CEPNEWS
NEWSLETTER OF THE UNEP CARIBBEAN ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME
(THIS NEWSLETTER IS ALSO AVAILABLE IN FRENCH AND SPANISH)
Vol. 12, No. 3, Autumn, 1997
Editorial 
The Twelfth Meeting of the Monitoring Committee on
the Action Plan for the Caribbean Environment Programme
(CEP) and Special Meeting of the Bureau of Contracting
Parties to the Convention for the Protection and Development
of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region was
convened in Kingston, 9-12 June 1997.
This Meeting
represented a turning point for the future development of CEP
in the coming years.
It is important to mention that CEP has suffered
financial and managerial difficulties during the last few years, a
situation that, indeed, is not unknown to the United Nations
System in general. However, meetings such as the one held in
June are the ones that contribute tremendously to the
improvement of this type of situation, given that Governments
have the opportunity to evaluate and, at the same time, take
measures to correct deviations in the implementation of the
programme.
In the case of CEP, during this meeting, the true
financial situation of the Programme was presented in a
transparent and clear manner, which assisted in a careful
analysis of the workplan for the 1998-1999 biennium and
arriving at decisions about which activities Governments
considered important for the Wider Caribbean Region.
The result has been a Caribbean Environment
Programme with a more focussed workplan, with many
activities, but that suffers from serious financial constraints and
with a cadre of personnel reduced to a minimum. Therefore,
now more than ever, the goodwill of the Governments is needed
to be able to implement the activities which have been
prioritized, as well as the goodwill of the donor community
which should be looking at CEP as an excellent partner to
implement effectively its programmes.
The activities related to the development of the LandBased Sources of Marine Pollution (LBSMP) Protocol, the
Global Plan of Action, the Specially Protected Areas and
Wildlife (SPAW) Protocol and its activities on conservation of
coastal ecosystems with its linkages to the private and tourism
sectors, and the immediate development of the CEPNET/IDB
project are of key importance to the development of CEP’s
mandate. The reactivation of the activities related to the
Education Training and Awareness (ETA), are of equal
importance but for which the Secretariat will need to identify
additional funds.
In this context, the CEP Secretariat would like to call
the attention of the Governments to an important aspect for the
future performance of the Programme. The Secretariat is
requested
to
implement
decisions
arising
from
intergovernmental meetings. However, while the Secretariat
attempts to implement such decisions, the very Governments
which approved such decisions, fail at the same time to provide
it with much needed support during international meetings.
This points out to the need for stronger commitment by
Governments, to improve the ability of the Secretariat to forge
adequate partnerships with other Global and Regional
Agreements.
Therefore, the CEP’s Secretariat reiterates the need for
continued support by the Governments to the Programme,
particularly at relevant international fora, without which the
Secretariat is unable to carry out the decisions taken by the
*** NEWS
FLASH ***
The staff of CAR/RCU wishes to join the governments and
other organisations of the Wider Caribbean Region in
congratulating Mr. Nelson Andrade on his appointment as
Co-ordinator of CAR/RCU, effective October 1, 1997.
Nelson, who is from Venezuela, has been Acting Deputy Coordinator at CAR/RCU since October1996. During the past
year he has been diligently working to effect difficult, but
necessary, changes to CEP while, at the same time, restoring
and strengthening the confidence of the Governments and the
morale of the staff of CAR/RCU. The appointment heralds
an era of renewed stability and a strong and healthy future
for the Caribbean Environment Programme.
Congratulations Nelson!
CEPNEWS, Vol. 12, No.3, Autumn, 1997
Contracting Parties.
Spanish) arrived in Kingston on September 1. All staff at
CAR/RCU join Ken Korporal (CEPNET/IDB Project Manager)
in warmly welcoming the new team members. With the new
personnel finally on board, the CEPNET team is ready to move
forward with their work in implementing the Internet-based
Information Management Systems and working closely with the
governments of the Wider Caribbean Region. Following are
brief biographies of the new staff:
Ingrid Lee: was hired as the Information Systems Analyst in
August. She is a Jamaican and received a B.A. in Computer
Science and Chemistry from the University of West Indies,
Kingston in 1993. She went on to receive a Diploma in
Management Studies from the Jamaican Institute of
Management. She received extensive on-the-job training and
has since worked as a computer consultant both in Ontario,
Canada, and in Jamaica. She is currently busy configuring the
new CEPNET servers while also dealing with the variety of
computer related problems and databases at the UNEPCAR/RCU office. Her skill with computers and her patience in
training have already made her a great asset to the CEPNET
team.
Eric van Praag: is the Consultant Trainer (Spanish) from
Caracas, Venezuela. He received a degree in Computer
Engineering in 1987 from Universidad Simon Bolivar in
Venezuela, and a Masters degree in Environmental Resources
from Salford University in the U.K. in 1991. He has acquired a
wealth of experience by working with Environmental NGOs in
Venezuela, as well as for the Venezuelan Ministry of the
Environment. His work has taken him around the Caribbean
region. Eric’s wife and one-year old daughter will be joining
him in Kingston.
Marjo Vierros: was hired as the Consultant Trainer
(English). Marjo is originally from Finland. She received a
B.A. in Biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz,
in 1990, and a M.Sc. in Oceanography from the University of
Wales, Bangor, U.K. in 1993. She is currently finishing a PhD
in Marine Biology through the University of Wales. Her
specialty is the use of remote sensing and GIS in research and
management of tropical marine environments. She has worked
as a researcher at the Bermuda Biological Station, as marine
science faculty in the Turks and Caicos, and for environmental
organizations in Belize. In her spare time, she has sea kayaked
around the Belize Barrier Reef and explored Maya caves in the
region.
John Walkey: came onboard as the GIS Expert. John hails
from Boston, and received a B.A. in Archaeology and
Anthropology from Boston University in 1992. After graduation
he spent two years working as a Surveyor for various
archaeological projects in Belize, before continuing his education
to receive a M.S. degree in Environmental Monitoring (Remote
Sensing/GIS) from the University of Wisconsin in Madison. His
work experience includes web authoring and programming, and
he has extensive experience with GIS applications development.
Before being hired as the GIS Expert by the CEPNET/IDB
project, John was in the midst of planning a backpacking tour of
Africa.
For further information, please contact:
CEP PROGRAMME UPDATES
Update on the
CEPNET/IDB
Project
Exciting developments
are taking place within the
Caribbean Environment Program
Information Systems for the
Management of Coastal Resources (CEPNET/IDB) Project. The
project, which is funded by a grant of US $1,000,000 from the
Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and US $361,000 from
UNEP, is an initiative that will strengthen the capabilities of the
Wider Caribbean Region for managing coastal and marine
environmental resources.
The two advisory groups for the project, the
Programming and Evaluation Committee (PEC) and the
Technical Advisory Group (TAG), had a combined meeting that
was conducted in Kingston on June 13. The project history,
workplan, current status, future plans, and issues related to the
implementation of the project were reviewed and discussed in
depth. Among its many important functions, the Programming
and Evaluation Committee will act as a liaison between the
Project Team and the governments of the region, while the
Technical Advisory Group will provide advise and guidance on
the technical issues that arise throughout the project. Both
committees will serve an important role in assisting the
CEPNET/IDB Project team while they work towards their
CEPNET development goals. The next TAG meeting will be held
in late 1997, while the PEC will meet again in early 1998.
The hardware and technical infrastructure for
implementing the CEPNET/IDB Project will soon be in place.
Two new servers were delivered to the CAR/RCU office on
September 5. One of the servers will be dedicated for the local
area network which will provide internal communications for the
UNEP-CAR/RCU office. The second server will become the
external Web server and will house the query engine, metadata,
web links databases, document databases, and the Web-based
GIS. The internal local network is already operational and
training has been provided to all CAR/RCU staff. Concurrently,
the project team has been busy developing the functionality for
the external Web server in conjunction with a team from UNEP
GRID / EROS Data Center in Sioux Falls, USA. It is hoped that
the official launching of the new web site will occur in late
October. Watch for announcements of the new WWW location
and new e-mail addresses for all CAR/RCU staff!
Several new staff positions have recently been filled,
bringing the staffing of the project to completion. The
Information Systems Analyst started work in August, while the
GIS Expert and the two Consultant Trainers (English and
2
CEPNEWS, Vol. 12, No.3, Autumn, 1997
Kenneth D. Korporal, Project Manager, UNEP-CAR/RCU, 1420 Port Royal Street, Kingston, Jamaica. Phone: (876)922-9267.
FAX: (876)922-9292. E-Mail: kdk.uneprcuja@toj.com
marine areas, dredging, building on shorelines and steep slopes,
alterations of drainage patterns, sand mining and inappropriate
design. The types of operational activities damaging to coastal
resources involve sewage and waste disposal, the maintenance
of boats, beaches and other facilities and guest consumption
patterns. The third major source of impact, recreational
activities, includes scuba diving, snorkeling, yachting, motor
boating, water skiing, jet skiing, sport fishing and mountain
biking.
The above activities were analyzed with consideration
to factors such as the scale of impact, frequency of impact
(sporadic versus chronic), ecosystem dynamics, and cost (lost
revenue or rehabilitation costs). Based on this analysis the
report listed the most detrimental practices related to tourism in
the coastal zone as physical change and/or damage to habitats
and sewage and solid waste disposal.
While the above points to the detrimental practices
directly attributable to the tourist industry, there are a number of
sectors and activities that are indirectly linked to the tourist
industry which also contribute to coastal resources degradation.
These include over-fishing, harvesting of reef materials for curio
items, over-harvesting of trees/plants (thatch, palm, Lignum vitae,
etc.) for craft and construction purposes, and speculative land
development.
The direct and indirect costs and benefits of tourism
use of coastal resources are significant throughout the Wider
Caribbean.
While the detrimental impacts have been
expounded at length, the full cost of that development has never
been quantified. In contrast, the benefits of tourism to national
economies have been quantified in terms of contribution to
national income, employment, and so on. Both the positive
uses and impacts and the cost and benefits are examined in the
report (Table 1).
The links between a pristine environment and tourism
have long been established. However, tourism continues to
create severe stresses in the system on which it depends. Given
the projections for increased tourism travel in the coming
decade, it is crucial that steps be taken to protect the resources
on which tourism depends. Maintaining the balance between
resource use and good environmental quality requires improved
planning and management systems, immediate remedial action,
and a base of knowledge from which to operate.
The impacts of tourism on coastal resources are far
from uniform. First, the coastal zone is a complex of interlinked ecosystems, with different sensitivities and
vulnerabilities, and therefore different abilities to withstand
stress. Secondly, the stresses produced by tourism are not
exerted uniformly across the systems, or even over the lifetime
of projects, facilities, or activities.

