Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles (IAC)

A unique inter-governmental treaty that provides the legal framework for countries in the Americas to take actions in favor of sea turtles

Addresses the need to implement harmonized measures among nations, coordinate multilateral conservation and protection actions, and oversee the implementation of a regional agenda for the recovery of the 6 species found in our waters.

Objective

To promote the protection, conservation and recovery of sea turtle populations and those habitats on which they depend, on the basis of the best available data and taking into consideration the environmental, socioeconomic and cultural characteristics of the Parties.

These actions cover both nesting beaches and the Parties’ territorial waters.

15 countries are currently parties to IAC

Increased membershipTwo new members joined the family•Chile 2010•Argentina 2011

View 2013: Continue outreach with Dominican Republic and Colombia

Two Memorandum of Understanding recently signed•Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC)•Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

View for 2013: •Activities under MOUs•Negotiate MOU with ICCAT and ACAP (Agreement albatross and petrels)

Cooperation with Intergovernmental Organizations

Activities 2011-2012

Technical Documents and Guides

• IAC Manual on Management Techniques for Sea Turtle Conservation at Nesting Beaches

• Eastern Pacific Leatherbacks: conservation status, challenges, opportunities for conservation

• Conservation status and habitat use of sea turtles in the Eastern Pacific- Collaboration with IATTC –MOU

• Data collection forms for sea turtle interactions with gillnets• Guidelines to design sea turtle action/management plans

Documents available on IAC web site: www.iacseaturtle.org

OutreachCelebration of World Sea Turtle Day –June 16th

Promoting responsible fishing practices among fisherman•Training in best practices for safe handling of turtles•Raise awareness of the critical situation of the Eastern Pacific Leatherback among countries in their range of distribution: Mexico, Costa Rica, Peru, Chile.

Picture Pro-delphinius

Promote data collection of sea turtles interaction with Gillnets

•Standardized data collection forms to be used by IAC parties to characterize what types of gillnets have the most interactions in order to propose mitigation techniques

Work in partnership with NGO’s /ONGs

• Partnership with WWF to assist the implementation of the IAC Resolution on the impact of climate change on sea turtles.

• Members of the IAC Consultative Committee of Experts: Partnerships with Oceanic Society, Sea Turtle Conservancy, Defenders of Wildlife, The Humane Society International , WWF, WIDECAST and more.

Consultative Committee

IAC Conference of Parties

Recommendations

Collaboration with WHMSI• Whmsi has been very effective as a multinational forum

connecting migratory species stakeholders to promote jointed actions.

• Whmsi has helped in strengthening cooperation and connections among International Conventions that has lead to signing MOUs enabling us to joint efforts and optimize resources .

• Whmsi has provided opportunities to establish communication with government officials from IAC non-member countries that has lead to increased interest of new countries to join the Convention.

• Whmsi can be a very good mechanism to assist countries in fulfilling their obligations and commitments under the international conventions .