Winter
 2017
Volume 6| Issue 1

 
In this issue
 
 


Caribbean Coral Restoration Workshop in Ft. Lauderdale

Feature
NOAA Signs Memorandum of Understanding with 
Cuba's Institute of Meteorology

Cuban and U.S. officials following the signing of the MOU. F rom left to right: Laura Furgione, former Deputy Assistant Administrator of NOAA's National Weather Service; Vice Adm. Manson Brown, former Deputy Administrator of NOAA; Fernando González, 1st Vice Minister of CITMA; Celso Pazos, Director General of INSMET; and José Rodríguez, Cuba's Ambassador to the U.S.


On December 21, NOAA signed a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Cuba's Institute of Meteorology (INSMET). The MOU expresses joint interest in increasing scientific cooperation and data sharing between Cuba and the U.S. on topics related to weather and climate. Specific areas of intended cooperation include: climate and weather forecasting and modeling, integrating meteorological observation networks, and hurricane monitoring and analysis. Both NOAA and INSMET are charged with providing timely and reliable weather and climate information to the public, as well as conducting relevant atmospheric research.  During the meeting, NOAA Deputy Administrator VADM Manson Brown, who signed on behalf of NOAA, commented that these "overlapping interests and responsibilities give us great reason to be great partners," and mentioned Hurricane Matthew, a category 5 hurricane that struck both Cuba and the U.S. this fall, as an example where cooperation would be mutually beneficial. The signing ceremony and accompanying meeting were attended by senior officials from NOAA, INSMET, and the Cuban Embassy, including Cuba's Ambassador to the U.S., José Cabañas.

NOAA has been at the forefront of engaging with Cuba on environmental research since diplomatic relations were restored in 2015, and this marks the third MOU between NOAA and Cuban agencies. The first, signed in November 2015, pertains to marine protected areas, and has resulted in several site visits and workshops in both the U.S. and Cuba. The second MOU, on hydrography and geodesy, recently resulted in NOAA's publication of an international navigational chart with a seamless transition between U.S. and Cuban waters. NOAA and INSMET scientists have long collaborated on meteorology-related issues in international fora like the World Meteorological Organization, and this new MOU is expected to increase collaboration on a bilateral basis.

For more information, contact Elizabeth McLanahan ( elizabeth.mclanahana@noaa.gov).


Stories Feature Stories 
Story1
NOAA and Local Partners Complete 
Fish and Benthic Surveys in  Puerto Rico 

NCRMP diver conducting a benthic survey in Puerto Rico.

In 2016, NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program's National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) conducted biennial fish and benthic surveys in Puerto Rico. This year's surveys in particular reflect the strong cooperation between NCRMP and local partners. Because of concerns about Zika virus during 2016, and the consequent inability for NOAA to conduct the surveys directly, two local groups--HJR Reefscaping and Coastal Survey Services (CSS)--conducted the NCRMP surveys last year. Overall, 207 fish and 128 benthic surveys were conducted around the islands, including Mona, Desecheo, Culebra and Vieques. 

In 2017, NCRMP will focus on the entire U.S. Virgin Islands, in partnership with the National Park Service, University of the Virgin Islands, US Environmental Protection Agency, and the USVI Department of Planning and Natural Resources. St. Croix will be surveyed June 12-23, and St. John/St Thomas will be surveyed July 24-August 4. Data from the USVI surveys from 2013 and 2015, and the 2014 Puerto Rico survey, are now available. 

For more information, contact Kim Edwards (Kim.Edwards@noaa.gov), or visit:

RAEstoryHigh Resolution Coastal Land Cover Data
Now Available for Puerto Rico and USVI
Example of high resolution C-CAP land cover data for St Croix, USVI. The Henry E. Rohlsen Airport at the center of the image.


