Reef Check Teams in Action Spotlight on Reef Check Site – Cambodia Reef Check Champion – Georg Heiss Methods Check – WRAS (Web Reef Advisory System) Other Reef Check News |
Reef Check Teams in Action |
BRAZIL The expedition also enabled some eager surfers to get trained up in RC and help the scientists out. Students from the local primary school visited the boat and wrote essays on the Crossing. The students with the best essay won an original Tony Carrol's surfboard. The Crossing welcomed members of the government including Chief of the Fernando de Noronha Marine Park, Claudio Bellini, and the Chief of the Atol das Rocas Marine Park, Maurizelia Brito. From the Ministry of Environment, Daniela America, represented the Secretary of Biodiversity, that in Brazil is responsible for fulfilling commitments to the Convention of the Biodiversity. For more information, contact Beatrice. EAST AUSTRALIA FRENCH POLYNESIA |
Spotlight on Reef Check Site- Cambodia By Elsie Wong Lih Shiuan (KK3 Expedition leader) and Loh Tse-lynn (KK3 Scientific Officer) |
A three-staged marine conservation project in 2001 was developed to establish a marine park in the region to promote local ecotourism. The project would also train Fisheries Department Officers and provide public education for the community. The project was funded by the
Similarly to the sites surveyed during the first and second expeditions (KK1 and KK2) in 2001-2002, the fringing reefs are too shallow and lacking in megafaunal diversity to be major diving attractions. The Koh Sdach group of islands is situated on a shallow landmass of 20m depth that extends to almost 20km from the mainland. The presence of patch reefs or reefs beyond the island shelf is currently still unknown. However, the high percentage cover of live hard corals, the presence of attractive invertebrates such as cowries and nudibranchs, and the large schools of fish in some areas make diving a viable option for tourists in addition to other activities. This expedition would not have been possible without the active participation and support of His Excellency Dr Touch Seang Tana, Undersecretary of State, Member of Economic, Social, Culture Observation Unit (OBSES); the Department of Fisheries; and the Koh Kong Provincial Governor?s Office of Cambodia. The project received additional funding from PADI Project Aware Foundation, Asia Pacific and the Singapore Lee Foundation. For more information about this project or any other RC Cambodia activities, please contact Elsie. |
Trainings, Workshops, and Meetings |
ITMEMS FOLLOW-UP COASTAL AND MARINE MANAGEMENT MEETING RC EGYPT & EUROPE EXPEDITIONS Dahab & Sharm el Sheikh REEF AWARENESS WEEK |
Reef Check Champion |
This month we are highlighting Georg Heiss, coordinator for RC Europe. If you know a Reef Check Champion that you would like to be nominated, please email a brief description of their contribution as well as a photo (if possible) to Kelly.
Georg Heiss has been an invaluable member of the RC team since our beginnings in 1997. Georg started out as a team scientist and team leader for RC in Egypt. He has conducted surveys in the Red Sea since 1997. In 1998, he became the coordinator of RC Europe, as well as chairman of RC in Germany. He is currently active in project development and training in coral reef monitoring and management for RC.
In addition to his work with RC, Georg is a carbonate geologist specializing in coral reef sedimentology with a strong integrative and interdisciplinary approach. He has conducted paleoclimatologic studies using corals in the recent past and the Holocene, as well as research programs in coral reef growth and the present human impacts on coral reefs of the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. Georg has a strong interest in raising public awareness for environmental issues related to the marine environment and climate change. Last month, Georg conducted the first training in East Africa which included 26 participants from from Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar, Seychelles, Mauritius, and brought MPA officers, managers, National Park rangers, and boat operators together to be trained in RC methods. Look for information about this training in next quarter's newsletter. RC would like to thank Georg for his continued dedication RC and his commitment to the conservation of coral reefs. |
Methods Check |
Web Reef Advisory System (WRAS) Reef Check is proud to announce that we are in the final stages of the development of the WRAS project. This project will create a web-based system that will enable teams to submit their Reef Check survey data directly to our global database as well as perform summary statistics and comparisons among reefs within the database. In addition, teams will be able to receive management recommendations based on their Reef Check survey results. Teaming up with a group from the Coastal Resource Center at the University of Rhode Island, we are in the process of creating a series of management responses to help teams protect their coastal resources. A team of experts from around the world will be attending a workshop at UCLA in early June to finalize the development of the system. Keep an eye out for updates on this exciting project. |
Other Reef Check News |
REEF RESCUE 2003 EARTH DAY AT UCLA
RC Cuba Training GOOD NEWS FROM RC IRAN REEF CHECK'S NEW WEBSITE WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOUR TEAM IS UP TO!! |
Coral Reefs in the News |
CARIBBEAN CORAL REEFS DECIMATED PEW OCEANS COMMISSION REPORT GREAT FISH GOING THE WAY OF THE DINOSAURS OTHER NEWSLETTERS |
The global coral reef education, monitoring and management program. |
The Reef Check Foundation |