NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program

NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program places a Coral Management Fellow in Rincon, PR

Fellowship Overview

The NOAA Coral Reef Management Fellowship Program was established to respond to the need for additional coral reef management capacity in the U.S. Flag Pacific and Caribbean islands. The program has been expanded to include Florida in the 2010-2012 cycle. The program provides the state and territorial coral reef management agencies with highly qualified candidates whose education and work experience meet each island's specific needs, while providing the individual fellows with professional experience in coastal and coral reef resources management.

Each jurisdiction develops a separate Statement of Work which contains project descriptions, goals and objectives, minimum and desired qualifications, and salary, among other information. The Statements of Work uniquely reflect each jurisdiction's particular needs, complementing other ongoing local projects and management activities. Successful candidates will meet these needs.

The fellow placed in Rincon, Puerto Rico, is Rina Hauptfeld. She graduated from the University of Washington with a masters degree in marine affairs. She has recently relocated to Rincon to begin working with regional and local agencies including the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER)(the hosting agency), Centro Interdisciplinario de Estudios del Litoral, Sea Grant, and the chapter of The Surfrider Foundation in Rincon. We are all very pleased to welcome her into the community and look forward to collaborating with her and these other agencies in developing her work plan. Come meet the new fellow this Thursday night, February 4th, 2010 at Surfrider Foundation Rincon's monthly meeting. She will give a brief introduction of herself, her interest in NOAA's coral reef conservation program, and conduct a scoping activity with the participants to help her begin to develop her work plan. The work plan is due no later than three months from when she begins her appointment. So, come help voice your opinion about the outreach and education needed, the focus groups to be involved, and the ideas on your mind this Thursday!

Científicos Reafirman Valor del Corredor Ecológico del Noreste

Científicos Reafirman Valor del Corredor Ecológico del Noreste

Lunes, 14 de diciembre de 2009

Fajardo – Sobre 50 investigadores, profesores y estudiantes de ciencias marinas y biología se dieron cita el pasado fin de semana al Corredor Ecológico del Noreste (CEN) para realizar un inventario de las especies que allí habitan. Los investigadores, quienes se concentraron en los ecosistemas terrestres y marinos en la mitad este del Corredor, dieron con la ubicación de sobre 15 colonias del coral cuerno de alce (Acropora palmata), amenazado de extinción, así como con 5 especies terrestres que no habían sido observadas anteriormente en el área.

“A los más de 15 biólogos marinos que participamos de este esfuerzo nos impresionó la estructura arrecifal y la diversidad de especies, tanto de coral como de otros organismos halladas en el Corredor. De hecho, tuvimos la oportunidad de avistar un individuo de carey (Eretmochelys imbricata), especie de tortuga marina en peligro de extinción, y que depende estrechamente de las comunidades de coral,“ informó Stacy Williams, candidata doctoral del Departamento de Ciencias Marinas de la Universidad de Puerto Rico (UPR) en Mayagüez, quien coordinó la fase marina del inventario.

Esta añadió que documentaron también varias especies de peces, moluscos y crustáceos de valor comercial, algunas de las cuales podrían utilizar las aguas del Corredor como refugio en sus primeras etapas de vida, para luego migrar a aguas más profundas en donde podrían ser capturados por pescadores de la región.

Luis Jorge Rivera Herrera, planificador y científico ambiental de Iniciativa para un Desarrollo Sustentable (IDS), organización afiliada a la Coalición Pro Corredor Ecológico del Noreste, señaló por su parte que “las observaciones y datos obtenidos a través del inventario biológico confirman el gran valor ecológico del Corredor, según estudios realizados previamente por agencias federales y estatales, entre otros, en los cuales se documentaron sobre 850 especies de flora y fauna, así como 54 consideradas críticas por el Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales (DRNA). A su vez, demuestra la necesidad de proteger la integridad del Corredor y con ello, la validez de conservar su delimitación original como reserva natural, contrario a lo que ha pretendido hacer la administración del Gobernador Luis Fortuño a través del Secretario del DRNA y el Presidente de la Junta de Planificación.”

