Reef Check Teams in Action Spotlight on Reef Check Site -Kosrae Reef Check Champion -Dr. Beatrice Ferreira Methods Check -Which Sea Cucumbers should I count? Other Reef Check News |
Reef Check Teams in Action |
IRAN Since 1999, RC Iran has been led by Mohammad Reza Shokri at the Iranian National Center for Oceanography (INCO). After three years of hard work, RC Iran has been granted funding from INCO to conduct the annual monitoring of four islands in the Northern Persian Gulf: Hurmuz, Kish, Lavan, and Khark. With financial support from the International Oceanographic Commission and the Regional Organization for the Protection of the Marine Environment, RC Iran is also planning a Reef Check methods workshop which will train participants from around the Persian Gulf region to monitor coral reefs. For more information, contact Mohammad. PALAU PAPUA NEW GUINEA (PNG) |
Spotlight on Reef Check Site- Kosrae |
Reef Check Kosrae was established in 1999 by Katrina Adams at Kosrae Village Resort. She recruited volunteer sport divers who were visiting the region and willing to donate their vacation time to a worthwhile cause. Over the past five years, Katrina and Kosrae Village have continued to host RC Kosrae and have teamed up with the Kosrae State Fisheries and Marine Resources and the Kosrae Conservation and Safety Organization to expand conservation projects on the island. Early efforts by RC Kosrae have grown to include a annual month-long training for all 9th grade students on the island in reef ecology and monitoring techniques. This program, run in collaboration with the Marine Resources Dept, also teaches the students to analyze the data gathered, thereby strengthening their math skills. Marine Resources has also added a monthly monitoring session that is carried out by local volunteers and staff year-round. The collaboration between RC Kosrae and the Kosrae State Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources works well, with RC Kosrae and Kosrae Village providing the manpower and equipment and Marine Resources providing direction and supervising data collection.
RC Kosrae is currently recruiting volunteer divers for Kosrae Reef Check Week 2002. During this week, Kosrae Village will be running a Reef Check training and RC surveys. Participants are scheduled to arrive in Kosrae on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2002 and depart on Friday, October 4, 2002. For more information on the September project or to join the team, please contact Katrina Adams or Steve Smith. |
Trainings, Workshops, and Meetings |
GCRMN/MAREPAC NODE PARTICIPANTS LEARN RC METHODS IN SAIPAN TRAINING OF TRAINERS WORKSHOP HELD AT PICRC RC EUROPE AD SINAI DIVERS TO LEAD RC TRAINING/SURVEYS COLLEGE AT SEA, AUSTRALIA ITMEMS, PHILIPPINES |
Reef Check Champion |
This month we are highlighting Dr. Beatrice Padovani Ferreira, who runs Reef Check Brazil. If you know a Reef Check Champion that you feel should be highlighted, please email a brief description of their contribution as well as a photo (if possible) to Kelly.
Dr. Beatrice Padovani Ferreira One our newest teams, Reef Check Brazil, was started last year by Dr. Beatrice Padovani Ferreira, Departamento de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco. In the past year, Beatrice has recruited 65 volunteers, including divers, students, researchers, fishermen, and members of the local community. The group's activities have included RC surveys in five different reefs of Tamandar? in the Coral Coast MPA. Beatrice has extended Reef Check activities to the land, by recruiting a team of land-based volunteers who have been running beach cleanups. Last Earth Day the group removed 15 bags of garbage from a local beach. RC Brazil has just received funding from PROBIO, a division of the Brazilian Ministry of Environment, to monitor the 3,000 km of reef along the Northeastern coast. Four pilot locations have been selected: Abrolhos Reef, Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, the Coral Coast MPA and the Maracaja? Reefs. Monitoring has already started in the southernmost of the four sites, the Abrolhos complex, which has the largest and most diverse coral formations in the area, including seven endemic species of coral. The Abrolhos complex has been part of a marine park since 1983 and is a popular tourist destination. In addition to surveying the reefs and collecting valuable data, Beatrice and her colleagues have built a remarkable Reef Check team by recruiting local dive operators, park rangers, and environmental managers from around the area.
Beatrice and her team would like to thank the Brazilian Institute of Environment, Aratur turismo and all the volunteers who have been helping them. RC Brazil has also received support from the Project Coastal Reefs, and integrated coastal management project executed by the Federal University of Pernambuco, Center of Research and Fishing Extension of the Northeast, Ibama, Foundation Sea Mammals and Interamerican Bank of Development. Our gratitude goes out to all the people and organizations that have helped Beatrice make RC Brazil one of the fastest growing teams in the world! |
Methods Check |
WHICH SEA CUCUMBERS SHOULD I COUNT? |
Other Reef Check News |
REEF CHECK CELEBRATES EARTH DAY WITH ANGELS AT UCLA Quiksilver Boardriding Company made huge waves at the event by providing gifts to all new members who joined Reef Check. UCLA students also appreciated the posters and stickers donated by Quiksilver. The Dolphin Class from the UCLA's University Parents Nursery School stopped by to learn about coral reefs and to see firsthand what life on the coral reef looks like. The preschoolers expressed their newfound knowledge of reef life by painting a huge mural, which hung on display for the rest of the day. Special thanks to Kelly McGee, Reef Check Outreach Coordinator for organizing such a successful educational event.
FIVE YEAR REPORT TO BE PRESENTED AT ITMEMSII IMAX, THE CORAL REEF ADVENTURE QUIKSILVER CROSSING ENTERS EUROPE JOIN REEF CHECK! |
Coral Reefs in the News |
REEFS AT RISK RELEASES SOUTH EAST ASIA ASSESSMENT BLACK WATER IN FLORIDA (FROM CNN.COM) CRY OF THE WATER CAMPAIGNS AGAINST BEACH DREDGING PROJECT INTERIM RESULTS FROM THE 2000 SURVEYS OF THE NORTHWEST HAWAIIAN ISLANDS NOW AVAILABLE
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The global coral reef education, monitoring and management program. |
The Reef Check Foundation |