[Coral-List] Utila Reef Health: give and you will be gifted

Sun Apr 6 18:24:21 EDT 2008

Georgina's points are well taken.

Note also that 'data repatriation' was one of the original driving forces
behind the creation of ReefBase. ReefBase provides the opportunity to
provide anyone in the world with access to the Internet a copy of a report
in pdf form. It also provides access to certain types of data sets. The team
in Malaysia running ReefBase is doing a superb job, and are providing a
great opportunity to assist with information access. If more people supplied
them with pdfs, we could waste less paper and vastly increase readership. 

Cheers!  

John

John W. McManus, PhD
Director, National Center for Coral Reef Research (NCORE)
Professor, Marine Biology and Fisheries
Coral Reef Ecology and Management Lab (CREM Lab)
Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (RSMAS)
University of Miami, 4700 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, 33149
jmcmanus at rsmas.miami.edu      http://ncore.rsmas.miami.edu
 Phone: 305-421-4814   Fax: 305-421-4910

  "If I cannot build it, I do not understand it."
              --Richard Feynman, Nobel Laureate

-----Original Message-----
From: coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
[mailto:coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov] On Behalf Of Georgina
Bustamante
Sent: Sunday, April 06, 2008 11:35 AM
To: Dwight Neal; coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
Subject: [Coral-List] Utila Reef Health: give and you will be gifted

I understand Dwight's concern and all his arguments.
However, to make my comment short, I suggest that when scientists come to
your site to conduct surveys, implement projects, thrive not to play the
"assistant" or the more passive role; be a real intellectual partner:
contribute with something intellectually meaningful, get involved not only
in the data collection and logistics arrangement, but also in the follow-up
stage. Ask to be given data for processing and/or commit yourself (and
accomplish) to provide additional data that you and only you can provide
because of your privileged position (site-based, local relationships). And
more importantly, participate in paper/report writing (or review). Writing
is an importnat part of scientific results ownership, but not everybody like
to do it.

That will keep you part of the team and eventually part (and owner) of the
written results.

Georgina Bustamante, Ph.D.
Coordinator of the project "Updating of UNEP-CEP/CaMPAM Caribbean MPA
database"

3800 N Hills Dr. #216
Hollywood, Florida 33021
U.S.A.
tel/fax(request) +1 (954) 963-3626
mobile: +1 (305) 2976995
gbustamante at bellsouth.net

-----Original Message-----
From: coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
[mailto:coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov]On Behalf Of Dwight Neal
Sent: Friday, April 04, 2008 1:33 PM
To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Utila Reef Health

I was hoping that others might have weighed in on this thread because the
subject is one of concern for us in the region. As far fetched as it might
seem, Dr. Box might well be right. As someone who has come up against this
problem of lack of local information despite the volume of work that has
been done it is frustrating and time consuming. A number of factors appear
to be at play here:

1)    "foreign" researchers come in, do the work and promise to provide
copies of reports which they never do.
2)    Reports are relegated to filing cabinets and shelves, and their
existence promptly forgotten.
3)    Important work fall into the hands of people who know the value and
end up in personal collections.
4)    Personnel changes in key organizations and agencies - in other words
lack of continuity in the information gathering and dissemination area
5)    The multitude of "Clearing House Mechanisms' that have been developed
in the various countries  eventually stop functioning because of lack of
personnel or funding.

The question is, who is responsible for ensuring that national information
is safeguarded and accessible? for want of a better expression. Suggestions
have been to lodge copies of all work doe with the public libraries and
libraries of tertiary institutions.

Peter Raines alluded to the work of Coral Caye, but 10 years after Coral
Caye left Belize I had problems finding copies of the work they did here. I
am certain that for people attached to universities and national research
institutions in the MDCs this is not a problem but for most 'developing'
countries it is a nightmare becasue we keep doing the same work over.

So while the information might be available, if you are not aware of its
existence or where to find it, the resultant effect is the same as if the
work was not done.

Georginia, perhaps you have some ideas.

 Dwight Neal

Marine and Coastal Consultant
Belize

> From: psr at coralcay.org
> To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> Date: Mon, 31 Mar 2008 22:01:37 +0100
> Subject: [Coral-List] Utila Reef Health
>
> Dr Stephen Box of UCME (www.utilaecology.or) offers very valuable insights
> (and hope) regarding Utila and the Bay Islands more widely.
>
> Given the massive time and multi-US$ millions already invested in at least
> the last 10 years to help survey, map, monitor, capacity build and come up
> with numerous diverse management strategies for Utila and the Bay Islands,
> I'll have to take with a pinch of salt at least part of Steve's comment
> that: "Honduras as a whole and the Bay Islands and Utila in particular are
> severely hindered by a lack of knowledge about their natural resources and
> the technical and financial capacity to effectively control and manage
this
> transition."
>
> For CCC reports on Utila and Roatan, see:
> http://www.coralcay.org/science/download_reports.php#honduras
>
> Pete Raines
>
> ________________________________________
> Peter Raines MBE FRGS FIBiol CGeog CBiol MInstD
> Founder & CEO
>
> Coral Cay Conservation Ltd
> Elizabeth House, 39 York Road, London, SE1 7NJ, United Kingdom
> Tel: +44 (0)20 7921 0460 (direct line)
> Tel: +44 (0)7925 218 011 (cell phone)
> Tel: +44 (0)20 7620 1411 (switch board)
> Fax: +44 (0)20 7921 0469
> email: psr at coralcay.org
> www.coralcay.org
> skype: peter.raines
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Coral-List mailing list
> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list

_________________________________________________________________
Get in touch in an instant. Get Windows Live Messenger now.
http://www.windowslive.com/messenger/overview.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_Refresh
_getintouch_042008
_______________________________________________
Coral-List mailing list
Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list

_______________________________________________
Coral-List mailing list
Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list