Coastal Tourism in the Wider Caribbean
Region: Findings on Impacts and Best
Management Practices
A new but integral component of the subprogramme of
CEP on Specially Protected Areas and Wild Fauna and Flora
(SPAW) is the on-going USAID/UNEP project on promotion
of environmentally sound tourism in the Wider Caribbean,
which is being executed by the CAR/RCU. As part of the
baseline information needed to guide the implementation of the
project’s activities, UNEP commissioned a regional report that
addresses: (1) the nature and causes of coastal resources
degradation, (2) the contribution of the tourist industry to that
degradation, (3) the role of system planning in addressing such
impacts, and (4) the possible Best Management Practices which
can be employed by industry participants to reduce the impacts
of tourism on coastal and marine resources. It was therefore
written for use by national and industry planners, by
environmental management agencies, and by industry
participants. While this recently concluded report is being
finalized by UNEP and will be available as a CEP Technical
Report, we would like to advance and share some its findings
with our readers.
The environment is the primary basis for tourism in
the Caribbean, and tourism development takes place mainly in
the coastal area. A review of the literature on coastal resources
degradation in the Wider Caribbean generates the impression
that every country experiences some form of impact. While
there has not been any comparative assessment of the degree of
the problem among the states, in a few cases the problems are
significant enough to warrant the implementation of major
rehabilitation projects (Kingston Harbour, Jamaica, and Havana
Bay, Cuba).
Additionally, it is widely recognized that many agents
of coastal resources degradation arise from outside the coastal
zone. Among these external sources, deforestation is a major
factor, particularly in the islands of the Caribbean. The report
reiterated that coastal resources degradation results from a
mixture of public sector system inadequacies and the low
sensitivity or low level of awareness of resource users. Also of
significance is the fact that some causes of resource degradation
may have several levels of impact beyond the immediately
apparent effects. Additionally it was pointed out that tourism is
only one of many types of activities that impact on the coastal
zone, and as such, any attempts to deal with it effectively would
need to operate within a broader framework of integrated
coastal zone management.
The impacts of the tourist industry on coastal
resources can be grouped into three broad categories:
construction, operational and recreational activities.
Construction activities include the filling in of wetland and
Table 1: Benefits and Costs of Tourism


3
Benefits
Improved port
facilities
Improved road
networks



Costs
Exhaustion of water
resources
Pollution of coastal areas
Beach erosion
CEPNEWS, Vol. 12, No.3, Autumn, 1997

Better
communications
Increased revenues
Improved
recreation facilities
Preservation of
historic sites
Increased cultural
offerings
Stimulation of
crafts
Improved social
infrastructure
flush toilets and low flow shower heads, the reuse of gray water
for irrigation and the involvement of guests in energy and water
conservation programmes are just some of the steps being
adopted. There is no data to indicate the percentage of
operations in each country that has enacted practices such as
these.
Most of the recommended practices can be
implemented by operations of all sizes. However, it must be
noted that the ability of each operation to carry out these steps
is often dependent on many factors. These factors include
variables both internal and external to the operation. The size
of the operation, the number and quality of the staff, the design
of the facility (to permit structural changes) and the cost of
implementing the practice (alternate systems/equipment) are
internal factors to consider. The availability of supporting
services (maintenance, spare parts, etc.) and government
policies (import restrictions, technical assistance, etc.) are just
two external variables which may affect the operation’s ability
to adopt Best Management Practices.
To achieve environmental Best Management Practices
for tourism requires coordinated approaches, information sharing,
available instructional materials, and incentive for the sector to
invest in the idea. A number of regional and international
organisations have embarked on programmes to improve the
environmental practices in hotels. It is the goal of the
USAID/UNEP project to contribute to these efforts in support of
the rational use and conservation of coastal zones and resources.
For further information, please contact:
Monica Borobia, Programme Officer, 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

