title: Use of monitoring data to support conservation management and policy decisions in Micronesia.
abstract: Adaptive management implies a continuous knowledge-based decision-making process in conservation. Yet, the coupling of scientific monitoring and management frameworks remains rare in practice because formal and informal communication pathways are lacking. We examined 4 cases in Micronesia where conservation practitioners are using new knowledge in the form of monitoring data to advance marine conservation. These cases were drawn from projects in Micronesia Challenge jurisdictions that received funding for coupled monitoring-to-management frameworks and encompassed all segments of adaptive management. Monitoring in Helen Reef, Republic of Palau, was catalyzed by coral bleaching and revealed evidence of overfishing that led to increased enforcement and outreach. In Nimpal Channel, Yap, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), monitoring the recovery of marine food resources after customary restrictions were put in place led to new, more effective enforcement approaches. Monitoring in Laolao Bay, Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, was catalyzed by observable sediment loads from poor land-use practices and resulted in actions that reduced land-based threats, particularly littering and illegal burning, and revealed additional threats from overfishing. Pohnpei (FSM) began monitoring after observed declines in grouper spawning aggregations. This data led to adjusting marine conservation area boundaries and implementing market-based size class restrictions. Two themes emerged from these cases. First, in each case monitoring was conducted in a manner relevant to the social and ecological systems and integrated into the decision-making process. Second, conservation practitioners and scientists in these cases integrated culturally appropriate stakeholder engagement throughout all phases of the adaptive management cycle. More broadly, our study suggests, when describing adaptive management, providing more details on how monitoring and management activities are linked at similar spatial scales and across similar time frames can enhance the application of knowledge.
authors.affiliation: The Nature Conservancy, 490 Westfield Road, Charlottesville, VA, 22903, U.S.A.. jmontambault@tnc.org.
authors.forename: Jensen Reitz
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Montambault
authors.affiliation: Joint Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research, University of Hawaii, 1000 Pope Road, Honolulu, HI, 96822, U.S.A.|Coral Reef Ecosystem Division, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 1845 Wasp Boulevard, Building 176, Honolulu, HI, 96818, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Supin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wongbusarakum
authors.affiliation: The Nature Conservancy, P.O. Box 5411, Hagatna, GU, 96932, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Trina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Leberer
authors.affiliation: Conservation Society of Pohnpei, P.O. Box 2461, Kolonia, FM, 96941, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Eugene
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.affiliation: OneReef, Koror, PW, 96940, Republic of Palau.
authors.forename: Wayne
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Andrew
authors.affiliation: Division of Environmental Quality, Office of the Governor, Caller Box 10007, Saipan, MP, 96950, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Fran
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.affiliation: Pacific Marine Resources Institute, PMB 1156 P.O. Box 10003, Saipan, MP, 96950, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Brooke
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nevitt
authors.affiliation: Palau International Coral Reef Center, P.O. Box 7086, 1 M-Dock Road, Koror, PW, 96940, Republic of Palau.
authors.forename: Yimnang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Golbuu
authors.affiliation: Palau International Coral Reef Center, P.O. Box 7086, 1 M-Dock Road, Koror, PW, 96940, Republic of Palau.|University of the Ryukyus, Graduate School of Engineering and Science, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara, Okinawa, 903-0213, Japan.
authors.forename: Noelle W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Oldiais
authors.affiliation: The Nature Conservancy, 40 E. Main Street Suite 200, Bozeman, MT, 59715, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Craig R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Groves
authors.affiliation: Micronesia Conservation Trust, P.O. Box 2177, Pohnpei, FM, 96941, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Willy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kostka
authors.affiliation: Marine Laboratory, University of Guam, Mangilao, GU, 96923, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Houk
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001492:Bass / Q000502:physiology; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000379:methods*; D057894:Coral Reefs; D003657:Decision Making; D058735:Environmental Policy; D005398:Fisheries; D019015:Geologic Sediments; D008849:Micronesia; D011157:Population Dynamics
keywords: Oceania; Oceanía; adaptive management; communications; community-based conservation; comunicaciones; conservación basada en la comunidad; ecosystem management; manejo adaptativo; manejo de ecosistemas