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