Flinders University Underwater Archaeology Training

MMT members from Coastal Resources Management learned the basics of surveying submerged wrecks this past July.  This training reflects the recent addition of the Historic Preservation Office to the CNMI Scientific Diving Program and builds the team's skills to manage vessel grounding events.  Jen McKinnon and Jason Raup led the training and will be returning next year to develop an underwater historical trail on Saipan.
7 Aug 09

Proactive Species Conservation to Include Guam

CRM has been awarded a second year of funding from NMFS Office of Protected Resources to assess the status of Atuhong and Tanguisson in CNMI and Guam.  Ecological surveys and interviews with fishermen will be conducted around Guam. A sonic tagging study on Saipan will help define home range sizes for Tanguisson. Learn more on our PSCG Webpage.

Personnel Changes

John Iguel, long-time MMT member, has transfered to DEQ the Technical Branch and will now support the MMT full-time.
Rodney Camacho and David Benavente have been hired by CRM as full-time Marine Technicians under the Coral Reef Section.  Both are former interns with the Coral Reef Initiative program and are recent college graduates. Their full-time addition to the team is a major boost in the program's capability to assess and monitor our marine environment.

Dr. Peter Houk, a nine year veteran of the MMT is leaving DEQ. He largely responsible for the current form and direction of the current MMT program.  He is taking a job as the executive director of the Pacific Marine Resources Institute on Saipan.