CEPNEWS NEWSLETTER OF THE UNEP CARIBBEAN ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME (THIS NEWSLETTER IS ALSO AVAILABLE IN FRENCH AND SPANISH) Vol. 13, No.1, Spring, 1998 Internet: http://www.cep.unep.org/ Index 1998: The International Year of the Ocean Section The 1998 issues of CEPNews are being dedicated to the celebration of the International Year of the Ocean. This first issue emphasizes the theme of marine protected areas as important players in the conservation and sustained management of the world’s oceans. Subsequent issues of CEPNews during 1998 will be dedicated to topics relevant to the Year of the Ocean celebration, such as sustainable tourism and the Protocol on marine pollution from land-based sources and activities (the LBSMP Protocol). Editorial The Caribbean Environment Programme is embarking on another important regional activity in support of the Cartagena Convention’s Protocol on Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW). This activity is the result of a number of intergovernmental and experts consultations, which over a number of years, have repeatedly highlighted the importance of strengthening protected areas in the Wider Caribbean, in particular Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). A more recent consultation brought together a group of over 50 partners in marine protected area management, from 22 countries of the Wider Caribbean, to a four-day workshop in Miami, USA from 1 - 4 December 1997. This meeting assembled managers, scientists and representatives of governmental, non-governmental and international organizations concerned with MPAs. Participants identified MPAs’ short- and long-term common needs in the region and discussed the possible mechanisms and activities required to address those needs. The meeting attendees proposed that a network for marine and coastal protected areas be developed in the Wider Caribbean to achieve the conservation goals for which the areas were established (see more on the meeting under Recent Events in this issue of CEPNews). (Continued on Page 2) Page Editorial 1 CEP Programme Updates 2 UNEP News 5 Marine Protected Areas Corner 6 News Briefs 7 Internet Briefs 10 Publications Available 11 Recent Events 12 Vacancy Announcements 13 Education and Training 13 Call for Papers 16 Upcoming CEP Sponsored Events 17 Other Upcoming Events 17 *** Note from the Editor *** This issue of CEPNews presents a change in format for the Caribbean Environment Programme’s quarterly newsletter. Aside from the obvious changes in layout and design from previous issues, we now will endeavor to bring you the latest in marine and coastal environmental news and information in a more timely and efficient manner. As part of this process of change, it was necessary to cancel the Winter 1997 issues (vol. 12, no. 4). The numbering of our volumes has also been altered with this issue, vol. 13, no. 1. We apologize to all librarians and documents management staff for this alteration. CEPNews, Vol. 13, No.1, Spring, 1998 partners and organizations will utilize this network to exchange and share information, expertise, equipment, etc., as well as to solicit requests for assistance on matters related to MPA management. Immediate products of the network include the database on MPAs of the Wider Caribbean developed during 1997 by Environmental Solutions International (with the support of US Department of Fish and Wildlife, UNEP-CAR/RCU and a number of NGOs and foundations), a news corner in CEPNEWS on MPAs to which all interested individuals are invited to contribute, and an electronic mailing list of MPA managers and partners developed in collaboration the IUCN office in Washington. UNEP-CAR/RCU would like to invite all MPA managers and relevant organizations from the region to get involved and actively participate in the development of this network as this is the only way to guarantee its utility and success. There are at least 250 MPAs formally established or planned in the Wider Caribbean Region, and many other areas are being considered for protection. Most of them face common challenges which include over-fishing, extensive tourist pressure, point and non-point sources of pollution (including sewage and sedimentation), lack-of or weak management regimes, staffing and funding constraints, lack of trained personnel, and insufficient equipment, facilities and infrastructure. It is very difficult to tackle and overcome all these in a region as geographically large and diverse as the Wider Caribbean. The ecological realities of the marine and coastal environment are such that some of the management issues transcend local and national boundaries. Cooperation at the regional level, therefore, is critical to achieve our goals of conservation and sustainable use of the coastal and marine environment. For more information, please contact: Richard Curry, Biscayne National Park, Tel: (305) 230-1144 x310; Fax: (305) 230-1190; E-mail: BISC_Science@nps.gov; Or Alessandra Vanzella Khouri, UNEP-CAR/RCU, 14-20 Port Royal Street, Kingston, Jamaica; Tel: (1-876) 922-9267-9; Fax: (1-876) 922-9292; E-mail: avk.uneprcuja@toj.com; Web: http://www.cep.unep.org . At the request of the meeting participants, UNEP-CAR/RCU in Kingston, Jamaica and Biscayne National Park in Florida agreed to assist with facilitation of this first phase of network development. Biscayne National Park will assume the role of facilitator with the technical support of UNEP-CAR/RCU. It is an objective to engage all interested and relevant participants in the development and leadership of the network. No formal organization has been established at this time, in order to allow the network to fully clarify its objectives and ensure further consideration and discussion at national and regional levels. CEP Programme Updates The main purpose of the network is the enhancement of marine and coastal area management in the Wider Caribbean through sharing and collaboration to strengthen the national and regional systems of existing and future marine and coastal protected areas. Thus, the primary beneficiaries of the network will be the MPAs of the region and their managers. Relevant regional organizations and networking efforts by the World Conservation Union (IUCN), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Caribbean Conservation Association (CCA), the Center for Marine Conservation (CMC) and other partners will also be included in the network as appropriate. CEPNET/IDB Team Hits the Web and the Road The CEPNET/IDB Project team is currently in the midst of a period of intense work resulting in many new developments. The two-year project has now entered its second year of operation, and the project team, together with their counterparts in each of the participating countries, are in the process of working towards the development of an Internetbased Information Management System (IMS) for the Wider Caribbean Region. Activities to be conducted through the network include sharing experiences and addressing management challenges by facilitating training opportunities, information exchange, communication, and problem solving. It was also agreed that as one of its general principles, the network should develop an adequate mechanism for communication and information exchange as a minimal requirement for effective operation. The network should define a minimal level of organizational structure, not-funding dependent, to ensure co-ordination, communication and sustainability. High priority is given to the early establishment of communication mechanisms (news groups, list servers, and routine e-mail communications). The CEPNET web site was launched on December 15, 1997, and has already generated a large amount of interest. The site is updated frequently and interested persons are invited to log on to keep track of new developments at http://www.cep.unep.org. The site includes information about CEP and its subprogrammes, CEP Technical Reports, publications and databases, and information about selected environmental issues relevant to the Wider Caribbean Region. A Web-based Geographic Information System (GIS) and a customized query engine able to search metadata relating to select Caribbean datasets are also on-line and continually evolving. As the project progresses, the website will become a valuable clearinghouse for environmental information about the The success of this network will greatly depend on the active participation of its members. It is expected that marine park managers from the Wider Caribbean and other relevant 2 CEPNews, Vol. 13, No.1, Spring, 1998 region, encompassing the nodes from participating countries within the information network. The site will grow to become an important tool that can be used to search for data and information about Caribbean marine and coastal environments, and about ongoing environmental projects in the region. The Web-based GIS will in the future allow the user to view selected spatial datasets, and to perform overlays of georeferenced datasets. A certain amount of database query will also be possible, and the datasets can be downloaded for further analysis on the user’s own GIS system. Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela. Each of these countries has now chosen a Project Implementation Team and a Country Coordinator. The Country Coordinator is the main point of contact for the Project in the country, and will coordinate the work of the Implementation Team. The Implementation Team, with assistance from the CEPNET Team, will be responsible for the work involved in conducting the Needs Assessment, implementing the IMS, populating the databases and creating the State of the Coasts Report. The Needs Assessment process has now been finished in most of the PNP countries. During the Needs Assessment each country assessed their training needs, the availability of hardware, software, and personnel, and the status of existing data and information on the coastal and marine environment. The next step will be to draft a detailed country workplan, a process that is currently underway. Included in the draft workplan will be a realistic timetable for implementing each country’s IMS and for becoming one of the Wider Caribbean Region’s clearinghouse nodes on the Internet. The site will be valuable to anyone in need of information about the marine and coastal environments of the Wider Caribbean Region. Potential users include students, researchers, resource managers, and those with an interest in the environment. The CEPNET team appreciates any comments and suggestions you may have about the Web site. You can reach us via e-mail at uneprcuja@toj.com. The Pilot Network Programme (PNP) portion of the CEPNET/IDB Project is underway. Participating in the PNP are Barbados, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Trinidad & Tobago, and Venezuela. The six PNP countries will, with assistance from the CEPNET team, implement an Internet-based IMS, complete with databases containing the country’s key marine and coastal data. In order to make these databases searchable via the Internet, metadata will be created for existing datasets. The second meeting of the CEPNET/IDB Project Technical Advisory Group (TAG) was held on February 26-27, 1998. The Project’s TAG monitors technical developments associated with the project. During the intensive two-day meetings, the group members were brought up-to-date on the project developments and provided detailed feedback and recommendations on all aspects of the project. Together with the Programming and Evaluation Committee (PEC), the TAG has an important role in providing guidance and advice to the CEPNET Team while they work towards their project goals. For more information, please contact: Kenneth Korporal, UNEP-CAR/RCU, 14-20 Port Royal Street, Kingston, Jamaica. Tel: (876)922-9267. Fax: (876)922-9292. E-Mail: kdk.uneprcuja@toj.com; Web: http://www.cep.unep.org . Having common international/regional metadata standards is critical to the clearinghouse concept. The project team is working hard to ensure that regional standards are established and accepted by other networking programmes underway throughout the Wider Caribbean. SPAW: News from the Sustainable Tourism Front Training courses are an important component of the PNP and are tailored to meet each country’s individual needs. Training can be provided in metadata, GIS and WebGIS, Internet operation, HTML programming, and other related topics. As part of the project, each country will create a demonstration “State of the Coasts Report” project. This project will utilize each country’s existing data and GIS technology to create a project relating to the coastal and marine environment of the country. The effort is a hands-on application designed to show the immediate utility of GIS and will be displayed on the country’s Website. Each PNP country will become a node in the regional Internet-based information network, and a source of environmental data and information for their country. As part of the joint USAID/UNEP Caribbean Environmental Network (CEN) Project which aims at improving environmental quality and coastal and marine natural resource protection, support is being given to activities carried out by the Puerto Rico-based Caribbean Action for Sustainable Tourism (CAST), under the Caribbean Hotel Association. CAST is a major private-sector effort in implementing Agenda 21 for the tourism industry in the Caribbean. Through its activities CAST seeks to educate and develop the practices of the region’s hoteliers. CAST constitutes an excellent venue for partnership in furthering the CEN Project objectives of reducing environmental impacts caused by tourism and promoting the use of environmentally sound practices by the industry. Initial meetings to introduce the project have been conducted in Barbados, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Nicaragua, 3 CEPNews, Vol. 13, No.1, Spring, 1998 As it develops and focuses its programmes, CAST has recently held two key meetings in which UNEP-CAR/RCU participated. The first one was the Second Meeting of CAST Governing Council held in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, 31 October- 1 November 1997. The Governing Council of CAST is composed of leading figures from the Hotel, Tourism, Manufacturing and Agriculture sectors. The members of the Council individually support the established agenda and the organization activities. An Advisory Committee and Technical Working Group provide support, direction and technical assistance as appropriate. CAST, the nature of services it provides and guidelines upon which to build a strategic plan for the organization. The CAR/RCU highlighted its willingness to provide CAST with technical support on environmental issues related to coastal and marine resources. Towards this end the CEPNET/IDB Project team will assist in the preparation of an Internet site on CAST activities and other related information for the tourism industry. With a little over a year in existence and over 75 hotels from the region as members to date, it is clear that CAST is going to be an important platform that will allow the Caribbean hotel industry to enhance its environmental performance and contribute to the good health of coastal ecosystems upon which much of the industry depends. The meeting served to approve the broad policies of CAST and to review its budget and planned activities. The CAR/RCU was invited to make a presentation on the linkages of CEP with tourism and how the Caribbean Environment Programme fits into the overall strategy of CAST. A general overview of the activities by CAST being supported under the CEN Project was also presented. The main expected outputs to be produced by CAST under the Project can be summarised as follows: Green Resources Directory that will identify a wide variety of environmental techniques, related products and services for improved management of tourism facilities (now available from CAST, 18 MarseillesStreet, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 00907; Tel:.(787) 725-9139; Fax: (787) 725-9166). Environmental Management Toolkit, a volume with guidance on environment enhancement for hotels is being updated in English and is to be published in Spanish by March 1998. Health perspectives are being incorporated in cooperation with the Pan-American Health Organization. Another CEN event was the convening of the Second Meeting of the Technical Consultative Committee (TCC) on the CEN Project, hosted by CAR/RCU and held in Kingston, Jamaica on 15 December 1997. The TCC provides expertise and insights as the Project develops. It also serves as a forum for strengthening cooperation in support of conservation and management of marine and coastal resources in the Caribbean. The TCC is inter-agency in nature with members from: Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) UWI, Centre for Marine Sciences Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) French Development Division The meeting was also attended by representatives of the World Bank, USAID and the Caribbean Ecotourism Support Network (CESN). Regional Environmental Action Plan for the tourism industry, focusing on hotels, addressing steps to implement priorities of Agenda 21 within the Caribbean by April 1998. Caribbean Code of Conduct for Tourism is to be produced as a set of consolidated guidelines, including those proposed by UNEP/Industry and Environment (UNEP/IE), the World Trade & Tourism Council (WTTC), the International Hotels Environment Initiative (IHEI) and their relationship to ISO 14000 standards for environmental management systems by July 1998. Regional Overview of Best Practices employed in tourism facilities such as hotels, dive operators and marinas is on going, focusing on concrete case studies as examples of such practices. The meeting objectives were to review the progress achieved in the implementation of the Project and planned activities, as well as to forge opportunities for further linkages and coordination among member agencies of the Committee. One of the outcomes was the consensus from members that continuation of the spirit of collaboration and partnership would be beneficial as sustainable tourism emerges as an important issue in the Caribbean. In this regard, the possibility of convening a strategic planning meeting on sustainable tourism partnerships with key organisations in the region was discussed and will be further assessed. For more information, please contact: Monica Borobia, UNEP-CAR/RCU, 14-20 Port Royal Street, Kingston, Jamaica W.I.; Tel: (876)922-9267; Fax: (876)922-9292; E-Mail: uneprcuja@toj.com; Web: http://www.cep.unep.org . The second meeting convened by CAST and attended by the CAR/RCU was its Strategic Planning Session held in Miami, 910 December 1997. The meeting was attended by the Governing Council and Allied members. The attendees assessed the socio-cultural, economic, technological and ecological opportunities and challenges facing the organization. The meeting also addressed the geographic area served by 4 CEPNews, Vol. 13, No.1, Spring, 1998 AMEP: Towards a Protocol on Land-Based Sources of Pollution in the Caribbean UNEP News UN General Assembly Elects Klaus Toepfer New Executive Director of UN Environment Programme The Cartagena Convention and its Protocols is the only binding regional Treaty on the environment in the Caribbean Region. Within the framework of the Cartagena Convention, the Governments in the Wider Caribbean Region are on the way to finalize a Protocol on marine pollution from landbased sources and activities (the LBSMP-Protocol). A Negotiating Meeting to finalize the Protocol will be held in Kingston, Jamaica 16 – 18 June 1998. On the 3 December 1997, the UN General Assembly elected Mr. Klaus Toepfer of Germany as the New Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), for a four-year term effective 1 February 1998. Mr. Toepfer, the second longest-serving Minister in the current German Government, has, since November 1994, been the Federal Minister for Regional Planning, Building and Urban Development and Coordinator for the Transfer of the Bundestag (Parliament) and Federal Government to Berlin. Prior to that, beginning in May 1987, he held the position of Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety. This protocol will have Annexes that address pollution from different specific sources. The first two Annexes will deal with domestic wastewater and agricultural non-point sources of pollution. In order to assist the countries in developing these annexes, UNEP-CAR/RCU has completed a project to make recommendations on the most appropriate technologies for domestic sewage treatment and Best Management Practices (BMPs) for agricultural non-point sources of pollution. Within the framework of this project, and to assist in the development of the two draft Annexes, two meetings of experts from the Caribbean Region were held on 19 – 23 January 1998 at the Caribbean Environment Health Institute (CEHI) in St. Lucia. An experts meeting on Domestic Wastewater was convened on 19 – 21 January 1998 and an experts meeting on Agricultural