El inventario biológico contó con la participación de investigadores provenientes de los recintos de Bayamón, Humacao, Mayagüez, Carolina y Río Piedras de la UPR, así como de la Universidad Metropolitana en Cupey, la Sociedad de Ambiente Marino, el Programa Sea Grant de la UPR, y varios capítulos de la organización estudiantil de la Sociedad Ecológica de América (“SEEDS”, por sus siglas en inglés). Según se informó, estos continuaran los trabajos en enero de 2010.

El Corredor Ecológico del Noreste ha sido reconocido por agencias y organizaciones conservacionistas internacionales como una de las de mayor valor natural en Puerto Rico y el Caribe. Su protección como reserva natural, junto a su desarrollo ecoturístico, ha sido apoyada por numerosas entidades como el Servicio Forestal Federal, el Servicio Federal de Pesca y Vida Silvestre, el Fideicomiso de Conservación, la Sociedad Puertorriqueña de Planificación y la Coalición Ecuménica e Interreligiosa, entre otras, así como miembros de la comunidad científica de la Isla, grupos comunitarios, organizaciones conservacionistas internacionales, representantes de la comunidad puertorriqueña en EE.UU. y personalidades como los actores Benicio del Toro, Edward James Olmos, entre otros. En un hecho inusual, este esfuerzo contó también con el apoyo tripartita de la mayoría de los miembros de la Legislatura durante el pasado cuatrienio.

Contactos:
Camilla Feibelman (Sierra Club): (787) 688-6214
Luis Jorge Rivera Herrera (IDS): (787) 460-8315

Camilla Feibelman
Sierra Club de Puerto Rico
PO Box 21552 SJ, PR 00931-1552
787.688.6214
camilla.feibelman@sierraclub.org
www.puertorico.sierraclub.org

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul. ~John Muir

9 Ways We Can Save the Ocean, and Save Ourselves

After all, it covers three-quarters of the planet...

By Mickey Z.
Astoria, NY, USA | Thu Jul 16 17:29:00 GMT 2009

Peter Benchley, author of Jaws, and a man who knew a thing or two about oceans, once said: "If we kill everything in the ocean, and if we pollute the ocean to a point where it can't sustain life, we're committing suicide." Perhaps the most important aspect of Benchley's warning is his use of the word "we." Over 40% of the world's oceans are heavily impacted by human activities with few areas—if any—left unaffected by anthropogenic factors. This means we humans—and what we deem civilization—have played a major role in the despoiling of the earth's oceans. It's not some unstoppable force of nature or preordained theology that 90% of the large fish are gone or that the world's worst polluter is the U.S. Department of Defense. Human decisions have led us to where we are now and new human decisions are needed to forge a new, more logical and compassionate path. After all, the health of the ocean reflects the health of the planet. David McNew/Getty Images

Did you know that 80% of all life on Earth is found in the oceans and those same maltreated oceans provide vital sources of protein, energy, and minerals? To that, the folks at Greenpeace add: "The rolling of the sea across the planet creates over half our oxygen, drives weather systems and natural flows of energy and nutrients around the world, transports water masses many times greater than all the rivers on land combined, and keeps the Earth habitable. Without the global ocean there would be no life on Earth."

9 Ways We Can Save the Ocean, and Save Ourselves

1. Save the whales:

Since 5000 B.C., humans have seen fit to hunt these magnificent marine mammals. The results, predictably, have been disastrous for whales and the ocean. Greenpeace reports: "The blue whales of the Antarctic are at less than 1 percent of their original abundance, despite 40 years of complete protection.” Sure, the phrase "save the whales" may sound like punch line but unless we take action, this is no joke. Any creature as large as a whale plays a large role in the delicate balance of the ocean food chain. When that balance is upset, the impact hits us all. Whale eat zooplankton, zooplankton eat phytoplankton, phytoplankton remove carbon from the atmosphere, we have too much carbon in the atmosphere. If whales don't eat zooplankton (because they don't exist) we'll have overgrowth and lose our essential carbon cleaning phytoplankton. See how it's all connected?

