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Course Description
On this three week course, students will study marine conservation and marine park management. Students will participate in lectures, Discussions with local stakeholders, field activities including 18-20 dives, as well as ongoing service work in the marine parks. Students will learn underwater survey techniques. Students will visit and study the Statia (STENAPA) marine park, St. Bart’s marine Reserve (French West Indies) and the world famous Saba Marine Park (SMP) for a comparison of three parks, with differing challenges, each in different stages of development. |
Course Objectives/Outcomes
By completion of the course, each student will be able to:
- Understand the process of communication in order to effectively communicate marine conservation theories
- Describe the biochemical nature of the marine environment, and explain the inter-linkages between coastal and marine ecosystems
- Understand how the Caribbean Sea functions as a single ecosystem
- Understand the potential benefits provided by the coastal and marine environment, as well as the threats to those environments
- Understand some of the reasons why the threats to the coastal and marine resources are difficult to control
- Explain a historical perspective of marine protected area programs in the Caribbean, and to identify existing issues
- Understand the rationale for and benefits of stakeholder involvement in marine protected area planning and management, as well as the requirements for implementing and facilitating effective participatory processes.
- Convey the message that research and monitoring is essential for good management and stewardship
- Perform and understand standard monitoring methods through diving under marine park supervision
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Lecture Topics
- Marine Biology Overview
- Uses and Benefits of the Marine Environment
- Threats to the Marine Environment
- Underlying Causes
- Fish Identification and Survey protocols
- Potential Solutions / MPA Overview
- St Barts Marine reserve information
- Statia Marine Reserve information / Oil Terminal information
- Participatory Planning
- Statia Sea Turtle conservation (Guest Lecture)
- Artificial Reefs + Guest lecture on Charlie Brown
- Saba Marine park overview and information (Guest Lecture)
- Marine Protected Areas: Design and management
- Research and Monitoring
- 25 years of marine park history (Guest Lecture)
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Field Studies and exercises
- PADI Scuba certifications
- Underwater Navigation and Bouyancy control
- Fish and Coral Identification
- REEF survey methods
- Reefcheck survey methods
- Underwater Transects and Quadrats
- Sea turtle Monitoring / beach patrols
- Mooring cleaning and maintenance
- Stakeholder interviews and discussions
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