Western Pacific Coral Reef Institute

The Western Pacific Coral Reef Institute represents a collaborative regional partnership whose mission is to protect and preserve Micronesia’s reefs through multidisciplinary basic and applied scientific ecosystem research that is directly applicable to management practices, as well as via training and education.

The purpose of WPCRI is to build capacity for the better management of coral reefs in the region. The institute fosters cooperation between researchers, managers and stakeholders throughout Micronesia in addition to directly funding projects. The RFP competition for 2011 is now closed. There are no further funding opportunity announcements at this time.  Updated June 1, 2011. WPCRI also offers learning opportunities through scholarships for both undergraduate and graduate students pursuing degrees in natural resource management. Click Here for Scholarship Availability.

Research priorities guiding this project were developed through a stakeholder approach established by the WPCRI Management Committee, comprised of representatives from the University of Guam, state government, academic, and non-government institutions from Guam and the Micronesian region. Each priority is listed according to rank, with subthemes and examples of applicable research problems. Further examples of research linkages may be taken from jurisdictional management planning documents, such as Local Action Strategies under the US Coral Reef Task Force Initiative.

Research Priorities:

Priority 1 Climate Change

• Ocean acidification impacts on model species, communities, and ecosystems
• Modeling impacts at local scales for sea level rise and sea surface temperature
• Patterns of causes for large scale disturbance
• Connectivity within and among MPA network
• Management and risk assessment of nuisance and invasive species
• Harmful algal blooms.

Priority 2 Land Based Sources of Pollution

• Impacts of Pollution on reef assemblages
• Green technology transfers
• Reef Restoration (research techniques)
• Upland / Coastal Watershed
• Establishment of monitoring methods
• Testing organisms for pollution
• Watershed monitoring-effects of restoration/degradation
• Identifying thresholds of undesirable change (both for people and ecosystems)
• Improving GIS data availability
• Aquifer sustainability
• Assessment of key ecological processes

Priority 3 Fisheries

• Local mapping of resources (species and communities)
• Stock assessment of key species
• Anthropogenic links (impacts on habitat)
• Regional connectivity (genetics, larval dispersal oceanography)
• Catch-based data
• Marine Preserve Areas effectiveness
• Social Economic assessment of fisheries
• Cascading impacts form “harmful” methods
• Green technology

Priority 4 Traditional Practices

• Assessment of Traditional Technology (results to guide fisheries regulations and policies)
• Comparing catch rate methods
• Marketing Traditionally Caught Fish

Projects are selected based on a competitive peer reviewed process through a call for proposals, or more commonly known as Request For Proposals. Each proposal undergoes an extensive review process conducted by the Science and Technical Advisory Committee, which is comprised of a selected team of scientist and/or managers based throughout Micronesia.

As a result of the first round of funding, one project has been selected for funding.

1) Proposal Title: Long Term Monitoring of Coral Reef Resources in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Submitted By: Craig Musburger, Pacific Marine Resource Institute Inc.

1. Conservation Society of Pohnpei - Comparative Multi-Species Assessment of Temporal and Spatial Movement and Residency of Apex Predators for MPA Design and Effectiveness
2. Pacific Marine Resources Institute, Inc  “Improving local capacity for local coral monitoring programs in the FSM and RMI”
3. Sea Grant and Environmental Education Committee - “Comprehensive Assessment of Local Perceptions, Affecting Change and Engaging the Community ”
4. The Nature Conservancy (TNC) “Integrating reef resilience and climate change vulnerability into protected area design and management in the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Island and the greater Micronesia”
5. The Nature Conservancy (TNC) “Integrating reef resilience and climate change vulnerability into protected area design and management in the  Republic of  Palau and the greater Micronesia”

Inquiries may be sent to: