Pacific Islands Conservation Research Association

PICRA Project Board

Highlighted Project 2008

Dr. Kevin Rhodes worked with PICRA as he investigates the natural history and conservation importance of grouper species along the coral reefs.  His work was conducted on the island of Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia. The project has been partially funded by Project AWARE Foundation, and it aims to assess and enhance the effectiveness alternative management strategies to protect reproductively active grouper (Serranidae).  Management is targeted at multi-species spawning aggregation sites using combined acoustic telemetry and market analyses techniques. 

Project findings and recommendations will contribute to a greater understanding and conservation of spawning aggregations, which are being rapidly depleted at the global scale, are critically important to tropical fisheries and ecotourism, and are key to the persistence of local and regional populations.

Photos from ongoing PICRA projects