Coral Network/ Reef Check post 10th ICRS Workshop for Coral Reef Monitoring

Introduction

Coral Network is planning to hold Training Workshop for Coral Reef Monitoring in the main island of Okinawa, Japan, following the 10th International Coral Reef Symposium to be held for the period of June 28 – July 2, 2004.  Target participants of the workshop are both domestic and international coral reef researchers and others, mainly the participants of the symposium.  The workshop seeks, by demonstrating two types of simple monitoring methods and socio-economic monitoring method, to help the regions with coral reefs but without such monitoring system established to construct their monitoring system by selecting a suitable method for each region.

In Workshop I, “Spot Check Workshop”, we will focus on the Spot Check which is expected to be employed as a standard coral reef monitoring method for Monitoring Site 1000 by the Ministry of the Environment of Japan.  The workshop is held in one day on July 3 and consists of lectures and training by snorkeling.

In Workshop II, “Reef Check/SocMon Workshop”, we will focus on the Reef Check which is the standard method employed by Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN)/Reef Check. We will also focus on the Socio Economic Monitoring in this workshop. The workshop is held in four days for July 4 through 7 and is consisted of lectures and training by snorkeling and scuba diving.

Objectives

In order to monitor coral reefs on the crisis globally, GCRMN/Reef Check has spread a simple monitoring method “Reef Check method” all over the world since 1997.  In Japan, Coral Network, an NPO, has been a counterpart to GCRMN to spread Reef Check in Japan.  The standard monitoring method employed among research workers in Japan was Spot Check which had been used in the former Marine Park Center.

Currently coral reef monitoring is not conducted sufficiently from the long-term stand point of view.  While monitoring activity has been spread to some extent thanks to the effort of GCRMN/Reef Check, there are still many countries/regions which have not established appropriate systems to start the monitoring activity.  Currently in Japan, neither Spot Check nor Reef Check has been spread broadly and the region-oriented monitoring activity has not been developed sufficiently.

In order to help change the situation, the training workshop seeks to introduce two types of simple monitoring methods mentioned above to coral research workers and the parties concerned, which allow them to select the suitable one for the local conditions.  In Workshop I, we will focus on Spot Check training as well as introduction of Reef Check in the two-day training program, allowing busy company workers in Japan to obtain knowledge on the methods over the weekend.  Workshop II will be focused on Reef Check training.

Coral reef plays an important role not only as an economic ground for regional societies but also as an indicator of global warming.  Control of the coral reefs by regional societies via the simple monitoring methods can provide a significant enhancement for coral reef preservations.

Outline

Host: Coral Network (Japanese Reef Check coordinators and supporters)
Supporter: Reef Check Foundation
Expected Supporters: Ministry of Environment, Okinawa Prefecture, GCRMN, the Japanese Coral Reef Society, Corporation (TBD),

Workshop I  “Spot Check Workshop”

Date and Time: 9:30-18:00, July 3, 2004
Open Water Training Site: Kerama Islands
Fee: 10,000 Yen incl. 1 lunches, without accommodation
Max. No. of Participants: 20 persons
Language of the course: English and Japanese

Workshop II  “Reef Check/SocMon Workshop”

Date and Time: 9:30, July 4 – 10:00, July 7, 2000
Accommodation: Naha-City area
Open Water Training Site: Kerama Islands
Fees: 40,000 Yen incl. 3 nights accomm.(sharing a room) and 9 meals
Max. No. of Participants:  20 persons
Language of the course: English

For participants who attend both Workshops I and II, the fee will be discounted to 45,000. in total.
The above fee does not include personal transportation, drinks (except for the party), additional meal, and communication.  Accommodation and training fees are all included in the participation fee.

Accommodation and the meeting site are in Naha area due to the convenience of the transportation.  Open water training will be conducted in the Kerama Islands, one of the world’s most prominent coral reef site.  The schedule and the contents are subject to change.

Schedule (subject to change)

Workshop I     Spot Check Workshop (July 3 ) Saturday, July 3

09:00    Arrival
09:30    Greetings from the Host and introduction of participants
10:00    Transfer to the Kerama Islands
11:00    Lecture on Spot Check Methodology
12:00    Lunch
13:00    Training by snorkeling
16:00    Departure from the Kerama Islands
17:00    Q&A Session
18:00    Closing

Workshop II  “Reef Check/SocMon Workshop”　(July 4 – 8)
Sunday, July 4
09:00    Arrival
09:30    Greetings from the Host and introduction of participants
10:00    Lecture on Reef Check Methodology
12:00    Lunch
13:00    Lecture on Indicator Species
16:00    Training on ground
17:00    Check in
18:00    Dinner
19:00    Lecture

Monday, July 5
07:30    Breakfast
08:30    Transfer to the Kerama Islands
09:30    Training by snorkeling
12:00    Lunch
13:00    Training by scuba diving(2dives)
17:00    Departure from the Kerama Islands
18:00    Data Input
19:00    Dinner

Tuesday, July 6
07:30    Breakfast
09:00    Data analysis and Q&A session
12:00    Lunch
13:00    Lecture on Socio Economic Monitoring Methodology
19:00    Party

Wednesday, July 7
07:30    Breakfast
10:00    Check-out and closing

For further information contact:
Yasuaki Miyamoto
Coral Network/Japanese Reef Check coordinator
Tel/Fax:+81-42-766-5169
E-mail:miyamoto@hs.st41.arena.ne.jp
http://hs.st41.arena.ne.jp/reefcheckjapan/  (only Japanese)
https://reefdpd.wpengine.com/