Damage to corals and other
coastal systems

 Overfishing

 Decreased aesthetic value
 Noise pollution

 Increased social conflicts
 Erosion of traditional values

 High land costs
 Loss of agricultural

productivity
 Capital transfer to

metropoles
 Increased consumption of
foreign products
 Shifting investments in
infrastructure from more
populated areas
 Conversion to mono-sector
economy largely dependent
on external inputs
Any framework to promote Best Management
Practices in tourism should be able to address the systemic
problems (public sector planning, inadequacy of essential
services, social issues, etc.) as well as the more directed issues
of site design, management, and regulation. As such, any effort
to develop a coordinated approach to dealing with coastal zone
management must assess the resources and coordinate the
actions of non-tourism interests in the public sector.
The most successful approach to date appears to be the
integrated coastal area management plan. However, many
recent efforts still do not function with the desired level of
cross-sectoral planning; that is to say, the sharing of
development objectives and plans among the varied participants
still does not take place.
The report identifies several issues that should be
addressed by Best Management Practices.
These include
standards for resort ambience (density, building height,
setbacks, landscaping, etc.), site selection and building design
(including wastewater management systems, drainage, etc.), the
management of construction activities and the state of
supporting infrastructure (transportation and road networks,
waste collection and disposal, housing).
In the area of the operation of facilities, and the
provision of services (including recreation), the application of
Best Management Practices can produce immediate, tangible
and beneficial results. The development of Best Management
Practices should be supported by the creation of related
management systems such as, environmental policy,
appropriate
purchasing
policies,
environmental
management/monitoring systems, staff training, and the
assignment of responsibility for the programme to a senior
member of staff.
Areas of operation for which Best
Management Practices have been identified include waste
management, water usage, energy usage, facilities maintenance,
recreation and public/social interaction.
Examples of the implementation of such practices can
be found throughout the Wider Caribbean. Erosion and
sediment control, selective purchasing to reduce packaging, low

The Atlantic Coast of Guatemala
The Atlantic Coast of Guatemala is the least developed
area of the country. There are still big areas of wetlands,
mangroves and marine areas which are more or less untouched
and of interest to nature conservancy. There are very few roads
in the region and most of the transportation along the coast is by
boat. Puerto Barrios is the only merchant harbour in the area and
the quickly growing town is the most significant import harbour
in Guatemala. The region also has a potential for the
development of coastal fisheries and tourism.
Since 1992, the Government of Guatemala has been
interested in drafting a management plan for the further
development of the coastal and marine resources of the region. A
lack of information, especially on the environment, has hampered
the further evolution of a management plan for the area. A series
of studies and evaluations of different environmental problems in
the region has now been carried out. Among these, UNEPCAR/RCU has supported an evaluation of the coastal and marine
resources of the Atlantic Coast of Guatemala, CEP Technical
Report No. 34, 1995.
The present project proposal of an integrated
management plan for the Atlantic Coast of Guatemala is based on
earlier studies in the region. The project will integrate social,
economic, demographic and environmental considerations with
4
CEPNEWS, Vol. 12, No.3, Autumn, 1997
an aim of sustainable development of the region.
A
multidisciplinary team, with work experience in the region will be
responsible for the development of the integrated management
plan.
The Government of Sweden makes the funding of the
project available through counterpart contribution to the CEP and
by the Government of Guatemala. The project is being managed
by the AMEP subprogramme of CEP.
The operational
responsibility will be borne by Comision Nacional del Medio
Ambiente.
For further information, please contact:
Kjell Grip, Senior Programme Officer, UNEP-CAR/RCU, 14-20
Port Royal Street, Kingston, Jamaica W.I.; Tel: (876) 922-92679; Fax: (876) 922-9292; E-Mail: uneprcuja@toj.com
On the 6th June, the third round of talks on
international trade in hazardous chemicals and pesticides ended
with a revised draft text of future international treaty.
Delegates spent a good deal of time elaborating the respective
obligations of importing and exporting countries. A key issue
was identifying the types of chemicals to include in the
agreement. Other items were the criteria for selecting specific
chemicals; the rules for notifying exporters of banned or
severely restricted chemicals and hazardous pesticide
formulations; the designation of component national
authorities; the use of risk assessments; classification,
packaging and labeling requirements; technical assistance; and
financial resources.
Over 300 delegates from 102 countries attended the
session. The fourth round of negotiations are tentatively
scheduled for 20-24 October in Brussels; the diplomatic
conference is expected to take place in Rotterdam in December.
The negotiations are jointly organised by the Food and
Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
The agreement will build on the voluntary Prior
Informed Consent (PIC) procedure introduced by UNEP and
FAO in 1989. PIC is the principle that exports of dangerous
substances should not proceed unless agreed by the importing
country.
It allows importers to learn more about the
characteristics of hazardous chemicals so that they can decide
whether to accept future imports of these chemicals. Exporting
countries are then notified which products the importing
countries no longer want to receive, and they work with their
chemical industries to ensure that illegal imports do not occur.
Although the voluntary PIC procedure has been a success,
Governments now see a need for countries to adopt a
mandatory procedure to protect against the risks of hazardous
chemicals and pesticides.
For further information, please contact:
Michael Williams of UNEP in Geneva; Tel: 022 979 9242,
Natel 079 409 1528; Fax: 022 797 3464; E-mail:
mwilliams@unep.ch or Erwin Northoff of FAO in Rome; Tel:
0039 65225 3105; Fax: 0039 65225 4974; E-Mail:
erwin.Northoff@FAO.Org
UNEP NEWS
Global 500 Awards
The United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP) announced that it had
recognized the extraordinary contributions of
21 individuals and organizations to
environmental protection by electing them to
the prestigious ranks of its Global 500 Roll of
Honour.
These distinguished environmentalists
from all the regions of the world, were officially honoured at a
special award ceremony in Seoul. The event, hosted by UNEP
and the Government of Korea, was part of this year’s World
Environment Day celebrations – a day established by the United
Nations in 1972.
The list of winners included four global 500 Youth
Environment Award laureates who demonstrated that one is
never too young to make a difference.
Some 654 individuals and organizations in both the
adult and youth categories have been honoured since the
inception of the award in 1987. Among prominent past winners
were: French marine explorer Jacques Cousteau; Jimmy Carter,
former President of the United States; and the late Chico Mendes,
the Brazilian rubber tapper who was murdered during his fight to
save the Amazon forest.
UNEP looks to the world community to identify and
nominate environmental advocates so that they too can be
recognized for their efforts.
Nomination forms can be obtained from:
UNEP’s Headquarters, Global 500 Roll of Honour, P. O. Box
30552, Nairobi, Kenya and from UNEP’s regional offices; Mr.
Tore J. Brevik, Chief, Information and Public Affairs; Tel: (2542) 62 3292; Fax: (254-2) 62 3692; E-Mail:
Tore.Brevik@unep.org.
UNEP/GEF Workshop on the GEF
Medium-sized Project Facility: A new
Opportunity, 23-24 July 1997, Barbados
The workshop was organized by the UNEP/GEF
(Global Environmental Facility) Coordinating Unit in
cooperation with the Caribbean Conservation Association. The
majority of the participants were representing NGOs from
different countries in the region with most of the representatives
from the Eastern Caribbean States. St. Kitts and Haiti were not
represented.
GEF – It is a financial mechanism to fund and give
grants to developing and Newly Industrialized Countries (NIC)
. It is supported by 30 donors. There are 105 member
countries and approximately 2 billion US$ is in the fund. The

Hazardous chemicals talks concluded with
significant progress in Geneva
5
CEPNEWS, Vol. 12, No.3, Autumn, 1997
following address: Ms. Irena Mentokaryo/Mr. Fedde
Monsma, OCEAN98, Koopmanstraat 1, P.O. Box 5807, 2280 HV
Rijswijk, The Netherlands, Tel: (31) 70 336 6816; Fax: (31) 70
390 0691; E-Mail: ocean98@unesco.org
Home page: http://www.ocean98.org
workshop was intended to guide participants in the project
development process of the GEF and discuss project concepts
brought forward to the meeting.
For further information, please contact:
UNEP-CAR/RCU, 14-20 Port Royal Street, Kingston, Jamaica;
Tel: (876) 922-9267-9; Fax: (876) 922-9292; E-Mail:
uneprcuja@toj.com

