UOG to host free fisheries community science workshop

An upcoming workshop organized by the University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant (UOG CIS & SG) will enable the local fishing community to learn how to become community scientists by contributing data about their local catch.

The “Community Science Workshop” will be held at the Guam Green Growth Circular Economy Makerspace & Innovation Hub’s Green Store in Hagåtña on Friday, Dec 20, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. and again, on Saturday, Dec 21, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Guihan for Guåhån, a UOG Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant program, will be facilitating the workshop. The program is focused on the long-term monitoring of Guam’s reef fisheries and translating the science of sustainable fishing to the community.

According to Leilani Sablan, Guihan for Guåhån project lead, the fishing community has the potential to improve the quality and volume of fisheries-dependent data for the island.”

“By tackling a new approach and leveraging fisher knowledge, we can better inform science and management,” Sablan added.

At the workshop, Sablan will share how vital fisheries dependent data is to the health of Guam’s reefs and marine species and show how to properly use fishing mats to measure and record their catches.

Fisheries dependent data relies heavily on information provided by the fishing community, particularly in terms of measuring the fish that are caught. This information is crucial for marine biologists as it helps them assess the health of local reefs and the marine species that inhabit them.

According to Sablan, attendees will not only learn how sharing data from their fishing catches can assist marine biologists in safeguarding our marine ecosystem, but they will also enjoy other exciting activities alongside the presentations.

“Each fisher will have access to a specially designed catch mat. We’ll get hands-on practice on its proper use. We will have other freebies like posters, stickers, and bags.” Sablan adds, “Our community science program has an incentive component, and you can win monthly gift certificates to fishing stores simply for sharing your catch photos using the mat.”

People interested in participating can register for free online at: https://guamgreengrowth.org/makerspace-innovation-hub/ today.

“Participating in these workshops will really help fishers see the process that data is collected about Guam’s fisheries and how they can help,” explained Fran Castro, the associate director for operations and development at UOG CIS & SG. “The research our team is doing will benefit the entire community, and we welcome the community to get involved.”

In addition to the workshop, Sablan says that Guihan for Guåhån has more opportunities for the fishing community to participate in and celebrate Guam’s fisheries, including the recently announced Guam Fish Fest, slated for January 18, 2025 from 9am to 12pm at CHamoru Village.

For more information about the workshop and Guihan for Guåhån, visit uog.edu/seagrant or follow UOG CIS & SG on social media.