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CCRI International Year of the Reef Symposium Celebrates Advances in Coral Reef Research and Management
The Caribbean Coral Reef Institute (CCRI), administered by the Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research, sponsored the “2008 End of the International Year of the Reef Symposium” on December 3 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This event celebrated the International Year of the Reef (IYOR) and disseminated the current status of the Island’s reefs and coral research. The IYOR sanctioned activity covered a broad spectrum including impact of land-based activities, status of coral reefs, especially following the 2005 bleaching/disease event, new techniques and tools, and basic reef ecology. A special session on the characterization and ecology of deeper mesophotic coral communities was the first presentation in Puerto Rico of studies at these depths. Attendees included university researchers and students, the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, federal agencies, and NGOs. The presentation of recent advances in coral reef research and management in Puerto Rico via the CCRI Symposium disseminates these important findings to agencies and institutions, and provides outreach to the stakeholder community. Live local radio interviews of some participants were conducted during the afternoon. For more information, contact Felix Martinez at (301) 713-3338 x153 or Felix.Martinez@noaa.gov, or Lara Hinderstein at (301) 713-3338 x112 or Lara.Hinderstein@noaa.gov.