Mysterious new diseases affect coral reefs
According to an article in the New York Times of 19
August 1997, scientists are alarmed by a new disease in corals of
the region which spreads very rapidly across a coral head in a
single day softening its skeleton until is almost dissolved. The
disease exposes a white, crumbling skeleton, easily and often
mistaken for anchor damage or parrotfish bites. It has been
spotted in Aruba, Curacao, Grenada, Mexico, St. John (US
Virgin Islands), Trinidad, Tobago and all over the reefs of
Bonaire, an area spanning 2,000 miles.
More alarming than this rapid spread, is the fact that it
is only one among many mysterious new diseases that have
been discovered attacking corals around the world. In what they
are describing as an epidemic, researchers say that in the last
few years corals, some centuries old, from the Florida Keys
through the Caribbean to places as distant as the Philippines,
are quickly succumbing to diseases never seen before. The
problem seems to occur at all depths and the number of species
and individuals affected are increasing.
Fewer than a dozen of the new diseases even have
names and those with names are still in the process of being
documented. Scientists say they have no certainty why diseases
are exploding on corals now. Some speculate that multiple
stresses, like bleaching, sedimentation and pollution have pushed
corals to the breaking point so that they are now unable to fend
off diseases that they have fought in the past. Most diseases
however, do not seem to correlate with any known environmental
stress and are being spotted in pristine reefs while other more
polluted reefs remain healthy.
A number of scientists have suggested that perhaps
erosion and the dumping of sewage and other wastes into the
sea has brought a whole host of new pathogens in contact with
corals and some are taking hold. While terrestrial pathogens are
not likely to cause underwater attacks, at least one of the newly
emerging diseases, sea fan disease, is caused by an organism
that invaded from land. Discovered just four years ago, this
disease of soft corals is now widespread in the Caribbean and
has been shown to be caused by the highly opportunistic fungus
Aspergillus. Adhering to sediment that has washed into the sea,
the fungi begin to grow when they encounter a sea fan.
Researchers suspect a fungus is behind the rapid
wasting disease and various bacteria are implicated in other
new coral diseases. But for the most part, definite causes
remain unknown. Other inhabitants of the reef are beginning to
come down with diseases. Sponges, coralline algae and sea
urchins area succumbing to new illnesses, further threatening
the health of reef communities.
Coral reef biologists say they are further frustrated by
a lack of money for such quickly unfolding research. Proposals
News Briefs
“1998 – The International Year of the
Ocean”
The United Nations has declared 1998 as the International
Year of the Ocean. In response, a number of activities are
being planned in support of celebrations for the event.
U
NEP will focus in promoting the 1998 Year of the
Oceans through the regional networks of the Action
Plans of the Regional Seas Programmes, which would
also serve as a good forum to disseminate information and
educational materials in support of OCEAN98.
OCEAN98 has been established as a secretariat under
the auspices of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic
Commission (IOC) of UNESCO, in close co-operation with
UNEP (Water Branch), IUCN, WWF, World Bank and others.
It has the objective of creating awareness about the world’s
oceans, seas and coastal environment through information and
education to the public at large and in particular to young
people of all ages, in all corners of the world. OCEAN98 will
enable adults and young people around the world to be more
aware of the importance and the relevance of oceans to life on
our planet and consequently to the very environment we live in.
OCEAN98 seeks to be a highly visible project, known
as the major global force promoting the oceans during 1998.
Throughout this year activities will be accessible internationally
to a broad audience through printed educational materials, school
activities and special events programs as well as through the
Internet, TV and CD-ROM. The involvement of young people is
an essential aspect for the successful implementation of the
project. We need to reach, involve, support and inform them
about the oceans; especially those located in coastal areas and on
small island states. Therefore, we invite you to get involved in
activities and celebrations for the 1998 Year of the Ocean, in
your community or at the national level in your country.
Participating means in this case promoting the OCEAN98
activities on and, in general, disseminating information on the
importance of the world’s oceans.
The Winter 1997 issue of CEPNEWS will have further
information and articles on the IYO.
Of course, there still may be some questions left for
you. If so, please do not hesitate to contact the
6
CEPNEWS, Vol. 12, No.3, Autumn, 1997
to funding agencies and foundations take a year or two for
review which is too late to address emergency science.
Original New York Times article written by: Carol
Kaesuk Yoon.
make requests for pump-out facilities from their marinas,
ports, local officials, and even national officials.


The Wider Caribbean … A Special Place
LAW: Under MARPOL Annex I, it is illegal to dispose
of used oil or oily bilge water by dumping it into the sea.
ON BOARD: Dispose of used oil in a dedicated oily waste
container. Keep oily wastes separate from food and litter.
Install a bilge pillow to remove oil from your boat’s bilge
water before pumping it overboard. You may purchase a
bilge pillow at a local marine supply store.
DOCKSIDE: At your dock, dispose of oil in a separate
container. Take the oil to a local gasoline station.
The 29 countries that border the Wider Caribbean Region
(WCR) depend upon the health of the coastal zone for food,
recreation, and livelihood. Oil, garbage and sewage from
boats pollute these waterways and place one of the world’s
most popular waterbodies and its sensitive marine ecosystems
under great stress – stress that will escalate if the region does
not begin to properly manage its wastes.

T
he WCR is particularly sensitive to these pollutants
because most of the region is surrounded by land and
islands and little flushing with the open ocean
occurs. Unable to wash into the ocean, most of these
pollutants persist within the region and negatively impact the
livelihood, recreation and enjoyment of many.
Without a doubt, mariners are not the only contributors
to pollution in the Caribbean. In fact, vessel-generated waste
makes up a small percentage of the total waste stream. There are,
however, many simple action boaters can take to personally
comply with international law and reduce their impacts on the
regional waterways. The information below offer tips to get you
started:

Other Boat Maintenance Tips:
ON BOARD: Inspect your fuel lines. If you notice dry
areas or cracks, replace them immediately. They could be
leaking fuel and oil!
DOCKSIDE: When cleaning your boat use non-toxic,
environment-friendly products.  Bring batteries to your
hardware store for recycling or find a licensed vendor to
purchase them from you.  When changing your oil, do not
throw oil filters into the sea, bring them to a recycling facility
or dispose of them in a designated oily waste bin.
BOATYARD: Sand and scrape your boat on shore and
away from the water. Place a tarp around your work area to
capture your scrapings.
For further information, please contact:
Centre for Marine Conservation, International Maritime
Organization, 1725 DeSales St., N.W., Washington, D.C., USA.
Solid Waste Handling Tips:
LAW: Under MARPOL Annex V in Special Areas, it is
illegal to dump plastics and other garbage overboard
anywhere, anytime.
ON BOARD: To store your garbage on board, use a
dedicated bag, designate an area or even build a garbage
box. To keep waste from smelling, rinse and store cans,
bottles, boxes and bags with seawater.
DOCKSIDE: Place your garbage in a designated waste bin.
Do not pay vendors to take your garbage, unless they are
under contract with the port or marina. Many illegal vendors
dump it in the bushes or take it to the nearest beach, where
they scavenge it and abandon it.

