The U.S. EPA and Caribbean Coral Reef Institute hosted a Coral Reef and Coastal Ecosystems Decision Support Workshop on April 27-28, 2010 at the Caribbean Coral Reef 
Institute in La Parguera, Puerto Rico. Forty-three participants, including representatives from federal and territorial government agencies, non-governmental organizations and academic institutions, and Guánica Bay watershed citizens participated in the workshop. The purpose of the workshop was to facilitate development of a decision analysis framework with stakeholder and decision-maker input to help address problems related to ecologically-damaging human activities (e.g., agriculture, urbanization, sediment and nutrient loads, stormwater run-off, and wetland loss) in the Guánica Bay Watershed in Southwest Puerto Rico.
During the workshop we reviewed the characteristics and threats to the Guánica Bay watershed, coral reefs and coastal ecosystems and overviewed ongoing NOAA and USDA
activities in the watershed. EPA introduced an organizational framework (DPSIR), which can be used to link ecological and socioeconomic factors and to scope the important causal elements of environmental decision-making. The group incorporated knowledge and issues relevant to the Guánica Bay watershed and southwestern Puerto Rico into the framework. Using the Guánica Bay Management Plan as a foundation, we applied a structured decision analysis process to the decision-making processes in the watershed.
We also had some time to relax and get to know one another. The Department of Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez hosted a lovely reception for workshop participants at their facility on Magueyes Island. And the Caribbean Coral Reef Institute organized a wonderful night-time snorkel in the La Parguera Phosphorescent Bay.
Since the workshop we have established ―Coral Reefs Puerto Rico‖ on EPA’s Environmental Science Connector (ESC). The ESC is a password-protected research and collaboration center that provides the capability to customize, coordinate, and monitor the progress of science projects from your desktop. The presentations and workshop exercises have been posted on the ESC.
Contact: Patricia Bradley, Bradley.patricia@epa.gov