Chapter IV — International 



An action plan for the Wider Caribbean Region 

 was developed and approved in 1981. A related 

 Convention — the Convention for the Protection and 

 Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider 

 Caribbean Region — was concluded in Cartagena, 

 Colombia, in 1983 and entered into force in 1986. 

 Although 35 nations participate in the work under the 

 action plan, to date only 19 nations, including the 

 United States, have ratified or acceded to the Conven- 

 tion. 



The Cartagena Convention calls for cooperation in 

 controlling marine pollution from various sources, 

 including ships, offshore structures, land-based 

 sources, and projects to develop seabed resources. A 

 protocol on combatting oil spills has been written and 

 adopted to help meet this objective. 



The Convention also calls for efforts to protect rare 

 and endangered species and their habitats, respond to 

 pollution emergencies, assess environmental impacts 

 of proposed activities, and cooperate in scientific 

 research and the exchange of scientific and technical 

 information. When the Convention was opened for 

 ratification in 1983, a resolution was adopted calling 

 on parties to develop a protocol elaborating measures 

 to protect special areas and wildlife throughout the 

 region. At their first meeting in October 1987, the 

 Contracting Parties agreed to develop a protocol on 

 specially protected areas and wildlife. 



Experts from involved countries subsequently met 

 in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, in October 1988 

 and in Kingston, Jamaica, in June 1989 to draft the 

 protocol. As noted in previous Annual Reports, the 

 Commission provided recommendations to the Depart- 

 ment of State during the process. Based on results of 

 those meetings, the Contracting Parties adopted the 

 final text of the Protocol for Specially Protected Areas 

 and Wildlife of the Wider Caribbean Region at their 

 second meeting in Kingston, Jamaica, in January 

 1990. 



Among other things, the Protocol calls on Parties 

 to identify species of fauna and flora in the Wider 

 Caribbean Region that might require special protection 

 and to list them in one of three aimexes. Greatest 

 protection is to be given to species listed in Annexes 

 I (plants) and II (animals). Parties are to provide for 



the total protection and recovery of species listed in 

 Annex 11 by prohibiting the taking, commercial trade, 

 and, to the extent possible, disturbance during sensi- 

 tive biological periods. Exceptions to these prohibi- 

 tions are permitted for scientific, educational, or 

 management purposes necessary for the survival of a 

 species. Plant and animal species that may be har- 

 vested can be listed in Annex III. For these species. 

 Parties are to adopt measures regulating their take in 

 a rational, sustainable manner that seeks to maintain 

 populations at optimum levels. 



The Protocol text was signed by representatives of 

 13 countries, including the United States. It will enter 

 into force after ratification by 9 of the 13 nations. 

 However, the three annexes to the Protocol were not 

 sufficiently developed by the January 1990 meeting 

 for them to be adopted along with the Protocol text. 

 Therefore, before the Protocol could be considered for 

 ratification, the Parties needed to complete the three 

 annexes. For this purpose, the Parties asked the 

 Regional Coordinating Unit of the Caribbean Environ- 

 ment Program, which acts as the Secretariat for the 

 Convention, to develop proposed lists of species for 

 inclusion in the annexes. It also asked that an ad hoc 

 group of experts be convened to serve as an interim 

 Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee for the 

 Protocol pending its entry into force. That group was 

 asked to review the proposed lists prepared by the 

 Regional Coordinating Unit and to submit proposed 

 annexes to a Conference of Plenipotentiaries, sched- 

 uled for 1991. 



The Regional Coordinating Unit completed its 

 work and the ad hoc group of experts subsequently 

 met in Martinique in November 1990. The ad hoc 

 group agreed on proposed species lists for each Annex 

 to be tabled at the 1991 Conference of Plenipotentia- 

 ries. Regarding marine mammals, all cetaceans, 

 pinnipeds, and sirenians were proposed for inclusion 

 categorically on Annex n without specifying which 

 species occurred in the Wider Caribbean Region. 



In preparation for the Conference of Plenipotentia- 

 ries, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published the 

 proposed Annexes in the Federal Register on 21 

 March 1991 and asked for comments. On 8 May 

 1991, the Marine Mammal Commission replied to the 

 request. Noting the proposed categorical listing of 



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