On February 24, 2010, we carried out a discussion session with the staff of JBNERR (http://jbnerr.org/english). This activity took place at the Visitors Center with six participants that specialize in coastal research/monitoring and outreach/education. During this session, we asked questions regarding the research and information needs specific for improving the management and conservation of the reserve:

• What type of research or information is needed on a short (less than 5 years) or long (more than 5 years) term for effective management and conservation of the JBNERR?
• What obstacles are presently hindering the development of research needed for the effective management and conservation of the JBNERR?

With regard to research needed on a short or long-term, one of their main concerns is developing a large-scale management program that includes the harmful effects caused by the use of adjacent lands and coasts. A strategic plan for better management was also recommended, but requires the development of accurate models with critical areas identified. To date, there is no critical analysis on the status of JBNERR. Studies on the connectivity among adjacent areas were heavily emphasized, including the condition and management of adjacent bays, particularly on the eastern side of the Reserve. Hydrologic studies, specifically water budget, are needed to determine the water flow from the north to the bay. Little importance has been given to the impact of nearby lands, bays and coral reefs associated with the area. Information on the carrying capacity of the area and the influence of tourism is also absent and should be evaluated due to the flow of visitors and local resource users (e.g., fishermen). Studies on the socio-economic benefit of the Estuarine and the socio-economic impact of the local resource users are needed to complement the development of accurate models of JBNERR.

Visitor’s Center at the National Estuarine Research Reserve (JBNERR) in Jobos Bay, Puerto Rico.

Outreach and education is an important component of the JBNERR, which receives frequent on-site visits and inquiries from local schools and communities about the estuaries’ ecosystem. These visitors are shown the importance of managing and conserving the bay and how they can contribute to its conservation. However, studies on the benefits of resource management within JBNERR that may provide a socio-economic value to the area have not been made. Another major concern is community resilience to climate change, which is presently lacking in preparation to deal with the impacts.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Video clip about JBNERR - Aventureros del Mar (Sea Grant Puerto Rico) (Spanish audio with English subtitles)

Obstacles that are impeding the development of research included the lack of communication between users and managers in layman’s terms, limited skilled and trained personnel resulting in insufficient time to work on research projects, the lack of application of research to resource management and how it would benefit managers, the lack of a multidisciplinary approach in management regarding planning and development, the lack of teaching students about management and conservation in local universities, and the lack of easy-to-read, user-friendly maps and tools.

Each participant was also encouraged to recommend three (3) research projects that they considered urgent and that would improve management and conservation of the Bay. These included:

• Prepare local communities surrounding JBNERR to understand the impacts of climate change on an economic, social and environmental level. In other words, evaluate community resilience.
• Studies on health effects brought about consumption of contaminated fish and the possible association with local industries (active and non-operating such as thermoelectric, sugar cane and coal plants).
• The effect of recreational activities on the coral reefs of JBNERR. How can user’s attitudes about resource conservation be changed (such as inappropriate use of boats and the destruction of seagrasses, mangroves and corals)?
• Environmental education tools and resources to encourage changes in user’s attitudes towards coastal resources.
• Determine socio-economic impacts on the local community based on the co-management of the Reserve and adjacent ecosystems.
• Determine the level of knowledge regarding aquaculture and pesticides, particularly their impacts on the Reserve.
• Integrated hydrologic management plan that identifies land use and changes, different water sources, water discharge zones, and possible contaminant agents that reach the Reserve.
• Studies about fisheries using heuristic information and the actual status of the fisheries industry, which includes contemplating alternatives such as species restoration and/or mariculture as a sustainable source. Possible re-introduction of keystone species.
• Monitoring studies on seagrasses and their restoration, including an educational aspect dedicated to minimizing the impact of recreational activities, while identifying areas for this particular use and protecting more sensitive areas. Controlling the amount of invasive and/or exotic species. Long-term monitoring of temperature, acidification, migratory species, water quality and socio-economic impacts.
• Habitat restoration and reforestation including seagrasses, wetlands, hydrographic basins, maritime and terrestrial zone.
• Co-management and dissemination of information among the major reserves in PR. Promoting projects that encourage communication among the local communities and managers.

