Beginning June 2008, the University of Puerto Rico Sea Grant Program (UPRSG) initiated a Caribbean-wide assessment of the research priorities and needs of marine resource managers, users, and scientists in the United States territories and adjacent countries that comprise the Caribbean Large Marine Ecosystem (CLME). In response to the present resource management problems that exist, UPRSG began a regional assessment to identify and prioritize critical areas of research and information associated with the sustainable use of marine resources that are applicable to the development of better management strategies. Read more...
Non-point source pollution (NSPS) managers and researchers from the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico met on May 6-7 for the 10th NSPS Conference – “Changing Direction and Directing Change: Solutions to NSPS” at the Wyndham Sugar Bay Beach Resort in St. Thomas, USVI (http://www.usvircd.org/NPS/). The conference was also open to the participation of local [...]
The Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (PR-DNER) is a well-established governmental agency that regulates and manages the use of terrestrial, marine and coastal environments with the main purpose of protecting and conserving these resources. Presently, DNER consists of several components that promote education, management, scientific research, projects associated with public interests, legal [...]
The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit organization that has been helping to protect local beaches nation-wide for over 20 years. The Rincón Chapter (http://www.surfrider.org/rincon) helps to maintain the Tres Palmas Marine Reserve (TPMR), created in 2004, at Rincón, PR. On March 4, 2010, we met with the executive committee (Chairperson – Wess Merten) [...]
The National Estuarine Research Reserve (JBNERR) in Jobos Bay is the second largest estuarine in Puerto Rico and is representative of an estuarine area that consists of a complex ecological system in the Caribbean region. The Reserve focuses mostly on environmental monitoring, coastal training and educating local communities.
On February 24, 2010, we carried [...]
As posted in Coral-List on March 11, 2010 (http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/pipermail/coral-list/2010-March/039880.html):
The Nature Conservancy, in partnership with NOAA and with support from MacArthur Foundation, is offering a new virtual training program on Reef Resilience to provide coral reef managers, trainers, and policymakers guidance on building resilience to climate change into the design of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and [...]
The Caribbean Fisheries Management Council (CFMC; http://www.caribbeanfmc.com), a regional agency involved in establishing important regulations on commercial and recreational fisheries in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, held its last regular general meeting on December 15-16, 2009 at El Conquistador Hotel in Fajardo, PR. Approximately 30 attendees from public and private sectors participated. Among [...]
On December 1, 2009, we participated in the General Assembly “Coastal data and information, a vital need in our islands” sponsored by the Caribbean Regional Association (CaRA, http://cara.uprm.edu) at the Nautical Club in San Juan, PR. Several speakers were invited to present updates on products and services to CaRA members and participants, which approximated 50 [...]
A number of government agencies and conservation institutions around the world are underscoring the importance of restoration as a tool to protect habitats and ecosystems, and perhaps bring them to an acceptable functioning condition that resembles a previous historical condition. Restoration requires science, experimentation, political will, funding and societal participation in the design and implementation [...]
McFadden, K. W. and Barnes, C. (2009). The implementation of an ecosystem approach to management within a federal government agency. Marine Policy 33: 156-163.
Summary
The implementation of ecosystem management of marine natural resources is considered a challenge despite the overall consensus that it is essential to understand the complexity of these ecosystems at both ecologic and [...]
Our team attended the SouthEast Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR) meeting held in San Juan on January 26-29, 2009. Reports from the meeting are currently available online (http://www.sefsc.noaa.gov/sedar/). One of SEDAR’s main goals is to improve the scientific quality and reliability of fishery stock assessments and encourage the participation of important stakeholders in the assessment [...]
For a more detailed description of the objectives of our project and several key questions that we seek comment on, please read our informational brochure here. |
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