The Sea Grant Extension Program
http://www.seagrant.noaa.gov
By: Virginia Lee
Assistant Director for Outreach,
Rhode Island Sea Grant
URI Coastal Resources Center
http://www.crc.uri.edu
Sea Grant’s Outreach
Infrastructure
The Sea Grant Outreach Community consists
of:
25 Marine Education specialists
300 Extension staff/specialists
70 Communications specialists
Sea Grant Outreach:
Extension
Goal: Effect change through outcomebased education
The Sea Grant Extension Network:
– Provides effective, two way communication
between producers and users of information
– Translates complex scientific information for
decision makers and citizens
Extension Mission
“to provide an effective, two way communication
between the users and producers of knowledge”
- practical mechanism for getting
information out of laboratories
- communicates user needs to scientific
community
Philosophy and Ideals
* Citizen or user driven approach (Citizen advisory
structures)
* Non-advocacy
* Present alternatives & provide all viewpoints
* University-based educators (no regulatory function)
* Connected to key coastal clientele (trust developed through
34 year history)
* Programmatic flexibility and balance based on local needs
Distribution SG Extension Program Funding*
(Allocated by Strategic Plan Categories)
Prog
Mgmt/Other
7%
Seafood Prod
27%
Coa Eco Dev
19%
Adv Tech
3%
Coa Eco Hea
25%
Educ & Hum
Res
Public Safety
13%
6%
Pyramid of Effectiveness Indicators*
End
Result
Practice
Change
KASA*
Change
R Reactions
P People Involvement
*Knowledge,
Attitude,
Skills,
Aspirations
A
Activities
Inputs – Time, Money
*Journal of Extension Education,
March/April 1975
Indonesian Project: Case Example
I.
Situation statement - U. S. seafood importers have
begun to refuse Indonesian seafood products
because they cannot prove that the seafood is
safe
II.
Goal(s) - Develop a national seafood safety system
for Indonesia
III.
Objectives - Have all Indonesian seafood exporters
adopt the HACCP based seafood inspection
system
IV.
Activities
1) Bring American team to conduct
training for major seafood exporters
2) Translate and make available HACCP
training manual
3)
Conduct follow-up training for
workers in seafood plants
4)
Develop posters for use in fish houses
to remind workers of the procedures
I.
Situation statement - Only 20 % of blue crabs are
used for human consumption
II.
Goal(s) - To develop a commercial market for
soft shell blue crabs
III.
Objectives
1) To have 100 fishermen begin crab
shedding operations
2) To have the Indonesian food marketing
institute develop a campaign to introduce
consumers to soft shell crabs
3) To have a university researcher develop a
grant to explore freezing and packaging
techniques for soft shell crabs
IV.
Activities
1)
Conduct workshops on harvesting techniques
2) Train fishermen on how to install and operate flow
through shedding systems
3)
Presentation to government food marketing
director and staff
4)
Organize meeting between food science researchers
and funding agencies
I.
Situation statement - A new species of Argentine
scallops is being harvested that is much smaller
than the American species and only worth 1/3
the value
II.
Goal(s) - Increase the value of the Argentine sea
scallop product to the American industry
III.
Objectives
1) To develop and market one new product from
the Argentine sea scallop
IV.
Activities
1) Work with surimi researcher to apply
protein gellation technology to sea scallops
2) Assist industry with developing product
identity through FDA
3)
Conduct in-plant experiments to test the
technology
Attributes of an Effective Extension agent
-Subject matter knowledge
-Excellent communications skills (verbal and written)
-Works independently without much supervision
-Self-starter, has initiative
-Ability to listen & communicate with diverse
audiences
-facilitates and builds consensus
-Credibility with local audiences (shared cultural
values)
-People skills - outgoing personality and ability
to socialize with local audiences
President Bush’s Response to the
U.S. Ocean Commission, 2005
"Expand the Sea Grant Program Internationally.
In response to direct requests from interested
foreign governments and universities, the
Administration will conduct a donors conference
in Latin America, hold a workshop in Southeast
Asia, and develop a technical assistance plan in
North Africa in order to help introduce and adapt
the successful U.S. Sea Grant system of applied
research, extension, and education to countries in
these regions. Sea Grant will help create a global
network of institutions dedicated to applying the
knowledge and technologies that lead to
sustainable forms of coastal and marine resource
development and conservation."
Web: http://ocean.ceq.gov/actionplan.pdf