Non-point Sources of Pollution was convened on 22 - 23 January 1998. Mr. Toepfer, the fourth head of the Nairobi-based UNEP in its 25-year history, will be succeeding Ms. Elizabeth Dowdeswell of Canada who held the post since 1 January 1993. He is well known in UN circles from his tenure as Chairman of the UN’s Commission on Sustainable Development from May 1994 to May 1995. The professional life of Mr. Toepfer has combined extensive work in government and politics with a concurrent career in academia. His government service began, in 1971, as the Head of the Department for Planning and Information in the State of Chancellory of the Saarland. Subsequently, he served, from 1978 to 1985, as the State Secretary, and in 1985-1987 as Minister for Social Affairs, Health and Environment of Rhineland-Palatinate. He was elected to the German Bundestag in December 1990. Two documents will be published as CEP Technical Reports in 1998 as a result of these meetings: Appropriate Technology for Domestic Wastewater Control, CEP Technical Report No. 40 This report will give an overview of different treatment technologies appropriate for the Caribbean Region. A literature review and fact sheets for different technologies will be presented as well as a methodology for selecting appropriate technologies. Mr. Toepfer has also held various positions in a national political party – at the local, regional and national level. He has been a member of the CDU presiding committee since October 1992. Best Management Practices for Agricultural Non-point Sources of Pollution, CEP Technical Report No. 41 Different agricultural non-point sources of pollution will be described and different Best Management Practices (BMPs) presented. Structural and non-structural BMPs as well as the socio-economic factors involved in their implementation will be described. There will also be a matrix of different practices and their relative costs, difficulty of implementation and acceptability from economic and societal points of view. After graduating from the University of Munster in 1964, and obtaining his doctorate in economics in 1968, Mr. Toepfer began his academic career at the same institution in the economics department, with an emphasis on regional planning and development. He has also lectured at universities in Hagen, Bielefeld, Speyer, Hanover, Mainz, and most recently, as an honourary professor at Tongji University in Shanghai, China. Mr. Toepfer is the author of numerous articles and publications on economics, development, the environment, human settlements and international affairs. In 1986 he was awarded the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany; and, in 1989, the commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit, for exceptional service to his country. For more information, please contact: Kjell Grip, UNEP-CAR/RCU, 14-20 Port Royal Street, Kingston, Jamaica W.I.; Tel: (876) 922-9267-9; Fax: (876) 922-9292; E-Mail: uneprcuja@toj.com; Web: http://www.cep.unep.org . 5 CEPNews, Vol. 13, No.1, Spring, 1998 Born on 29 July 1939 in Waldenburg, Silesia, Mr. Toepfer is married with three children. He is fluent in English and French. To join the list, send a message to campam@iucnus.org with the word "subscribe" in the subject line. A Web page is being developed for CaMPAM at the following address: The first UNEP Executive Director was Mr. Maurice Strong of Canada, the Earth Summit Secretary-General and current UN reform coordinator, who served from 1972 to 1975. He was succeeded by Mr. Mostafa K. Tolba of Egypt who held the position for 17 years, until Ms. Dowdeswell was elected in December 1992. http://www.nps.gov/bisc/campam UNEP was created in 1972 to be the global advocate for the environment. With its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, UNEP has leveraged a small budget into a programme of major significance and lasting influence. It assesses the state of the world’s environment; helps formulate international environmental law; strengthens the environmental management capacity of developing countries; and raises environmental considerations for the social and economic policies and programmes of UN agencies. The Atlantic and Gulf Reef Assessment (AGRA) Workshop will be held on 2 - 6 June 1998 at the University of Miami, Florida. The aims of the workshop are to discuss examples of rapid assessment, review the proposed AGRA Rapid Assessment Protocol (RAP) making whatever changes are appropriate, and lay plans for assessing the Reefs of the Americas. The proposed Protocol is available on-line at: For more information, please contact: Those who have had experience in the rapid assessment of benthos and/or fish, as well as those with an interest in participating in AGRA are highly encouraged to participate. Upcoming Workshop on Coral Reef Assessment http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/agra Mr. Tore Brevik, UNEP, Nairobi; Tel: (254-2) 62-3292; Fax:(254-2)62-3692;E-mail: tore.brevik@unep.org Or Mr. Jim Sniffen, UNEP Information Officer, New York; Tel:(1-212) 963-8094/8210; Fax: (1-212) 963-7341; E-mail:sniffenj@un.org For more information, please contact: Robert Ginsburg, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Cswy., Miami, FL 33149; E-mail: rginsburg@rsmas.miami.edu Marine Protected Areas Corner Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Database Role of Currents in Shaping Reefs As part of the objectives of the SPAW Protocol and its regional programme, UNEP-CAR/RCU has joined forces with other partners such as the US Fish and Wildlife Service and Environmental Solutions International to produce a comprehensive MPA database. It should be available for distribution during early 1998 to all Governments and MPAs of the region. This database will be one of the most useful and practical products for CaMPAM. A study in a recent issue of the journal Science has revealed the importance of ocean currents in conserving the world's threatened coral reefs. Upstream reefs have been found to have the potential to supply other reefs, some hundreds of miles away, with young organisms washed away by the currents. These marine organisms could serve as an important source of replenishment for the downstream reefs. For more information, please contact: The study is of particular interest as conservationists have urged the creation of marine reserves to protect coral reefs as newly emerging diseases, pollution and bleaching take an ever greater toll. By tracking the movement of currents, researchers say they can begin designing networks of marine reserves to support one another and support reefs used for fishing and other harvests. Alessandra Vanzella Khouri, UNEP-CAR/RCU, 14-20 Port Royal Street, Kingston, Jamaica; Tel: (1-876) 922-9267-9; Fax: (1-876) 922-9292; E-mail: uneprcuja@toj.com Web: http://www.cep.unep.org . More on CaMPAM... Scientists note that the lesson from this study is that we have to look more at an ecosystem level and link up on an international basis. For example, it was noted that Florida's 10 million dollar a year lobster industry, has the potential to receive juvenile lobsters drifting in from throughout the Caribbean. Thus, U.S. support of marine reserves around the An e-mail list has been created for CaMPAM in collaboration with IUCN. The list is open to anyone who wants to join, and is unmoderated. The only prerequisite is that messages posted to the list are related to MPAs in the wider Caribbean and to CaMPAM and its mission (see Editorial). 6 CEPNews, Vol. 13, No.1, Spring, 1998 region may be critical for maintaining harvests in its own waters. ITMEMS will be a major environmental event for Australia during 1998 - the UN International Year of the Ocean. It will certainly be among the premier events world-wide during the Year of the Ocean. While recognizing that much remains to be learned, the study urges the establishment of marine reserves. For more information, please contact: Harvey Events Group Pty Ltd A.C.N. 075 120 768, Suite 3b 41, Sturt Street, Townsville Qld 4810; Tel: (6177) 715 755; Fax: (6177) 715 455; E-mail: julie@harveyevents.com.au OR John Baldwin, ICRI Secretariat, E-mail: j.baldwin@gbrmpa.gov.au; Web: http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/~icri/secretariat/itmems News Briefs The International Tropical Marine Ecosystems Management Symposium The International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) is a partnership of individual countries, non-government organisations and the private sector, along with international and regional organisations. Australia is one of the founding partners of ICRI. ICRI seeks to provide for the protection, restoration, sustainable use and understanding of coral reefs and related ecosystems. ICRI operates through a regional structure (based on the existing UNEP Regional Seas Programme) supported by a small Secretariat. The Secretariat of ICRI is currently hosted by Australia through the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority located in Townsville. Manatee Deaths in Florida Waters Escalates in 1997 The second-highest manatee death count in 22 years has Florida officials promising increased statewide boater education and a crackdown on reckless boaters. Manatee experts report that 240 of the gentle marine mammals died in Florida waters in 1997, a quarter as a result of collisions with boats, many others of natural causes. During its term as Secretariat which concludes at the end of 1998, Australia is committed to working with other partners to strengthen and broaden the regional and national emphasis of ICRI. The aim of the Secretariat, within Australia’s twoyear term, is to assist in the establishment of a regional structure for the Initiative which is self-sustaining, assists individual countries and which requires a minimum of organisational support at the international level. The Secretariat is providing support and assistance to the ICRI partners in both developing their regional and national programmes and improving the capacity of those countries to deliver those programmes. El Niño’s Toll on the Coral Reefs of the World Amidst the torrent of news in the popular and scientific media concerning the effects of El Niño, a clear signal has emerged from one of the lines of communication on coral health monitoring. The Coral Health and Monitoring List-Server provides a forum for discussions and announcements among coral health researchers pertaining to coral reef health and monitoring throughout the world via the Internet. In recent months numerous posters to the list from around