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

• 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

Narrow Reef Ecosystem Easily Wiped Out

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

WHY IS MONITORING IMPORTANT?

050100150200250300350400450

Sec

Pre VS Post Teach StatsStepping

Standing

Handling

ReefTeach Can Make a Difference

Constant Education Needed at Kahalu’uConstant Education Needed at Kahalu’u

Show People How to Avoid Live CoralShow People How to Avoid Live Coral

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

4 MOST FREQENT SUBSTRATE INTERACTIONS

F IN K I C K S6 4 %K N E E L / S TA N D

9 %

P U S H / G R A B1 7 %

G E A R D R A G1 0 %

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

Bob & Eve at Honaunau Transects

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

ATR TST ANI NLI ZFL AAC ZCO AAB AVA SFA CMU CQU FFL TDU GVA LPH CGA SPS CSO SRU MNI RRE MVA PMU CAR LKA

Hon B

Hon E

REEFWATCHERS’ Data ContributionsREEFWATCHERS’ Data Contributions

Honaunau: Bob Flatt, Eve BullingerHonaunau: Bob Flatt, Eve Bullinger

Hookena: David ShenHookena: David Shen

Keauhou: Ann Guth, David Hoopaugh Keauhou: Ann Guth, David Hoopaugh

Kahalu’u: Marjorie & Duayne Erway & Leonard Kahalu’u: Marjorie & Duayne Erway & Leonard Torricer, WHEA Torricer, WHEA

Old Airport: Jim & MaryLinda Passon, WHEAOld Airport: Jim & MaryLinda Passon, WHEA

Keahole: Jim & Norma Lathrop, Donna LavorinKeahole: Jim & Norma Lathrop, Donna Lavorin

Makaiwa(Mauna Lani): Susan HuntMakaiwa(Mauna Lani): Susan Hunt

Puako: Bob TeytaudPuako: Bob Teytaud

Bob T’s Tidepool Site at Puako

Bob Flatt’s Beltless Transect at Honaunau

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