Strengthening the adaptive capacity of communities by increasing the protection of their coral reef ecosystems through a resilience-based, science-to-management approach across the Micronesia Challenge region.

The project expands on the work achieved thus far, the notable progress made, and the continuously improving and collaborative science-to-management tools developed under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA Cooperative Agreements (CA). Through this project, MCT and its partners continue to build regional capacity to use biophysical and socioeconomic data and evaluation protocols to collect, analyze, and translate coral reef and socioeconomic monitoring results in support of a resilience-based management approach in the region. These activities are essential components of science-to- management networks that support the Micronesia Challenge and overall resource management at the national, state and community levels across the region. The goals of this program are to 1) Continue to support regional capacity building for data collection, entry, storage, and analysis for coral reef fisheries management and protected areas to inform decision-making at all levels (community/local, national and regional). 2) Support improved fisheries management and climate resilience through the use of cooperatively developed capacity building tools for fisheries and protected area management; 3) Strengthen regional socio- economic monitoring capacity to better understand the importance of social-ecological systems that combine socio-economic fisheries data with biological data to inform decision-makers; 4) Through a resilience-based management approach, support the development and integration of resilience-based management approach, through an integrated, gender-sensitive approach through nature-based (NbS) solutions to climate change; and 5) Strengthen the effective management of Micronesia Challenge protected areas and Protected Areas Network (PAN).

Countries: Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI) and The Republic of Palau (ROP)

Impact Areas: Conservation, Climate Change

Project Duration: October 2022 – September 2024 (in-progress)

Project Grant: $600,000.00 (Federal Share) $600,000.00 (Non-Federal Share)

Funding Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Partners: Conservation Society of Pohnpei (CSP), Kosrae Conservation and Safety Organization (KCSO), Chuuk Women Council (CWC), Yap Community Action Program (YapCAP), Palau International Coral Reef Center, Marshall Islands Conservation Society (MIMRA), University of Guam Marine Laboratory (UOGML), The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Micronesia Program, Rare, Pacific Islands Managed and Protected Areas Communities (PIMPAC), Micronesians in Island Conservation (MIC), and Locally Managed Marine Area Network (LMMA), Yap Department of Resources & Development, Pohnpei Department of Resources & Development, Kosrae Island Resources Management Authority, Chuuk Department of Marine Resources,