the world have reported on the incidence of coral bleaching as a result of increased water temperatures due to the effects of El Niño. On 26 – 28 November 1998, the ICRI Secretariat will host the inaugural International Tropical Marine Ecosystems Management Symposium (ITMEMS). ITMEMS will serve as a major opportunity for coral reef managers from around the world to share management experience and, thereby, build international capacity for future work on successful coral reef management. The symposium will provide a forum for discussion of management issues covering social, administrative, legal, economic and community information themes, as well as research and monitoring. The major output of the Symposium will be an action statement that will form the basis of continuing ICRI activity into the next century. It is anticipated that future ITMEMS will alternate with and follow the successful format of the International Coral Reef Symposium (ICRS) which has, since 1972, been repeated every four years at various coral reef locations around the world. Sustained sea temperatures in excess of 27° to 30° C leads to coral bleaching, the loss of life-sustaining algae from the corals. While the latest signs of damage are to be found in correspondence from the Pacific, reports from the Cayman Islands, the Florida Keys, the Yucatan coast and the Netherlands Antilles indicate that the Caribbean Region was not spared from the effects of the 1997-98 El Niño. If you wish to join the some 750 researchers subscribed to the Coral Health and Monitoring List, please send an email message to majordomo@coral.aoml.noaa.gov, with the following message (only!) in the body of the text: Subscribe coral-list If you wish to learn more about El Niño and its deleterious effects on coral reefs, check out these NOAA web sites: http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov http://manati.wwb.noaa.gov/orad 7 CEPNews, Vol. 13, No.1, Spring, 1998 New UNDP Survey on Coastal Management Initiatives Integrated Coastal Planning and Management and Coastal Atlas Project in Jamaica By Stephen Olsen, Kem Lowry, James Tobey, Peter Burbridge and Sarah Humphrey How are international donors evaluating their investments in coastal management initiatives in developing nations? A recently completed survey designed to answer this question was sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Strategic Initiative for Ocean and Coastal Management. It builds upon the interest in a common framework for learning from coastal management experience (CM) expressed at an informal meeting of 15 international donors that gathered in Paris at the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission in October of last year. The Swedish International Development Agency (Sida), has supported a project on integrated Coastal Planning and Management outlined by the Planning Institute of Jamaica. The purpose of the project has been to promote an integrated approach to planning, aiming at a balance between protection and development of the coastal resources. A manual for Integrated Coastal Planning and management has been developed in active cooperation with the various actors in coastal planning and management in Jamaica with the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA) as the leading partner. The University of Uppsala, Centre for Image Analysis in Sweden has given technical assistance to the project. The survey was led by the University of Rhode Island’s Coastal Resources Center, with contributions from experts at the University of Hawaii and University of Newcastle, England. The goals of the survey were to: 1) provide a brief synthesis of approaches to the evaluation of CM initiatives; 2) survey the experiences of donors, development banks, and selected international and national coastal management programmes with CM evaluation; and 3) summarize the major questions that are being posed by those that fund coastal management activities. The major problem, as perceived by many, both in Jamaica and elsewhere in the Wider Caribbean Region is related to the development of an appropriate organization, forceful and with an adequate mandate to successfully administrate and carry out the planning process from start to end. The manual therefore tries to highlight the organizational aspects related to a successful planning and management process, rather than limit itself to planning technicalities. The number of CM initiatives that have been the subject of formalized monitoring and evaluation is still small. In spite of this relative paucity of experience, the survey reaffirms a considerable interest among those donors questioned in the development of common frameworks for monitoring and evaluating CM initiatives in order to more effectively promote the development of CM as a means for achieving sustainable forms of development. As in most planning processes the data requirement has to be based on existing or easily compiled data. In support of the planning process a Coastal Atlas of Jamaica has been prepared based on a complete inventory of all shores by a field mapping procedure, where the shore zone characteristics are classified according to a list of factors, which cover the sub-aerial part of the shore, the near-shore submarine part and the hinter-land within 100 m from the shoreline. Field mapping data has been integrated with data from satellite remote sensing, based on Landsat imagery and a Geographical Information System has been used to facilitate the planning process in terms of data collection, processing and storage/retrieval. Existing experience with CM evaluation on the part of donors focuses mainly on an internal process of project performance and accountability, and therefore focuses upon the degree to which a project achieved its stated goals. However, distinctions between different approaches to coastal management as grouped below are seldom made. The survey therefore includes initiatives of three types and are referred to here and in the report by the generic term coastal management. For more information, please contact: The Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA), 53 1/2 Molynes Road, Kingston, Jamaica; Tel:876-923 2248; Fax: 876-923 5070; Web: http://www.nrca.org. A Typology of Coastal Management Enhanced Sectoral Management Coastal Zone Management Integrated Coastal Management Focus on a single sector or topic but explicitly addresses impacts and interdependencies with other sectors, ecosystem processes and institutional capacity. Multi-sectoral planning and regulation focused upon the characteristics and management issues within narrow, geographically delineated stretches of coastline. Expands the cross sectoral feature of CZM to consideration of the closely coupled ecosystem processes within coastal watersheds and oceans. Database of Caribbean Environmental Experts The University of WestIndies Centre for Environment and Development (UWICED) under the Caribbean Capacity Building for Environmental Management (CCBEM) Project, a joint project of the World Bank and the Commonwealth Secretariat, has established a database of Caribbean 8 CEPNews, Vol. 13, No.1, Spring, 1998 Environmental experts. A primary goal of the CCBEM project is to assist in strengthening the capacity of small island states to better manage their environment through the provision of technical expertise. It is anticipated that the databse will be available in the near future over the Centre’s webpage. UWICED is currently updating the database and would appreciate receiving resumes from interested persons. ceremonies of Ramsar COP7 in Costa Rica, May 1999. Each award will carry a cash prize, the “Evian Special Prize,” of US $10,000 generously provided by the Danone Group (France). For more information, please contact: Dwight Peck, Executive Assistant for Communications, Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971), Rue Mauverney 28, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland; E-mail: dcp@hq.iucn.org; Web: http://iucn.org/themes/ramsar/ For more information, please contact: University of West Indies, Centre for Environment and Development, 3 Gibraltar Camp Road, Mona, Kingston 7, Jamaica, W.I.; Tel: (876) 977-5545, (876) 977-1659; Fax: (876)977-1658; E-mail: emackay@uwimona.edu.jm or gbarnwll@uwimona.edu.jm; Web: www.uwimona.edu.jm/cesd/jamaica/uwiced/uwiced.html. Gratis Membership in the Society of Wetlands Scientists The Society of Wetlands Scientists (SWS) International Committee manages a gratis membership programme which provides free membership to the Society for financially disadvantaged wetland professionals and wetland organizations in less-developed countries. A gratis membership provides the same rights and privileges of feepaying members, including subscriptions to the scientific journal Wetlands and the SWS Bulletin. 104th Ramsar Contracting Party The Ramsar Bureau has been informed by UNESCO that on 7 October 1997, Jamaica completed the formalities necessary for its accession to Ramsar as its 104th Contracting Party, which means that the Convention entered into force for Jamaica on 7 February 1998. For more information, please contact: The “Black River Lower Morass” Wetland has been designated by Jamaica for inclusion in the List of Wetlands of International Importance. The largest freshwater wetland ecosystem in Jamaica, it is located in the St. Elizabeth parish of southern Jamaica (18° 4’ N, 77° 48’ W) and has an area of approximately 5,700 hectares. The Black River Lower Morass is a complex of shallow brackish lagoons, limestone islands, and tidal marshes with peat formations. It is owned by the Government of Jamaica and the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica. Eric Gilman, PPP 171 Box 10000, Saipan, MP 96950-9504 USA; E-mail: eric.gilman@saipan.com. Glover’s Reef Marine Research Station Middle Caye, Belize Glover’s Reef is a coral atoll situated about 60 km off the coast of Belize, Central America. The Government of Belize has declared Glover’s Reef as a marine reserve and recently the reef was designated a World Heritage Site. Glover’s Reef atoll and marine reserve is a major component of a general comprehensive programme for coastal zone management for Belize. The reserve was established to: maintain ecological processes, preserve genetic diversity, achieve sustainable yields of its resources through wise management of species and their habitats, maintain natural areas for education and research, and provide social and economic benefits through ecologically sensitive recreation and tourism. Keenly aware of the need to protect this world class resource, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) purchased the island of Middle Caye, situated at the southern end of the atoll, for the purpose of providing a marine park headquarters for the Government of Belize and to establish a marine research field station. WCS has completed construction of this facility and now provides a base of operations for park rangers and scientists alike. Jamaica is welcomed as the third Ramsar Contracting Party in the Caribbean region, after Trinidad and Tobago and the Bahamas, and the Convention is making special efforts to attract more Caribbean states to the Ramsar family before the 7th Conference of the Parties in May 1999. For more information, please contact: Dwight Peck, Executive Assistant for Communications, Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971), Rue Mauverney 28, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland; E-mail: dcp@hq.iucn.org; Web: http://iucn.org/themes/ramsar/ Wetland Conservation Awards In related Convention on Wetlands news, the Ramsar Secretariat announced the establishment of the Wetland Conservation Award to recognize and honor the contributions of individuals, organizations and governments around the world in promoting the conservation and wise use of wetlands. Three awards will be presented at the opening Fees for the use of the station, food and accommodation are $20 a day per person for students and $30 - $50 (shared or 9 CEPNews, Vol. 13, No.1, Spring, 1998 single room) a day for senior researchers. Transportation to the Middle Caye is charged separately or a special “package” arrangement can be made for all travel costs from Belize City International Airport or the US. Make sure you mail the message from the e-mail address to which you want the subscription to be mailed. If your e-mail programme is set to add a signature automatically to every message, turn off that feature before sending this message. If you have any questions regarding the journal, you may send e-mail to: Questions@consecol.org. For more information, please contact: Glover’s Reef Marine Research Station, P.O. Box 2310, Belize City, Belize; Tel/Fax: (501-2) 33855; E-mail: jpowell@btl.net . The Coral Disease Page This site is designed to promote the exchange of information about diseases of hard or stony corals and other reef organisms. It consists of a brief introduction to diseases of coral reef ecosystems and a series of pages that discuss the various diseases of hard corals, sea fans, and coralline algae that have been recognized on reefs thus far. The site also includes a key that allows the user to identify a potential disease based on some characteristic visual signs of each disease. Check out the Coral Disease Site at: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/mccarty_and_pe ters/coraldis.htm. Discovery Bay Marine Laboratory Discovery Bay, Jamaica The University of the West Indies’ Discovery Bay Marine Laboratory (DBML) announces new research and study opportunities available to researchers, university field-course and marine programme co-ordinators, and students of marine biology (undergraduate and postgraduate). DBML is located on the north coast of Jamaica, immediately adjacent to a classically defined fringing reef to which travel takes less than 10 minutes by boat. This long-established marine research/field station has a large wet laboratory with running seawater, several “dry” labs, a library, a darkroom, workshops, accommodation and catering facilities for up to 60 people, full diving facilities (including mixed gas diving), 8 boats and a recompression chamber. Ramsar Secretariat Home Page: Wetlands on the Web Concurrent with the celebration of World Wetlands Day ’98 (2 February 1998), the Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands has launched a number of projects, many of which involve on-line publications and resources. A Hot Topics column features discussion on policy issues, the first being “canal estates.” A Wise Use Resources Library will provide documents and publications, such as a new report on the implementation of the Ramsar Convention in Trinidad and Tobago. Check out these and other resources on the Ramsar Home Page at: http://iucn.org/themes/ramsar For more information, please contact: Discovery Bay Marine Laboratory, Tel: (876) 973-2241; Fax: (876) 973-3091; E-mail: dbml@infochan.com; Web: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Discovery_Bay_ Marine_Laboratory/. Internet Briefs Electronic Journal: Conservation Ecology ICRI’s On-Line State of the Reefs Report One of the earliest electronic journals for refereed articles is the Journal of Conservation Ecology, published at Carlton College by the Ecological Society of America. The editor-inchief is C.S. Hollings—also, Ariel Lugo (at IITF in Puerto Rico) is a member of the Ecosystems Editorial Board. The Executive Secretariat for the International Coral Reef Initiative has published its Background Paper, State of the Reefs: Regional and Global Perspectives, as an on-line document at the following address: http://www.ogp.noaa.gov/misc/coral/sor/ The report takes a broad look at general patterns in the status and trends of the world’s reef ecosystems, addresses the consequences of coral reef ecosystem degradation to human populations, reviews some of the major existing management and research programmes and makes recommendations fro conserving these valuable resources. The journal is free, on-line on the WWW. You can look over a current issue and subscribe to a service that will notify you when a new issue is released by going to http://www.consecol.org/Journal/ or you may send an email message to subscribe@consecol.org containing only the following in the body of the text: Subscribe conservation-ecology 10 CEPNews, Vol. 13, No.1, Spring, 1998 The Global Forest Information Service (GFIS): A prototype model Seamoss Cultivation in the West Indies This booklet looks at the use of seaweeds in the West Indies. The Caribbean Sea contains many hundreds of species of seaweeds. About 10 of these are used for food in the region. The World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC), in consultation with other forest information organizations (FAO, WFI, EFI, CIFOR) has designed a prototype Global Forest Information Service (GFIS). This Internet-based service provides information on the state of the world’s forests as collected by various reports and assessments. The WCMC would appreciate feedback from the users of GFIS, particularly those whose work involves the forest sector – anywhere in the world. An on-line user needs survey is provided on the web site at: http://www.wcmc.org.uk/forest/gfis These seaweeds are known by different names in different parts of the Caribbean. In most places they are known as seamoss. In Jamaica, where the greatest variety of species is used, they are known as Irish moss. In Belize they are usually simply known as seaweed. The traditional use is the preparation of drinks and pudding, but many new products have appeared on the market in recent years. There are some recipes from around the region. Until the 1980s, all seaweeds used in the Caribbean were harvested from wild populations. However, like many other natural resources, the demand exceeded the supply, and the wild stocks dwindled almost everywhere they were harvested. For this reason, the Government of St. Lucia began a research programme to develop methods for cultivating seamoss. The programme began in 1981, and in 1985 a group of seamoss farmers made their first harvests from a farm on the southeast coast of the island. Since then a number of individuals and families in St. Lucia have taken up seamoss farming as a profitable occupation. The technology has also been transferred to people in Grenada, St. Vincent, Dominica, Barbados, Antigua, Jamaica and Haiti. Publications Available Publications from Gecko Productions, Inc. For more information, please contact: Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI), Clarke Street, Vieux Fort, St. Lucia; Tel: (758) 454-6060; Fax: (758) 454-5188; E-mail: canari@candw.lc; Or 1113 Strand Street, Christiansted, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands 00820; Tel: (340) 773-9854; Fax: (340) 773-5770; E-mail: ac636@virgin.usvi.net Several recent publications about whales and dolphins of the Caribbean funded by the International Fund for Animal Welfare may be obtained from Gecko Productions, Inc. Prices listed below. A Field Guide to Whales and Dolphins of the Caribbean This laminated field guide highlights 12 species of whales and dolphins, including the West Indian Manatee. $12 US including shipping. DECA: Directory of Ecologists and Environmental Scientists of Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal Jump with Whales A children’s ABC book on whales and dolphins of the Caribbean produced in three languages (French, English and Spanish) with support from UNEP-CEP. $10 US including shipping. Published by Fundacion Sirena, this database carries a wealth of information about 3,505 people active in environmental research, conservation and policy. Whales and Dolphins – Inside and Out A children’s activity book featuring fun facts and activities about whales and dolphins of the Caribbean region. An excellent workbook and teachers’ guide. UNEP-sponsored. $12 US including shipping. For more information, please contact: Fundacion Sirena, Casilla 1395, Correo Central, (1000) Buenos Aires, Argentina; Tel/Fax: +54.21.71.4762; E-mail: rabinovi@netverk.com.ar For copies, please write to: Gecko Productions, P.O. Box 573, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA. Island Press Environmental Sourcebook 1998 Annual Major areas of interest covered by the sourcebook include ecosystem and resource management, biodiversity restoration and protection, human health, environmental and ecological 11 CEPNews, Vol. 13, No.1, Spring, 1998 economics, urban and regional planning, and a host of other related issues. For more information, please contact: Shearwater Books, Order Department, Box 7, 24850 East Lane, Covelo, CA 95428, USA; Tel: +1-707-983-6432; Fax: +1-707-983-6414; E-mail: ipwest@igc.apc.org; Web: http://www.islandpress.org/ Wider Caribbean Marine Protected Area Management Network Workshop Mangrove Ecosystem Studies in Latin America and Africa Miami, Florida 1 – 4 December 1997 As reported in the editorial (see page 1) this meeting took place under the auspices of the Biscayne National Park, US National Park Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Department