2. Save the sharks, too:

As reported by the Humane Society International, between 50 and 100 million sharks are killed each year around the world. Many of these sharks are unintended "by-catch" by vessels fishing for high-value species such as swordfish and tuna, but every year, millions of sharks are increasingly a target for their fins. Sharks may not be the most lovable creature in the oceans, but they need our help. Without such top-of-food-chain predators the ocean's balance cannot exist.

3. Say no to drilling:

Among many other problems, offshore drilling results in a wide range of health and reproductive problems for fish and other marine life, exposes wildlife to the threat of oil spills, and destroys kelp beds, reefs, and coastal wetlands. Let's step up, folks, this is our fight, too.

4. Offer reef relief:

"Coral reefs are made predominantly of stony corals and supported by the limestone skeleton they excrete,” says Jennifer Horton of HowStuffWorks.com. "These rainforests of the sea are home to a quarter of all marine fish species. In addition to the variety of marine life they support, coral reefs are also immensely beneficial to humans, buffeting coastal regions from strong waves and storms, providing millions of people with food and jobs and prompting advances in modern medicine." All too predictably, human behavior is their biggest threat and 70 percent of coral reefs may be gone in less than 40 years if the present rate of destruction continues. To help conjure up solutions, educate yourself and get involved now.

5. Reduce your carbon footprint:

Yep, whether it's ocean acidification or disappearing kelp forest or sea level rise, climate change is a player and therefore all the same suggestions hold true. Until we lower our carbon footprint, real change is not possible.

6. No more plastic bottles:

The planet's largest landfill is floating in the North Pacific Ocean. Thanks to swirling ocean currents, much of the world's trash has accumulated into this part of the Pacific Ocean. How much trash? According to HowStuffWorks.com, every square mile of ocean hosts 46,000 pieces of floating plastic and plastic constitutes 90% of all trash floating in the world's oceans. Step one: Kick the plastic bottle habit.

7. Practice green surfing:

Surfing—unlike, say, motor boats and jet skis—requires the participant to commune with the ocean and trust its power. Even so, like everything else, it could be greener. Listen to the folks at GreenSurf.org: "Traveling to surf can produce a lot of CO2 emissions, and this is what's driving global warming, which spells big trouble for our ocean environments and surf spots." Their answer is the CarbonFree Surfing program, which allows you dudes and dudettes "to calculate the CO2 footprint of your next surf trip, and then to offset it's climate impact with an online donation (tax deductible) that supports the purchase of CO2 offsets, from climate-friendly projects like reforestation in Nicaragua or even clean power from renewable power projects." Perhaps the best place to learn about the green surfing movement is the Surfrider Foundation.

8. Be kind to your beach:

We humans love the beach but that doesn't mean we're always kind to the beach. Our indifference can result in beach erosion and widespread pollution. Don't litter, don't leave trash at the beach, don't use the beach as a toilet, and get involved in beach clean-up.

Erik Snyder/Getty Images

9. Cut back on fish, eat sustainable fish, or quit eating fish completely:

Overfishing is a huge component of the ocean's decline. Those opting for a vegan diet have already eliminated the justification for destructive practices like trawling. The equation couldn't be any simpler: if humans choose to not eat fish, or choose sustainable fish in moderate quantities, the ocean's fish population will have a chance to return. In addition, show some support for the Greenpeace plan to protect 40% of the world's oceans as Marine Reserves.

Protect the Northeast Ecological Corridor Nature Reserve

Northeast Ecological Corridor Nature Reserve in Peril

Take Action!










Speak Up for Leatherback Sea Turtles!

In April 2008, Surfrider Foundation and a coalition of partners celebrated the designation of Puerto Rico's Northeast Ecological Corridor (NEC) as a Nature Reserve, after a nearly 10 year campaign to protect this extraordinary natural area from the construction of the Dos Mares J.W. Marriott Resort and the San Miguel Four Seasons Resort. Besides being one of the Caribbean's biodiversity hotspots with over 50 rare, threatened, and endemic species, the NEC holds one of the most important nesting beaches for Leatherback sea turtles in the U.S. This victory also helped maintain public access to La Selva, one of the best surfing spots in the northeast coast of Puerto Rico.