Oily Waste Handling Tips:
Antiguan Racer may be on the Rebound
The Antiguan Racer (Alsophis antiguae) appears to be
benefiting from the eradication of Black Rats (Rattus rattus) from
its tiny island home located two miles off the north-east coast of
Antigua.
Dr. Jennifer Daltry, a herpetologist working with Fauna
and Flora International, UK, has just completed a six week
follow-up survey of the endemic snake on great Bird Island.
For more information, please contact:
Caribbean Biodiversity Mail List, Island Resources Foundation,
P.O. Box 103, St. John’s, Antigua; Tel: (268) 460-1740; Fax:
(268) 463-7740; Internet: bhorwith@irf.org
Sewage Handling Tips:
LAW: Discharge of sewage from small ships and yachts
may be restricted through local regulations.
ON BOARD: When in marinas, shallow coves, or near
coral reefs, do not discharge your boat’s sewage, (treated or
untreated). To render your Marine Sanitation Device or
marine toilet, inoperable, (unless it discharges into a holding
tank), lock it, wire it, or take the handle off.
DOCKSIDE: Use a pump-out facility for your MSD
whenever possible. It is important that mariners in the WCR

Scientists Explore Little Known DeepWater Coral Reef in the Florida Keys
National Marine Sanctuary
A team of scientists operating from the vessel Tiburon,
out of Key West, were the first researchers to explore a little
7
CEPNEWS, Vol. 12, No.3, Autumn, 1997
known deep-water coral reef with spectacular coral cover during
a recent reconnaissance survey in a remote area west of the Dry
Tortugas islands, announced the Commerce Department’s
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Because of
its location, the reef has been protected from the human-caused
degradation that has affected other reefs in shallower waters of
the Keys.
Scientists from NOAA were joined by scientists from
the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the
Department of Interior’s U.S. Geological Survey, which
sponsored this multi-agency effort. “The corals look like gigantic
mushrooms gone wild,” said Jim Bohnsack of the National
Marine Fisheries Service’s Science Center in Miami. “The
structural complexity of the reef made ideal fish habitat. When
we first descended it appeared that there were hardly any fish
present, but after a few minutes they began popping out from all
parts of the reef.”
The scientific team was surprised by the reef’s size and
the fact that it is densely covered with coral. “The abundance and
cover of coral in this area is as high as any in the Keys, and it
confirms the importance of coral reef habitats in the vicinity of
the Dry Tortugas,” said G.P. Schmahl, manager of the lower
region of the sanctuary and one of the researchers on the trip.
“Due to its location, it has been protected from degradation by
human influences, and it could serve as a control area to compare
to other reefs in the Florida Keys.”
Schmahl pointed out that the reef, which lies in 60 to
100 feet of water, is similar to another coral reef located in the
Gulf of Mexico: the Flower Gardens National Marine Sanctuary
off the coast of Texas. “This is a spectacular, healthy resource of
the sanctuary, and it needs to be studied and protected.”
The reef may have been overlooked in the past because
it appears to be relatively flat on depth sounders and is too deep
to be seen from the surface. The reef was previously known to
only a handful of divers as “Sherwood Forest,” because during
early morning dives the corals are mysterious looking and
reminiscent of a forest canopy. Low light conditions at these
depths causes corals to grow in a unique, flat, plate-like form.
The reef profile is remarkably uniform, which at first gives a false
impression of a flat bottom that is, in fact, five feet above the real
bottom. The subsurface of the reef is a maze of valleys and
intricate caves and tunnels between corals.
“We were only able to conduct a preliminary survey of
the site because of its depth, remoteness, and the fact that the
upper 50 feet of the water column was filled with high densities
of stinging jellyfish. Several divers suffered from painful stings,”
said Bohnsack. “We speculate that the reef is very old and exists
only because of the unique local conditions. Normally clear
water allows sufficient light for coral growth and the depth of the
reef apparently protects it from storms and extreme hot summer
or cold winter surface waters in the Gulf of Mexico.”
The discovery was made as scientists from NOAA’s
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Southeast Fisheries
Science Center and NOAA Corps; the Florida Department of
Environmental Protection’s Florida Marine Research Institute;
and the U.S. Geological Survey’s Biological Resources Division
were mapping and collecting data on coral, sponge and fish
populations from many sites in the Dry Tortugas National Park
and the western Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
For additional information on coral reefs and the
IYOR, see NOAA’s web page at:
http://www.noaa.gov/public-affairs/coral-reef.html

Belize Barrier Reef
Following designation of the Belize Barrier Reef as a
World Heritage Site under the UNESCO World Heritage
Convention, a joint International Year of the Reef (IYOR)/World
Heritage Site committee has been established. Additional IYOR
activities are being planned involving the Coastal Zone
Management Programme and local NGOs.
For more information, please contact:
Janet Gibson, Coastal Zone Management Programme, 8 St.
Mark Street, P.O. Box 1884, Belize City, Belize; Tel: (501) 2
35739; Fax: (501) 2 35738; E-Mail: jgibson@btl.net

New Regional Project – Caribbean: Planning for
Adaptation to Global Climate Change (CPACC)
Funded by a US$6.3 million grant from the Global
Environment Facility (GEF) Trust Fund through the World
Bank, this four-year regional program aims to help Caribbean
countries to cope with the adverse effects of global climate
change, particularly sea level rise, in coastal and marine areas
through vulnerability assessment, adaptation planning and
capacity building. The Organization of American States is the
grant recipient and executing agency while the University of the
West Indies Center for Environment and Development
(UWICED) is the host of the Regional Project Implementation
Unit (RPIU) at the UWI/Cave Hill campus, Barbados. The
official start date of the project was April 11, 1997.
Eleven CARICOM countries that are parties to the UN
Framework Convention on Climate Change are participating in
the project: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize,
Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St.
Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago.
The project has eight components (four are regional):
(1) design and establishment of sea level/climate monitoring
network;
(2) establishment of databases and information systems;
(3) inventory of coastal resources and use;
(4) formulation of a policy framework for integrated coastal
and marine management;
(5) coral reef monitoring for climate change;
(6) coastal vulnerability and risk assessment;
(7) economic valuation of coastal and marine resources;
(8) formulation of economic/regulatory proposals.
Components 1 and 2 are underway. A team comprised of
CPACC consultants and staff from the Caribbean Meteorological
Institute (CMI) is conducting reconnaissance trips, under
8
CEPNEWS, Vol. 12, No.3, Autumn, 1997
component 1, to all participating countries to locate appropriate
sites for the installation of 18 tidal and weather monitoring
gauges. Information from the gauges will be available, on real
time, through the GOES satellite and Internet. The project is also
beginning to design the information system and assessing
Caribbean institutions’ access to Internet. This project is an
important and tangible result of the UN Conference on
Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States
(SIDS) and thus, of the Rio Earth Summit.
For further information, please contact:
Claudio R. Volonte, CPACC Technical Coordinator, Unit of
Sustainable Development and Environment, Organization of
American States, 1889 F St., NW, Washington, DC 20006; Tel:
(1-202) 458-3228; Fax: (1-202) 458-3560; E-Mail:
volonte_claudio@as.org; website: http://www.cpacc.org
Press Release
From the Portland Environment
Protection Association, Port Antonio,
Jamaica, August 1997
As the International Year of the Reef progresses, over
400 persons from the Jamaican parish of Portland (supported by
the local office of the Portland Health Department, leading
scientists and others) have affixed their signatures to an objection
to the construction of a multi-storey ten (10) bedroom duplex to
be built entirely in the sea close to a reef.
In spite of document scientific papers, clearly stating the
negative implications of such a project, it has received approval
from the Kingston-based Town Planning Department, the
Ministry of Health and the Natural Resources Conservation
Authority.
The resort area where the complex is to be built is a
highly sensitive area, already under severe pressure from existing
houses, some of which already encroach on the sea floor and the
sewage – pollution problem is well documented. In addition, the
area has a history of destruction from natural disasters such as
flood rains and hurricanes.
Both local Health Department and community – based
ENGO, the Portland Environment Protection Association, PEPA,
have raised strong objections to the impending construction and
the Portland Parish Council has questioned the project. If the
Council flexes its muscles and the project is aborted, Local
Government officials will have demonstrated a refreshing
maturity and new awareness of the need to sustain the area’s
tourism potential and protect the livelihood of its many
fisherman. If it bows to Central Government, it abdicates its
environmental responsibilities. Caribbean and Latin American
ENGO’s have asked to be kept up to date on the matter.
For more information, please contact:
Portland Environment Protection Association, 6 Allan Avenue,
Port Antonio, Jamaica; Tel./Fax: (876) 993-9632
Editors Note:
The CEPNET/IDB Project Team and
CPACC representative recently held two days of meetings in
Kingston to discuss in detail areas of collaboration and
cooperation between the programmes.

