Foreword

This paper is a summary report on the Atlantic and Gulf Reef Assessment (AGRRA) / Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System Workshop held in Akumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico in May 1999. This workshop brought together 23 reef scientists, managers, and local representatives from Central America for five days of intensive training to build capacity and consistency with the AGRRA method and develop plans for implementing a standardized rapid assessment program of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System. The workshop was a unique opportunity to bring representatives from different countries who share a common resource and promoted the idea of boundary-less science and sustainable management. The Workshop was sponsored by the World Bank/Netherlands Environmental Partnership Program.

The established methodology of AGRRA formed the framework for the workshop and consisted of a day-long introduction to the AGRRA Program, followed by four days of hands-on training in the methods and assessment of data, and concluded with discussion of application and country-specific problems. This summary report contains a brief introduction to the MBRS, AGRRA and the workshop objectives; pre-workshop activities; a review of workshop activities including training activities and standardization techniques; post workshop follow-up including results from the participant evaluation and organizers’ critique; recommendations for future capacity building in the MBRS; and a list of workshop participants. In addition, a copy of the AGRRA training manual is provided separately.

Acknowledgements

This workshop was made possible by the generous sponsorship of the World Bank/Netherlands Environmental Partnership Program. We are grateful to Marea Hatziolos for her support and coordination efforts. We appreciate the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) for providing travel and workshop support for participants from Costa Rica and Columbia. We thank Ocean Research and Education Foundation (ORE) and the University of Miami’s Marine School for providing additional support. We are grateful to the Akumal Resort for providing discounted rates for lodging and food and Kate Robinhawk and Centro Ecologico Akumal (CEA) for providing additional support, including the donation of their workshop facilities. We appreciate support from the Akumal Dive Shop for discounted rates on tanks, equipment, and boat use, and support from Shauna Slingsby for her assistance as dive and safety leader (coordinator). We thank Helena Molina, Helga Dienes, and Beatriz Charles for their Spanish translation of the Workshop manual. We extend special appreciation to Carlos Garcia Saez, Rodrigo Joaquin and Ana Fonesca, and many others for their assistance in translating at the workshop. We thank Ernesto Arias, Juan Bezaury, and Janet Gibson for their assistance with workshop preparations.

Workshop Organizers

© 2000 - AGRRA