Outreach and Education USVI Style: USVI Marine Environmental Community Awareness Project (MECAP) Edward Schuster, Sr. President of the St. Croix Commercial Fishermen’s Association Chair of the St. Croix Fishery Advisory Committee

MECAP’s mission Mission: To gain perspective on the current USVI community awareness level as it pertains to marine environment issues, topics and management, while providing resource managers with invaluable, quantifiable insight on the education needs and appropriate means for filling those needs as determined by the community themselves. Ultimately, the USVI MECAP will provide grounds for development of long-term community engagement, education and outreach initiatives, projects and plans.

GO MECAP! Goal: To determine the awareness gaps in the USVI community with regards to marine environment issues, topics and management. Objective: Dissemination of an awareness literacy survey tailored to the USVI community to determine awareness gaps as it pertains the marine environment issues, topics and management.

Historic Fishing Village Gallows Bay, St. Croix

Historic Fishing Village Frenchtown, St. Thomas

Evident influences on culture and heritage today Pot fish Seafood Kallaloo Boil fish and Fungi Johnny CakesFried fish

Evident influences on culture and heritage today Fish Markets Tournaments Carnival

Our Livelihoods…

Our Environment… St. John St. Thomas St. Croix

Our Environment… Habitats Resources Coasts

MECAP in a nutshell 1. Survey Demographics 2. Survey Dissemination 3. Survey Details 4. Final Report

MECAP in a nutshell Demographic Coverage per island:  Each island district: St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. John  USVI total population is 106,405  Sectors to be surveyed: 1. Commercial 2. Recreational 3. Sport fishing 4. Consumer 5. Market  Approximately 5% of the total population: 5,500 surveys, English and Spanish  Number per island and sector to be determined  Surveys will be disseminated over a 6 month period or until goal per sector is met.

Survey Dissemination Highschool students will be trained on survey dissemination ethics and content Approximately 100 students have committed on St. Croix. Surveys will be disseminated by student teams per island district within different subdistricts of the island as designated by the 2010 census

Survey Dissemination  Surveys will be given in paper form  Participants are encouraged to take the survey with assistance of disseminator  Raffle incentive to encourage direct participation, if not agreed to, option to fill out survey online  If opt to fill out online, immediate forfeit raffle

Timeline: April-May Dissemination Training April-September Survey Dissemination October Raffle Drawing October-December Data Analysis December-January Final Report due ANNUALLY! Survey Dissemination

Survey Data Analysis

Survey Details (example)

Take Home Gauging community awareness and knowledge on a yearly basis can provide vital information for educators, scientists, and managers, i.e. insight to community capacity. Example: University of the Virgin Islands has agreed to disseminate this survey every semester so that the results can assist when curriculum development

Setting the Foundation The MECAP will run annually to complement the development process of the USVI Territorial Fisheries Stakeholder Engagement Initiative

Acknowledgements Lia Ortiz-NOAA Fisheries Liaison Carlos Farchette-CFMC Chair (St. Croix) Christine Settar-VI Marine Advisory Services St. Croix Commercial Fishermen’s Association St. Thomas Fishermen’s Association

Sources for photos Ortiz, L., Alexandridis, A., & Pittman, S. (2011). From the open sea to a pot of kallaloo: the significance of the USVI fishery in identifying you. AMLC 2011: 35th Association for Marine Laboratories in the Caribbean Conference. San Jose, Costa Rica. May 23-27, /coral_reef_croix.jpg /coral_reef_croix.jpg content/uploads/2011/02/Buck-Island.jpg content/uploads/2011/02/Buck-Island.jpg

Questions? Edward Schuster, Sr. President of the St. Croix Commercial Fishermen’s Association Chair of the St. Croix Fishery Advisory Committee Contact info: