Caribbean Compass Yachting Magazine July 2016

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CARIBBEAN ECO-NEWS Jamaica Moves to Address Marine Pollution As reported in the Jamaica Gleaner, Jamaica has taken a crucial step toward the prevention, reduction and control of marine pollution. percent of the pollution of the Caribbean Sea comes from activities on land, including deforestation, and production of agricultural and industrial waste. At the same time, coral reef species crucial for the MARILYN SHARPE regional legal agreement for the Wider Caribbean that promotes an integrated approach to the prevention, control and reduction of marine pollution. Among the general obligations of the Protocol is the development and implementation of appropriate policies, laws and regulations to prevent, reduce and control pollution, including the use of most appropriate technology and management approaches, such as integrated coastal area management. On next steps for Jamaica, the protocol recommends a number of actions, including: • the classification of recreational water bodies at the national level to ensure that the most important areas are protected from the negative impacts of pollution; • the establishment of legally binding standards for sewage effluent and discharges; • the development of a National Programme of Action for Integrated Watershed and Coastal Area Management and/or prevention of pollution from land-based sources; and • that capacity building training in wastewater treatment be coordinated to improve environmental monitoring and assessment. JULY 2016 CARIBBEAN COMPASS PAGE 10 The LBS Protocol helps UN Member States in the Caribbean to meet the goals of international agreements, reduce pollution and protect coral reef species Late last year, Jamaica ratified the Protocol Concerning Pollution from Land-Based Sources and Activities (LBS Protocol), which forms part of the only legally binding regional agreement for the protection and development of the Caribbean Sea, the Cartagena Convention. Jamaica brings to 12 the number of Caribbean islands that have now ratified the protocol. The ratification comes at a time when more than 80 health of fish populations and worth US$375 million in goods and services annually to coastal economies have diminished in the Caribbean by 90 percent. This is due also, at least in part, to pollution. The LBS Protocol is one of three protocols under the UNEP-administered Cartagena Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region. It is also the only Secret Harbour Marina Tel: (473) 444 4449 Fax: (473) 444 2090 Cell: (473) 405 1258 Security: (473) 405 2529 Situated on the south coast of Grenada is one of the Caribbean’s finest marinas. Located outside the hurricane belt in the well-protected and sheltered waters of Mount Hartman Bay, Secret Harbour Marina is considered one of the safest marinas in the Caribbean. All this is located conveniently close to entertainment, shopping centers, as well as the Interna- onal Airport. Cuba: Balancing Tourism and Environmental Protection A question was raised when the US began normalizing relations with the Cuba: As American tourists pour in, what will happen to Cuba’s natural environment? As reported at www.huffingtonpost.com in March, an influx of tourists and businesses will likely bring investment to Cuba, but some experts fear the expansion of tourism, mechanized agriculture and oil exploration could threaten its well-preserved natural ecosystems. Cubans “have a lot to lose in terms of biodiversity, marine and coastal habitat and fish populations if they don’t do things right moving ahead,” Daniel Whittle, senior director of the Cuba program at the Environmental Defense Fund, told The Huffington Post. The uptick in American tourism is already “putting a real strain” on Cuba, he said. However, both Cuba and the US have been working to ensure that the restoration of diplomatic ties doesn’t come at the expense of Cuba’s land and marine ecosystems. “At the official level, environmental protection is still a high priority,” Whittle said about Cuba. “It’s something [President Raúl] Castro and his deputies talk a lot about.” —Continued on next page 53 slip marina accommodates Yachts up to 200. 42 stern to slip & 11 alongside slips. 20 dra off the deepest dock. High Capacity electricity 110/220V (50HZ) & water at each slip. Fuel, gas, showers, toilets, garbage and ice available. Coages available for long and short term rental Long and short term slip rental, full security Telephone, fax and internet facilies. Pool, tennis court and bar. Live Music on Mondays and Fridays, Ladies Movie Night On Wednesdays, Acon Movie Night on Thursdays and Pool side BBQ on Sundays.
