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Comprehensive Study on Coral Reef Compensatory Mitigation Strategies

This study evaluates the effectiveness of compensatory mitigation for coral reef impacts in the Pacific Islands and Western Atlantic, offering recommendations for improvement. It reviews past projects, identifies successful mitigation actions, and provides future guidelines for successful compensation. Additionally, it highlights the importance of long-term monitoring and tracking of mitigation efforts for sustainable coral reef preservation.

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Comprehensive Study on Coral Reef Compensatory Mitigation Strategies

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  1. Compensatory Mitigation for Coral Reef Impacts Michael Molina USFWS, Pacific Island Fish and Wildlife Office

  2. Resolution 4 from the 8th Coral Reef Task Force Meeting, Puerto Rico, 2002 • Investigate effectiveness of compensatory mitigation from federally funded and permitted activities • Analyze which mitigation actions are most successful and provide recommendations for improving and identifying successful mitigation • Conduct similar studies in Atlantic/Caribbean

  3. Compensatory Mitigation For Coral Reef Impacts In The Pacific Islands Antonio Bentivoglio USFWS Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office

  4. Study Scope/Limits • 11 Projects, from 1980-2001, which recommended compensatory mitigation for 179 acres impacted • Projects were in Hawaii (4), Guam (3), CNMI (2), American Samoa (1), Republic of the Marshall Islands (1) • Types of projects reviewed: cable landings; harbor creation/improvements; bridge, road, airport construction; underwater observatory; swim lagoons

  5. File Review Results Compensatory mitigation was implemented in 82% of projects, 98% of acres (9/11) Anticipated project-related impacts were quantified in 100% of projects and acres (11/11) Coral reef resources were assessed in 9% of projects, 4% of acres (1/11) Valid long-term mitigation monitoring was done in 77% of projects, 73% of acres (7/9) Performance standards were written in 22% of projects, 3% of acres (2/9) Overall Effectiveness of implemented compensatory mitigation actions was 44% of projects and 66% of acres .

  6. Types of Mitigation Actions Marine Protected Areas Created 1459 acres designated to replace 112 acres of impacts Ratio of 13:1 Transplantation 6 transplantation projects with varying degrees of success Not enough long-term monitoring data of mitigation actions available to assess the success of different types of mitigation .

  7. Recommendations • Develop Interagency Coral Reef Compensatory Mitigation Strategy • Interagency Working Group established for Hawaii • Participants include: US Fish and Wildlife Service, Environmental Protection Agency, National Marine Fisheries Service, US Geological Survey, Army Corp of Engineers, Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, Hawaii Department of Health • Incorporate Corps RGL 02-2 as critical component of Strategy and refine over time

  8. Recommendations • 2. Develop a better way to identify adequate compensatory mitigation based on resource impacts • Held Resource Assessment Workshop to develop list of key coral reef characteristics • Hold additional workshops as necessary to further refine the process • 3. Develop systems to monitor and track compensatory mitigation • To be examined in the future

  9. Recommendations • 4. Identify and evaluate additional forms of compensatory mitigation • Future Workshop being discussed • 5. Give greater emphasis to compensatory mitigation for large projects • HI Working Group will implement and refine Strategy in all future Hawaii projects

  10. Compensatory Mitigation for Coral Reef Impacts in the U.S. Western Atlantic: Florida and the Caribbean USFWS Vero Beach Ecological Services Field Office, Florida USFWS Boquerón Ecological Services Field Office, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands

  11. Study Scope/Limits • Florida:Atlantic Coast from Brevard County south including the Keys. • Caribbean:Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix), and associated smaller islands. • Database searches limited from1985 to the present. • Project selection limited to projects identified as havingimpacts to coral reefs and coral colonized hardgrounds(projects impacting only seagrass beds, mangroves, and soft bottom habitat were excluded).

  12. Types of Projects • Beach renourishment • Port Development • Shoreline Protection/Revetment • Linear Utility Lines (pipes and cables) • Private Marinas • Private Docks and Boat or Barge Landings Benthic Map: Dial-Cordy & Assoc., Inc.

  13. Preliminary Results • Over 2000 Corps permits or civil works projects screened for coral reef impacts • To date, 54 selected projects have been reviewed: 25 from Florida and 29 from the Caribbean • Total coral habitat impacts were conservatively estimated at 250 acres: 200 in Florida and 50 in the Caribbean

  14. Important Notes • Many coral reef habitat impacts to South Florida and the Caribbean were prior to 1985 and were not included in this study • A trend towards improvements in recommending, requiring, monitoring, and completing mitigation is beginning to emerge Staghorn coral module Photo: Tim McIntosh, Miam-Dade County DERM Photo: B. Yoshioka, FWS

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