ARE YOU AN OCEAN USER?
WE NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU
WE NEED
YOUR INPUT
Blue Prosperity Micronesia is a program focused on expanding capacity to strengthen the sustainable use of marine resources in the FSM. In partnership with the Kosrae Conservation & Safety Organization, BPM conducted an Ocean Use Survey to learn how Kosraens use and value the ocean.
OCEAN USE
SURVEY
The Ocean Use Survey (OUS) is a participatory mapping survey that asks respondents to identify areas in the marine environment that they value or use. The OUS will aid the Government in understanding areas of personal, economical, cultural, and ecological importance to stakeholders.
-
Responses collected will represent how and where Kosraeans use the ocean space.
-
Your input will help inform the Kosrae Marine Spatial Plan.
-
Responses are anonymous and individual spots will not be shared.
-
The results will be publicly available as consolidated heat maps per ocean sector after the survey period ends.
-
Learn more about the OUS and why it is important below.
TAKE THE
SURVEY
Data collection for the Kosrae Ocean Use Survey has closed.
Want to learn more about the survey? Click the button below to get in touch with our team.
You can also send an email to kcso@mail.fm.
FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS
Why is the Ocean Use Survey important?
The Ocean Use Survey helps policymakers understand how people use the ocean across Kosrae so they can accurately account for different activities like fishing, diving, shipping, tourism, surfing, mariculture, etc. in current and future planning processes. The information from the survey will help make data backed decisions.
It is important to hear from as many stakeholders as possible to ensure that the needs and priorities submitted are representative of the wider population. This information will feed into a larger Marine Spatial Plan for the FSM that will protect 30% of FSM’s waters and plan for sustainable economic growth. Your input through the Ocean Use Survey will help shape that plan.
Who should take the survey?
Anyone who uses the ocean should take the survey. Whether you are a fisherman, or someone who likes to swim for exercise, we want to hear from you! Planning for the future of the ocean should be inclusive and representative of all Kosraeans.
Our survey identifies 8 main stakeholder sectors:
-
Fisheries
-
Aquaculture
-
Community Use (recreational activities and inter-island transportation)
-
Tourism
-
Cultural Use
-
Construction & Infrastructure
-
Maritime Activity
-
Science & Research
How will it be used?
The survey will be used to inform the Kosrae Marine Spatial Plan. The results will be analyzed to produce several heat maps showing where and how different sectors are using the ocean.
Individual responses and locations will remain private.
How do you take the survey?
There are a few ways you can take the survey.
-
Attend a scheduled survey event. The Kosrae Ocean Use Survey team will be carrying out survey meetings for each of the municipalities in Kosrae separately starting with Utwe, Malem, Lelu, and Tafunsak. Time and location for survey meetings will be posted on this website once confirmed.
-
Visit the KCSO office. You can visit the KCSO office at any time to meet with staff and complete the survey.
-
Take the survey online. You may take the survey here online.
I'm having trouble, what do I do?
Reach out to the OUS team at kcso@mail.fm. We will answer any questions and can schedule a time to walk through the survey with you.
How do the survey tools work?
The digital survey tools gather map ocean use data and priorities to ensure that stakeholder uses are included in ocean planning.
To provide input that will inform ocean planning, you can select the ocean use sector you associate with, draw shapes in locations they utilize, and assign a point value for each shape.
You can also provide general comments to specify how much you value a certain area and why you might value or use a certain area. The responses collected from these surveys are submitted anonymously and used to produce heat maps that serve as a comprehensive baseline representation of how and where Kosraeans use the ocean space.
What does the data/heatmap look like? Will it be released to the public?
The resulting heatmaps will be shared with the public, but individual survey answers are anonymous.
How will this benefit communities?
This survey gives each ocean user the opportunity to provide input that will shape the future Kosrae Marine Spatial Plan. By providing input, your priorities and your community will be represented. The final Marine Spatial Plan will zone areas around the Kosrae for different activities like fishing, shipping, and protected areas.
What other countries have gone through this process?
Many countries have gone through this process before!
WHO'S
INVOLVED
The Ocean Use Survey is part of Kosrae's Marine Spatial Planning efforts under the national Blue Prosperity Micronesia program.
The Kosrae Conservation & Safety Organization will facilitate the survey to Kosraeans.
SeaSketch is developed by the creative people in the McClintock Lab at the Marine Science Institute at the University of California Santa Barbara.
The Waitt Institute creates and implements sustainable ocean plans in partnership with committed governments, local stakeholders and communities.