Photos courtesy of: JBNERR Photo Gallery

Summary

For effective management of marine ecosystems, we must view them as a combination of both natural and human elements that must be mutually benefitted and sustained. Marine spatial planning (MSP) as defined by Ehler and Douvere (2007)[1] involves a process of developing management strategies that take into account all the living organisms in the marine environment and promotes consistent decision making among all sectors in a particular area. For this reason, identifying the stakeholders involved in marine-related activities and their active participation in MSP is essential for its success. Stakeholders are considered key players for resource management planning and can help to better understand the human impact on ecosystems and the complexities of these systems. They may also help to identify and resolve underlying conflicts and develop goals that are beneficial to several sectors for the sustainable, long-term availability of marine resources.

Pomeroy and Fanny (2008) propose four key stages in which stakeholders and the public sector should be active participants in order to achieve successful MSP: (1) planning, (2) evaluation, (3) implementation, and (4) post-implementation phases. In the planning phase, stakeholders must contribute to the needs, priorities, and goals of the MSP. During the evaluation phase, these issues are subsequently evaluated by the stakeholders and the various options are assessed based on their interest areas as proposed in the MSP. In the implementation phase, the MSP is applied and measures for management of marine resources are encouraged and enforced throughout the local community. An evaluation of the overall effectiveness in fulfilling the goals and objectives of the MSP is performed during the post-implementation phase.

Although there is a consensus among scientists and resource managers that stakeholders are essential for effective ecosystem-based management, there is no clear process of how to identify and involve these stakeholders in the MSP. For this reason, the authors suggest a comprehensive method of stakeholder analysis and mapping that will acknowledge and empower the stakeholders (with information and skills) in the MSP. Several steps that should be taken as part of this analysis are (1) adequately defining who is a stakeholder, (2) identifying the group/interest/networks that they are associated with and their importance/relevance in that group, and (3) their position on conservation measures of natural resources. Stakeholders can also be categorized as primary, secondary, and tertiary depending on their level of interest, involvement, and impact on the community and the resource. Socio-economic assessments (SEAs) should also be considered important for MSP in order to learn about the various aspects (political, social, economical, and cultural) that constitute (form) a community and the stakeholders that belong to that particular area. Interviews in the form of a core group are efficient in obtaining information from stakeholders, scientists, and resource managers that are willing to share their knowledge and contribute to the development of an effective MSP. Essential components of the MSP process are the sharing of information, community outreach and education of marine resources, capacity building, and communication among stakeholders from private and public sectors to bring about successful ecosystem-based management.

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CRA’s Comment

Identifying stakeholders is a major component of UPRSG’s Caribbean-wide assessment of research priorities and needs of marine resource managers, users, and scientists. As recommended by Pomeroy and Douvere (2008), engaging stakeholders in marine resource management planning is crucial for its effective and practical implementation. The interview process is a useful tool and one of the most important methods of acquiring information on the human impact/factors and intricacy of marine ecosystems. Group discussions are also encouraged by the authors, which help to assemble stakeholders with particular interests in the use of marine resources. UPRSG applied this method by hosting a discussion (scoping) session at the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute 61^st Annual Meeting at Le Gosier, Guadeloupe on November 13, 2008. Approximately 80 scientists, experts, and resource managers mainly involved in fisheries management from the Caribbean and adjacent countries participated in the session. General questions were presented that focused on short- and long-term research needed for fisheries management, information that can be used by resource managers to become better decision-makers, and obstacles that are presently hindering research/assessments that can help improve fisheries management. In this particular group discussion, mostly resource managers and scientists provided information concerning these issues on a regional level, specifically to the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. However, other important stakeholders, such as local fishermen, were not well represented in this meeting. This particular detail of misrepresentation must be addressed when seeking an extensive assessment that incorporates all parties involved in marine resource use and management.

Contributed by J. Seda

UNESCO’s Guide on MSP

http://www.unesco-ioc-marinesp.be/msp_guide

Featured Article in Marejada.org, Sea Grant-PR’s Environmental Magazine (Spanish): Xplorah – A tool for future planning in the present