Biodiversity and Ecosystems Management

UNCTAD defines “BioTrade” as “…the activities of collection/production, transformation and commercialisation of goods and services derived from native nbiodiversity under criteria of environmental, social and economic sustainability”. Based on best practices, lessons learned and the successes of BioTrade’s 26 years of implementation in nearly 100 countries, and building on international mandates
and agreements on the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean and its resources, the emerging concept of Blue BioTrade has considerable potential to promote sustainability and equity in the production of marine-based goods and services, subject to the following minimum eligibility requirements

The queen conch (Strombus gigas) or “lambi” is a large marine shellfish renowned as one of the Caribbean’s most iconic and valuable fishery resources strongly linked to the region’s culture and economy. As a result of uncontrolled harvesting and illegal landings, the queen conch was listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1992, which means that its international trade is regulated to ensure it is legal, sustainable, and traceable.

The Eastern Caribbean States acknowledge that achieving sustainable trade of queen conch at the value chain level can promote environmental, social, and economic development in the region, as well as lay the foundations for best practices in other ocean economy value chains.

The member countries of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), like many other small states around the world, face many challenges to their sustainable advancement including the buffeting effects of climate change, diminishing flows of international aid and concessional development financing, rising unemployment, sluggish economic growth, unsustainable debt, ageing infrastructure and now debilitating pandemics such as Covid-19. The urgent need for new, and relevant, sustainable development strategies that build resilience and rest on a ‘triple bottom line of economic prosperity, social inclusiveness and environmental sustainability has been acknowledged by all the OECS Member States, either collectively through the various OECS Councils1 or in public policy pronouncements by individual leaders2.