This report presents a Marine Protected Area (MPA) gap analysis for eight Caribbean countries—Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago—led by the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF) to strengthen regional marine conservation efforts. It highlights progress to date, identifies priority gaps, and outlines practical pathways to build a more connected, effective, and sustainably financed MPA network in support of the global 30×30 target. Key findings emphasize the need to improve MPA functionality, expand protection to critical habitats, mobilize an estimated US$642 million annually in sustainable financing, strengthen legal and institutional frameworks, enhance data and monitoring systems, and empower inclusive co-management with local communities. While the Dominican Republic has already achieved 30% marine protection, only 11.4% of the combined EEZs across all eight countries are currently protected, underscoring both the scale of the challenge and the opportunity to secure the Caribbean’s marine biodiversity, climate resilience, and blue economy for future generations