Through its Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP), NOAA's Office for Coastal Management (OCM) produces standardized land cover and change information for the coastal U.S. These products help document and interpret current land use conditions and recent changes, and facilitate more informed management decisions. For example, information on upstream sediment sources and impervious surfaces are key to understanding potential impacts on corals and other downstream habitats. Detailed information on these and similar land use features ultimately allows for better planning to lessen or avoid potential impacts.

OCM has recently released land cover products for Puerto Rico. The data, which are developed from 2009-2010 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers imagery and lidar information, represent the most spatially detailed (2 meter resolution) land cover available for the territory. The products are also the first C-CAP products available for Puerto Rico, filling a gap in NOAA's national mapping coverage, and providing a baseline for tracking changes in future updates.Three dates of this high resolution land cover are also now available for the U.S. Virgin Islands, providing a 10 year time series of trends (2002 to 2012). All C-CAP data are available through NOAA's Digital Coast website https://coast.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/

For more information about this data, or potential future updates, contact Nate Herold (nate.herold@noaa.gov).

Story2
Marine Education Workshop Held in Bonaire

STINAPA hosts several after school marine education activities for Bonaire's youth.The workshop participants joined a student snorkel group close to town, and fish observed were recorded in a REEF survey.


In November 2016, a group of education officers from marine protected areas across the Caribbean met in Bonaire to discuss marine education programming with representatives of STINAPA Bonaire's Nature Education and Junior Ranger Programs. Participants ranged from Mexico, Belize, the Turks & Caicos Islands, Saba and Curacao. At an intensive 3-day writeshop hosted by the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance, participants learned from STINAPA Bonaire's experience and developed their own marine education programs for youth. The writeshop was a follow-up activity of the regional peer-to-peer workshop on outreach and education that was held in Cancun earlier in the year. Both activities were initiatives of the MPA management capacity building partnership between the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI) and NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program.

For more information please contact Emma Doyle (emma.doyle@gcfi.org).
Story3
Caribbean Coral Restoration Workshop Held in Fort Lauderdale

On November 15-17, NOAA, along with Nature Conservancy and the Pew Charitable Trusts, coordinated a "Workshop to Advance the Science and Practice of Caribbean Coral Restoration" in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Approximately 100 academic researchers, managers, and restoration practitioners from 20 Caribbean nations joined the meeting in person, and an additional 100 participants joined remotely via online participation. The workshop aimed to foster collaboration and technology transfer among coral restoration scientists, practitioners, and managers across the Caribbean, as well as initiate a community of practice that will continue to address the rapidly expanding role of coral restoration in the evolutionary history of coral reef ecosystems. In addition, Mote Marine Lab and the Coral Restoration Foundation awarded an inaugural set of Coral Restoration Training Fellowships.

Presentations showed that coral restoration efforts are increasing in size and geographic scope throughout the Caribbean, and that they can be very effective at local levels. However, there was broad agreement that the efficiency and scale of restoration need to be dramatically increased to establish self-sustaining, sexually reproductive coral populations. Some highlights from the workshop include: new research showing how healthy reefs limit coastal flooding; innovative and low-budget techniques to improve outplanting efficiency; a survey of methods using sexually-derived recruits for restoration; robust discussion on the role of coral genetic science in coral restoration; and presentations on mathematical models for management. Follow up activities will include topical webinars, online trainings, a compilation of recommendations, and developing an ongoing consortium to tackle some of those recommendations. The workshop demonstrated the need for regional knowledge-sharing and collaboration in order to advance coral restoration science and practice, and ultimately save this critically important ecosystem.

For more information, contact Tali Vardi (tali.vardi@noaa.gov) or Tom Moore (tom.moore@noaa.gov).

More than 100 participants attended the workshop in person, with another 100 participating remotely.






