The three-day conference was a productive exchange between the National Sea Grant programs and their counterparts in South Korea on their successes and challenges.

In particular, Shelton and Castro interacted with leaders from eight Korea Sea Grant programs and learned about advancements in aquaculture research and ocean monitoring.

“We’re happy to continue strengthening our partnerships within the global Sea Grant network,” Shelton said.

Additionally, they continued discussions with colleagues on tourism-related research and producing coastal educational outreach materials for Korean tourists. These discussions began during the UOG Regional Conference on Island Sustainability in 2018, during which the University of Guam signed memorandums of understanding with the Jeju and Chungcheong Sea Grant programs.

The partners were once again invited to the 11th UOG Regional Conference on Island Sustainability, to be held from March 30 to April 3.

Additionally, the conference yielded discussions on a joint workshop in the Pacific to respond to sea level rise. Shelton and Castro also gave a presentation on using the Sea Grant model to improve island sustainability in Guam.

The Korea-U.S. Science Cooperation Center funded the U.S. delegation’s visit.

The National Sea Grant College Program is a partnership among universities and the federal National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration that seeks to enhance the practical use and conservation of coastal and marine resources to create a sustainable economy and environment. UOG Sea Grant is one of 34 programs across the nation.

For more information on the UOG Sea Grant Program, visit www.uog.edu/seagranthttp://www.uog.edu/seagrant.