“Does the St. Kitts Bullfinch still exist?”
Kevel Lindsay, Island Resources
Foundation Programme Associate,
reports on an apparent sighting of the
St.
Kitts
Bullfinch
(Loxigilla
portoricensis grandis) a few years ago.
The report comes from St. Kitts’
eminent naturalist, Campbell Evelyn, who has hunted and
traversed the country for over 60 years.
C
ampbell and his wife saw the bird three years ago
while hiking in the forest in stone-fort Ghaut. They
described the bird, which they saw clearly from a
distance of 30-35 feet, as almost entirely black with
red on the top of the head, and on the throat below the chin. It
was larger than its close relative – the Lesser Antillean bullfinch
(Loxigilla noctis) which they said they are quite familiar with.
The St. Kitts bullfinch is considered to be con-specific
with a Puerto Rico subspecies (L. p. portoricensis). At least by
the 1980 edition of birds of the West Indies, Bond believed that
the St. Kitts subspecies had been exterminated.
More information on this story will appear in the
upcoming issue of El Pitirre, the newsletter of the Society for
Caribbean Ornithology. Anyone interested in trying to determine
whether the species has been able to hold on precariously will
find enthusiastic partners at the St. Christopher Heritage Society
in Basseterre.
For further information, please contact:
Island Resources Foundation, P.O. Box 103, St. John’s,
Antigua; Tel: 268-460-1740; Fax: 268-463-7740; E-Mail:
bhorwith@irf.org; website: http://www/irf.org/
Internet Briefs
Resource List for Pesticide
Alternatives
A new website on pesticide alternatives has been launched. It
is located at: http://members.aol.com/homeview2/info/

9
CEPNEWS, Vol. 12, No.3, Autumn, 1997
For further information, please contact:
Jeremy Harrison, World Conservation Monitoring Centre, 219
Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CDB3 0DL, United Kingdom, Tel:
+44 (0) 1223 277314; Fax: +44 (0) 1223 277136; WWW:
http://www.wcmc.org.uk; FTP: ftp.wcmc.org.uk
International Year of the Reef (IYOR) on
the Internet
IYOR World-Wide Web Home Page:
http://www.coral.org/IYOR/
IUCN Marine and Coastal Programme Site includes ICRI and
IYOR information:
http://iucn.org/themes/coast_and_marine.html
Recent Publications
Reef Check 1997 Homepage:
http://www.ust.hk/webrc/reef.html
UNEP Caribbean/Regional Co-ordinating Unit:
http://rolac.unep.mx/cepnews/ing/cepnews.htm
The Law of Caribbean
Marine Pollution
T
he central objective of Caribbean Marine Pollution by
Winston Anderson is to provide a full description and
clarification of the legal framework relating to anticipatory
and remedial measures required to regulate increasing
Caribbean maritime pollution. As such it provides indispensable
legal advice to polluters and law enforcers alike, clarifying the
responsibilities and liabilities of the former and aiding the latter in
policy making and law enforcement.
In order to provide the widest assistance this book looks
at prevention per se, responsibilities and rights during pollution
emergencies, as well as the law governing liability and
compensation. This is done from a global, regional and national
perspective. In addition, special problems arising in the
Caribbean relating to oil spills, land-based sources of pollution
and the movement and management of hazardous wastes, are also
expounded.
The book also provides an overview of UNEP’s
environmental programme in the Wider Caribbean and, in this
regard, it attempts to reference the laws of all the countries in the
region.
For more information, please contact:
Order Department, Kluwer Law International, 675 Massachusetts
Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Tel: (617) 354-0140;
Fax: (617) 354-8595; E-Mail sales@kluwerlaw.com
USA/NOAA’s IYOR Coral Reef Home Page:
WWW.NOAA.GOV/public-affairs/coral-reef.hmtl
IYOR-Germany Homepage in German:
http://www.geologie.uni-stuttgart.de/iyor
Bahamas IYOR calendar:
http://www.bahamasnet.com/IYORbahamas.html
Hawaii: Calendar of events on
http://www.hawaii.gov/dbedt/czm.html
The University of Hawaii’s Sea Grant Program’s web page
covers the IYOR work of the PSA Scientific Committee on
Coral Reefs.

CITES Information Service on the WWW
World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC) is
pleased to launch a new CITES Information Service on the
WWW. This is just the beginning. What you will see at
http://www.wcmc.org.uk/CITES is a prototype designed to show
what can be achieved.
For instance, if you are interested in the species
themselves, go directly to the interactive CITES-listed species
database at http://www.wcmc.org.uk/CITES/english/fauna.htm
(or step through the site instead). Where else on the Internet can
you discover what CITES-listed species occur in a country or find
out when particular species were listed?
Alternatively you can access the Resolutions and
Decisions from past Conferences of the Parties and many other
documents. Where possible this information is provided in each
of the three official languages used by CITES (English, French
and Spanish). The trilingual facility will be expanded as the site
is developed further.
In order to make the site as useful as possible, WCMC
needs to know what YOU would like to see on the site and how
you would like to see it. So please give us feedback on the site
and the chance to cater to your needs. Just click on the word
“comments” at the footer of each page and fill out the form.
Alternatively, you may contact us directly by email.