of Environmental Protection of Florida, UNEP and a number of US NGOs, such as Environmental Solutions International and America Oceans Campaign. Published by UNESCO, the International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems (ISME) and the USDA Forest Service, this volume includes several scientific case studies – most of them in English – in the two regions. Edited by B. Kjerfve, L/D de Lacerda and El Hadji Salif Diop. For more information, please contact: For North, Central and South America: Forest Service, USDA; International Institute for Tropical Forestry; P.O. Box 2500, Rio Pedras, PR 00928-6302, USA; Fax: +1-809766-6302. For Africa: UNESCO Office Dakar, 12 av. Roume, BP 3311, Dakar, Senegal; E-mail: diopsa@geo.unoiv-dakar.sn; Fax: +221-238-393. More than 50 partners in marine protected area management attended the workshop, representing governmental, scientific and non-governmental organizations from 22 countries of the Wider Caribbean. The objectives of the meeting were to review and discuss strengths, resources and needs of marine protected areas (MPA) in the region, review relevant precedents and experiences on MPA networking, initiate development of a sustainable platform for collaboration, sharing, communication and information exchange among MPAs in the region. Recent Events Participants were invited to openly propose and discuss any common issues and interests regarding the management of marine protected areas in the Wider Caribbean, as well as to propose options and strategies for addressing those issues. Group sessions were organized through the "open space" methodology which facilitated very productive and open discussions on the following topics: revenue generation for MPAs, ecotourism and MPAs, utility of fisheries reserves, mechanisms for conflict resolution, training needs and opportunities, marine zoning, management plans and regulations, networking, waste disposal near MPAs, community participation and others. Workshop on Revenue Generation For Protected Areas Negril, Jamaica 27-31 October 1997 The workshop was very informative and useful as it provided participants with skills for developing user fees mechanisms in protected areas, as well as information on other financing tools such as endowments, trust funds and department swaps. The workshop addressed principles for institutional arrangements, co-management and partnerships, user fees mechanisms, as well as stakeholder analysis and participatory planning. Frameworks for co-management agreements were also discussed. Many case studies were discussed while addressing these issues. The meeting agreed on the need of an MPA network for the region (to be called "CaMPAM") which will be developed in collaboration with MPAs, governments, regional and international organizations and other interested partners (see editorial). Participants from 6 countries of the region attended the workshop and expressed their satisfaction with the outcome of the workshop. For more information, please contact: Richard Curry, Biscayne National Park, Tel: (305) 230-1144 x310; Fax: (305) 230-1190; E-mail: BISC_Science@nps.gov; or Alessandra Vanzella Khouri, UNEP-CAR/RCU, 14-20 Port Royal Street, Kingston, Jamaica; Tel: (1-876) 922-9267-9; Fax: (1-876) 922-9292; E-mail:avk.uneprcuja@toj.com; Web: http://www.cep.unep.org. For more information, please contact: Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI), Clarke Street, Vieux Fort, St. Lucia; Tel: (758) 454-6060; Fax: (758) 454-5188; E-mail: canari@candw.lc; Or 1113 Strand Street, Christiansted, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands 00820; Tel: (340) 773-9854; Fax: (340) 773-5770; E-mail: ac636@virgin.usvi.net 12 CEPNews, Vol. 13, No.1, Spring, 1998 Workshop on the UN Convention on Biological Diversity Education & Training UWI – Continuing Education Programme in Agricultural Technology (CEPAT) Courses for 1998 London, England January 1998 Participants at a meeting convened to review the workings of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity closed their discussions with the conclusion that the Convention needs to strengthen its scientific advisory body. The Convention’s Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) has had a tendency to concentrate more on political issues than on science. For its 1998 programme, CEPAT is offering over 40 short training courses on management and technology skills for the Agricultural Sector. Courses on topics as diverse as Aquaculture: Skills Training and Study Tour, Integrated Organic Farming for Sustainable Agriculture, Maintenance of Parks and Beaches and Agro-environmental Damage in the Caribbean: Methods of Assessment, Control and Management will be taught at a variety of locations in the Region. CEPAT invites National Governments, Regional and International Agencies and Companies to sponsor the attendance of participants or to request the mounting of other courses as appropriate. The lack of available structured scientific advice has meant that, five years after the signing of the Convention in Brazil, little has been added to the sum of scientific knowledge on biodiversity, and a number of important questions remain. The kind of actions identified as necessary to answer these questions include agreeing upon a common taxonomic system for plants and animals; identifying and classifying the unknown 80 percent of the Earth’s species; unraveling the complex web of relationships which binds together species and habitats; reaching a consensus on the rate of biodiversity loss; and carrying out research into the environmental implications of genetically modified organisms. For more information, please contact: Lawrence Wilson, CEPAT Programme Coordinator, UWI, St. Augustine, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies; Tel: (868) 662-2686; Fax: (868) 662-1182; E-mail: tuf@wow.net Towards this end the Secretariat of the Convention, in conjunction with member countries, has already begun to set research priorities and has agreed on a 10-year programme of scientific work in four main areas: marine biodiversity, the impact of agriculture on biodiversity, forests and inland waters, and research on the interdependence of species – known as the ecosystem approach. Rosenstiel School Postdoctoral Position The Division of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, announces a competitive two-year Rosenstiel Postdoctoral Award. Closing date for applications is 15 April 1998 for a starting date near September 1998. Vacancy Announcements Positions at ECOSUR, Mexico For more information, please contact: RPD Search Committee, RSMAS-MBF, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, FL 33149 USA; Web: http://www.rsms.miami.edu/divs/mbf.html. El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, a federal Mexican Government research center with campuses in several Southern Mexican cities is soliciting applications for staff with experience in the following fields: Integrated coastal zone management and taxonomy and ecology of non-commercial benthic crustaceans, macroalgae, coral reefs, sponges and molluscs. Applicants should be fluent in Spanish. The call for applicants remains open until the positions are filled. University for Peace Costa Rica The University for Peace will conduct three short courses on Natural Resources Conservation and Management. The titles of the courses are Management of Buffer Zones in Nature Reserves, Forest Valuation through Non-wood Products and Services and Management of Natural Resources Conflicts. For more information, please contact: Sergio Salazar-Vallejo, Depto. Ecologeda Acueltica, ECOSUR, Apdo. Postal 424, Chetumal QR 77000 Mexico; Tel: (983) 21666, 20115; Fax: (983) 20447; Web: http://www.ecosur.mx. For more information, please contact: Felipe Matos, UPAZ, Apdo. 138, 6100 Ciudad Colon, Costa Rica; Tel: 00506 249 15 12; Fax: 249 19 29; E-mail: upazcult@sol.racsa.co.cr 13 CEPNews, Vol. 13, No.1, Spring, 1998 University of California – Irvine: On-Line Courses in the Program in Global Sustainability International Centre for Conservation Education: Training in Environmental Education and Communication Courses start 5 January 1998 Visions and Visuals (5 May – 26 June) Visions and Visuals is an eight week course designed to meet the needs of people who design, implement and evaluate education programmes and meet stakeholder groups face to face. As the title suggests, this “hands-on” course deals with the production and use of visual material. The course also tackles the question of whose vision is being promoted. State of the World is an in-depth interdisciplinary examination of global issues important into the 21 st century of water, pollution, habitat transformations, biological transformations, food, waste, energy, health, and communities. Biodiversity and Conservation provides a biological perspective on the current environmental crisis. The origin, evolution, and value biological diversity. Extinction and depletion caused by overexploitation, habitat loss, exotic introductions and pollution. Awareness to Action? (21 September – 30 October) Awareness to Action? is a six-week accredited course designed for those whose full-time employment involves managing or overseeing environmental or development education, public awareness and/or training programmes. Sustainable Oceans and Coastal Zones will first examine the major physical and biogeochemical process in the world’s oceans, with an emphasis on tropical and sub-tropical coastal zones. Next, a review of coastal biophysical and chemical processes, and current changes caused by El Niño, pollution, habitat destruction, and overfishing. Course Fees Visions and Visuals (8 weeks) ……………………… £4,800 Awareness to Action? (6weeks – accredited) …….