just passing this along.......
Announcement: Significant New Actions Adopted by the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force at October 2-3 Meeting
** See HTTP://CORALREEF.GOV/ for meeting summary **
Dear Colleagues,
The United States Coral Reef Task Force took action on a number of significant resolutions at its October 2-3 meeting in Puerto Rico. A summary of the meeting and resolutions is now available at the Task Force web site
http://coralreef.gov/
Some highlights of the historic meeting are provided below. If you need additional information, please contact me at [email protected]. Thank you.
Roger Griffis
_______________
Highlights: U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Meeting
October 2-3, 2002 San Juan, Puerto Rico
[for more information and complete meeting summary see http://coralreef.gov/]
1. TASK FORCE ADOPTS NEW STRUCTURE, PRIORITIZES ACTION AREAS:
The 8th meeting of the United States Coral Reef Task Force (CRTF) was marked by significant new commitments for strategically implementing the United States National Action Plan to Conserve Coral Reefs. These commitments include the adoption of a resolution improving the capacity of the Task Force to advance implementation by:
1. Endorsing six focus areas for priority action: land-based sources of pollution, overfishing, lack of public
awareness (with a focus on user groups), recreational overuse and misuse, climate change and coral
bleaching, and disease.
2. Establishing two regional subcommittees to support local action
3. Identifying methods for tracking progress toward national goals
4. Highlighting needs and opportunities to strengthen human resources for reef conservation
2. USDA AND EPA COMMIT TO LEADING EFFORT TO REDUCE IMPACTS OF LAND-BASED POLLUTION:
The United States Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency offered to co-lead an effort to address the CRTF focus area of land-based sources of pollution and invited all interested members of the Task Force to join in this effort.
3. NEW INITIATIVE TO ADDRESS CLIMATE IMPACTS ON REEFS:
The Department of the Interior, Department of Commerce, and Environmental Protection Agency offered to co-lead
an effort to address the CRTF focus area of climate change and coral reefs . The Task Force passed a resolution
on coral reefs and climate change calling for an interagency, public/private partnership to advance understanding
and management.
4. PUERTO RICO ANNOUNCES NEW EFFORTS TO CONSERVE REEFS:
Puerto Rico, the meeting's host, made historic commitments to advancing coral reef management, with
support from NOAA, including:
1. Strengthening enforcement
2. Expanding and strengthening nature reserves
3. Improving understanding and management of recreational fisheries
4. Developing amendments to fisheries regulations
5. Convening a coral reef advisory committee for strategic planning
5. STUDY LOOKING AT EFFECTIVENESS OF RESTORATION/MITIGATION EFFORTS:
In response to a presentation by the Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the CRTF
adopted a resolution directing applicable agencies to continue gathering data on the effectiveness of compensatory
mitigation effecting coral reef ecosystems. The initial findings presented by FWS suggest that less than 1% of the
compensation for loss of coral reef ecosystems was successfully implemented in the cases examined.
6. TASK FORCE HIGHLIGHTS CONCERNS ON TRADE IN CORAL REEF SPECIES:
A resolution on the international trade in coral and coral reef animals restated the Task Force's suggestion that
there is a need to reduce the adverse impacts of trade by encouraging more responsible trade and improved coral
reef management. The resolution further charges the Trade subgroup of the International Working Group to provide
further recommendations on key issues, especially in conjunction with upcoming CITES meeting.
7. EFFORT TO INCREASE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INVOLVEMENT IN TASK FORCE:
The Task Force also adopted resolutions to explore options for increasing stakeholder engagement, endorsing a
study proposal by the National Academy of Sciences, and providing testimony to the U.S. Commission on Ocean
Policy.
8. PROGRESS AND NEW REPORTS:
Reports following-up on previous task force decisions were presented on vessel groundings, fisheries, and other topics. Two new reports were released as part of CRTF efforts:
1. The State of Coral Reef Ecosystems of the United States and Pacific Freely Associated States: 2002
(http://www.nccos.noaa.gov/library/notables.html)
2. A National Coral Reef Action Strategy:
Report to Congress on Implementation of the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 and the National Action
Plan to Conserve Coral Reefs
(http://http://coris.noaa.gov/)
9. HOT TOPIC PRESENTATIONS:
Presentations to the Task Force highlighted a number of issues and initiatives. See meeting summary (http://coralreef.gov/) for presentations and authors. Topics included:
* update on the incidence and distribution of coral diseases;
* the impacts of water quality and climate in the Florida Keys;
* status of effort to map and characterize all U.S. reefs (http://coralreef.gov/mapping/mpwg.cfm)
* release of new U.S. public opinion poll on reefs (http://www.coralreeffoundation.org/);
* a regional threats analysis in the Caribbean (http://www.wri.org/wri/reefsatrisk/reef ... bbean.html)
* results of a REEFCHECK global volunteer monitoring study (http://www.reefcheck.org/)
* results of new coral reef expeditions in Florida and the Northwest Hawaiian Islands (http://www.nccos.noaa.gov/library/notables.html)
10. TASK FORCE AWARDS:
The Task Force presented a number of awards in recognition of significant activities supporting conservation and management of coral reef ecosystems.
