Abstract

Long-term, robust coral reef monitoring coupled with strategic reporting are essential drivers for ecosystem-based management and regional policy processes. There has been a move towards revitalizing the Caribbean component of the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN). The foundation for restructuring the network was launched in August 2014, and the first three years of the GCRMN-Caribbean have seen the confirmation of a dynamic network, which has been bolstering its presence and regional acknowledgement. An expert steering committee and members-at-large have enabled the network to achieve substantial progress. GCRMN-Caribbean bio-physical guidelines have been improved and tested at several sites; communication and experience sharing have increased considerably; capacity building actions have been implemented for coral reef practitioners with a special focus on MPA managers; and there has been collaboration with major Caribbean programmes. This paper reports on the progress of the GCRMN-Caribbean in 2016: the implementation of the GCRMN-Caribbean bio-physical guidelines at different sites (Sint Marteen and Bermuda), the development of socio-economic guidelines for an integrated monitoring approach, and the start of the “Building capacity for coral reef and human dimensions monitoring within the Wider Caribbean" project, within a workshop-based training program to increase regional capacity for integrated bio-physical and socio-economic monitoring. Besides its achievements for the year, this paper also reports on GCRMN-Caribbean network challenges and next steps.

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