… £3,500 Fees are payable in UK£ and cover tuition, local transport, accommodation, meals, per diem, health insurance, books, educational materials and study visits. They do not include international travel. For more information, please contact: Barry A. Costa-Pierce, Sustainable Fisheries & Aquaculture Research & Development, Department of Environmental Analysis and Design, 4216 Biological Sciences II Building, University of California Irvine, CA 92697-7070; Tel: (714) 824-8573; Fax: (714) 824-3571; E-mail: bcp@uci.edu and aquaecos@cts.com; or http://darwin.bio.uci.edu/~sustain/state/index.html http://darwin.bio.uci.edu/~sustain/shrimpecos/research.html http://darwin.bio.uci.edu/~sustain/costapierce/.html For more information, please contact: The Training Co-ordinator, International Centre for Conservation Education (ICCE), Greenfield House, Guiting Power, Cheltenham, GL54 5TZ, United Kingdom; Tel: +44 (0) 1451 850777; Fax: +44 (0) 1451 850705; E-mail: icce@compuserve.com Summer Institute in Coastal Management Coastal Resources Center University of Rhode Island In cooperation with Center for Environment Bureau for Global Programs U.S. Agency for International Development 1 June – 26 June, 1998 Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute: Tropical Biology Fellowships in the Republic of Panama The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), in the Republic of Panama, invites applications for the annual Tupper three-year postdoctoral fellowship. A three-year postdoctoral fellowship includes an annual stipend of $28,000 with yearly travel and research allotments (deadline: Jan15). Three-month fellowships for graduate students (deadline: Feb15, May15, Aug15 and Nov15) are also available. Both are offered directly by STRI, for information: http://www..stri.org or fellow@tivoli.si.edu. The URI Summer Institute in Coastal Management is an intensive four-week programme for resources management professionals offered at The University of Rhode Island. Its purpose is to provide participants with the skills required to design, implement and learn from integrated coastal management programmes. Participants learn how to formulate effective strategies for the management of coastal ecosystems and to apply integrated, interdisciplinary approaches to solving coastal problems. The course emphasizes the challenge of managing coastal environments in developing nations. The programme fee of US $4,500 covers all costs of the training programme including meals, housing, field trips, reading materials, and special events such as a traditional 14 CEPNews, Vol. 13, No.1, Spring, 1998 For more information, please contact: Shoals Marine Laboratory, Cornell University, G-14Y Stimson Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853-7101 USA; Tel: (607) 2553717; Email:shoals-lab@cornell.edu; Web: http://www.sml.cornell.edu; or Dr. Dan Shapiro (Instructor), Institute for Earth Systems Science and Policy, California State University Monterey Bay, 100 Campus Center, Seaside, CA 93955-8001; Tel: (408) 582-3090; Fax: (408) 582-3057; Email: daniel_shapiro@monterey.edu. New England style clambake. Fees do not include travel to and from Rhode Island. Participation will be limited to 25 individuals. Advance payment or letter of financial support form a sponsoring agency is required by April 24, 1998, to reserve space as a participant. For more information, please contact: The Training Manager, Coastal Resources Center, Narragansett Bay Campus, The University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI 02882 USA; Tel: (1-401) 874-6212; Fax: (1-401) 789-4670; Internet: mjwood@gsosun1.gso.uri.edu. Training Workshop on Environmental Economics and Policy Analysis Course in Tropical Ornithology in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico Harvard University, MA USA 15 June – 17 July 1998 June 21 – July 26, 1998 The Harvard Institute for International Development in Cambridge, Massachusetts announces its five-week, intensive, analytically rigorous, yet practical, training course on the concepts and methods of environmental economics. It is intended for mid-career professionals from government agencies, international development organizations, universities and research institutes, NGOs and the private sector who are interested in: (i) the economic analysis, quantification and valuation of the environmental impacts of economic activity and investment projects, and (ii) the formulation of policies and strategies for internalizing environmental impacts into public- and private-sector decisions. Organized by the Graduate Programme in Ecology and Wildlife Management and the Department of Ecology and Animal Behavior at the Instituto de Ecologia, A.C., this course exposes students to avian studies in Latin America, integrates behavioral and evolutionary ecology theory in field research and uses ecological and phylogenetic criteria in conservation and sustainable development of natural resources. The deadline for subscription is April 15, 1998 and the cost is 2,000 USD. This field-oriented course and will last five weeks (three weeks at Xalapa and its surroundings and two weeks at La Mancha field station). It will be taught mostly in Spanish by 20 visiting lecturers with extensive experience in their respective fields, from prestigious institutions in Mexico, United States, Colombia, Argentina, Spain, and Brazil. For more information, please contact: Environmental Economics and Policy Analysis Workshop, Harvard Institute for International Development, One Eliot Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA; Tel: 617-495-5999; Fax: 617-496-3956; E-mail: eepa@hiid.harvard.edu. For more information, please contact: Dr. Juan Francisco Ornelas and/or Biol. Fernando Gonzales Garcia, Departamento de Ecologia y Comportamiento Animal, Instituto de Ecologia, A.C., Apdo. Postal 63, Xalapa, Veracruz 91000, Mexico; Tel: (52-2) 842-1800 ext. 4110-2; Fax: (52-2) 8187809; E-mail: ornelasj@sun.ieco.conacyt.mx Or gonzalef@sun.ieco.conacyt.mex; Web:http://dell.ieco.conacyt.mex Duke University Integrated Marine Conservation Program The Nicholas School of the Environment Marine Laboratory at Duke University, North Carolina, is offering an interdisciplinary programme for advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students. The focus of the course is on interdisciplinary problem solving using natural and social science theory to resolve real world environmental problems. The course runs from 13 July to 14 August 1998. Tropical Marine Science Course Akumal, Yucatán, Mexico Cornell University and Shoals Marine Lab 6 June – 2 August 1998 For more information, please contact: Ms. Helen Nearing; Tel: 919-504-7502; Fax: 919-504-7648; E-mail:hnearing@mail.duke.edu; Web: http://www.env.duke.edu/marinelab/mlterm2.html. The undergraduate-level students participating in this course will study basic Caribbean coral reef ecology and conservation, learn to identify local hard and soft coral species, collect data for the Akumal Coral Reef Monitoring Project, and design and implement independent research projects. 15 CEPNews, Vol. 13, No.1, Spring, 1998 Rainforest Conservation Fund, Inc. Summer 1998 Workshops 1998 International Society for Conservation GIS Conference 25–27 July 1998 Idyllwild, California USA Abstract Deadline: 30 April 1998 The Rainforest Conservation Fund, Inc. (non-profit) is offering three summer rainforest/marine biology workshops in Belize, Costa Rica and Ecuador. Each field-based workshop lasts approximately two weeks. For more information, please contact: Rainforest Conservation Fund, Inc., 29 Prospect NE Suite #8, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 USA; Tel: (616)776-5928; Fax: (616) 776-5931; E-mail: rainforest@mail.org. The recently-formed International Society for Conservation GIS (ISCGIS) will hold its annual meeting and workshop in Idyllwild, California, prior to the annual ARCINFO Users Conference in San Diego. The society’s membership consists of professionals who use GIS technology for conservation biology and planning. Mote Marine Laboratory Marine Biology Courses For more information, please contact: Sandra Coveny, ISCGIS 1998 Conference, 330 North 13 th Street, Philomath, OR 97370 USA; E-mail: sandra!peak.org or cheryl@arcana.com; Web: http://www.scgis.org/ The Mote Marine Laboratory in Florida offers two courses, Diseases of Corals and Other Reef Organisms and Reproduction and Recruitment in Tropical Marine Fishes, for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, and working professionals. Courses start on 3 August 1998. Conference on the Ecological Problems of Basins of Large Rivers 7-11 September 1998 Russia Abstract Deadline: 1 April 1998 For more information, please contact: Erich Mueller, Ph.D., Director; Mote Marine Laboratory, Pigeon Key Marine Research Center, P.O. Box 50089, Marathon, FL 33050; Tel: (305) 289-4282; Fax: (305) 2899664; E-mail: emuller@mote.org; Web: http://www.mote.org/~emueller/pkmrc.html; or http://www.mote.org The Institute of the Volga River Basin of the RAS is coordinating an international conference dealing with the a wide spectrum of ecological issues such as: River basins as uniform ecological systems: diversity, stability and variability Trophic communication in reservoirs and their ecological updatings in relation to anthropogenic factors Sustainable development, monitoring and modeling of large river basin ecosystems Call for Papers Second ENVALDAT Workshop For more information, please contact: Vladimir Feoktistov, Institute of the Ecology of the Volga River Basin, Eomzina Str. 10, Togliatti, Samara Region, Russia 445003; E-mail: confer@ievb.tlt.ru 8 May 1998 The Hague, Netherlands There is a call for participation in the Second ENVALDAT Conference to be held in The Hague on 8 May 1998. This workshop will bring together data users and data suppliers in the subject areas of coastal protection and environmental management. The purpose is to establish how data users, such as coastal managers and engineers, and data providers, such as mapping agencies and survey companies, arrive at a cost value for data and whether there is agreement on these valuations. Biotur 98: First International Conference on Biodiversity and Tourism 26-29 October 1998 Playa Esmeralda, Holguin, Cuba Abstract Deadline: 1 May 1998 This conference will be concerned with the following topics: Ecotourism Management of forests and wildlife for tourism The relationship of tourism to history, culture, agriculture and community development Methods to promote and develop nature tourism Marine biodiversity and tourism Environmental education and tourism For more information, please contact: Erik Buisman, ENVALDAT Conference Organizer; E-mail: f.c.buisman@lei.dlo.nl; Web: http://www.hrwallingford.co.uk/envaldat/index.htm . 16 CEPNews, Vol. 13, No.1, Spring, 1998 For more information, please contact: Manuel Fernandez, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Praza de Mazarelos, s/n 15703 Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain; Fax: 981-583489; Email: iccmora@usc.es The workshop addresses Environmentally Sound Technologies for Domestic and Industrial Wastewater Treatment Controls. The target group is environmental technical officers in governmental agencies. The workshop will address appropriate technologies for the Caribbean Region and experts from the region will be used as teachers. Wetlands for the Future Proposal Deadline: 31 May 1998 Ninth Intergovernmental Meeting on the Action Plan for the Caribbean Environment Programme and the Sixth Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Cartagena Convention The Bureau on the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar, Iran, 1971), the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are soliciting proposals from Latin America and Caribbean institutions and individuals to participate in the Wetlands for the Future (WFF) training programme. This initiative will promote the implementation of the concept of “wise use” of wetlands through strengthening the capacity of countries to manage their wetland resources in perpetuity and contributing to integrate wetland conservation and management with the development process. Tentative date set for November 1998. Location to be announced. Applicants and counterpart institutions must have, or develop, the expertise to meet training requirements. These institutions must offer specially tailored programmes to suit regional, subregional and/or national training needs. For more information on any of the above events, please contact : UNEP-CAR/RCU, 14-20 Port Royal Street, Kingston, Jamaica W.I.; Tel: (876) 922-9267-9; Fax: (876) 922-9292; EMail: uneprcuja@toj.com; Web: http://www.cep.unep.org . For more information, please contact: Ramsar Convention Bureau, Wetlands for the Future Initiative, Rue Mauverney 28, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland; Tel: +41 22 999 0170; Fax: +41 22 999 0169; E-mail: moc@hq.iucn.org Web: http://iucn.org/themes/ramsar/ Other Upcoming Events 31st Conference of the Law of the Sea Institute: Upcoming CEP Sponsored Events Building New Regimes and Institutions for the Sea presented by The University of Miami, Inter-American Law Review and The Law of the Sea Institute in cooperation with The American Society of International Law Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Cartagena Convention to Negotiate a Final Protocol Concerning Pollution from Land Based Sources and Activities 30-31 March 1998 Miami, Florida, USA 16 - 18 June 1998. Kingston, Jamaica For more information, please contact: Dr. Daniel Suman, Division of Ocean Affairs and Policy, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL, 33149-1098; Tel: (305) 361-4085; Fax: (305) 361-4675. Workshop on Environmentally Sound Technologies Tentative date set for 31 August – 4 September 1998. Workshop on the Status of Coral Reefs of Mexico and the U.S. Gulf of Mexico Location to be announced. In order to assist the governments of the Wider Caribbean Region in implementing the Land-Based Sources of Marine Pollution (LBSMP) Protocol at the national level, UNEP Caribbean Environmental Programme (UNEP-CAR/RCU) and UNEP International Environmental Technology Center (UNEP-IETC) in Japan, are arranging a workshop on Environmentally Sound Technologies. 29 April – 1 May 1998 Cancun, Mexico This workshop is part of the regional implementation of the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) in collaboration 17 CEPNews, Vol. 13, No.1, Spring, 1998 Annual CARICOMP Site Directors Meeting with NOAA, the Nature Conservancy, CINVESTAV, Mexico and Amigos de Sian Ka’an. 18 – 22 May 1998 Trinidad and Tobago For more information, please contact: NOAA, Web: http://www.noaa.gov/ OR The ICRI Secretariat, E-mail: icri@gbrmpa.gov.au; Web: http://www.gbrmpa.gov/au/~icri/ . The annual meeting will also include a one-day workshop on Coastal Pathologies with the goal of establishing a simple protocol to assess disease in the CARICOMP netwrok and discussing the establishment of a coastal pathology center. Watershed Management: Moving from Theory to Implementation For more information, please contact: John Ogden, Director, Florida Institute of Oceanography, 830 First Street South, St. Petersburgh, FL 33701 USA; Tel: (813) 553-1100; Fax: (813) 553-1109; E-mail: jogden@seas.marine.usf.edu. 3 – 6 May 1998 Denver, Colorado, USA The Water Environment Federation’s (WEF) 1998 conference and exhibition will feature technical sessions, poster presentations, workshops and other activities addressing the management and study of watersheds. For more information, please contact: Water Environment Federation, Watershed Management Conference Registration, 601 Wythe Street, Alexandria, VA 22314-1994 USA; Tel: (800) 666-0206 or (703) 684-2452; Email: confinfo@wef.org; Web: http://www.wef.org/docs/wtrshd98/wtrshd98.html. Commission on Coastal Systems: Coastal Land and Human Forms The Oceanography Society and Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Meeting on Coastal and Marginal Seas 10 – 17 May 1998 San Juan, Puerto Rico 1 - 4 June 1998 UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France. The Commission’s 1998 conference, titled, Coastal Land and Human Forms, will be held in San Juan and in western Puerto Rico from May 10 – 17. The central theme of the conference will be Forms of the Coastal Systems: the Importance of their Conservation. Papers and projects, exhibits, workshops and other activities will address topics including: coastal forms and processes, natural disasters and environmental risks, urban development and coastal cities, ecology and human ecology, social and cultural factors, global changes, GIS and remote sensing, legal and administrative issues, geographical thinking, tourism and recreation, conservation and management, education and health, human activity impacts, investigation and research techniques. The Oceanography Society (TOS) and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), in observance of the Year of the Ocean, announce their first jointly sponsored meeting. The meeting format will include morning plenary sessions of invited talks on the daily session themes and contributed poster abstracts in the afternoons focusing on, but not limited to, the day’s session theme. Session Topics Small Scale processes: turbulence, particles and transformations Medium scale processes: transports, physical structure and plankton distributions Regional scale processes: circulation, budgets and population dynamics Policy and late-breaking events For more information, please contact: Dr. Jose Seguinot Barbosa; Tel: (787) 758-1917; Fax: 7547960; E-mail: J_Seguinot@rcmaca.upr.clu.edu; Web: http://www.tld.net/users/informat. For more information, please contact: The Oceanography Society, 4052 Timber Ridge Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23455, USA; Tel: (757) 464-0131; Fax: (757) 4641759; E-mail: rhodesj@exis.net or jrhodes@ccpo.odu.edu 18 CEPNews, Vol. 13, No.1, Spring, 1998 Second Pan-American Congress on Conservation of Wildlife through Education International Symposium on Marine Pollution organized by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Hosted by the Principality of Monaco co-sponsored by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic (IOC) of UNESCO the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in co-operation with Commission Internationale pour l’Exploration Scientifique de la Mer Mediterranée (CIESM) 15 - 30 June 1998 On-Line at the Wildlife Conservation Society Web Site The Congress will be entirely Web-based in English. A special area of the site will be dedicated to papers posted in topics sessions. For more information, please contact: Fax: (718) 733-4460; E-mail: aberkovitz@wcs.org; Web: http://www.wcs.org/. 5 – 9 October 1998 Monaco The Society for Conservation Biology International Meeting The Symposium will review the recent achievements in marine pollution studies and the results of cooperation between the IAEA, UNEP and IOC/UNESCO, CIESM and other international and national organizations. 13 – 16 July 1998 MacQuarie University, Sydney, Australia This scientific symposium will provide an important forum for evaluating the state of the marine environment, defining the current scientific understanding of the impact of marine pollution and improving risk assessment approaches. Scientific and technical priorities for achieving those objectives will be identified. The meeting will involve leading scientists in the field of marine pollution and representatives from relevant UN Bodies and other international organizations. The 12th annual meeting and the third meeting of the Society for Conservation biology will be held at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia from 13 – 16 July, 1998. The Scientific sessions of the meeting will consist of two plenary sessions, over 20 Symposia, 4 Workshops and a number of open sessions for posters and spoken papers. The plenary sessions to be held on Tuesday and Thursday will be directly related to the conference theme, Biodiversity Conservation – Myths and Realities. For more information, please contact: For more information, please contact: George M. McKay; Tel./Fax: +61 2 9969 7778; E-mail: gmckay@ibm.net or george.mckay@mq.edu.au International Atomic Energy Agency (Conference Service Secretariat), IAEA-SM-354, Vienna International Centre, Wagramerstrasse 5, P.O. Box 100, A-1400 Vienna, Austria; Tel: (+43) – 1 – 2060-21312 or 21311; Telex No.: (+43) – 1 – 12645; Fax: (+43) – 1 – 20607; Cable address: INATOM VIENNA; E-mail:Official.Mail@IAEA.ORG. Coastal Dunes of the Atlantic Biogeographical Region 22 - 26 September 1998 Southport, England NOTICE TO READERS A European symposium to review progress in the conservation and management of dune systems and to address current issues. The meeting is organised under the auspices of the EC LifeNature programme with the support of the European Commission, Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council, English Nature and the National Trust in association with the European Union for Coastal Conservation. Main themes are Natura 2000, habitat management, multipleuse management, monitoring and future concerns in relation to coastal dunes. Contributions (papers, posters and workshops) are invited by 30th April 1998 for participation in the programme. We welcome your inputs to CEPNEWS on activities that are relevant to the Caribbean Environment Programme. CEPNEWS is published four times yearly. Contact: The Editor, CEPNEWS, UNEP-CAR/RCU, 14-20 Port Royal Street, Kingston, Jamaica W.I.; Tel: (876) 9229267-9; Fax: (876) 922-9292; E-mail: uneprcuja@toj.com For more information, please contact: John Huston, Sefton Coast Life Project, Formby Council Offices, Freshfield Road, Formby L37 3 PG, England; Tel: 0151 934 2960; Fax: +44 151 934 2955; Email: life@scms.unet.com; Web: http://www.merseyworld.com/sclife/. 19