The UNEP Cartagena Convention Secretariat and SPAW-RAC Participation at the 77th GCFI Annual Meeting in Guadeloupe

The UNEP Cartagena Convention Secretariat and SPAW-RAC Participation at the 77th GCFI Annual Meeting in Guadeloupe

The 77th Annual Meeting of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI), held in Guadeloupe, French Antilles, between November 4 and 8, 2024, brought together a diverse group of marine conservation and fisheries experts. Representatives from the UNEP Cartagena Convention Secretariat and the SPAW-RAC advocated for the Cartagena Convention's work, specifically the SPAW Protocol, to enhance regional cooperation and share important insights on marine biodiversity conservation.

One of the event's highlights was the hybrid meeting that brought together representatives from numerous Marine Protected Area Networks across the Wider Caribbean Region. Coordinated by the UNEP Cartagena Convention Secretariat, this meeting served as a platform for strengthening ties and discussing strategies for protecting the region’s rich marine ecosystems, which are increasingly threatened by human activity and climate change.

As always, the GCFI meeting sessions were engaging and informative. The SPAW Programme Officer, Susana Perera Valderrama, representing the UNEP Cartagena Convention Secretariat, also participated in the "Sargassum Solutions" session, where the ongoing efforts to address the impacts of Sargassum influxes in the region were discussed. She presented the SPAW Protocol’s work promoting regional cooperation to tackle the environmental challenges of Sargassum inundations. In a special session on "Marine MegaFauna: Guiding the Way to Improved Ocean Management," SPAW-RAC’s Deputy Director, Géraldine Conruyt, highlighted the importance of marine megafauna conservation in the framework of the SPAW Protocol for broader ocean management strategies. Additionally, Auriane Petit from the SPAW-RAC team presented the latest developments in the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) Report on the Status of Coral Reefs in the Caribbean. Lucie Labbouz, also from SPAW-RAC, presented activities implemented with the support of the ACP-MEA3 project to update management plans for protected areas listed under the SPAW Protocol, showcasing efforts to enhance the effectiveness of these areas in conserving marine biodiversity.

In conclusion, the 77th GCFI Annual Meeting in Guadeloupe was an important milestone for the SPAW Protocol, providing a valuable opportunity to engage with partners, share progress, and reinforce the importance of regional cooperation in addressing the pressing environmental challenges that marine biodiversity faces in the Wider Caribbean Region. The SPAW team remains committed to advancing efforts in marine conservation and the sustainable use of marine resources to benefit the region’s marine ecosystems and human communities.