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Community Involvement. ReefTeach. The Challenge. The Funding. Volunteer Monitoring & Community Based Management. Educators, Researchers and Managers Collaborate to Engage Coastal Users A Success Story in Hawaii. Educate and Involve. Issue Information Cutting Edge Research
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Community Involvement ReefTeach
Volunteer Monitoring & Community Based Management Educators, Researchers and Managers Collaborate to Engage Coastal Users A Success Story in Hawaii
Educate and Involve • Issue Information • Cutting Edge Research • Promise of Future Call to Action • Volunteer monitoring
Triple Component Approach Collaborative Effort: DAR, UH, UHSGES, DOE and W.Hi.Community 1. Education & Outreach > cross-generations > cross-peers > cross-cultures 2. Volunteer Monitoring 3. Community Based Management Council
ReefTalks • 11 Free presentations per year for 8 years • Highlight issues of concern • Introduce residents to Hawaii’s resource people
Aloha Kai West Hawaii Explorations Academy • High School Cross-peer • Cross-cultural experience
ReefTeachWHEA & Volunteers • Reef Teach at High Impact Snorkel Beach • Teens and Adults Involved
Kids for Corals Murals at Kahalu’u • Donated time and funds: artist worked with 5th grade, contractor framed and hung, private donations for plexi, frame material and painting
HELP FOR KAHALU’U’S SIGNS ! Uncle Dick & Roy Roy’s Holding This End
Girl Scouts • Thank you for your help ! • The corals thank you for your help!
ReefWatchers Volunteer Monitoring Training Fish Identification
ReefWatcher Goals • Build community understanding marine resource management concepts • Record change over time • Provide data useful for DAR • Involve community • Monitor introduced and/or invasive sp
ReefWatcher Program • Identify data needs • Community members are trained to develop and carry out survey protocols to meet those needs • Provide ongoing education opportunities
ReefWatchers Begin • Meet DAR and UH Requirements • By Laws • Liability Release • Medical • PADI Diving & Snorkeling Procedures • SCUBA C Card & Insurance • Accident Reporting
Protocols Developed & In Use • Tidepool Survey • Kahaluu Fish Feeding/No Feeding Survey • Human Impact With Substrate >SCUBA & Snorkelers • Individual Surveys >Point-to-Point, “Beltless Transects”
WHAT HAS REEFWATCHERS DONE? AMAZING ACCOMPLISHMENTS LET’S REVIEW…
HUMAN IMPACT SURVEY RESULTS • Human Impact on Substrate - SCUBA • Impacts per diver = 3.1 (233 divers observed) • Impact categories and location use analyzed • Ecological briefings rated
Human Impact Survey Uses • Dive Charter Operators • Receive their own data as a subset of totals • Operators and Resource Managers • Use data to determine use of mooring buoys • Use data to identify ways to reduce impact • Use data to estimate future impact as numbers of divers increase
REEFWATCHERS’ Data Contributions Honaunau: Bob Flatt, Eve Bullinger Hookena: David Shen Keauhou: Ann Guth, David Hoopaugh Kahalu’u: Marjorie & Duayne Erway & Leonard Torricer, WHEA Old Airport: Jim & MaryLinda Passon, WHEA Keahole: Jim & Norma Lathrop, Donna Lavorin Makaiwa(Mauna Lani): Susan Hunt Puako: Bob Teytaud
NEED MORE MONITORING COVERAGE • Coral Cover • Fish • Inverts • Tidepools • Sand /Mudflat Communities • Human Use • Water Quality
Benefits to the Resource and Management • Community participation • Education for all ages • Support for DAR initiatives • Data collection over time (years) • Ocean USERS involved • Legislative action
RESULTS • Regional Fishery Management Area • 9 FRAs established • Over 6000 people/ year • Community members are involved • Difficult issues • Working together
You buy the ‘kit’ for $15 includes a fish ID card, and data input directions. Goes to national database. • Three levels of competency • Kona dive shops interested • Maui is using this survey method • Random Swim Surveys as You Dive
The Largest International Coral Reef Monitoring Program Involving Sport Divers and Scientists • Can be done one or more times per year • We should contribute to this database
YOU MAKE THE DIFFERENCE JOIN REEFWATCHERS DO WHATEVER YOU FEEL IS MOST IMPORTANT