SJBEP Weekly Update
San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership (SJBEP) invites you to participate in the discussion tables of the four supporting documents of the new Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP), on Monday, July 13, 2026. We also have an interpretive tour of Old San Juan, a workshop for teachers, and more opportunities for training, volunteering, and professional growth. We also share the recent actions carried out in benefit of the waters and communities connected to the San Juan Bay Estuary (SJBE). Read on and join your estuarine community.
Join the discussion tables on the supporting documents of the new CCMP
SJBEP invites citizens, government agencies, municipalities, community organizations, academia, and other interested sectors to participate in the discussion tables that will be held on Monday, July 13, 2026, as part of the public comment period of the four supporting documents of the new CCMP.
There will be four discussion tables during the day, one for each document:
Monitoring Plan | from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Habitat Restoration Strategy | 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Financial Strategy | 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Communication Strategy & Community Outreach | from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The meetings will be held in a hybrid manner from the SJBEP office (1315 Avenida Ponce de León, San Juan, PR 00907; third floor) with virtual space through Zoom.
The supporting documents will remain available for public comment until August 11, 2026. We encourage you to download them, review them and participate in the discussion tables. All documents are available HERE.
Extended Public Comment Period on CCMP Action Plans
On April 15, 2026, we completed the approval of the drafts for the five CCMP action plans. The public hearing was held on June 16, thus culminating the official public comment period for these documents.
To continue encouraging citizen participation, we have extended the public comment period until July 30, 2026.
We invite you to review the documents and submit your comments before the new deadline.
Join an urban tour of Old San Juan
On Thursday, July 2, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. we will have the urban tour: Discovering the Connections Between the City’s Water and the Estuary; through the streets of Old San Juan. We will explore the water management infrastructure of this urban area, its connection with the waters of the SJBE, and the actions we take to protect this emblematic body of water.
The tour will count toward Contacto Verde or community service hours. All minors must be accompanied by an adult, who must register separately.
Register today, at: estuario.org/eventos
Workshop for teachers
We invite all educators to the workshop for teachers: Estuarine Ecosystems as Laboratories for Active Learning; on Saturday, July 11, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Jaime Benítez Park of the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve.
In this workshop, you will explore as an educator how the wetlands, mangroves, rivers, streams, and urban forests connected to the SJBE waters can be used as living (or outdoor) laboratories to promote observation, inquiry, critical thinking, and experiential learning.
This workshop is available to professional educators from public or private schools and other institutions. Sign up today, HERE.
Professional Services contract opportunities
Actions for the reduction of aquatic waste
In the SJBE watershed.
SJBEP present at the Trujillo Alto Environmental Fair
On Saturday, June 13, we were part of the Municipality of Trujillo Alto’s Environmental Fair with our informative table. As part of our community outreach efforts, we highlighted our initiatives and the various learning, training, and volunteer activities we undertake. Thank you to all who visited us!
Meeting of the Strategic Plan on Aquatic Waste
The aquatic waste prevention community held its annual meeting on June 16, 17 and 18, 2026, during which updates on the actions associated with Puerto Rico’s Strategic Plan to Reduce Aquatic Waste were presented.
Topics addressed included microplastics characterization, behavior change strategies, community waste reduction initiatives, government efforts, and other related resources. SJBEP had the opportunity to present the various efforts and initiatives developed since the last meeting to update the Plan.
We exchanged experiences, knowledge, and best practices among participants, in addition to allowing the evaluation of the progress achieved and the identification of new strategies to strengthen the implementation of the actions of the Strategic Plan of Puerto Rico.
Recycling Pop-up in Loíza
SJBEP was present with its informative table at the Recycling Pop-up in Loíza, on Saturday, June 20. During the activity, we focused on highlighting the campaign Deja una huella limpia en Piñones, the Municipality of Loíza’s efforts of correct diversion of used vegetable oil and the importance of conserving our gray infrastructure for the protection of our waters.
The Recycling Pop-up in Loíza takes place on the third Saturday of each month, at the Miguel Fuentes Pinet Park. The Event is organized by LimPiaR, TAIS and the Municipality of Loíza. Plastics #1, #2 and #5, aluminum, brass and corrugated cardboard are accepted.
