Caribbean Coral Reef Conference — 2^nd NACRI meeting
Kurá Hulanda Conference Center, Curaçao, October 24-29, 2002

DECLARATION

The Caribbean Coral Reef Conference,

The Netherlands Antilles Coral Reef Initiative (NACRI), the French Caribbean members of the IFRECOR, a representative of Aruba, coral reef experts of Venezuela, Jamaica, and the USA, including representatives of Conservation International, The Nature Conservancy, CARICOMP, the NOAA Coral Reef Program, Reef Relief, and Greenpeace Netherlands, and fisheries representatives of St. Lucia, and Antigua & Barbuda, in conference in Curaçao, October 24-29,

Noting the importance of the coral reefs for biodiversity in the Caribbean,

Noting the social and economic importance of the coral reefs for the States in the region,

Deeply concerned with the deplorable state of many coral reefs in the region,

Noting that there are still signs of continuing degradation, in certain areas and no observed signs of improvement,

Noting the potential for recovery,

Acknowledging the dangers of climate change to the coral reefs, and

Recognizing the reality of Small Island Developing States (SIDS),

Recognizes the need to

Hold regular meetings of representatives of the organizations above, preferably through existing regional organizations, to help create a regional network of MPA’s and coral reef stakeholders

Increase regional cooperation and actions through regional exchange and training programs

Enhance information exchange to increase the effectiveness of all participant organizations and their respective action programs

Increase research and monitoring efforts, including environmental monitoring, in the region, using one of the regionally accepted protocols best suited to the local situation

Increase education and outreach efforts directed at all sectors of society

Endeavors to

Follow through with these actions and to keep the momentum of this conference going

Recommends

All governments in the region that have not yet done so to

Link with international legislation regarding the seas such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS), the Agreement on highly migratory and straddling fish stocks,

Link with regional and international efforts with respect to climate change and CO₂ reduction,

Recognize the Caribbean Basin as a Special Area in the sense of the convention on Marine Pollution (Marpol),

Ratify the Cartagena Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean and its Oil Spill Protocol, Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) Protocol, and Landbased Sources of Marine Pollution (LBS) Protocol,

Establish integrated coastal zone management to address nutrient pollution and sedimentation,

Reduce the impacts of land based sources of marine pollution,

Urges

All governments that have not yet done so,

to pass and/or strengthen legislation for coral reef conservation, including local regulations/legislation for existing Marine Protected Areas, and establishment of new Marine Protected Areas

Stresses the need for

Increased capacity for implementing management plans and enforcement of regulations

Sustained funding to maintain activities and programs directed at nature conservation

Increased financial support from the local governments to the management of local Marine Protected Areas.

Curaçao, October 29, 2002

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