Puerto Mosquito Bay (in Vieques) and La Parguera Bay (in Lajas) are two of the most important bioluminescence bays in the World. However, even when Puerto Rico has these two marvelous bays there had never been a symposium dedicated to this topic in the island. This is why the Vieques Conservation and Historical Trust hold the First Symposium on Bioluminescence of Puerto Rico. This event took place at the Multiple Use Center in Isabel II, Vieques, on October 9 and 10 of 2009. This symposium was also one of the activities commemorating the Trust twenty-fifth anniversary. The event, which was sponsored by the private sector, the government, and the academia, reunited hundreds of people including scientists, students, professors, fishermen, business people, government agency personnel,and political figures. During the symposium several specialists in bioluminescence presented their most recent work. Some of them were Drs. Edith Widder, Michael Latz, Juan Gonzalez Lagoa and Miguel Sastre. Other people working in related areas also presented, among them were Dr. Fernando Abruña (Architect), Ms. Elizabeth Padilla (Biologist), and Dr. Fernando Gilbes (Oceanographer). Dr. Gilbes, from the GERS Lab, presented the work titled “Comparative study of the conditions in La Parguera and Puerto Mosquito: the dangers of sedimentation and development pressure”. This talk summarized the research conducted by his group with the sponsored of the Sea Gran College Program. The symposium exceeded all expectations and produced new initiatives and collaborations for preserving and manage these important bays. Congratulations to the organizers!
