[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book I)]
[April 20, 1993]
[Pages 466-467]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Message to the Senate Transmitting the Protocol to the Caribbean 
Environmental Convention
April 20, 1993

To the Senate of the United States:
    I transmit herewith, for the advice and consent of the Senate to 
ratification, the Protocol Concerning Specially Protected Areas and 
Wildlife to the Convention for the Protection and Development of the 
Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region, done at Kingston on 
January 18, 1990. Included for the information of the Senate is a 
Proces-verbal of Rectification correcting technical errors in the 
English and Spanish language texts. I also transmit, for the information 
of the Senate, the Annexes to the Protocol which were adopted at 
Kingston June 11, 1991, and the report of the Department of State with 
respect to the Protocol.
    The Protocol elaborates and builds on the general obligation in the 
Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment 
of the Wider Caribbean Region, which calls for parties to establish 
specially protected areas in order to protect and preserve rare or 
fragile ecosystems, as well as the habitats of threatened or endangered 
species of fauna and flora. Species of plants and animals that the 
parties believe require international cooperation to provide adequate 
protection are listed in three Annexes developed in implementation of 
the Protocol. The initial version of the Annexes was adopted in 1991. 
Annexes I and II list species of special concern, including endan-


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gered and threatened species, subspecies, and their populations of 
plants (Annex I) and animals (Annex II). Species included in these 
Annexes are to receive protection within the geographic area of the 
Protocol comparable to that for species listed as endangered or 
threatened under the Endangered Species Act, or protected under the 
Marine Mammal Protection Act. Annex III lists plants and animals 
requiring some management, but not necessarily full protection.
    The Protocol is considered a major step forward in protecting 
wildlife and habitats of special concern in the Caribbean. Early 
ratification will demonstrate our continued commitment to the goal of 
sound regional environmental management and protection. I recommend that 
the Senate give early and favorable consideration to the Protocol and 
give its advice and consent to ratification, subject to the 
understanding and reservations described in the accompanying report of 
the Secretary of State.

                                                      William J. Clinton

The White House,
April 20, 1993.