Workshop for Development of Sustainable Practices for Marine Cage Culture Operations in the U.S. Caribbean

On November 2 nd and 3 rd , 2010 the NOAA Aquaculture Program and NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program, in coopera- tion with Puerto Rico Sea Grant and the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI), hosted the Workshop for Development of Sustainable Practices for Marine Cage Culture Operations in the U.S. Caribbean. This one and a half day invited workshop was convened in conjunction with the 2010 GCFI annual meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The purpose of the workshop was to facilitate exchange of scientific and regulatory information as a first step toward developing environmental guidelines for marine cage culture operations in the U.S. Caribbean. Discussions focused on exchanging scientific information and identifying areas of uncertainty and knowledge gaps for marine cage culture operations. Break-out sessions were held to identify key elements for regional Best Management Practices (BMPs) for marine cage culture operations in territorial waters of the U.S. Caribbean. A second workshop will be held to seek input from additional experts and continue development of the regional BMPs.