Alexis Valuari-Orton - The Ocean Foundation
Designing a framework for an ocean acidification vulnerability assessment in Puerto Rico through stakeholder interviews, science synthesis, and a regional workshop
Why we care
Local and federal efforts (e.g., 4th National Climate Assessment, Puerto Rico Climate Change Report) have identified ocean acidification as a primary concern for economically important species in the U.S. Caribbean. In Puerto Rico, more than 3 million inhabitants rely on ocean and coastal resources for food, livelihoods, and protection. Despite this, workshops to inform and learn from key stakeholder groups regarding ocean and coastal acidification have not occurred.
What we are doing
This project will initiate a regional vulnerability assessment in Puerto Rico and create a multi-stakeholder network to form the basis of a new Coastal Acidification Network (CAN). This project will consist of three primary workflows:
1. Assessment of social and economic vulnerability through community interviews
2. Identification of scientific trends and gaps in research
3. Implementation of a regional, multi-disciplinary workshop to collect social and natural science perspectives and prioritize activities that will create a robust regional vulnerability assessment and an initial framework for a Caribbean CAN.
Benefits of our work
The end product will provide the first preliminary OA vulnerability assessment for the region, complementing the long term chemical, biological, and socioeconomic observations collected by the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) and National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP), and providing critical information for the NOAA IOOS Regional Status Assessment for the Caribbean Ocean Observing System. Though this project will focus on Puerto Rico, its outputs will provide a framework for the expansion of efforts into the U.S. Virgin Islands, either through a similar RVA or through the activities of a new CAN.