A meeting point for diverse stakeholder networks (experts, decision-makers, practitioners), the SPAW Protocol promotes the regional cooperation for the protection and the development of the Wider Caribbean Region. Therefore, besides the Protocol’s animation through the preparation and facilitation of COPs and STACs, the RAC also engages in the coordination of the Working Groups that develop the Protocol’s guidelines.
A coordinating organization and a group coordinator are indeed identified by UNEP’s CEP Secretariat to facilitate these debating committees’ work. Currently, the SPAW-RAC is in charge of coordinating the 4 existing Working Groups.
Species
The Working Group on the inscription of species in the Annexes was established during COP 1 (Cuba, 2001). This group has namely developped the criteria for the inscription of species in the Annexes of the Protocol. SPAW Parties approved the revised criteria and the procedure for the presentation and validation of propositions for the inclusion or suppression of species in the Protocol Annexes I, II and III.
Spaces
The Working Group in charge of making the guidelines and criteria to evaluate Protected Areas under SPAW Protocol was also established during COP 1 (Cuba, 2001). Its first task, for instance, was to elaborate a repository for the evaluation of SPAW’s Protected Areas.
Exemptions
The Working Group in charge of developing the criteria and the evaluation process for exemptions was established during COP 6 (Jamaica, 2010). In its article 11 (2), the SPAW Protocol authorizes Contracting Parties to adopt exemptions to the prescribed prohibitions for the protection and the conservation of species that are listed in the Annexes I and II ‘for scientific, educative or management ends necessary to ensuring the survival of species or to prevent damage to forests, cultures and ecosystems, so long as they do not jeopardize the species”.
The criteria for and exemption evaluation process were approved in 2014. The Working Group has also made a template for exemption demand’s reporting so as to ease the Parties’ exemption proposal submiting procedure.
Sargassum
The Working Group on sargassum influx was established during COP 10 (Honduras, 2019). It is in charge og feeding current discussions aiming to reinforce the necessary regional cooperation dynamic to value, collect, prevent and observe sargassum influxes in the Caribbean. Being a subject that enters both into SPAW Protoco and Land-Based Sources of Pollution (LBS Protocol), this Working Group is also charged of reinforcing synergies between these two protocols.
Marine Mammals
The working Group of experts on marine mammals has been inactive for the last few years. It will resume its activities in the coming months so as to support the Parties in their implementation of actions recommended by the SPAW Protocol.
