OEAP Report to the Council 186th CFMC Regular Meeting

4/18/2025

Outreach and Education Advisory Panel (OEAP) Report to the Council

CFMC Regular Meeting April 22-24, 2025 St.Croix, USVI

This presentation will offer an overview of the activities carried out by the Outreach and Education Advisory Panel (OEAP) since December 2024 through this year. It highlights key collaborations, events, educational campaigns, publications, and what’s next for the panel.

We have a commitment on advancing public engagement and awareness in support of sustainable fisheries management in the U.S. Caribbean and the protection of our ecosystems.

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ACTIVITIES

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As the chair of the OEAP I participated alongside six fishers in an agroecological event organized by VisitRico on December 2024. VisitRico has been incorporating underutilized fish species and sharing information about them with the public.

The fishers who joined me were recognized for their dedication and ongoing collaboration with these efforts. One of them was Nelson Crespo, D.A.P. President

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Activities:

Community Engagement on Extreme Weather Events

I attended an event in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, focused on how citizens can collaborate with scientists studying extreme weather events. The gathering was held under the theme Puerto Rico for the Climate.

Several proposals were presented to strengthen collaboration between local communities and researchers.

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Activities: .

• Participation has continued in the MREP Planning Unit Team (P.U.T.) meetings.

• Plans are underway to hold a small expo on underutilized fish species during the MREP meeting in June 2025

• The expo will be co-presented by Chef Lorraine Arroyo and myself.

• Chef Arroyo completed the continuing education course on underutilized species for culinary professionals, sponsored by the Caribbean Fishery Management Council (CFMC), the Puerto Rico Sea Grant Program, and the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez in 2024.

What’s next for the OEAP?

O & E Products

CFMC Calendar 2026

Honoring Fishing Families of the USVI and Puerto Rico

Our goal with this calendar is to honor the resilience, tradition, and contributions of fishing families from the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

CFMC Calendar 2026

The calendar will highlight:

•4 families from St. Croix

•4 families from St. Thomas

•4 families from Puerto Rico

Part of the Gómez family from Naguabo, Puerto Rico

¿Questions?

4/18/2025