Unfortunately, the NEC is in danger once again. Disregarding the NEC's extraordinary natural value and historical conservation efforts, the recently elected Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Luis G. Fortuño, is considering to eliminate the NEC to make way for the construction of residential and tourism projects in the area.




































These photos show whats at stake.

Email the Governor of Puerto Rico, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior, NOAA's Administrator and the Chief of the U.S. Forest Service to protect the Northeast Ecological Corridor Nature Reserve.

Take Action!

Aquatic Art Workshop was a Success!

en español

Everyone had a great time and had an opportunity to show off their artistic talents during the art workshop

Thirty-nine vibrant paintings were completed on the second day of the Aquatic Art workshop offered March 28 at the Jorge Seda Crespo Middle School in Rincón. The young painters also worked on 2 collective canvases and on a giant 70" x 30" coral reef drawing designed by Wess Merten.

At the moment we are creating an "Aquatic Art" coral reef lesson book illustrated with the 39 student paintings done in both workshops. The book will soon be going off to the printer to later be handed out to the students on June 25th (from 7-9 pm) when we will inaugurate the awaited "Aquatic Art" exhibit at the Rincón of the Seas Hotel. We'll keep you informed...

This project sponsored by NOAA's Marine Debris Program is the educational component of the ambitious community driven program "Coral Reef Protection through Marine Debris Removal at Reserva Marina Tres Palmas", where more than 475 tires have been removed, among other debris.

Many thanks to: Nicole Hoover, Wess Merten, Patchouly Banks, Oliver Bencosme, photography by Producciones Burracas, Cuqui González, Alex Henriques, Miriam Pérez, Miriam Juan, Leon Richter, Allison Jones, Freyda Zell, Bermie Ruiz

- AB

Aquatic Art in Rincon

Don't miss your chance to work with Rincon's youth and help protect coral reefs for future generations.

Donate a few hours of your time to a worthwhile project as students from Rincon's Jorge Seda Crespo middle school create original artwork depicting coral reef lessons and themes. These original works will be assembled into an artbook and presented live at a local art show.

The Aquatic Art Workshop is being organized by Surfrider activist Annette Blasini as part of our NOAA funded project - Coral Reef Protection through Marine Debris Removal at Reserva Marina Tres Palmas

When you volunteer you’ll leave a footprint in the educational experience of Rincón’s youth. It’s a gift the will last a lifetime.

Monitoring the health of coral reefs on iTunes U

iTunes isn't just for music. You can now watch lectures and educational videos at iTunes U.


Dr. John Turner, an endocrinologist at the University of Toledo, has been studying the health of coral reef ecosystems, since 1997. “Reef Monitor,” excerpts from his lecture series to high school students interested in marine sciences, offers a fascinating look at the factors directly effecting coral reefs, threatening the reefs themselves and reducing the organisms that previously thrived in them.

Watch the videos

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Prohibido Olvidar, Contra Cemento, Basura y Marea

Watch PROHIBIDO OLVIDAR on TUTV (Channel 3 on the West Coast) tonight at 7:30 PM

Surfrider is one of the groups featured on tonight's program.

CONTRA CEMENTO, BASURA Y MAREA

MIERCOLES, 11 DE FEBRERO DE 2009 A LAS 7:30 PM POR TUTV, Canales 6 y 3:
(Retransmisiones los sábados a las 5:30 pm a discreción de TUTV)

An Australian's Thoughts on Rincón, PR

Geoff Elliot is The Australian's Washington correspondent.  In tomorrow's edition (thanks to the international dateline), he describes the impact of surfing on Puerto Rico. 

"As it happens, I've returned to Puerto Rico this month...I'm drawn to the place.  And, sure, it may have changed, but the influx of tourist dollars hasn't been an entirely bad thing.

Surf tourism - along with the rise of the eco-tourism associated with the magnificent sea turtles, migrating humpbacks and shipwrecks in the area - is a testament to the area's beauty and power.

It has helped put Tres Palmas on the conservation list, making it Puerto Rico's first marine park, in an effort championed by the Surfrider Foundation.

Who would have thought surfers would unite to protect this treasure from any would-be pirates of the Caribbean?"

Read the whole article. 

Tres Palmas, Rincón, Puerto Rico

photo: Steve Fitzpatrick