Outreach and Education USVI STYLE Building Fisher and Community Awareness and Appreciation for Our USVI Fisheries and Marine Resources Roy A Pemberton, Jr. Director, Division of Fish and Wildlife USVI Department of Planning and Natural Resources

No panacea for management.. - Global recognition of no “one size fits all” management approaches - Local resource managers recognize the need to be flexible in management - Accounting for uncertainty and system dynamics is salient for successful management - “We don’t manage the people, we manage the resources”

The Fisher’s Perspective - Need to incorporate the “fisher’s perspective” in management-indirectly and directly - Indirectly-through provision of accurate data, i.e. commercial catch report data - Directly-feedback from fishers regarding their awareness of contemporary fisheries issues and perspectives

Increasing Awareness… USVI resource managers and community stakeholders have recognized the need to build community awareness of contemporary fisheries issues - Annual Catch Limits - Importance of Commercial Catch Report Data - ESA listings

How do we increase awareness? Outreach and Education: - Commercial Fishermen Catch Report Form (CCR) Training Module - New Fishing and Boating License Registration Protocol

Mission - Build fisher and community stakeholder knowledge and awareness - Promote participatory management for a sustainable fishing community and marine resources.

Goals -To develop, implement and institutionalize an effective and efficient CCR training for commercial fishers. -To develop, implement and institutionalize an effective and efficient fishing and boating license registration protocol.

Objectives - Develop a comprehensive CCR training module for commercial fishers. - Incorporate this CCR training module in DFW’s annual work plan. - Develop a protocol for fishing license and boating registration to be executed annually. - Institutionalize the protocol to ensure sustainability and allow flexibility for uncertainty

CCR Forms CCR-STT, , TRAP ONLY.pdf CCR-STT, (1).pdf CCR-STX, pdf

Methods Phase I Steering Committee Developed: - DFW personnel (Coordinators) - Ms. Lia Ortiz-NOAA USVI Fisheries Liaison

Methods Phase II CCR Training Module: - CCR presentation - Update Commercial and Recreational Fisher’s Handbook - Species Identification and Rules and Regulations Guide for Fishing in the USVI

Methods Phase III: New Fishing and Boating License Registration Protocol - Registrations by appointment to account for CCR training for small groups - Effective training and efficient process - Registration to be held every 3 rd week of July per jurisdiction

Evaluation and Monitoring - Semiannually, trends in data accuracy will be identified by assessing CCRs for thoroughness and accuracy post training. - Training effectiveness and awareness survey will be given to fishers

Deliverables Annual Report to the Commissioner of DPNR - Highlight survey and CCR trends - Ecosystem dynamics - Updates to registration and training

Desired Outcomes Build awareness and understanding for management actions at the community level - Ensures more conservation driven actions and better informed decisions for managers, i.e. accurate data. Community stakeholders grasp the importance of accurate CCR data and its utilization in management for sustainability of their resources. - More community support for management actions and improved stewardship behaviors. Build community stakeholder understanding of the implications of rules and regulations. - Create the foundation for driving a sustainable future for the USVI marine resources and the environment

In the works… “Don’t Stop Talking Fish” Workshop and Fun Day - Engaging, Educating and Motivating the community - Highlighting history, culture, society, environment and economy relevant to the USVI fishery - Precursor workshop for the Virgin Islands Territorial Fisheries Stakeholder Engagement Initiative (VITFSEI)

Acknowledgements - Lia Ortiz-NOAA USVI Fisheries Liaison - St. Croix Commercial Fishermen’s Association and the St. Croix Fishing Community - St. Thomas Fishermen’s Association and the St. Thomas/St. John Fishing Community

Roy A. Pemberton Jr. Director U.S.V.I. Division of Fish and Wildlife Phone: (St. Croix) (St. Thomas)