[Coral-List] Solution Search: Only two weeks left to apply!

[Emma Racila]

Dear Coral-List Colleagues,

As you may have heard, Rare and National Geographic have partnered to launch the first Solution Search, a contest to find proven innovations in near-shore fisheries.

There are only two weeks left to enter Solution Search: Turning the Tide for Coastal Fisheries.  The application process is easy!  Visit www.solutionsearch.org<http://www.solutionsearch.org> today.

The first place solution will win a US $20,000 project grant and will be featured in a video on National Geographic's Ocean<http://ocean.nationalgeographic.com/ocean/> ( http://ocean.nationalgeographic.com/ocean/ ) website.  By entering Solution Search, you are joining a global community of innovators and ambassadors for marine conservation.

This Solution Search is casting a wide net to find community-based innovations for near-shore fisheries based on proven successes.  Examples of solutions might include, but are not limited to, the areas of:


 *   No-take zones, marine protected areas, TURF (territorial user rights in fisheries) reserves
 *   Fishing gear, catch shares, fishing licenses
 *   Monitoring of catch compositions, data collection and analysis
 *   Eradicating destructive fishing techniques
 *   Community enforcement and natural resource management
 *   Creation of social and capital resilience, development of alternative livelihoods
 *   Regulation of curio and aquarium trades
 *   Biodiversity protection
 *   Reduction of terrestrial threats, such as road construction and local agriculture
 *   Other innovative ways of managing local fisheries


Important Dates

Solution Search Launch

September 8, 2011

Entry Deadline

October 31, 2011

Public Voting Opens

November 16, 2011

Public Voting Closes

December 25, 2011

Winners Announced

January 6, 2012


Entries will go through a three-tiered judging process and finalists will be announced to the public to vote for the winner.  All applications will be judged based on innovation, biodiversity impact, sustainability and resilience, impact on human wellbeing and livelihoods, replicability, and governance.

If you have any questions, please contact Andrea Durcik at adurcik at rareconservation.org<mailto:adurcik at rareconservation.org> or +1 703-522-5070.

We look forward to learning about your solution!

Kindest Regards,

Emma Racila
Solution Search Management Fellow
Rare