, and that you will continue to browse the site as more reports become available. Other additions to the Web site include the text for and information about the recently adopted Protocol Concerning Pollution from Land-Based Sources and Activities in the Wider Caribbean Region ( http://www.cep.unep.org/pubs/legislation/lbsmpnut.html). Future additions will include the first version of the regional-level State of the Coasts report.
http://www.cep.unep.org/trini_tbgo/fisheries/index.htm, The Institute of Marine Affairs http://www.ima.gov.tt, the Barbados Coastal Zone Management Unit ( http://www.cep.unep.org/barbados/czmu/coastal.htm), the Jamaica Natural Resources Conservation Authority (http://www.nrca.org) and the Venezuela Ministerio del Ambiente y de los Recursos Naturales Renovables ( http://www.cep.unep.org/venezuela/homepage/venehome.html) for the English version. The last part (/origen_i.htm) should be omitted to reach the version in Spanish. The CAR/RCU Spanish version in still in translation.Pages in French will be developed as soon as possible.
Lastly, the Institute of Marine Affairs’ extensive and informative "State of the Marine Environment" Report is now available for browsing on their Web site, and the Jamaica Natural Resources Conservation Authority has made their "State of the Environment Report" available on the Web.
Another exciting development involves, the UNEP Global Programme of Action (GPA) which calls for the creation of a clearing-house mechanism. The GPA clearing-house mechanism is a decentralized Internet-based network that provides access to information, data and experiences related to land-based sources of marine pollution. Other clearing-house characteristics include the support for sophisticated search, query and retrieval methods, participant networking and decision making, and the active promotion of needs driven development.
On a regional level, the main focus of the GPA Coordination Office will be with the Secretariats of the Regional Seas Programmes. A pilot project for the establishment of regional GPA clearing-house nodes will be initiated in two of the regional seas, one of which is the Wider Caribbean Regional Sea. These nodes will have special emphasis on regional views including socio-economic, political and cultural aspects of information and other content. Capacity building of the Regional Seas secretariats, including training and infrastructure development, will be an important component of the initiative.
This initiative will also build on and strengthen the CEPNET marine and coastal environmental information network. Work will start with a needs evaluation survey and the development of a strategic workplan at the end of the year.
For more information, please contact: Marjo Vierros Programme Officer Tel: (876) 922-9267 Fax: (876) 922-9292 uneprcuja@cwjamaica.cw.com
During the last half of 1999, a large focus of the Programme for the Assessment and Management of Environmental Pollution (AMEP Programme) was on the preparations for and execution of the Conference of Plenipotentiaries to Adopt the Protocol Concerning Marine Pollution from Land-based Sources and Activities, convened in Oranjestad, Aruba 27 September - 6 October 1999. The events of the meeting are summarised in this issue of CEPNews. Despite the time demands of this major undertaking and its success, the AMEP Programme began implementation of some new activities, completed others already underway, and developed proposals to solicit funding for future activities.
Reducing Pesticide Run-off to the Caribbean Sea:Reducing Pesticide Run-off to the Caribbean Sea, is a new project funded by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) under a Block B grant of Project Development Funds (PDF). The PDF Phase, which began in July 1999, is now in the stage of developing National Programmes of Action for the improved management of pesticides in Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica and Nicaragua. The National Action Programmes will be developed using national committees of all stakeholders as well as a national workshop. The Escuela Agricultura de la Region Tropical Humeda (EARTH) from Costa Rica is assisting the RCU with Regional project development. A Subregional workshop will also be held to make recommendations for regional actions. The PDF will continue into 2000, culminating with the development of a Project Brief and GEF proposal for funding of the identified National Action Programmes.
Work on Contaminated Bays:The Methodological Guide for Environmental Studies in Heavily Contaminated Bays is near completion and should be ready for printing in early 2000. Compiling lessons learned from the successful Heavily Contaminated Bays projects of CEP and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), this guide will be a useful reference for environmental studies of coastal areas in the Wider Caribbean. The document will be translated into all three CEP languages and will be made available in print and through the CEP website. Other highlights in the area of Contaminated Bays and coastal area management include a booklet summarising the achievements of CEP with support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). Over the past several years, SIDA has greatly contributed to projects in these areas.
Rehabilitation of Kingston Harbour and Havana Bay:AMEP is co-ordinating with UNDP for the implementation of a large-scale GEF project to rehabilitate Kingston Harbour and Havana Bay. The GEF project focuses on nutrient reduction pilot facilities for sewage treatment in the two bays. CEP's portion will be to provide regional co-ordination and knowledge sharing through technical exchange between the two target countries. CEP will also organise workshops in early 2000, with full CEP regional participation, to present and discuss appropriate nutrient reduction technologies and a follow-up workshop on sludge utilisation in later 2000 or 2001.
GEF/PDF activities AMEP is also pleased to announce that it will be co-executing a second GEF/PDF activity with the Caribbean Environmental Health Institute (CEHI). The project, entitled, Integrating Management of Watersheds and Coastal Areas in Small Island States in the Caribbean, will be the second GEF project for CEP. This project is directed to strengthen institutional capacities for water resources management at the national and regional level; provide assistance to countries in understanding the linkages between, and the requirement for integrating management of watershed and coastal zone environmental problems; and meet national priorities within a regional context. Activities will include both national and Regional components and involve all SIDS in the WCR interested in participating in the project. National reports will give effect to specific national needs to integrate the management of freshwater and coastal resources. These needs will also be synthesized in a regional report, all of which will be presented to the GEF Secretariat for funding. In addition to the projects mentioned above, the AMEP programme has spent much of 1999 developing project proposals and raising funds for their implementation. As many of these proposals have been funded, the AMEP programme will begin the new millennium with a very full agenda! For more information, please contact: Timothy Kasten Senior Programme Officer, UNEP-CAR/RCU, 14-20 Port Royal Street, Kingston, Jamaica; Tel: (876) 922-9267 Fax: (876) 922-9292 tjk.uneprcuja@cwjamaica.com
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Congratulations to Alessandra Vanzella-Khouri on the birth of her son, Simon on the 24th of September. Alessandra is CAR/RCU’s Programme Officer, responsible for the Regional Programme for Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) in the Wider Caribbean Region. Congrats to Alessandra and family!
During the period of July to October 1999, CEP was pleased to have Ms. Cinnamon Vann as an intern working in the AMEP Programme. Cinnamon is completing her Masters Degree in Marine Affairs at the University of Miami and chose an internship with CAR/RCU to complete her degree. Cinnamon worked on several items in the AMEP Programme including projects on pesticides, coastal area management, and sewage treatment as well as research on movement and management of hazardous wastes in the Caribbean and AMEP outreach materials. Ms. Vann also proved to be an invaluable asset to the Secretariat in preparation for, and execution of, the Conference of Plenipotentiaries to Adopt the Protocol on Land-based Sources and Activities. CAR/RCU thanks Cinnamon for her excellent support to CEP and wishes her well in her final studies and professional career.
It is our pleasure to welcome Nancy Odeh from Canada to UNEP-CAR/RCU. Nancy will be working with CEPNET as Information Specialist for the next six months. Nancy has just completed her master’s degree in Environmental Change and Management at Oxford University in England. She also holds a BSc in Geography and Environmental Sciences from McGill University in Canada. Nancy’s previous work experience has taken her to many interesting locations around the world, including recent work in Madagascar, where she carried out a socio-economic environmental impact assessment of an estuarine weir on local inhabitants. As part of her duties at UNEP-CAR/RCU, Nancy will be working on making the information on the CEP Web site more accessible to users in the Wider Caribbean Region, as well as on incorporating new information relating to the marine and coastal environment of the region.
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The first UNEP-CEP Training of Trainers course in marine protected area (MPA) management took place in Saba (Netherlands Antilles) on November 2-13. Nine (9) persons from the English and Dutch speaking Caribbean participated in the 11-day course. The course was made possible through assistance received from the Coastal Zone Management Center in the Netherlands, the UN Fund for International Partnerships (UNFIP), and the U.S. Government. Participants were exposed to the theories of adult education and relevant teaching methods, thus providing them with the skills required to conduct training programmes in marine protected areas in their own countries. Participants demonstrated the acquisition of the relevant skills during the course by conducting a number of exercises, both simulation and presentation. Additionally, the newly-acquired knowledge was used to determine the appropriate concepts and teaching methods to be used to deliver information related to the following subject matters: The nature of the marine environment, benefits and threats; MPA planning; Participatory planning; MPA management; Research and monitoring; and Training and communication. A similar course, to be conducted in Spanish, has been planned for early 2000. Stay posted for this second course, as well as for the in-country training courses that the participants from the Saba course will be conducting within the next six months. For further information, please contact: Alessandra Vanzella-Khouri, SPAW Programme Officer UNEP-CAR/RCU 14-20 Port Royal Street Kingston, Jamaica Tel: 876-922-9267 Fax: 876-922-9292 avk.uneprcuja@cwjamaica.com
The International Coral Reef Action Network (ICRAN) project was initiated by UNEP in partnership with The International Center for Living and Aquatic Resources (ICLARM). It is an effort to promote best practices for sustainable coral reef management in keeping with the objectives of the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI). ICRAN seeks to locate and enhance those coastal areas throughout the world, where successful management practices are in place. The aim is not only to conserve natural resources, but also to ensure sustainable livelihoods for local communities. The project is currently receiving funding from the UN Foundation and UNFIP for a one-year start-up phase, which will be followed by a four-year action phase, subject to approval by the UN Foundation.
