Abstract

The Puerto Rico Coral Reef Monitoring Program (PRCRMP) was established in 1999 by the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, with the responsibility of assessing the condition and trends of jurisdictional coral reefs. Although the PRCRMP has collected and analyzed this data, its implementation on management decisions has been limited. Therefore, an assessment was commissioned to identify needs and courses of action to strengthen the PRCRMP. After reviewing the PRCRMP’s historical data and its possible audiences, key stakeholders were inquired about their experience and understanding of the PRCRMP, as well as perceived limitations, and recommendations for improvement. Scientists, managers and collaborators that were consulted agreed on the importance of the information gathered by the PRCRMP for the conservation of coral reefs. However, limited data accessibility and lack of collaboration within and between agencies and other entities were considered the main issues impeding the application of this information. To strengthen the PRCRMP, participants highlighted the value of promoting collaborative agreements with other agencies, academia and non-governmental organizations, especially considering Puerto Rico’s fiscal constraints. Recommendations also included new monitoring parameters and the expansion of monitoring efforts in assessing the effectiveness of management actions. Validating findings and recommendations through an inclusive and objective process improved the stakeholders’ approach and willingness to cooperate in this effort. Implementing this exercise as an initial step of an adaptive management effort assisted in overcoming communication challenges between managers and scientists, resulting in recommendations with strong support for implementation.

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