Isla de Cabras cleanup; Car sank in the Condado Lagoon; Iguana iguana; Isla Verde marine reserve; San Antón creek; new contracts

Pictures: Isla de Cabras cleanup

Our update for January 14 to February 9, 2012, is as follows:

1) Successful cleanup event in the San Juan Bay, Isla de Cabras; great media coverage: On February 4, 2012, from 9:00am to 12:00pm, a group of 73 volunteers organized by our Outreach Coordinator, Gladys Rivera, cleaned up over 1,200 pounds of debris from this axis of the Bay. Kudos to our volunteers and Gladys! The activity received ample media coverage in the main newspaper of the island, El Nuevo Día. We also congratulate José Enrique Rodríguez, our communications assistant, for his efforts in reaching out to the media and giving the activity island-wide visibility.

http://www.elnuevodia.com/muchasmanosamigasparaprotegerelestuario-1182761.html

http://www.elnuevodia.com/joveneslimpiaranisladecabras-1182000.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnRe-Wj4afs&feature=youtu.be

2) San Juan Bay Estuary Program quoted in media article of Condado Lagoon car accident: On February 4, 2012, an auto sank in the Condado Lagoon. El Nuevo Día consulted our organization regarding the potential environmental hazards of the accident:

http://www.elnuevodia.com/acusarianaconductordeautohundidoenlagunadelcondado-1183551.html

3) SJBEP quoted nationally on the local plans to kill and export Iguana meat: Currently there is a local frenzy (in part generated by misleading information on the Iguana iguana species) to kill and export the meat of the Iguana iguana. The Associated Press interviewed the SJBEP and the coverage went national:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/03/puerto-rico-iguanas-killed-exported_n_1252990.html

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/feb/03/puerto-rico-to-kill-iguanas-export-meat/

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/puerto-rico-kill-iguanas-export-meat-15507861#.TzQVUZi4JSU

http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20120203/API/1202031211?p=2&tc=pg

4) SJBEP in public hearing regarding designation of Isla Verde marine reserve (PC 3721): On February 2, 2012, our organization offered a presentation in favor of the Isla Verde marine reserve. Our viewpoint was taken into consideration by the local media report on the public hearing:

http://www.elnuevodia.com/apoyounanimealareservamarinaarrecifedelaislaverde-1181067.html

http://www.camaraderepresentantes.org/noticiasread4.asp?r=%7BA866352F-627A-4AAB-BECA-5F77870A754B%7D

5) SJBEP joins intergovernmental initiative to clean the San Antón creek: The San Antón creek is one of the main sources of fresh water carried into the San José Lagoon. On February 9, 2012, Dr. Javier Laureano participated in a public hearing regarding the San Antón cleanup, presided by House Representative Ángel L. Bulerín Ramos. The municipal governments of Carolina and San Juan will clean 1,800 linear meters of debris, aquatic weeds, and sediments.

6) New contractors for our library and CCMP Tracking: We welcome to our estuarine team Betzaida Ortiz, María Rodríguez, and Manuel Aponte. Ortiz will collaborate as CCMP Tracking Coordinator, and Rodríguez with Aponte as librarians to organize and create an online catalog of our Pedro Antonio Gelabert Estuarine Library. ¡Bienvenidos!

7) Talk to Evertec employees: Evertec is the main electronic transactions processing company of the Island. On January 25, 2012, volunteer Diana Ferro and Dr. Javier Laureano offered a talk to Evertec employees.

8) SJBEP participates in a special hearing session of the National Ocean Council: Dr. Jorge Bauzá represented the SJBEP on February 8, 2012, in this special session to discuss President Obama’s National Ocean Policy.

9) Regular meetings with President Andrés Salas Soler, Esq.: The Executive Director of the SJBEP has been meeting regularly with President Salas Soler regarding the implementation of this year’s Work Plan and key issues of the organization.

10) Estuary’s Cinema against all odds: For unknown reasons the Condado Lagoon Park has been without power for over a month. We were able to use the power plant of a special events concessionary to plug in our Estuary Cinema equipment. On January 28, 2012, we began this year’s screening with over 150 attendees.