Total length (cm) frequency distributions for four common commercially important species based on fixed site (left column) and spatially-randomized (right column) surveys between the northern USVI (dark bars) and St. Croix (gray bars).

<p>N indicated in graphs are number of fish.</p

Location of northern U.S. Virgin Islands (St. Thomas and St. John) and St. Croix, separated by the Anegada passage.

<p>Right panels show the insular shelf areas of the islands separated by fishery closure areas and areas open to fishing and divided into shoreline (<500 m from shore), shallow, and deep zones. Long-term fixed sampling sites of the USVI Territorial Coral Reef Monitoring Program and included in this study are indicated.</p

Relative fishing effort (determined by days fished) in the northern USVI and St. Croix [33].

<p>Relative fishing effort (determined by days fished) in the northern USVI and St. Croix [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0180063#pone.0180063.ref033" target="_blank">33</a>].</p

Relative encounters (% of transects in which the fish species was seen) for the fourteen target species at fixed sites of the USVI Territorial Coral Reef Monitoring Program.

<p>Comparisons were made between island group and depth (<25 m and >25m). Asterisks (*) following species names indicate a significant overall model (α = 0.05). Carat symbol (^) for cubera snapper indicates that both depth and island were significant. Post-hoc analyses indicated as disparate letters over treatments where there was interaction between island and depth, and as a joining line where there was a significant across island effect. Nassau grouper was marginally non-significant for the overall model (p = 0.0567), but post-hoc analyses are presented for island and indicated with a dashed joining line.</p

Navigating learning ecosystems: Exploring students’ use of agency in marine and environmental sciences

This case study shares feedback from program alumni who are from underrepresented groups in STEM and who participated in either an undergraduate internship program or a Bridge to Ph.D. program designed to broaden participation in the marine and environmental sciences. The internship program was hosted by a Historically Black College and University (HBCU), in partnership with local collaborators who hosted students. The Bridge to Ph.D. program was co-designed by faculty leaders from the HBCU and faculty partners at a primarily White institution (PWI) who hosted the program on their campus. Interviews were conducted one to four years after participation in one of the programs to learn whether students were still involved in the geosciences and to document the ways they used agency to navigate the marine sciences learning ecosystem. Almost all students were still engaged in the marine and environmental sciences, and all were still engaged in STEM fields. The agency included in their stories reiterates themes from the literature and demonstrates a range of successful pathways that can be encouraged and supported by those striving for inclusion in the geosciences. Results are described in relation to the importance of changing the shared social practices utilized within the geosciences to support inclusion, particularly regarding how success is defined.</p

Total number of fish encountered in roving dives for eight of the large-bodied commercially important species in the northern USVI and St. Croix.

<p>Data from fixed sites of the USVI Territorial Coral Reef Monitoring Program conducted between 2003–2011 (N_{N USVI} = 174, N_{St. Croix} = 240).</p

Results of the SIMPER analysis between islands based on fixed (TCRMP) and spatially randomized (NOAA) datasets.

<p>Fish species listed are the top five species that contributed the most to dissimilarity between the northern USVI and St. Croix multivariate data sets of species relative encounters.</p

Submerged areas on the insular shelves of the northern USVI (N. USVI) and St. Croix with marine protected areas (MPA) and total fishable areas delineated by depth.

<p>Fishable nearshore area was defined as the coastline to 500m offshore. This is included in the 0-25m shelf, but is highlighted separately as this zone is potentially vulnerable to shore-based artisanal fisheries. Digital Elevation Model and coastline data for the US Virgin Islands and surrounding areas were obtained from the NOAA National Geophysical Data Center (<a href="http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/" target="_blank">www.ngdc.noaa.gov</a>).</p

Number of encounters of eight rare species in both roving dives and belt transects conducted by TCRMP from 2003–2011.

<p>Encounters are reported by study area (Northern USVI and St. Croix) and strata. Years are collapsed. X indicates no encounters.</p

Relative encounters for the fifteen target species in NOAA spatially-randomized transects conducted in shallow water less than 30 m depth (N = 10 for both the northern USVI and St. Croix).

<p>* indicates a significant difference (p < 0.05) between Northern USVI and St. Croix relative encounters for that species as determined by a Wilcoxon test (statistical results in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0180063#pone.0180063.t005" target="_blank">Table 5</a>).</p