On May 25th, 2000, the Government of St. Lucia became the ninth government to ratify the SPAW Protocol of the Cartagena Convention, making the Protocol international law. St. Lucia joins Colombia, Venezuela, the Netherlands, Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago, the Dominican Republic, Panama and St. Vincent and the Grenadines; the Protocol is now legally binding on all of those nations which have ratified it. This Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife Protocol (SPAW) is considered to be one of the most comprehensive environmental treaties ever developed. SPAW is one of several protocols of the Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region (the Cartagena Convention). The Cartagena Convention and its Protocols represent a commitment by the participating governments to protect, conserve and manage their common marine resources.

SPAW is designed to protect rare and fragile ecosystems and habitats and the endangered and threatened species residing in those habitats. SPAW is the only regional environmental agreement addressing biodiversity conservation issues of the Wider Caribbean. Given that SPAW was developed by the governments of the region and for the region, it is more appropriate and specific to the environmental needs of the Wider Caribbean than other treaties.

The SPAW Protocol is made up of different Annexes, the first of which provides strong protection to species of flora, and the second of which provides protection to endangered and threatened species of fauna found in the region. As currently constituted, cetaceans, manatees, sea turtles, various parrot species, and certain crocodiles are listed in Annex II. By listing these species on this Annex, the governments that have ratified the treaty "shall ensure total protection and recovery to the species of fauna ... by prohibiting:

i. the taking, possession or killing (including, to the extent possible, the incidental taking, possession or killing) or commercial trade in such species, their eggs, parts or products;

ii. to the extent possible, the disturbance of such species, particularly during periods of breeding, incubation or migration, as well as other periods of biological stress."

However, several key governments have yet to ratify SPAW, among them the United States. In order for the SPAW Protocol to be able to function regionally, as many countries as possible from the Wider Caribbean need to agree to and abide by the terms of the Protocol. CSI urges our members to help us by writing to the US State Department, urging that they ratify the SPAW Protocol as soon as possible, and without taking reservations to any of the terms of the treaty.

Please write to:

David B. Sandelow
Assistant Secretary of State,
Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs
US Department of State
Washington, DC 20520