In line with these political decisions, the first meeting of the newly established TAC Ocean Decade Task Force took place on Friday, November 17, 2023. The meeting was facilitated by Dr. Lorna Veronica Inniss, Regional Coordinator of IOCARIBE. During this meeting, Julian Barbière, who leads the work of the Ocean Decade at the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), provided an overview of the role of the IOC, the Ocean Decade, and the creation of the Ocean Decade Task Force. He emphasized the representation of multiple stakeholders and the importance of co-design to address challenges such as pollution, disaster risk management, biodiversity loss, and climate change.

The list of members of the Ocean Decade Task Force in the TAC region:

To update on the status of Decade activities, Alison Clausen presented background information oo the Ocean Decade, its structure, challenges, and achievements to date. She also emphasized the importance of regional participation, national coordination, and the current call for actions of the Ocean Decade with a focus on the Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Clausen underscored the need for a robust engagement and outreach strategy, as well as supporting the development of programs and projects within the framework of the co-design of the Ocean Decade.

Some proposals were discussed, as follows:

• Under 136.2 – Proposal to build capacity of indigenous communities in Caribbean SIDS to understand and support Ocean Science: This proposal aims to build the capacity of indigenous communities in the Caribbean's Small Island Developing States to ensure their inclusion in ocean science and decision making. Also, it is proposed to gather traditional and local knowledge supporting the expansion of ocean science in the region.

• Under 137.2 – Ocean Literacy for the Fisheries and Tourism Sectors in Caribbean SIDS, including expansion of the UNESCO Blue Schools Program: This proposal is to initiate ocean literacy programs focused specifically on the fisheries and tourism sectors in the Caribbean's Small Island Developing States, and would include expanding a "Blue School" program in the region.

• Under 138.2 and 135.2 – Enhance technology transfer and capacity in Caribbean SIDS to contribute to ocean observing networks:Consideration is being given to improving technology transfer and capacity in the Caribbean's Small Island Developing States to contribute to ocean observing networks. This is framed within the construction of a regional ocean observation system.

• Under 134.2 – Towards the development of a Caribbean SIDS Pollutants Observatory: Work is underway in developing a Pollutants Observatory for the Caribbean region. The proposal is to start with the same pilot sites being used for the ocean observation network and explore pollutant observation in these countries.

• Under 133.2 – A Caribbean SIDS pilot project to study the impact of multiple ocean stressors: A pilot project is proposed in the region to study the impact of multiple ocean stressors at the aforementioned pilot sites. This would include not only observation networks but also issues related to extreme events and early warning.

The inaugural meeting of the Ocean Decade Task Force for the Tropical Americas and Caribbean Region marks a significant milestone in regional collaboration. With this new Task Force, the foundation has been laid to address crucial challenges, such as pollution and climate change. Members, representing diverse stakeholder groups, demonstrate a collective commitment to marine sustainability. The discussed proposals, from ocean literacy to the establishment of observatories, outline a promising path toward deeper ocean protection and understanding in the Caribbean region. This is only the beginning of a collective journey to preserve the oceans for future generations.

By Alex Palomino Cadena.