The Caribbean biodiversity is remarkable thanks to its abundance as much as of its high endemism. The great richness of the regional marine fauna and particularly marine mammals is of ecological, cultural and economic importance for the Wider Caribbean Region (WCR). This rich biodiversity is also threatened and the WCR is one of the two regions in the world that has experienced the extinction of a marine mammal species (the Caribbean monk seal). The Agoa Sanctuary (named after a Caribbean - Native American sea goddess) was established because of the abundance and diversity of cetacean species present in the waters of the French Caribbean islands. 24 of the world’s approximately 80 identified cetacean species have been observed here. The presence of these species has generated a constantly growing whale watching business, a powerful global tourism activity. There is a fine line to work across the Caribbean and internationally, to reconcile the protection of these animals and their promotion for the development of sustainable ecotourism business. The aim of the project CARI’MAM, financed by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Interreg funds and led by the Agoa Sanctuary, is to form a network of marine protected areas dedicated to marine mammal conservation in the Wider Caribbean region and beyond. The project also targets capacity-building for managers, development of common management and assessment tools, and support for the development of wildlife-friendly and sustainable whale-watching business across the Caribbean. The network of managers, called “CARI’MAM”, include partners from all around the Wider Caribbean region.