Sharks in the Parks: Use of MPAs by Silky Sharks, Carcharhinus falciformis, in the Eastern Tropical Pacific

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are increasingly being used to protect at risk species, however, their effectiveness in protecting wide-ranging species is unclear. The silky shark (Carcharhinus falciformis) has experienced large declines in the Eastern Tropical Pacific and may benefit from the network of MPAs in the region. We examined silky shark use of MPAs and fisheries overlap by tracking 38 sub-adult and adult silky sharks tagged within the Galapagos Marine Reserve (GMR) with satellite tags for periods of up to 639 d. Based on movement patterns, sharks were split into three groups: males, eastern females, and western females. Sharks from all groups tended to show site fidelity to the GMR and the GMR was the most used MPA. Use of MPAs varied little between the wet (Dec-May) and dry seasons (Jun-Nov) for males and eastern females; males and eastern females spent ~55% and ~70% of their time within MPAs, respectively. Western females spent more time within MPAs during the wet season (~50%) compared to the dry season (~15%). Combining silky shark space use with fishing effort data from Global Fishing Watch revealed that sharks were most at risk from fisheries during the dry season within the northern Galapagos EEZ. Risk was much lower in the wet season; however, Global Fishing Watch data severely underestimates fishing effort in the region. Overall, for a wide-ranging species, silky sharks spent a great deal of time within the protected waters of the GMR, but much of their movements extended far beyond the GMR and other MPAs, putting them at risk from commercial fisheries operating in the Eastern Tropical Pacific

Exploratory Case Study of a Vocational Intervention Program for High School Students in The Bahamas

The problem was that there was no evidence of a formal evaluation of a vocational intervention program in The Bahamas. The purpose of the qualitative exploratory case study was to examine an established vocational intervention program. The study explored its impact on the career readiness, vocational skills, and academic success it provided its participants. The study had three research questions: 1. To what extent has the vocational training intervention program been successfully implemented to improve students’ academic success? 2. To what extent has the high school dropout rate improved because of completion of the vocational intervention program by the students? 3. To what extent has the employability of the students improved because of completion of the vocational intervention program by the students? The research approach was a qualitative approach and design an exploratory case study design. Five program instructors were purposefully selected. Each selected staff member must be involved in the program for a minimum of 2 years. Additionally, participants must be: (a) an instructor or administrator, (b) completed at least one course or program cycle in their position, and (c) willing to participate in the interviews. Data was collected using the adult vocational interview. For Research Question 1, themes, aligned with students receiving a stipend, students were learning new skills, and instructors were engaging and invested in student success. For Research Question 2, themes aligned with students becoming more future oriented, career focused, and a more positive outlook toward school and their future. For Research Question 3, themes, aligned with past participants of the program were top industry leaders, students were receiving valuable skills and qualifications, and they received hands-on experience