Over the years, JET has conducted various advocacy activities, but until 2003 had not undertaken a sustained advocacy campaign on any specific issue. Activities in the past have included attendance at public meetings held by the environmental regulatory authorities, the coordination of an environmental page for the Daily Gleaner for six months, articles written by the CEO in a weekly column, five public service announcements on environmental issues which were aired both on television and in cinemas for a period of six months in 1997, a variety of talks and presentations on environmental issues to all kinds of organizations and groups, attendance on public and private sector environmental committees and the production of environmental education materials.

In 2002, the Treasurer of JET attended a 6-week course in Costa Rica on environmental law. Following this, an environmental law and advocacy project proposal was developed and submitted to the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica. It was funded in late 2003 and is currently being implemented. We will work with two communities affected by environmental issues. A Legal Director and an Education Officer have been hired and they are in the process of developing a structured advocacy campaign with the communities.

In 2003, JET coordinated its first targeted advocacy campaign on the issue of dolphins in captivity. JET sought to educate decision makers and the general public on the issues surrounding the keeping of marine mammals in captivity, as there were plans to expand existing "swim with the dolphins" programmes in Jamaica, open new facilities and begin captures of wild dolphins in Jamaican waters. JET invited marine mammal scientists Dr. Naomi Rose and Dr. Toni Frohoff to visit Jamaica and address government officials. Two public meetings were also held; one in collaboration with the Dept. of Life Sciences of the University of the West Indies and the other with the Montego Bay Marine Park. Following the campaign, JET helped to review and rewrite the Jamaican guidelines for "swim with the dolphins" facilities and so far there have been no permits granted for new facilities or wild captures.

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