regional cooperation to face sargassum influx around the wider … · 2019. 10. 9. · 68th gcfi...

Regional cooperation to face Sargassum influx around the Wider Caribbean

Frédérique Fardin, Anne Fontaine, Alessandra Vanzella-Khouri, Karen Mc Donald Gayle

68th GCFI annual meeting, Panama City 2015, Sargassum session

Cartagena ConventionAdopted 1983

Entered into force 1986

Cartagena ConventionAdopted 1983

Entered into force 1986

Oil Spills ProtocolAdopted 1983

Entered into Force 1986

Oil Spills ProtocolAdopted 1983

Entered into Force 1986

Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife Protocol

Adopted 1990Entered into Force 2000

Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife Protocol

Adopted 1990Entered into Force 2000

Land-based Sources of Marine Pollution Protocol

Adopted 1999

Land-based Sources of Marine Pollution Protocol

Adopted 1999

What is SPAW protocol?

SPAW-RAC/UNEP-CEP, GCFI 68th GCFI annual meeting 2

Sargassum : a new mandate

8th Conference of the Parties of the SPAW Protocol (Cartagena, December 2014)

The Parties agreed to add into the Work plan 2015-2016 an activity related to the Sargassum influx


Sargassum influx : An important issue widely relayed!


Brazil

Trinidad

French islands

Mexico

Sierra Leone

Jamaïca

Colombia

Etc.

a regional crisis for the Wider Caribbean region…


• Environmental impact

• Degradation of life quality

• Economic issue





• Economic issue

T0

T1 3:36’





• Economic issue

... to West Africa• 10 countries affected from Senegal to Benin



Sierra LeoneRegional

expert meeting

Sierra LeoneRegional

expert meeting

CancunSargassum session LAC

LME

CancunSargassum session LAC

LME

Sargassum session

GCFI

Sargassum session

GCFI

Barbados Sargassum Symposium

Barbados Sargassum Symposium

AntiguaOECS

discussion

AntiguaOECS

discussion

TrinidadACS

discussion

TrinidadACS

discussion

GalvestonSargassum Symposium

GalvestonSargassum Symposium

Regional events in 2015

SPAW-RAC initiativesSince January 2015 : • Identification of regional efforts and

initiatives on the Sargassum issue• Support for collaborations and group

discussions on the Sargassum issue


SPAW-RAC initiativesDevelopment of a growing network…

• Academic / Research sector : University of Southern Mississippi, University of the West Indies, Florida Atlantic University, Texas A&M University, NASA, Nova Blue Environnement, French IRD …

• IO : UNEP, NOAA, GCFI, Sargasso Sea Commission, Abidjan Convention

• Private sector, NGO, Associations : CAST (CHTA), CTO, WIDECAST, Waitt Institute, Equipment suppliers

• GovernmentsSPAW-RAC/UNEP-CEP, GCFI 68th GCFI annual meeting 11

August 2015 Launch of an on-line forum!

0bjectives:• gather the stakeholders• gather and share information / experiences• share links to other relevant partners/websites• promote discussion on specific issues



Sargassum on-line forum

Nearly 150 members

Nearly 60 members

New!



Management and Impacts

Documents stored, Discussions, Calendar



Understanding the influx

• Gather scientific papers

• Encourage collaborations between research projects :

NASA, French and US universities, IRD, IT2

• Build projects, ask for support



Brand new section : Hotel & Tourism industry

• Objective : involve the associations of tourism to help them to share the good practices with their members



Do not wait anymore to join us!

Nearly thirty states and territories are already part of the network

Next steps?• On-going activities : – Cooperation with West Africa– Encourage collaboration between research projects– Encourage and share feedback (impacts and responses)– Collaboration with regional organizations (OECS, GCFI, etc.)

• Collate information on government responses (focal points)

• Develop collaboration with other programs (CLME+ …)

• Collaboration for the organization of a regional meeting


Thank you for your attention!To join us, please send an email to

[email protected]

mentioning your full name, organization and position.

Visit our websites : SPAW/RAC : www.car-spaw-rac.org

CEP/UNEP : www.cep.unep.org23