Awards for Improving the Coastal
Environment: The Example of the Blue
Flag
This book is jointly published by: UNEP Industry and
Environment, the World Tourism Organization and the
Foundation for Environmental Education in Europe, 1997.
The publication was prepared in response to increasing
envionmental pressures from a number of sources, including
tourism, to which the coastal regions of the world are being
subjected. It describes how tourism can be better integrated
with the coastal environment through an award scheme, the
European Blue Flag, that has contributed to the enhancement of
10
CEPNEWS, Vol. 12, No.3, Autumn, 1997
environmental awareness in coastal areas. The publication is
designed for use by government agencies, local authorities, the
tourism industry and NGOs interested in protecting and
improving the coastal environment.
throughout the tropics and subtropics. While exhibiting a
tremendous morphological diversity, palms are mainly found
in the understory of cloud and rain forests, occurring mostly in
tropical Asia and America.
The objectives of this Action Plan are to identify the
most threatened palm species, to present recommendations for
conservation that cater to their specific requirements, and to
provide strategic guidelines for the conservation and sustainable
utilization of the many palms that provide food, construction
materials, and an important source of revenue for many people.
The increasing demands on the world’s natural resources pose a
serious threat to palm biodiversity. The two main threats are
overexploitation and habitat destruction. For example, the use
of rattan palms in furniture making has caused a dramatic
population decline for numerous species, which in turn has had
severe impacts on local and international markets, not to
mention local biodiversity. Species used for edible palm hearts,
timber and giber, and ornamental plants are others whose
populations are in serious decline. This Action Plan identifies
where extraction is sustainable and where, on the contrary, over
exploitation may lead to extinction.
Habitat destruction poses a more permanent and
widespread threat to palms throughout the world, but particularly
in tropical cloud and rain forests. Species whose habitat range is
limited to a small area are most at risk. The situation is
particularly alarming for those species restricted to islands. Of
the 224 Endangered palm species identified in this Action Plan,
141 are restricted to islands (including 69 species from
Madagascar and 19 from Borneo). Eleven of these are
representatives of distinct monotypic genera and therefore are of
special concern. Invasive species pose a distinct threat to
numerous island palms as well.
The Palm Action Plan is intended for use by
conservationists in all sectors of society, including scientists,
policy makers, government officials, educators, planners, and
grant awarding bodies. Scientists are encouraged to use this
Action Plan in direct consultation with policy makers,
government officials, and grant awarding bodies when
developing their research projects. Government officials and
policy makers in turn may use the projects ideas to develop plans
for high-profile (and effective) conservation initiatives. Many of
the projects presented in the Plan have the potential for student
involvement as well.
While members of the Palm Specialist Group will
endeavour to stimulate the implementation of the
recommendations made here, they would encourage readers to
share this Action Plan with others who have an interest in palms
and conservation.
For copies, please contact:
IUCN Publications Services Unit, 219 Huntingdon Road,
Cambridge CB3 0DL, United Kingdom, or in the United States
and Canada from Island Press, Box 7, Covelo, California 95428,
U.S.A.

Environmental Good Practice in Hotels
This publication is published by: UNEP Industry and
Environment, and the International Hotel & Restaurant
Aassociation (IH & RA), 1997. The publication presents 15
case studies selected from the IH & RA on environmental
programmes initiated by independent hotels and international
chains across the globe. Action areas include environmental
policy, design and construction, water, energy, waste,
emissions, purchasing and training of staff.
The publication serves to commend the efforts of
pioneering hoteliers, provide practical examples of what can be
achieved, promote good environmental practice through the
industry and encourage dissemination of information on
environmental management process and technologies.
The above mentioned publications can be ordered
from:
The International Hotel Association, 80 Rue de la Roquette,
75544 Paris, Cedex 11, France; Tel: (33 1) 47 00 84 57; Fax:
(33 1) 47 00 64 55.

Save our Coral Reefs
Ocean Voice and their partner in the Philippines,
Harrison Foundation for Conservation of Natural Resources
produced a 126 page manual, “SAVE OUR CORAL REEFS”,
with about 100 black and white illustrations, for coastal
communities. It tells people in ordinary language what are the
components of coral reefs, how do they work together, what
coral reefs need to stay healthy, what harms them and how you
can conserve or restore them, as well as supplying resource
information for the reader.
A proposal has been developed with partners in Jamaica
and Colombia for a new edition adapted to the needs of the Wider
Caribbean, one in English and one in Spanish.
For more information, contact:
Ocean Voice International, Box 37026, 3332 McCarthy Road,
Ottawa, ON KlV 0W0, Canada; E-mail: URL: http://www.ovi.ca
or ah194@freenet.carleton.ca or Canadian Museum of Nature,
Box 3443, Station D, Ottawa, ON KIP 6P4; Tel: (613) 264-8986;
Fax: (613) 264-9204; E-Mail: mcall@superaje.com

Palms: Their Conservation and Sustained
Utilization
The palm family (Palmae, or more recently
Arecaceae), comprising some 2,200 species, is distributed
Past Events
11
CEPNEWS, Vol. 12, No.3, Autumn, 1997
On show will be an unprecedented array of equipment,
systems, technologies and scientific research services for
application worldwide. Many of the exhibitors will be
using OI98 as a launch pad for new product developments.
OI attracts “floor sales” that run into millions of pounds.
CTO’s Annual Conference on Sustainable
Tourism
In Dominica on 21-24 May 1997, the Caribbean
Tourism Organization (CTO) held its first Conference on
Sustainable Tourism (formerly CTO’s Annual Conference on
Ecotourism). This year’s theme was “Developing a Model
Ecotourism Destination for the Caribbean”.
The Meeting attracted over 150 participants mostly
from the region who represented Governments, the tourism
industry, NGO’s and international agencies.
Particular
emphasis was placed during the conference on the development
of Dominica as an ecotourism destination. Topics addressed
during the meeting included: key issues related to the
development of a model ecotourism destination, new directions
in tourism development and financing ecotourism projects.
Other topics addressed were marketing, including designing
and packaging a high quality ecotourism experience,
stakeholders benefits from ecotourism and related human health
issues. An RCU representative attended the meeting and
presented a general overview of revenue generation options for
protected areas and experiences in the Wider Caribbean. The
importance of coral reefs in terms of tourism attraction and as a
productive but fragile natural resource, very sensitive to
impacts from tourism, sewage and sedimentation was also
highlighted by the RCU representative.
Country representatives shared their experiences on ecotourism
development, including their financing and impact on cultures.
Participants also had an opportunity to experience the beauty of
Dominica’s natural resources through a number of wellorganised ecotours.
As a result of the conference Green Globe of the
World Trade and Tourism Council (WTTC) and the
Government of Dominica are formulating a project to develop
Dominica as the first Green Globe destination for the
Caribbean.
For further information, please contact:
Mr. Jean Holder, Secretary General, Caribbean Tourism
Organization (CTO), Mer Vue, Marine Gardens, Christchurch,
Barbados; Tel: (1-246) 427-5242/5244; Fax: (1-246) 4293065; Telex: (392) 2488 CTRC WB
T
he 1996 event attracted an audience of 4759 professional
trade visitors from 53 countries representing enormous
purchasing power. More than 550 exhibiting companies
took part in the exhibition and there were more than 150
representatives of the world’s press present.
Exhibitors include those companies involved in the
design, manufacture and operation of technologies used in the
exploration and development of ocean resources.
For further information, please contact:
Bob Munton, Spearhead Exhibitions Ltd. Ocean House, 50
Kingston Road, New Malden, Surrey KT3 3LZ, UK; Tel: +44
(0) 181 949 9222; Fax: +44(0) 181 949 8186/8168; E-Mail:
versha@spearhead.co.uk.