Recycling stations at Tito Matos Fest
On Saturday, June 20 and Sunday, June 21, SJBEP was present at the Tito Matos Fest of Taller Comunidad La Goyco, supporting the implementation and management of the recycling stations available at multiple spots during the event. We thank all the volunteers who joined this diversion and correct waste management strategy.
Each work shift at the recycling stations counted as field experience for the SJBEP Certification for Citizen Scientists’ Microplastic Characterization and Reduction module.
Planting of coastal vegetation in Condado Lagoon
On Saturday, June 13, 2026, five volunteers, including a high school student, planted around 293 red mangrove propagules in a rocky strait on the southern shore of the Condado Lagoon. The planting was carried out as a strategy for the restoration of this erosion-affected area.
The activity included an interpretive walk where those present discussed the importance of green infrastructure for the protection and strengthening of coastal regions and collected seeds for future plantings. We thank everyone who joined, for their commitment and interest in the restoration of coastal ecosystems.
This planting counted as a field experience for the SJBEP Certification for Citizen Scientists’ Coastal Resilience module.
Students complete their Certification for Citizen Scientists
SJBEP offers a warm greeting to the Mater Salvatoris School of Puerto Rico students who completed their certification in the Coastal Resilience module, during the Coral Reefs Ecological Assessment field experience, in the Condado Lagoon, on Friday, June 19. During this, their second field experience, the students put into practice the concepts learned during the workshop held on June 8 and the reinforced skills from their first field experience, on June 9.
As part of the field experience, the students led the coral reef study transects and took water quality parameters from the area, under the supervision of Coastal Resilience Coordinators, Mineris Figueroa and Agnes Pagán. We thank the students of the Mater Salvatoris School of Puerto Rico for getting their certification as citizen scientists with SJBEP, their teacher, Nicole Rosendo, and the mom who accompanied them. Congratulations!
Learn more about the SJBEP Citizen Scientist Certification modules, at: estuario.org/ccc.
See the upcoming scheduled activities below.
Certification for Citizen Scientists
Below are the activities for the coming weeks. Remember that these workshops and field experiences count toward Contacto Verde or community service hours. Minors must be accompanied by an adult, who must register separately. See more information and register, at: estuario.org/ccc
Water Quality Monitoring Module
Water Quality Monitoring Workshop: Bacteriological monitoring; Thursday, July 9, at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom
Participatory Bird Census Module
Participatory Bird Census Workshop; on Wednesday, July 1, at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom
Microplastics Characterization and Reduction Module
Characterization and Reduction of Microplastics Workshop; Thursday, July 2, at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom
Coastal Resilience Module
Field Experience: Seed Collection; Sunday, June 28, at 8:00 a.m. in Piñones
Coastal Resilience Workshop: Ecological Assessment of Coral Reefs and Seagrasses; Tuesday, July 7, at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom
Field Experience: Ecological Assessment of Coral Reefs; Saturday, July 11, at 8:00 a.m. at the Condado Lagoon
Field Experience: Ecological Assessment of Seagrasses; Saturday, July 11, at 12:00 p.m. at the Condado Lagoon
Prepare for Hurricane Season
This 2026 hurricane season, SJBEP urges you to be prepared. Download the Community Hurricane Preparedness Guide and follow its recommendations. Protecting your community starts at home.
Also visit the SJBEP Virtual Community Hub, where you’ll find vital information such as relevant emergency numbers and instructions for preparing emergency backpacks.
Don’t be scared! Get prepared.
Weekly water quality monitoring
Thanks to the volunteers who supported the bacteriological monitoring of the Condado Lagoon on Thursday, June 25, 2026, as part of the SJBEP Certification for Citizen Scientists’ Water Quality Monitoring module. Up next, the results.
Evaluation carried out on Thursday, June 25, 2026. We have a GREEN flag for the Condado Lagoon. We recommend avoiding the coastal area that exceeded the “Beach Action Value” water quality parameter for 70 CFU/100 ML enterococci. Remember to avoid the water during rain events.
