AMP: regional cooperation moves forward

Improving the management of Protected Marine Areas (AMP) by reinforcing regional cooperation is a strong desire for the TE ME UM (Ultra Marine Lands and Seas) networks, the Agency for Protected Marine Areas and CaMPAM, which had invited the managers of the AMP for the Northern Lesser Antilles to participate in a technical workshop for natural sites. This workshop was organized in Saint Claude in Guadeloupe from December 12-16, 2011, and based on the idea of technical collaboration.
The Réserve Naturelle of Saint-Martin was there, as well as the Regional Natural Park of Martinique, DEAL in Martinique and Guadeloupe, the National Park of Guadeloupe, the Réserve Naturelle of Petite-Terre, the Réserve Naturelle of Saint Barth, the Marine Park of Saint-Eustatia and the Marine Park of Sint Maarten.
A member of the Haitian environmental ministry and a member of an environmental association represented Haiti, a nation that is concerned about the decline of marine fauna in its waters and would like to establish an AMP in a fishing zone.
This workshop encouraged fruitful exchanges between the 20 managers and the others present, especially on the art and technique of managing an AMP, how to conduct a negotiation, or interactive management with those who use an AMP, or how to lead an inquiry about the perception of an AMP.
The Agency for Protected Marine Areas accented the marine mammal sanctuary in the French Antilles (AGOA) and the CAR-SPAW (Center of Regional Activities For Specially Protected Area and Species), which works for the protection and the promotion of Caribbean marine milieus, made a presentation.
TE ME UM presented the financing that all managers of natural ultramarine zones should have for training, and the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance, based in Bonaire, spoke of the monies it has dedicated to AMPs in the Caribbean and presented certain of its already completed projects. The CaMPAM, whose mission is to support the creation and management of AMPs in the Caribbean and whose network comprises at least 200 of these areas, also shared its experiences.

The workshop concluded with a fieldtrip to the Islets Pigeon, for a session of whale watching, opening the door to a discussion of the activities practiced by private companies, interactions with fishermen, and the AGOA sanctuary.