Skeete’s Bay, Barbados Photo credit: BlueGreen Initiative CC4FISH Towards the development of a sub-regional Sargassum outlook bulletin for the Caribbean Contributing authors: Shelly-Ann Cox1, Hazel A. Oxenford1, Patrick McConney1, 2 2 Donald R. Johnson and James S. Franks Initiative 1CERMES, University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus 2University of Southern Mississippi, Ocean Springs, Mississippi BlueGreen Supported by: The Climate Change Adaptation of the Eastern Caribbean Fisheries Sector Project (CC4FISH) 2nd Regional Sargassum Symposium, 3Ws Pavilion, UWI Cave Hill Campus 21 November 2018 Photo credit: Sargassum influxes The development and communication of reliable long and medium-term forecasts of significant Sargassum influx arrivals is critical! Photo credits: Hazel Oxenford Outlook Bulletin So far … USF/NASA is providing • Sargassum presence in the entire region relative to previous years • Comments on future bloom probability for the next three months https://optics.marine.usf.edu/projects/SaWS.html Sub-Regional Outlook Bulletin Design Criteria Target audiences: Tourism businesses and policy makers, fisheries managers, fisherfolk Simplifying scientific jargon so that stakeholders can understand Sargassum abundance intensity-level 3-month outlook Implications to sectors Links to useful resources Screenshots of Prototype Outlook Bulletin Current Status Presence of Significant Sargassum AFAI composite 10-16 Oct 2018 Processed satellite image showing sargassum abundance over a 7-day period Image courtesy of M. Wang and C. Hu, USF Optical Oceanography Laboratory Developing sargassum intensity levels Area for which severe sargassum index moderate was calculated mild Barbados Trinidad Developing sargassum intensity levels severe moderate mild 2nd Regional Sargassum Symposium to be convened by the FAO in association with The UWI on 21-22 November 2018 in Barbados at the Cave Hill Campus P a g e 2 Current Outlook Oct 2018 – Jan 2019 Developing the 22 Oct 2018 – 24 Nov 2019 Outlook Oct 2018 – Jan 2019 Oct 2018 16 Dec 2018 – 29 April 2019 22 Oct 2018 – 24 Nov 2019 16 Dec 2018 – 29 April 2019 North South P a g e 2 P a g e 2 Useful Resources Next Steps • Find potential collaborators Design • Engage stakeholders in the co-development process • Revise based on feedback Develop • Secure sustainable funding options • Build a mailing list for distribution Distribution • Trial issue release on or before March 2019 Conclusion We anticipate that this bulletin will facilitate wider access to specifically tailored early warning information allowing better decision-making processes by key socio- economic sectors in the region. Thank You!.