Enforcement Strategies

Legal, Regulatory & Policy Reform strengthens the laws and regulations that underpin wildlife enforcement in the Caribbean. Activities include conducting legal assessments to identify gaps and inconsistencies, implementing reforms to improve protection and enforcement mandates, strengthening judicial capacity through training and resources, developing a wildlife court monitoring system, and establishing specialised wildlife crime courts. Additional actions focus on aligning national laws with international agreements such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and the Convention on Biological Diversity, ensuring legal frameworks meet global standards for combating wildlife crime.

In the CAR-WEN Strategic Plan, Legal, Regulatory & Policy Reform is detailed as a core operations strategy designed to create a robust and harmonised legal environment that deters wildlife crime and supports effective wildlife enforcement. It incorporates coordinated legal reform planning, legislative advocacy, capacity-building for prosecutors and judges, the introduction of court monitoring systems, and the creation of specialised judicial units for wildlife cases. These efforts are intended to improve legal clarity, promote consistency across jurisdictions, and ensure enforcement agencies and the judiciary have the tools they need to secure stronger legal outcomes.

Looking ahead, comprehensive legal reform will be essential for closing loopholes, increasing penalties, and ensuring consistent enforcement of wildlife laws across the region. Stronger, better-aligned legal frameworks will make it harder for offenders to exploit gaps between jurisdictions and will improve cooperation in cross-border cases. Sustained investment in legislative development, judicial training, and treaty alignment will help the Caribbean present a united and credible legal front against wildlife crime.