Objective: To establish protected areas of coastal and marine areas of the Wider Caribbean region and to ensure the protection of endangered species of wild fauna and flora in the region.
Summary of provisions: Each Party agrees to take necessary measures to protect, preserve and manage in a sustainable way areas, within its jurisdiction of special value and threatened species of fauna and flora (art. 3). Each Party undertakes to establish protected areas within its jurisdiction to conserve representative coastal and marine ecosystems and habitats critical to the survival of endangered species of flora and fauna (art. 4). Parties are apply appropriate protection measures in conformity with national laws and international law, in their jurisdiction, to ensure the sustainable management of the protected areas (art. 4 (2), art. 5, and art. 6). The Parties undertake to cooperate in establishing protected areas, a list of protected areas (art. 7) and buffer zones in areas contiguous to international boundaries (arts. 8 and 9). Further, Parties are to protect wild flora and fauna by identifying threatened or endangered species and taking appropriate measures to prohibit the taking, killing, possession or disturbance of such species and to promote captive breeding of such species, where necessary (art. 10). Finally, Parties undertake general measures of international cooperation, including environmental impact assessment, promotion of public awareness, and mutual assistance to achieve the objectives of the Protocol (arts. 13, 16, 17 and 18).
Institutional mechanisms: The Parties establish a reporting system to the Organisation and establish a Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee as institutional mechanisms of the Protocol (arts. 19, 20, 21 and 22).
(Source: IUCN ELC, 08.2005, based on UNEP Register of International Treaties and Other Agreements in the Field of the Environment, 1996)