A working group at the 8th Trinational Initiative workshop in Merida in 2018.
The Trinational Initiative for Marine Science and Conservation in the Gulf of Mexico and Western Caribbean led by CariMar focuses on elevating collaboration in marine science and conservation among Cuba, Mexico and the United States. It has become especially important to study these areas with a regional perspective in order to understand biological linkages and inform sound conservation policies at a regional level.
On 1-2 November 2007, a group of 15 Cubans and 15 Americans were brought together in Cancún, México in a historic meeting co-organized by The Ocean Foundation and the Washington, DC-based Center for International Policy. Covered by the New York Times, the meeting brought together high level scientists and decision makers from Cuba and the United States for the first time to agree on marine research and conservation priorities. Participants worked to develop a regional plan of action designed to preserve and protect our surrounding and shared waters and marine habitats. The Cancún meeting established the framework for the plan of action by recognizing the following six priorities in research and conservation, with working groups established for each: coral reefs, sharks and rays, sea turtles, marine mammals, fisheries, and marine protected areas (MPAs). New research priorities are evaluated at each workshop and added according to a consensus from participants.
Following the 2007 Cancún meeting, Mexico was included as a full partner. Subsequent meetings held in Veracruz, Mexico (March 2009), Havana (October 2009) and Sarasota, Florida (September 2010) resulted in the full development of the Plan of Action, finalized in August 2012 by CariMar. The Plan serves as a blueprint for trinational collaboration over the coming years. Building on the momentum of this strong partnership provides a unique opportunity to advance marine science and conservation regionally, despite the lack of diplomatic ties between two key countries.
A fifth workshop took place in 2012 in Havana, Cuba, the sixth in 2013 in Corpus Christi, Texas, the seventh in 2015 in Havana and the eighth in 2018 in Merida, Mexico. Read the 2018 workshop report here.
On 1-2 November 2007, a group of 15 Cubans and 15 Americans were brought together in Cancún, México in a historic meeting co-organized by The Ocean Foundation and the Washington, DC-based Center for International Policy. Covered by the New York Times, the meeting brought together high level scientists and decision makers from Cuba and the United States for the first time to agree on marine research and conservation priorities. Participants worked to develop a regional plan of action designed to preserve and protect our surrounding and shared waters and marine habitats. The Cancún meeting established the framework for the plan of action by recognizing the following six priorities in research and conservation, with working groups established for each: coral reefs, sharks and rays, sea turtles, marine mammals, fisheries, and marine protected areas (MPAs). New research priorities are evaluated at each workshop and added according to a consensus from participants.
Following the 2007 Cancún meeting, Mexico was included as a full partner. Subsequent meetings held in Veracruz, Mexico (March 2009), Havana (October 2009) and Sarasota, Florida (September 2010) resulted in the full development of the Plan of Action, finalized in August 2012 by CariMar. The Plan serves as a blueprint for trinational collaboration over the coming years. Building on the momentum of this strong partnership provides a unique opportunity to advance marine science and conservation regionally, despite the lack of diplomatic ties between two key countries.
A fifth workshop took place in 2012 in Havana, Cuba, the sixth in 2013 in Corpus Christi, Texas, the seventh in 2015 in Havana and the eighth in 2018 in Merida, Mexico. Read the 2018 workshop report here.
“The Trinational serves as an inspiration of regional collaboration within the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico that can be extrapolated to other regions.” -Trinational Participant