4th International Symposium on
Environmental Geotechnology and Global
Sustainable Development, 9-12 August
1998, Boston, MA
Several sessions will cover scientific, engineering and
policy advances in several cross-disciplinary geoenvironmental
issues such as waste utilization, natural hazards, environmental
impact assessment, mining and environment, oil pollution control,
geohydrology, site remediation techniques, site characterization
and monitoring.
Abstract Submission Instructions: Send 3 copies of
1-page abstracts in English (typed, single-spaced) by
November 15, 1997 to: Dr. Vincent Ogunro, Center for
Environ. Engg, Sci. & Tech. (CEEST), University of
Massachusetts, (North Campus, Room E-114), One University
Avenue, Lowell, MA 01854, USA; Tel: (508) 934-3185; Fax:
(508) 934-4014; E-Mail: ogunrov@woods.uml.edu.
Call For Papers
Upcoming CEP Sponsored Events
Oceanology International – The Global Ocean
Exhibition and Conference 10-13 March 1998,
Brighton, U.K.
Workshop on Implementation of the Global Action
Plan in the Caribbean Region, tentatively 3-7
November, 1997, Kingston, Jamaica
Oceanology International is delighted to invite you to take
part in the XV Oceanology International Exhibition &
Conference in Brighton, England, 10-13 March 1998, the
world’s largest marine science and ocean technology event.
For more information, please contact:
12
CEPNEWS, Vol. 12, No.3, Autumn, 1997
GIS/LIS 1997 – Annual Conference and
Exhibition, 28-30 October 1997, Cincinnati, Ohio
UNEP-CAR/RCU, 14-20 Port Royal Street, Kingston, Jamaica;
Tel: (876) 922-9267-9; Fax: (876) 922-9292; E-Mail:
uneprcuja@toj.com
The GIS/LIS Annual Conference and Exposition is a
multidisciplinary educational and scientific meeting. It is
designed to foster intellectual and professional interaction among
individuals and groups interested in the design and use of
Geographic Information Systems. Land Information Systems,
and related specialties and technologies. The GIS/LIS ’97
Steering Committee encourages presentations on basic research
and practical applications of these technologies and on the
standards and integration that promote their use. The conference
welcomes domestic and overseas participants from educational
institutions, government, and industry.
For more information, please contact:
GIS/LIS ’97 Registrar, 5410 Grosvenor Lane, Ste. 100, Bethesda,
MD 20814-2122, U.S.A.; Tel: (301) 493-0200; Fax: (301) 4938245; E-Mail: gislis@aag.org
Conference to develop a Marine Protected Area
Network in the WCR, 2-4 December 1997, Miami,
Florida
For more information, please contact:
UNEP-CAR/RCU, 14-20 Port Royal Street, Kingston, Jamaica;
Tel: (876) 922-9267-9; Fax: (876) 922-9292; E-Mail:
uneprcuja@toj.com
Negotiating Land-Based Sources of Marine
Pollution (LBSMP), tentatively February-March
1998, Kingston
For more information, please contact:
UNEP-CAR/RCU, 14-20 Port Royal Street, Kingston, Jamaica;
Phone: (1-876) 922-9267 to 9; Fax: (1-876) 922-9292; E-Mail:
uneprcuja@toj.com.
“Facilitating
and
Mediating
Effective
Environmental Agreements”, 5-7 November 1997
at the Clark Kerr Campus at the University of
California, Berkeley
Regional Global Programme of Action for the
Protection of the Marine Environment form LandBased Activities (GPA) Workshop, tentatively May
1998, Kingston
The course tracks the steps in a structured negotiation process.
Each participant will get at least two opportunities to work as a
facilitator or mediator in simulated negotiations. Course format
includes short lectures, simulations, panel presentations, and
discussion. Cost for the course is $795. Included are a
coursebook, catered lunches, a course dinner, refreshments, and
guaranteed parking. Enrollment is limited to 28 persons.
For more information, please contact:
CONCUR; Tel: 510-649-8008; Fax: 510-649-1980; E-Mail:
concur@igc.apc.org
For more information, please contact:
UNEP-CAR/RCU, 14-20 Port Royal Street, Kingston, Jamaica;
Phone: (1-876) 922-9267 to 9; Fax: (1-876) 922-9292; E-Mail:
uneprcuja@toj.com
Other Upcoming Events of Interest
The Caribbean Conference on GIS, 5-7 November
1997, Trinidad
VII Course on Biology and Conservation of
Marine Turtles, October 1997
GIS and related workshops are available in the days before
the conference
For more information, please contact:
Dr. Jacob Opadeyi, University , St. Augustine, Trinidad, W.I.;
Tel: (1-876) 662-2002; Fax: (1-876) 662-4414.
For more information, please contact:
Lic. Hedelvy guada, Apdo. 50 789 Caracas 1050-A, Venezuela;
Fax: (582) 762-8485; E-Mail: 95-79050@usb.ve
“Taking Action for Coral Reefs” A Working
Conference, 6-8 November 1997, San Juan, Puerto
Rico
Seamoss and Irish Moss Production in the West
Indies, 20-22 October 1997, Antigua.
The workshop is being organized by CANARI in collaboration
with the Environmental Awareness Group (EAG) of Antigua. It
will cover the practical aspects of cultivation, processing and
marketing, and will focus on recent developments with species of
Gracilaria and Eucheuma.
For further information and application forms, please
contact:
CANARI at P.O. Box VF 383, Vieux fort, St. Lucia; Fax: (758)
454 5188; E-mail: canari@isis.org.lc or EAG at P.O. Box 103,
St. John’s, Antigua; Fax: (268) 463-2668; E-Mail:
eag@candw.ag
Conference Agenda: Status of the Coral Reefs of Puerto Rico
and the USVI; Water Quality/Fisheries/Oil Spills; Education and
Outreach/Legislative
Strategies;
Implementation
and
Enforcement of Pilot Projects; Site Visits to Selected Reefs.
For conference information, please contact:
Laura Cotte, Emmanuelli, UPR Sea Grant College Program
UPR-RUM P.O. Box 9011; Mayaguez, PR 00681-9011; Tel:
(787)
834-4726;
Fax:
(787)
265-2880;
E-Mail:
l_cotte@rumac.upr.clu.edu
13
CEPNEWS, Vol. 12, No.3, Autumn, 1997
21st Conference on the Caribbean and Latin
America, 7-11 December 1997, Hyatt Regency
Hotel, Washington, D.C., U.S.A.
At the historic 1994 Summit of the Americas in Miami, the
Governments of the Western Hemisphere for the first time tied
economic development to strong, competitive private-sectorbased economies. Since then, the Hemisphere has become a new
place for business in at least four ways:
 Business Opportunities Multiply as Privatization,
Liberalization Advance;
 FTAA Process Uniquely Open to Business Input;
 New urgency for Caribbean Basin Concerns;
 Information Technology is Revolutionizing Business
For more information, contact:
1818N Street, N.W., Suite 310, Washington, D.C. 20036; Tel:
(202) 466-7464; Fax: (202) 822-0075; FaxBackR (202) 7769010 (from your fax machine); Homepage: www.claa.org
Oceanology International 98 – The Global Ocean –
Exhibition and Conference, 10-13 March 1998,
Brighton, U.K.
For more information, please contact:
Spearhead Exhibitions Ltd., Ocean House, 50 Kingston Road,
New Malden, Surrey KT3 3LZ; Tel: (+44(0) 181 949 9222; Fax:
(+44(0) 181 949 8186/8168; E-Mail: versha@spearhead.co.uk.
Twenty-Third Annual Conference of the
Caribbean Studies Association (CSA) – Forging
into the 21st Century – Culture, Governance, and
the Environment in the Caribbean, 26-30 May
1998, Multi-Purpose Center, St. John’s, Antigua
For more information, please contact:
Dr. Ivelaw L. Griffith, CSA ’98 Program Chair, Grisell V.
Sotolongo, Public Affairs Manager, Latin American and
Caribbean Center, DM 353, Florida International University,
Miami, FL 33199, U.S.A; Tel: (305) 348-2894; Fax: (305) 3483593;
E-Mail: csa98@fiu.edu
Website: http://www.fiu.edu/lacc/csa98

NOTICE TO READERS
We welcome your inputs to CEPNEWS on activities that are
relevant to CEP. CEPNEWS is published four times yearly.
Articles for the next issue must be submitted by November
15, 1997
4th International Symposium on Environmental
Geotechnology
and
Global
Sustainable
Development, 9-12 August 1998, Boston, MA,
U.S.A.
For more information, please contact: Hilary I. Inyang,
Conference Chairperson, University of Massachusetts, One
University Avenue, MA 01854, USA; Tel: (508) 934-2285; Fax:
(508) 934-3092;E-Mail: inyangh@woods.uml.edu
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
14