In the Wider Caribbean Region, the first phase of the project will be supporting the establishment of a regional system of demonstration sites encompassing coral reefs. These sites will provide examples of successful integrated coastal management, and will contain selected marine protected areas (MPAs). The sites will serve as regional training centers to ensure proliferation of effective coral reef management. ICRAN will also support “train-the-trainers” courses in management of marine protected areas.
The ICRAN Coordination Meeting was convened during 26-27 October 1999 in conjunction with the International Coral Reef Initiative Coordination and Planning Committee (ICRI CPC) Meeting in the Guadeloupe (28-29 October 1999). The Meeting consisted of a site visit to the Soufriere Marine Management Area (SMMA) in St. Lucia. SMMA is considered for selection as an ICRAN demonstration site and training center for management of coral reef areas, making it a part of the ICRAN global network of demonstration sites. Other marine protected areas in the Wider Caribbean Region, where effective management practices take place, will also be considered for inclusion.
Participants in the site visit had an opportunity to meet local stakeholders and managers of SMMA. SMMA is one of the sites where no-fishing zones have contributed to an increase in both the number and size of fish in the protected area, as well as in the adjacent fishing grounds. This has been accomplished through the active participation of fishermen, the tourism sector, NGOs and local communities. The participants had a chance to enjoy the tour of the reserve in a glass bottom boat, in addition to snorkelling and diving. The visitors also met with stakeholders and were given presentations by scientists conducting monitoring programs. For further information, please contact: Alessandra Vanzella-Khouri, SPAW Programme Officer UNEP-CAR/RCU 14-20 Port Royal Street Kingston, Jamaica Tel: 876-922-9267 Fax: 876-922-9292 avk.uneprcuja@cwjamaica.com
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The MPA newsletter Is available electronically at no cost. It is a good source of information for those interested in Marine Protected Areas. MPA News is produced monthly as an independent study initiative at the School of Marine Affairs, University of Washington. The MPA News staff is solely responsible for content. For a free subscription, send an e-mail message to mpanews@u.washington.edu. Please type "subscribe" on the subject line, and include your name, mailing address, and daytime phone number in the text of the message. Also, please note whether you would like your subscription to be delivered electronically or in paper format. For more information, please contact: MPA News School of Marine Affairs University of Washington, 3707 Brooklyn Ave. NE, Seattle WA 98105, USA. Tel: (206) 685 2170; Fax: (206) 543 1417 mpanews@u.washington.edu
The partners of the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), meeting in Guadeloupe (October 28-29) express substantial concern for the causes and consequences of the mass coral bleaching and mortality events of 1998. ICRI calls on the 5th Conference of the Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC) to give urgent attention to the likely relationship between climate change and severe degradation of coral reefs due to mass coral bleaching.
In 1998, tropical sea surface temperatures were the highest on modern record, and consequently coral reefs around the world suffered the most extensive and severe bleaching and subsequent mortality ever documented.
Coral bleaching occurs when corals, under stress, lose much of their symbiotic algae, which supply nutrients and colour. Severe, prolonged, and/or frequent bleaching can cause mortality of corals and irreversible damage to coral reef ecosystems.
ICRI supports the results of a recent consultation by experts to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) that discussed the causes and potential consequences of mass coral bleaching. The expert findings call for the CBD and FCCC to (1) develop approaches for assessing the vulnerability of coral reef species to global warming; (2) build capacity for predicting and monitoring the impacts of coral bleaching; (3) identify approaches for developing response measures to coral bleaching; and (4) provide guidance for financial institutions, including the Global Environment Fund, to support such activities.