— Continued from previous page U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has made protecting the environment a central issue in the State Department’s negotiations with Cuba. Of the four agreements signed by US and Cuban officials since the re-opening of relations in 2014, two have laid out plans for environmental protection in Cuba, according to Whittle. One agreement, signed in November 2015, outlines a planned effort by both countries to share scientific knowledge, collaborate on conservation efforts and jointly “address the causes and effects of climate change” in Cuba, according to a copy of the agreement. “The agreement provides an unprecedented vehicle for the governments to actually talk to each other and influence each other,” Whittle said. Through it, “the US government can influence how science is conducted in Cuban national parks, how well they’re managed and even policy relating to these protected areas.” “It’s not a secret that Cuba has some of the best preserved land and waters in the Caribbean,” said Luis Solórzano, executive director of the Cuba program at the non-profit Nature Conservancy. The country has 4,000 uninhabited islands and keys, miles of undeveloped coastline, a huge variety of native species and an extensive coral reef system, according to Whittle. It’s no accident they remain well preserved. The trade embargo that kept American cars off Cuban roads for half a century has also prevented farmers from adopting high-tech agriculture practices used in the US, according to Whittle. And it has kept American tourists off beaches and limited the development of Cuba’s oil resources in the Caribbean. Cuba has vigilantly sought to protect its natural environment over the years. “The Cubans have been pioneers and really aggressive in declaring protected areas,” Solórzano said. Cuba’s commitment to conservation began in 1992, when then-President Fidel Castro announced that his government would confront the “ecological destruction threatening our planet” at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. In Cuba, low-tech agricultural practices have to some degree helped protect the marine environment from pollution Since then, shrewd environmental management policies have required the Cuban government to protect 25 percent of its marine habitat from development, according to Whittle. (By contrast, the US has only protected between three and five percent of its marine habitats, according to the Environmental Defense Fund.) The Cuban government also requires proposals for new developments to undergo a rigorous environmental review process. However, Cuba’s aging infrastructure has hurt wastewater treatment, agricultural land suffers from soil erosion, and dams have altered water flows in fragile coastal estuaries, according to Whittle. Cuba also isn’t walled off from the world. Cuba does business with many developed countries, including Canada, and its beaches and forests have attracted foreign tourists for decades. DAVID MORGAN If changing relations with the US have created an opportunity for Cuba to develop economically without sacrificing its rich natural habitats, Solórzano thinks the Cubans can make the most of the opportunity. “They are really smart, have a vision, care about their environment, and are proud of what they’ve done,” he said. “In this country, it can be done.” Pedro Sanchez from the Earth Institute agrees. For him, the future of Cuba’s environment is as personal as it is political. “As a kid, I fished in the coastal waters off Cuba,” he said, “and I don’t want them messed up.” St. Lucia Pilots Mangrove Nurseries to Restore Wetlands In April, officers from St. Lucia’s Departments of Forestry and Fisheries, staff of the St. Lucia National Trust and community members from Vieux Fort and Praslin joined regional experts to establish mangrove nurseries that will help replenish the island’s critically threatened wetlands. Wetlands protect against the harmful effects of climate change by lessening the impacts of extreme weather. For example, healthy wetlands absorb floods, decreasing the severity of catastrophic flooding. Coastal wetlands, like mangroves, protect communities from storms and sea-level rise. Mangroves are one of the most critical trees in the Eastern Caribbean. They provide a breeding ground for fish and protect shorelines from the negative impacts of strong waves and wind. Alleyne Regis, who is leading the community engagement component, says, “Some persons in St. Lucia understand the value of healthy mangroves while others still regard it as ‘swampland’. However, with support from the communities and partners in Vieux Fort and Praslin, there is a sense of hope. It is refreshing to see the survival and sustainability of such a valuable plant species be embraced by the communities.” The project is an initiative of the Eastern Caribbean Marine Managed Areas Network (ECMMAN), and will result in the establishment of two temporary nurseries, as well as the training of community representatives and over ten Forestry and Fisheries officers. The activities emphasize community participation so that these persons continue to care for the mangroves beyond the life of the project. The community members will be involved in all aspects of the work, including nursery establishment, seedling collection, planting healthy seedlings back into wetlands and monitoring site conditions. —Continued on next page JULY 2016 CARIBBEAN COMPASS PAGE 11
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Caribbean Compass Yachting Magazine July 2016

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