Marine Mammal Conservation in the Caribbean Regional context Paul Hoetjes Dept. of Environment & Nature Conservation Netherlands Antilles

Wider Caribbean Political context Regional issues Regional/international instruments Conservation activities Socio-political considerations Recommendations

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

13 island nations

12 continental nations

13 territories (UK, France, Netherlands, US)

38 political unities

political context (2) Island Nations Antigua & Barbuda Bahamas Barbados Cuba Dominica Dominican Republic Grenada Haiti Jamaica St. Kitts & Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines Trinidad & Tobago Continental Nations Belize Colombia Costa Rica Guatemala Guyana Honduras Mexico Nicaragua Panama Surinam US Venezuela Territories Aruba Netherlands Antilles Anguilla Cayman Islands Monserrat Turks & Caicos Islands British Virgin Islands French Guyana Guadeloupe St. Martin – St. Barth Martinique Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands

Island Nations

Antigua & Barbuda

Bahamas

Barbados

Cuba

Dominica

Dominican Republic

Grenada

Haiti

Jamaica

St. Kitts & Nevis

St. Lucia

St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Trinidad & Tobago

Continental Nations

Belize

Colombia

Costa Rica

Guatemala

Guyana

Honduras

Mexico

Nicaragua

Panama

Surinam

US

Venezuela

Aruba

Netherlands Antilles

Anguilla

Cayman Islands

Monserrat

Turks & Caicos Islands

British Virgin Islands

French Guyana

Guadeloupe

St. Martin – St. Barth

Martinique

Puerto Rico

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

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 hotspo t

One of the busiest shipping areas in the world

Oil transshipment

Cruise tourism

General cargo

Tourism economic mainstay

Biodiversity hotspo t

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

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 Convention LBS 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

UNEP-CEP & Cartagena Convention

LBS 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)

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 m anagement of species (appendix II) Caribbean cetaceans protected under SPAW MoU with SPAW

Few member states in Caribbean (5)

Protection and recovery of endangered species (appendix I)

Cooperation for protection and m anagement 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

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

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 )

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

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

Photographs courtesy of George Kieffer, Dolphin Academy Curaçao