In 1998, 40-50% of the world's reefs experienced catastrophic bleaching, with half of these coral reefs suffering 80-90% mortality. Reefs in Tanzania, Kenya, the Seychelles, Maldives, Sri Lanka, parts of India, Vietnam, Taiwan, southern Japan, the Philippines, Palau, and Belize were the most severely impacted. Dr. Clive Wilkinson, Coordinator of the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN), notes that “The massive coral bleaching and mortality that we saw 1998 is a warning for the future. The climate of the world is rapidly changing; the seas are getting hotter and mass coral bleaching events will become more common as a result.” Dr. Barbara Best, an ICRI delegate from the U.S. Agency for International Development, points out that “Healthy coral reefs are critically important to the lives and livelihoods of millions of people around the world. It is estimated that $375 billion dollars worth of ecosystem services are provided by coral reefs, serving as sources of food, jobs in tourism and recreation, as well as for coastal protection.”
The global threat of climate change to corals is additional to the impacts of more localized anthropogenic factors which already place reefs at risk. Nearly 60% of the world's coral reefs may already be threatened by human activities . Conservation and sustainable development goals can no longer be achieved without taking into account global climate change. Governments and all other stakeholders must therefore consider their role in drawing attention to and mitigating the predicted impacts of global scale climate change on the resources they manage or use.
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) announces the availability of limited challenge grant funding for international sea turtle conservation projects. Proposals should be sent to the Foundation's headquarters in Washington, DC, by December 15th. Proposals should be directed to the International Sea Turtle Conservation program. Application forms can be downloaded from the Foundation's website at "http://www.nfwf.org", or from the contact information below. Successful applicants will be notified by March 1, 2000.
Proposals should include counterpart funding (at a minimum 1:1 ratio, preferably greater) for small projects (no more than $25,000), with a duration of one year to eighteen months, in the Caribbean or along the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts of Latin America. Priority will be given to projects which include clear objectives responding to recognized conservation threats for sea turtles, succinct activities with clearly defined methodologies, and verifiable indicators for measuring project success. For further information, please contact: Megan Hill Tel/Fax: (502)333-5066; or Richard Volk Coastal & Aquatic Programs USAID/G/ENV Ronald Reagan Building Room 3.8 Washington, DC 20523-3800 USA Tel: (202) 712-5373; Fax: (202) 216-3174
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This vegetation atlas contains 35 vegetation maps for the insular Caribbean on an island-by-island basis. Scales range from 1:500,000 to 1:24,000. The new standard classification system was reviewed and amended by the panel of Caribbean Experts last November in San Juan. These maps present a powerful tool for mapping and comparing land covers in the insular Caribbean. The science team at the Nature Conservancy is now seeking resources to bring the Caribbean Vegetation Atlas up-to-date, with accurate mapping based on new aerial or satellite services, and rigorously ground-truthed classifications, based on the new standard system (which is also being submitted to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO)) as a proposed global classification system. The maps can be viewed in JPEG format at: http://www.edcintl.cr.usgs.gov/igdn/tnc/metadata.html
The recent reports of fish kills in the Caribbean were discussed by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission in September. They reported that pollution was not a factor in the deaths of shallow reef fish and point to high sea temperatures as a possible contributor. High water temperatures could result in stress and the possibility of infections in the fish. There are also theories of waste contamination by cruise liners and a pathogen transported in the annual flow from the Orinoco River in South America. Barbados is also investigating the “red tide” phenomenon, a water-borne virus or bacteria and Montserrat’s volcanic action. The fish kills are affecting local fishermen and tourism as fish sales are down after the media coverage, and there is concern about the safety of fish and water consumption. Testing of the dead fish and sea water is being performed for Grenada. Adapted from GEM Radio Network bulletin
A workshop reviewing the recent fish kills in the region and discussing monitoring and prediction of future fish kills was convened by the Caribbean Planning for Adaptation to Global Climate Change Project (CPACC).
