What is the SPAW Protocol?
A regional agreement for the protection and sustainable use of coastal and marine biodiversity in the Wider Caribbean Region.
Our SPAW programme supports countries to implement their national obligations under the SPAW Protocol.
The SPAW Protocol text can be accessed here.
What are SPAW’s areas of focus?
- Marine Protected Areas and Wildlife
- Threatened and Endangered Marine Species
- Marine and Coastal Ecosystems
- Guidelines for Protected Areas and Species
How can SPAW support my marine biodiversity work in the Caribbean?
- Improve management of protected areas
- Conserve threatened and endangered species
- Assist with other regional and global biodiversity agreements and commitments
What are the recent achievements of our SPAW Programme?
- Continued improvement and revitalization of the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network GCRMN in the Wider Caribbean
- Memorandum of Understanding with The Ocean Foundation (signed in September 2019) and new sub project/small scale funding agreement (January to June 2020) under the CLME+ project (linked with the pollution subprogramme) to prepare: 1) a baseline and (pre-) feasibility assessment report identifying hotspots and sites for integrated habitat restoration and pollution reduction/mitigation; and 2) development of investment plans for at least two priority hot spots.
- Conclusion of the Italian Funded project Biodiversity for Sustainable Development in the Caribbean through Ecosystem Based Management (EBM-DSS) (2014-2019)
- Update and redesign of the CAMPAM Marine Protected Area Database
- Conclusion of sub project with the MesoAmerican Reef Fund (MAR Fund) in October 2019 for the project "Innovative financing and legal mechanisms for reef restoration and emergency response in selected sites of the MAR Region” under the ICRI/UN Environment Grants Programme which was a joint initiative of the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) and UN Environment – this has also resulted in the extension of the original MoU signed with the Secretariat in 2014 for another 6 years (until May 2026)
- Extension of agreement until April 2020 with the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) under the CLME+ Project for the Development of a State of the Marine Habitat Report and Regional Strategy and Action Plan for the valuation, protection and restoration of key marine habitats in the CLME+ region. Final reports to be made available by late 2020.
- Regional Strategy and Action Plan for the Valuation, Protection and/or Restoration of Key Marine Habitats in the Wider Caribbean 2021 – 2030 [EN | ES]
- The State of Nearshore Marine Habitats in the Wider Caribbean
- Sargassum white paper (update ongoing)
- Working Group ToRs (EN | ES | FR) developed following STAC8 recommendations
Last updated: May 2021
What are the benefits to my Government by becoming a party to (ratifying)* the SPAW Protocol?
- Increased recognition and awareness of national marine protected areas
- New employment and income generating opportunities
- Access to Small Grants and other sources of financing
*Ratification is the process when Governments formally sign on to a regional or international agreement and commit to various national obligations.
How can my country ratify the SPAW Protocol?
How to ratify our conventions and protocols.
The national focal point in each country should:
- Consult with other government and non-governmental organizations about the importance of ratification.
- Prepare justification letter for ratification. Countries may utilize the submission templates here - EN | ES | FR.
- Obtain cabinet /parliament approval for ratification.
- Submit instruments of ratification to: Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Colombia.
SPAW Projects and Initiatives
- Pollution Subprogramme - Capacity Building Related to Multilateral Environmental Agreements in ACP Countries – Phase III (ACP MEAs 3) funded by the EU (slated to begin in Spring 2020)
- Technical review of implementation of the Action Plan for the Conservation of Marine Mammals in the Wider Caribbean Region (MMAP)
- Sargassum Declaration in the 3 languages (Following first ever Conference on Sargassum in Guadeloupe, October 2019)
- Caribbean and North Brazil Shelf Large Marine Ecosystems (CLME+) project - via a UN Agency to UN Agency Contribution Agreement (IAA) between the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and UN Environment -CEP (coordinated implementation with the Land-Based Sources of Marine Pollution (LBS) Protocol)