Story4
NOAA Study Finds Low Contamination Levels 
in Vieques Queen Conch

Last month, NOAA's National Ocean Service released a technical memorandum on contaminant levels in fisheries resources of Vieques, Puerto Rico. Vieques is an island municipality 11 km east of the Puerto Rican mainland, and was the site of a military bombing range from the 1940s until 2003. In addition to normal pollution stressors from human activities, the bombing range activities have raised local concern about potential impacts on fisheries stocks and seafood safety issues. The new technical memo, entitled "Contaminants in the Marine Resources of Vieques, Puerto Rico", reports levels of contaminants--including metals, the pesticide DDT, its degradation products, and munitions-related compounds--in queen conch ( Strombus gigas) tissues from three areas around the island. The study, however, found that pollution levels in Vieques conch are not unusual for the region. Munitions compounds were undetectable in all samples, and DDT was only detected in one sample at a low concentration. Metal concentrations were also within the range observed in other areas in the Caribbean. Further, there was no clear spatial pattern in the conch data on the island that might indicate a pollution "hot spot" on the island.

For more information, contact Dave Whitall ( dave.whitall@noaa.gov).


The study measured contamination levels in queen conch at three sites around the island. 


SeaGrantStoryHawaii, Guam, Florida and Puerto Rico Sea Grant Programs participate in workshop

University of Puerto Rico, Sea Grant College Program (UPRSGCP) recently hosted a workshop focused on building more collaborative relationships, in which Sea Grant Programs from Hawaii, Guam, Florida and Puerto Rico (which includes the U.S. Virgin Islands) participated.  The workshop was held December 5th-8th, 2016 at UPRSGCP's Marine Education and Information Resource Center (MEIRC).  During the workshop, topics such as climate change, surf surge, sea level rise, drought and flood impacts, ocean acidification, fisheries and aquaculture, and ocean pollution were discussed. Other activities focused on how Sea Grant Programs can identify ways to meet these challenges.

"The problems confronting communities in this bio-geographic area are different in type, scale, and impact from similar problem areas facing mainland coastal communities. Sub-tropical and tropical island communities are confronting dramatic change...they are in the forefront of experiencing the early effects of climate change: disproportionate impacts from sea level rise, increased frequency of coastal storms, and changes to critical habitat. Urbanization, tourism and development pressures in these areas are having a profound and immediate impact on marine and coastal resources," explained Dr. Darren Okimoto, associate director and extension leader at the University of Hawaii's Sea Grant College Program, who served as workshop coordinator.  Outcomes included improving awareness of research, education and communication activities among staff from the participating Sea Grant programs as well as identifying areas of mutual interest for collaboration.  Ruperto Chaparro Serrano, director of UPRSGCP, highlighted that the workshop was "a complete success".

For more information, contact Cristina D. Olán Martínez at (comunicacionespsgupr@gmail.com).
 
Ruperto Chaparro, UPRSG Director, address the attendees during the 
Puerto Rico Sea Grant Stakeholder Panel. 
Credit: Oliver Bencosme/PR Sea Grant
PartnerNews Partner News
Story5 
New Conservation Organization,  Conservación ConCiencia


In June 2016, a new nonprofit organization, Conservación ConCiencia, was founded in Puerto Rico. The organization conducts environmental research and conservation efforts that promote sustainable development, by working in collaboration with communities, NGOs, governments, academia and the private sector.

For more information, visit: www.conservacionconciencia.org
Announcements Announcements

NOAA Funding Opportunities
 
Jobs and Funding Opportunities
We regularly update the NOAA in the Caribbean website with new jobs and funding opportunities. Check out the current list  here.


NOAA in the Caribbean Newsletter

Please e-mail us at CaribbeanNews@noaa.gov to subscribe or unsubscribe to the newsletter or to submit any questions, comments, story ideas, artwork or photographs. 

NOAA in the Caribbean Newsletter is produced by the NOAA in the Caribbean Steering Committee, including support from NOAA's Office of International Affairs, Southeast And Caribbean Regional Collaboration Team, Office for Coastal Management, National Marine Fisheries Service SE Regional Office, Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs, and National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science.