The workshop recommended the following steps:
The workshop also identified that key to the management of fisheries and the avoidance of disasters such as this is the capability to predict or be pro-active in the face of a fish kill. The monitoring of marine habitats and changes will be essential. Also of importance will be the development of detection capacity and identification of symptomologies in species. Agencies, both national and regional, must be enabled to respond rapidly, through better support for monitoring, research and assessment, during fish kill events. The identification of systems and conditions potentially supporting harmful bacteria as well as red tide events and harmful algae blooms (HABs) will be also be crucial. For more information, please contact: Leslie Walling, Coastal resources Specialist, CPACC wallingcpacc@mail.sunbeach.net
Leading groups are partnering with the Earth Day Network to create a clean energy future. By using the sun, wind, and other renewable sources to generate energy, dependence on the fossil fuels that pollute air and water, harm human health, and contribute to global warming can be ended. On Earth Day 2000, more than 500 million people will organize for a global call to action on environmental issues. The Clean Energy Worldwide campaign will use this massive mobilization of people to create a groundswell of support for clean energy projects and action on climate change. Groups working on energy and climate change issues (see Issue Areas below) will set Earth Day 2000 campaign goals. The global reach of the Earth Day Network will be used to publicize these goals and create national and international support for them.
In August 1999, Earth Day Network and SUN21 co-hosted a strategy meeting in Basel, Switzerland. Leading European groups discussed how Earth Day 2000 can be used to create a major push on energy and climate change issues in this region. To learn more about the conference, see http://www.sun21.ch/e/pro/earthday.htm
ISSUES: Areas below are critical elements of a global shift to safe, smart, and efficient energy. Groups are invited to set Earth Day 2000 campaign goals on the following issues:
For more information, please contact: Shalini Ramanathan Tel.: (1-206)264-0114 sramanathan@earthday.net
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M.Sc. Integrated Urban and Rural Environmental Management M. Phil and PH.D Programme Geographic Information Science Courses are offered in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and other aspects of Geomatics and Information Technology. For further information, please contact: Professor Elizabeth Thomas-Hope Professor of Environmental Management Head Department of Geography and Geology University of the West Indies, Mona,Kingston 7, Jamaica Tel: (876) 927-2129 Fax: (876) 977-6029; emu@uwimona.edu.jm
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The U.S. National Authority of Science/National Reserach Council issued a new report on
the value of biodiversity: ‘Perspectives on Biodiversity:Value its Role in an
Everchanging World’.The full text in English is now available on-line
The site allows downloading of the free BILKO image processing software + lessons based
thereon.You will find an article on 'Ensuring Wise Practices in Coastal Management: Role
of Remote Sensing'. For more information, please contact: Dr. Dirk G. Troost Chief, CSI,
Environment and Development in Coastal Regions and in Small Islands United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) 1, rue Miollis, 75732 Paris
Cedex 15, France Tel: +33 (0)1 4568 3971 Fax: +33 (0)1 4568 5808/06 d.troost@unesco.org
This list is dedicated to maps and GIS on the Internet. To subscribe send a blank
message to: webmaps-subscribe@listbot.com.
For more information, please contact:meuser@mapcruzin.com
The full report of the Global review of wetland resources and priorities for wetland inventory is now available to browse on the Wetlands International - AEME web site. As a quick reminder, the aims of the review were to: provide an overview of international, regional and national wetland inventories as well as other general information on global wetland resources; outline steps to quantify the extent of global wetland resources and to provide a baseline for measuring trends in wetland conservation or loss; identify priorities for establishing, updating or extending wetland inventories so as to improve the accuracy with which the global wetland resource can be quantified and described in the future. On the Web site you will find reports, databases and bibliographies produced by the team working on the Global Review of Wetland Resources and Priorities for Wetland Inventory. For more information, please contact: Nick Davidson at icu@wetlands.agro.nl
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This recent publication, Guidelines for the Conservation and Restoration of Seagrasses in the United States and Adjacent Waters, is by NOAA's Coastal Ocean Program, Decision Analysis Series No. 12. It was written by Mark S. Fonseca, W. Judson Kenworthy, and Gordon W. Thayer, November 1998. For more information, please contact: NOAA Coastal Ocean Office Silver Spring, Maryland, 20910, USA Tel.: (1-301) 713-3338 Fax: (1-301)713-4044 http://www.cop.noaa.gov
This document is a compilation of annotated bibliographies prepared by EPA staff who took a series of introductory GIS classes from September 1996 through December 1997. Although this document does not represent an exhaustive literature search on the field of GIS techniques and applications, it does provide an excellent resource on a very broad range of topics, including GIS used to study environmental impacts on land, water and air; GIS used in epidemiology studies; GIS used to study environmental justice; and GIS used to study changes in natural resources. Many references also cover issues concerning the setup of GIS systems and the collection and use of data from remote sensing and aerial photography for GIS studies. Approximately 510 different articles have been cited. The url is http://www.epa.gov/ncea Go to "What's New" and the document is the first listing under 10/19/99.
