Improving Marine Governance in Latin America and the Caribbean

In PictureSenator Germán Blanco (left), Colombia's Oceans Caucus Co-Founder and Co-Chair addresses U.S. audience at ICCF event in Washington, D.C.

The Caribbean Large Marine Ecosystem Strategic Action Program

The Caribbean Large Marine Ecosystem (CLME+) connects the following countries: Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, France (with 6 overseas territories in the CLME+ region), Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Montserrat (UK overseas territory), Nicaragua, Panama, St. Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, the United States of America.

The major conservation issues plaguing this transboundary marine area include unsustainable fisheries, habitat degradation, and pollution. The combined problem of habitat degradation and community modification severely impacts the tourism potential of the region, affects the sustainability of fisheries and increases the vulnerability of coasts to extreme events and sea level rise.

The project supports the Strategic Action Program (CLME+ SAP) specifically in its second Strategic Direction: Establishment and implementation of coordinated and cost-effective governance and intersectoral planning and management arrangements that are broadly supported, based on adequate consultation, use the best scientific evidence available and safeguard the health of the marine environment in the CLME+.

Issues of focus include Marine Protected Area (MPA) governance, especially for MPAs that overlap with blue corridors, reducing land-based marine pollution, and supporting blue economy development in Colombia and Mexico.

The Project in Colombia

The project works with the existing Colombian Conservation Caucus and Colombian Oceans Caucus in Colombia’s Congress and Senate to engage legislators in the following key national priorities for blue economy implementation:

- Scaling and replicating nature-based solutions that support sustainable community-level marine resource management as well as associated livelihoods

- Progress towards scaling blue carbon opportunities to sustainably finance management of critical ecosystems and marine protected areas (MPAs)

Key challenges identified in Colombia to achieve a sustainable blue economy include financing gaps and capacity for scaling positive examples, so the project is focusing on engaging legislators with successful case studies to inform their policy-making towards these goals.

Project Partners in Latin America and the Caribbean:

The Cartagena Convention Secretariat

WWF Mexico

The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)

Conservation International

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mexico (SRE)

The High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy

Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (Colombia)

National Parks Colombia (PNN)

Knowledge Products

Presentation on Protected Areas Declared by Ethnic Groups in the Choco Territory by the Director General of CODECHOCO during the Pacific Coast Field Mission Protected Areas and critical marine habitats EcoGourmet Project for Legislators Minga Project for Legislators Climate Change and Public Policies for Adaptation and Resilience of the Fishing and Aquaculture Sector by the Environmental Defense Fund Legislative Framework for Sustainable Ocean Economy by Andrew Rhodes, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Identification of priorities to promote a legislative agenda regarding a sustainable ocean in Mexico Context, challenges, opportunities and results of Blue Carbon initiatives in Colombia Research, Development and Opportunities for Financing Blue Carbon Implementation in Colombia Blue Carbon in the Gulf of Morrosquillo Mexico's Sustainable Oceans Campaign Video Priorities for a Legislative Agenda on Sustainable Oceans in Mexico Implementation of Biodiversity Bill 008 - San Andres 2023 Mexico's Role in the High-Level Panel Economy Sustainable Ocean Sustainable Tourism Policy: United for Nature Blue Economy– Project Promotion and Financing in Latin America and the Caribbean Mangrove Life Opportunities and Challenges of the Conservation of Blue Carbon Ecosystems in Mexico Colombian Ocean Commission Contributions to Maritime Development in Colombia from the Perspective of Colombia’s General Maritime Directorate (DIMAR) Our Department– CHOCO Guardians of the Mangroves of the CHOCO Pacific Transforming People and the Planet Through Regenerative Nature Tourism in Colombia WWF in the Oceans and Coastal Spaces Integrating Biodiversity Conservation into the Tourism Sector of the Protected Areas and Strategic Ecosystems of the San Andres, Providencia, and the Santa Catalina Islands One Million Corals for Colombia Sustainable Ocean Economy Declaration Results of Intersectoral Dialogues Foundations for Tackling Ghost Fishing Gear in Mexico Developing a Regulatory Framework for Blue Carbon in Mexico