Text of the Inter-american Convention for the Proteccition and Conservation of the Sea Turtle (.pdf)


Over the years, each State has developed its own judicial framework, regulating all activities within its territory. However, in order to deal with issues beyond their frontiers, which involve other States, countries can establish multilateral treaties such as international agreements or conventions.

Thus, when the protection and conservation of sea turtles — reptiles whose life cycle occurs in more than one country — is under scrutiny, States must come together and agree on a series of actions for their protection and conservation throughout the region. These actions form the basis of the Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles (IAC), which came into force in May 2001. After several years of negotiations and regional meetings facilitated by OLDEPESCA, that took place in Lima, Caracas, Mazatlan and Bahia, the Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles was signed in Salvador, Brazil in 2001. Source: Carlos Mazal, Executive Director OLDEPESCA1993-2002.




Currently, sixteen countries —Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Panama, Mexico, Peru, the Netherlands, United States of America, Uruguay and Venezuela — are IAC Contracting Parties, while Nicaragua has signed but not submitted its national instrument of ratification before the Government of Venezuela, the official depository country for the Convention.