Because of the decades-old U.S. economic embargo of Cuba, scientific collaboration between U.S. and Cuban scientists has been exceedingly difficult. Even though research is a permitted activity and U.S. scientists are allowed to travel to Cuba, the harsh logistical and political realities have prevented all but a few U.S. institutions from successful collaborative projects in Cuba.
The Cuba Marine Research and Conservation Program has been based at The Ocean Foundation (TOF) since 2008 and is built on more than 12 years of work in Cuba by TOF Senior Fellow, Dr. David E. Guggenheim, who directs the program, and TOF Research Associate, Fernando Bretos. The program is a regional effort to study and conserve the shared marine resources of the Gulf of Mexico and Western Caribbean.
TOF-Cuba-Marine-Research-and-Conservation-Program.pdf
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Photo: Abel Valdivia
At the core of the Program’s mission is to establish sustained collaboration between Cuba and the United States to:
- ensure enduring, locally-supported marine research and conservation programs in Cuba.
- contribute to major advances in the scientific understanding of Cuba’s natural resources.
- achieve meaningful, long-lasting conservation for Cuba’s marine ecosystems and shared ecosystems of the Gulf of Mexico.
- forge long-term collaborative relationships with our Cuban colleagues.
- help train the next generation of Cuban marine scientists.
The Program builds upon a strong foundation of scientific research, which accounts for the majority of our budget. Research not only serves the purpose of advancing science and informing conservation policy efforts, but also helps forge strong,
long-term collaborative relationships and credibility, facilitating efforts in the policy arena. Further, collaborative scientific research is a long-supported activity by both the Cuban and U.S. governments, presenting fewer political hurdles for licensing, approvals and permits.
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The Cuba Marine Research and Conservation Program is comprised of four major projects:
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Training the Next Generation of Marine Scientists: Our joint research is serving as the basis of Master's and Doctoral research for dozens of students at University of Havana's Center for Marine Research, the only institution in Cuba where marine scientists are accredited
Proyecto Costa Noroccidental (Project of the Northwestern Coast): A flagship project of the Cuba Marine Research and Conservation Program has been Proyecto Costa Noroccidental (Project of the Northwestern Coast), a comprehensive multi-year research and scientific exchange program for Cuba’s Gulf of Mexico coast. Initiated in conjunction with the Centro de Investigaciones Marinas (CIM) [Center for Marine Research] of the University of Havana in 2003, the Proyecto Costa Noroccidental exemplifies the level of collaboration possible when long-term relationships are forged.The project assesses Cuba’s Gulf of Mexico marine resources, identifying and describing the principal human uses and threats, provides recommendations for the conservation of the region’s ecosystems particularly coral reefs, fish and sea turtles, and establishing a framework for long term collaboration between the United States, Cuba and Mexico that addresses important cross-boundary marine environmental issues. This work is helping support the Master’s and Doctoral theses of dozens of students at CIM, the only institution in Cuba where marine scientists are accredited.
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Coral reefs are healthy and abundant in Cuba, like this Elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) which has declined by 95% elsewhere in the Caribbean (Photo: David E. Guggenheim)
Proyecto Jardines de la Reina (Project: Gardens of the Queen): Building on the success of Proyecto Costa Noroccidental, TOF has recently begun working with partners in the Jardines de la Reina Archipelago, one of the largest no-take marine protected areas in the Caribbean, to focus on research, management and economic issues related to what are considered the most healthy and extensive coral reefs in the Caribbean region.We are working closely with the Cuban Center for the Study of Coastal Ecosystems (Centro de Investigaciones de Ecosistemas Costeros, CIEC) and CIM to better study the natural resources of the region while also assessing their economic and social value. Proyecto Jardines de la Reina (Project: Gardens of the Queen) is a comprehensive, aggressive and forward-looking program to research and protect the unique and pristine ecosystems of Jardines de la Reina, ensure that these protections will endure in perpetuity, serve as a compelling model for marine protected areas (MPAs) worldwide, dramatically advance human understanding of how healthy coral reef ecosystems function, and yield critical insights to inform management decisions for protecting coral reefs globally.
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The first major expedition to Jardines de la Reina was completed during the summer of 2011 and our efforts are featured on the CBS news magazine show, 60 Minutes |
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The Ocean Foundation’s Fernando Bretos (center) chats with Cuban fishermen on board an outgoing fishing vessel at Bahia Grande, near Cocodrilo on the Isle of Youth
Sea Turtle Research and Conservation Project: TOF collaborates with CIM on a major green turtle (Chelonia mydas) sea turtle monitoring project at Guanahacabibes National Park and Biosphere Reserve, located on the western tip of Cuba, built on a collaboration established in 1999. The joint team is now in its 14th year monitoring nesting females at seven beaches along the Guanahacabibes Peninsula. In Cuba’s Isle of Youth, we are working with fishermen to develop alternatives to targeting sea turtle, which was a common practice in the community of Cocodrilo until 2008. A trinational fisherman’s exchange between Mexican and Cuban fishermen took place at the Isle of Youth in April 2009, which focused on community involvement and sea turtles. In conjunction with Mexican partner, Grupo Tortuguero, the first of what will become an annual event – a sea turtle festival – took place from November 18-19, 2011 in Cocodrilo. The event featured educational workshops for adults and children, a forum for local fishermen to express their inherent points of view about harvesting sea turtle and music and poetry about marine conservation by local artists.
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Representatives from Cuba, Mexico and the U.S. convened in Sarasota, Florida for the fourth meeting of the Trinational Initiative
Trinational Initiative: The Ocean Foundation has helped to create, lead and coordinate a major new tri-national effort, the Trinational Initiative for Marine Science and Conservation in the Gulf of Mexico and Western Caribbean (www.TrinationalInitiative.org) that is successfully elevating collaboration in marine science and conservation among Cuba, Mexico and the United States. The level of support from participants in all three countries has been exceptional. Building on momentum of this strong collaboration provides a unique opportunity at a critical juncture for Cuba to establish protections before the inevitable changes in U.S. travel restrictions result in an enormous wave of tourism, resulting in dramatically increased visitation, boat traffic, fishing and coastal development.
TOF-Cuba-Marine-Research-and-Conservation-Program.pdf
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