CaMPAM: Caribbean Marine Protected Areas Management Network and Forum
Building Regional Capacity for Marine Protected Area Management
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are increasingly recognized across the Caribbean as important tools for conserving marine biodiversity, addressing overfishing impacts, decrease user conflicts, and provide sustainable economic opportunities for local communities. Over the years, this growing network of MPAs has provided valuable knowledge on site selection, design, management strategies, outreach approaches, and evaluation methods.
However, knowledge sharing remains a challenge in the region due to various geographic, socioeconomic, and cultural differences. At the same time, the continuous turnover of marine managers requires a permanent training programme. CaMPAM, together with other academic, governmental, and private organizations in the region, contributes to the goal of supporting the professional development of marine protected area practitioners.
For more information about CaMPAM’s previous programmes, please visit this page.
About CaMPAM
Established in 1997, under the SPAW Protocol of the Cartagena Convention, CaMPAM has become an important network for marine conservation practitioners in the Wider Caribbean Region (WCR). Supported by governments, projects, private foundations, and individual experts, CaMPAM brings together researchers, MPA managers, administrators, educators, and stakeholders from both the public and private sectors.
The initiative, coordinated by UNEP CEP, promotes collaboration and the exchange of ideas through a variety of mechanisms, including workshops, training sessions, small projects, and communication tools. UNEP CEP and the SPAW Protocol provide the resources to support CaMPAM, thanks funding from private foundations, non-governmental organizations, international and intergovernmental organizations, as well as government agencies from Belize, Spain, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and United States, and others. Additionally, private professionals contribute pro bono, offering advice, lectures, presentations, and other resources.
Current Programmes
CaMPAM delivers a range of programmes to strengthen the management of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) by facilitating knowledge exchange between researchers, professionals and key stakeholders across the Wider Caribbean Region.
Communication and Outreach
Effective communication is at the core of the CaMPAM mission. The network provides tool and platforms to keep members informed and ensure effective knowledge exchange.
Through an email list and forum, CaMPAM disseminates relevant updates to MPA practitioners and scientists, including grant and job opportunities, conference announcements, webinars, new publications, requests for proposals, and research findings. The network also shares messages from other relevant regional and international sources, such as GLISPA Discuss, Caribbean Assessment, IRF News, CEO-GEO, WCPA North America and Caribbean, CANARI, GCFI, UWI-CERMES, and many others. All communications are archived and readily accessible to subscribers.
In addition, CaMPAM coordinates and sponsors workshops and sessions at the Annual Meetings of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI), where fishers, MPA managers, and researchers can discuss emerging issues, present their work, and stay informed about the latest developments in marine science. The Third Meeting of the MPA Networks of the WCR took place on 28 October 2025 in Cartagena, Colombia, alongside the 78th Annual Meeting of the GCFI.
Training of Trainers
The Training of Trainers (ToT) is an important capacity-building initiative organised by the CaMPAM network. The programme involves eight comprehensive modules available in English, Spanish, and French, covering MPA planning, stakeholder participation, management, research, monitoring, regional policy, and communication and teaching skills. Interactive sessions, field visits, and expert-led lectures provided participants with theoretical knowledge and practical skills to apply in their national contexts.
Participants selected for the programme are required to implement follow-up activities in their home countries, putting into action the skills and knowledge gained from the training. Since its launch in 1999, the ToT initiative has trained over 240 MPA managers and marine officers in English, Spanish and French and reached more than 1,600 stakeholders through more than 100 small grants follow up activities.
For more information on the Training of Trainers programme, please visit this page.
Small Grants Fund
The Small Grants Fund aims to promote sustainable MPA and fisheries practices as well as alternative livelihoods for coastal communities. Supported by the SPAW Sub-programme and its Regional Activity Centre (SPAW-RAC), the Small Grants have previously been funded by several foundations and institutions, including the governments of Italy, France, Germany, and Sweden, and, more recently, ACP MEA III, PROCARIBE+, and BE-CLME+.
An important feature of the Small Grants Fund is its capacity to enable exchanges between countries, MPA sites, and communities, allowing resource managers and marine users in the WCR to share lessons learnt and best practices. For example, from 2010 to 2012, the programme focused on Insular Caribbean countries participating in the “Caribbean Challenge”, supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 2013 to 2018, SPAW and its Regional Activity Center coordinated a Small Grant Programme under the ECMMAM initiative, led by The Nature Conservancy.
Other grants have support initiatives such as empowering park rangers for improved MPA management in Belize and delivering financial literacy workshops for fisherfolk and their families in Jamaica. These projects were designed with inclusivity targets, aiming to involve at least 30% women, 10% youth, and 10% indigenous or vulnerable groups.
For more information on previous Small Grants Fund projects, please visit this page.