This document was published by the Neotropical Centre for Wetland Training, of the Regional Wildlife Management Program, National University, Costa Rica, with the financial support of the Central American Office of WWF. For more information, please contact: Elier Tabilo-Valdivieso Director Centro Neotropical de Entrenamiento en Humedales Apartado Postal 1350-3000, Heredia, Costa Rica; Tel: (506) 237-7039; Fax: (506)237-7036; E-mail:etabilo@una.ac.cr
Dr Carden Wallace, Director of the Museum of Tropical Queensland, has just published her new book Staghorn Corals of the World: a revision of the genus Acropora, and a new CD-ROM Staghorn Corals of the World: a key to species of Acropora. Information about both titles can be found at http://www.publish.csiro.au/books/detail.cfm?Key=2187
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The dates of this meeting have been changed to 14-18 February 2000 in Kingston.
The International Coral Reef Symposium is held every four years by the International Society for Reef Studies as a means to organise an international scientific symposium on coral reefs. This symposium is organized with the view to provide an international forum for exchange of information and ideas between scientists engaged in research on coral reefs and their aspects. It also aims to encourage cooperation among the coastal For more information, Please contact: Secretariat of the 9th ICRS, Email: coremap@indosat.net.id Or, Conference Organizer, Email:mktg@royalindo.co.id or explore their site at http://www.oceanology.lipi.go.id
This meeting is expected to bring together scientists and managers involved in marine sciences, services and technologies as well as educators, sociologists, economists, businessmen, plicy-makers and anyone interested in promoting and integrating marine scientific research to sustainable development. Main topics: Integrated Coastal Zones Management, Marine Resources Management and Conservation of Marine Biodiversity, Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), Ocean Processes and Global Change, Marine Biotechnology, Marine Mammals, Marine Aquariology, Marine Environmental Education. Abstracts should be sent to the Organizing Committee before 31 March 2000. Mail and Information Requests may be addressed to: Organizing Committee MarCuba, 2000. For more information, please contact: 5th Marine Sciences Congress, National Oceanographic Committee, Playa, Ciudad de la Habana, Cuba; Tel: (537) 23 64 01 to 06; Fax: (537) 24 99 87; Email: marcuba@unepnet.inf.cu
The conference will be held at Washington College of Law, American University in Washington, DC. The theme of the 5th International Wildlife Law Conference, sponsored by the American Society of Law’s Wildlife Interest Group, will be: ‘The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species; A quarter Century Report Card.’ Speakers are sought to make presentation on any of the following topics: The effectiveness of CITES, National implementations of CITES, the ‘no detriment’ findings under CITES, implementing the precautionary principle under CITES, CITES and resumption of trade in elephant products, and CITES and trade in flora species. Those interested in speaking at the conference should submit a 1-2 paragraph abstract. For more information, please contact: Journal of International Wildlife Law & Policy, Wil Burn, Editor-in-Chief PMB 805, 2124 Kittredge Street, Berkeley, CA 94707 Tel: (510) 317-0102 Fax: (510) 317-0654 Email:jiwlp@earthling.net
There will a coastal and marine GIS session at PACON 2000 conference at Hawaii in June 2000. Please check the conference web page. For more information, please contact: http://www.eng.hawaii.edu/~pmp/paconwww Abstracts can be sent to: PACON International, P.O. Box 11568, Honolulu, HI 96828-0568, U.S.A.; Phone: (808) 956-6163, Fax: (808) 956-2580; E-mail:pacon@hawaii.edu
The purpose of the Symposium is to review, discuss and synthesize all aspects of deep sea, cold water coral biology, ecology, and conservation. The symposium will also address climatic reconstruction using corals and technologies available to map corals. The Symposium will be convened for two and one half days and is open to scientists, managers, ocean users and all those with an interest in deep sea corals. Important Dates: 1 February 2000: Pre-registration form and Provisional abstracts 1 June 2000: Final early registration and fees Final abstracts 30 July 2000: Final paper The First International Symposium on Deep Sea Corals is sponsored by Ecology Action Centre, Dalhousie University, the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History, the Canadian Ocean Habitat Protection Society, the Science and Management of Protected Areas Association, World Wildlife Fund Canada,and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Canada. For more information, please contact: Susan Gass The Symposium Secretariat Ecology Action Centre 1568 Argyle Street, Suite 31 Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3J 2B3 Email:coral@is.dal.ca
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