Developing International Sea Grant

The long term goal of this project (ended 5/31/2004) was to foster sustainable resource use and social development in the marine and coastal environment of Latin America. The specific contribution was in exploring how to adapt the Sea Grant model to the context of Latin America, implement pilot programs in the Gulf of Fonseca and the Gulf of Guayaquil that are composed of the core Sea Grant elements – research, extension and education and develop a network of Sea Grant institutions in Latin America. This project was aimed at developing a shared vision with our partners to define what the Sea Grant Network would look like and what it could achieve in Latin America; specifically, in the Gulf of Fonseca and the Gulf of Guayaquil, develop a shared understanding of the social, economic and environmental context of those two areas, develop a shared commitment of resources to achieve the vision of a Latin America Sea Grant Network and create a process by which to adjust resources and direction as new information becomes available.