News item | 07-10-2023 | 16:36
Minister Van der Wal for Nature and Nitrogen has signed a Memorandum of Understanding on behalf of the Netherlands about an Ocean Coordination Mechanism.
The Oceans Coordination Mechanism aims to strengthen cooperation between countries, territories and organizations in the Caribbean region for the benefit of healthy marine and coastal ecosystems.
Marine biodiversity in the Caribbean Sea is part of one system, the Caribbean Large Marine Ecosystem. Protection and management of marine biodiversity in the Caribbean region and the implementation of international objectives require a regional, coherent and coordinated approach. After all, underwater life does not stop at borders. The Oceans Coordination Mechanism will ensure this, an overarching platform to which all relevant countries and intergovernmental organizations will be connected.
The Oceans Coordination Mechanism was opened for signature during the international conference in Aruba on the protection of biodiversity in the Caribbean region. The Netherlands is the first country to sign this agreement. It is expected that more than 30 parties will sign the Memorandum. The mechanism will enter into force after 17 signatures.
The cooperation between the countries, areas and organizations concerns the following areas:
- Protecting and sustainable use of marine and coastal habitats and strengthening nature’s resilience to climate change and natural disasters;
- Sustainable marine and coastal fishing;
- Combating pollution of the marine environment from sources and activities on land and in the sea.
The habitat around Bonaire is part of the second richest Caribbean ‘hotspot’ of marine biodiversity. There is a lot of unique biodiversity around Saba and Sint Eustatius, including on the Saba Bank. The main threats to this habitat are pollution, overfishing, disturbance, noise pollution and climate change.
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