Mike King
Announcement: Significant New Actions Adopted by the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force at October 2-3 Meeting
** See HTTP://CORALREEF.GOV/ for meeting summary **
Dear Colleagues,
The United States Coral Reef Task Force took action on a number of significant resolutions at its October 2-3 meeting in Puerto Rico. A summary of the meeting and resolutions is now available at the Task Force web site
http://coralreef.gov/
Some highlights of the historic meeting are provided below. If you need additional information, please contact me at [email protected]. Thank you.
Roger Griffis
_______________
Highlights: U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Meeting
October 2-3, 2002 San Juan, Puerto Rico
[for more information and complete meeting summary see http://coralreef.gov/]
1. TASK FORCE ADOPTS NEW STRUCTURE, PRIORITIZES ACTION AREAS:
The 8th meeting of the United States Coral Reef Task Force (CRTF) was marked by significant new commitments for strategically implementing the United States National Action Plan to Conserve Coral Reefs. These commitments include the adoption of a resolution improving the capacity of the Task Force to advance implementation by:
1. Endorsing six focus areas for priority action: land-based sources of pollution, overfishing, lack of public
awareness (with a focus on user groups), recreational overuse and misuse, climate change and coral
bleaching, and disease.
2. Establishing two regional subcommittees to support local action
3. Identifying methods for tracking progress toward national goals
4. Highlighting needs and opportunities to strengthen human resources for reef conservation
2. USDA AND EPA COMMIT TO LEADING EFFORT TO REDUCE IMPACTS OF LAND-BASED POLLUTION:
The United States Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency offered to co-lead an effort to address the CRTF focus area of land-based sources of pollution and invited all interested members of the Task Force to join in this effort.
3. NEW INITIATIVE TO ADDRESS CLIMATE IMPACTS ON REEFS:
The Department of the Interior, Department of Commerce, and Environmental Protection Agency offered to co-lead
an effort to address the CRTF focus area of climate change and coral reefs . The Task Force passed a resolution
on coral reefs and climate change calling for an interagency, public/private partnership to advance understanding
and management.
4. PUERTO RICO ANNOUNCES NEW EFFORTS TO CONSERVE REEFS:
Puerto Rico, the meeting's host, made historic commitments to advancing coral reef management, with
support from NOAA, including:
1. Strengthening enforcement
2. Expanding and strengthening nature reserves
3. Improving understanding and management of recreational fisheries
4. Developing amendments to fisheries regulations
5. Convening a coral reef advisory committee for strategic planning
5. STUDY LOOKING AT EFFECTIVENESS OF RESTORATION/MITIGATION EFFORTS:
In response to a presentation by the Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the CRTF
adopted a resolution directing applicable agencies to continue gathering data on the effectiveness of compensatory
mitigation effecting coral reef ecosystems. The initial findings presented by FWS suggest that less than 1% of the
compensation for loss of coral reef ecosystems was successfully implemented in the cases examined.
6. TASK FORCE HIGHLIGHTS CONCERNS ON TRADE IN CORAL REEF SPECIES:
A resolution on the international trade in coral and coral reef animals restated the Task Force's suggestion that
there is a need to reduce the adverse impacts of trade by encouraging more responsible trade and improved coral
reef management. The resolution further charges the Trade subgroup of the International Working Group to provide
further recommendations on key issues, especially in conjunction with upcoming CITES meeting.
7. EFFORT TO INCREASE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INVOLVEMENT IN TASK FORCE:
The Task Force also adopted resolutions to explore options for increasing stakeholder engagement, endorsing a
study proposal by the National Academy of Sciences, and providing testimony to the U.S. Commission on Ocean
Policy.
8. PROGRESS AND NEW REPORTS:
Reports following-up on previous task force decisions were presented on vessel groundings, fisheries, and other topics. Two new reports were released as part of CRTF efforts:
1. The State of Coral Reef Ecosystems of the United States and Pacific Freely Associated States: 2002
(http://www.nccos.noaa.gov/library/notables.html)
2. A National Coral Reef Action Strategy:
Report to Congress on Implementation of the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 and the National Action
Plan to Conserve Coral Reefs
(http://http://coris.noaa.gov/)
9. HOT TOPIC PRESENTATIONS:
Presentations to the Task Force highlighted a number of issues and initiatives. See meeting summary (http://coralreef.gov/) for presentations and authors. Topics included:
* update on the incidence and distribution of coral diseases;
* the impacts of water quality and climate in the Florida Keys;
* status of effort to map and characterize all U.S. reefs (http://coralreef.gov/mapping/mpwg.cfm)
* release of new U.S. public opinion poll on reefs (http://www.coralreeffoundation.org/);
* a regional threats analysis in the Caribbean (http://www.wri.org/wri/reefsatrisk/reef ... bbean.html)
* results of a REEFCHECK global volunteer monitoring study (http://www.reefcheck.org/)
* results of new coral reef expeditions in Florida and the Northwest Hawaiian Islands (http://www.nccos.noaa.gov/library/notables.html)
10. TASK FORCE AWARDS:
The Task Force presented a number of awards in recognition of significant activities supporting conservation and management of coral reef ecosystems.
Mike King
