Report from GCFI on marine litter projects implemented as part of the marine litter node

This document summarizes a series of pilot projects led by the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI) in collaboration with UNEP’s Regional Coordinating Unit for the Caribbean, as presented at the Third Meeting of the Contracting Parties (COP) to the Protocol Concerning Pollution from Land-Based Sources and Activities (LBS Protocol) in the Wider Caribbean Region, held in Cayenne, French Guiana from 15–17 March 2017. The document details innovative efforts to reduce marine litter, including strategies piloted during Trinidad and Tobago’s Carnival; studies analyzing microplastic contamination in fish in Grenada; and investigations into the links between marine litter and mosquito-borne diseases, including Zika. The document, presented at the COP, includes implementation plans, methodologies, and stakeholder engagement strategies associated with these projects. It also proposes methodologies for economic impact assessments and includes a review of regional initiatives, emphasizing the importance of integrating lessons learned into broader policies.