Update on the Insular Pacific Regional Research, Information, Planning and Coordination Project

1. Update on the Insular Pacific Regional Research, Information, Planning and Coordination Project Regional Research Planning WorkshopWashington DCMay 20-21, 2009 Darren Okimoto Dhiren Kumar Nayak

2. Team Hawaii: Brian Taylor, Gordon Grau, Darren Okimoto, Ron Baird, Maria Haws, Dhiren Nayak (SOEST, UH Sea Grant, UH Hilo) American Samoa: Ephraim Temple (ASCC) Guam: Jason Biggs (UOG) Palau: David Idip (PALARIS) Marshall Islands: Don Hess (CMI) Micronesia: Simon Ellis (MERIP), Ben Namakin (CSP) Mariana Islands: John Starmer Partner: School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (PacIOOS)

3. Insular Pacific Region

4. State of Hawaii

5. Status • Stakeholders Survey • Insular Pacific Research Needs • Assessment Website • Preliminary Interviews with • Stakeholders

6. Input PacIOOS PacIOOS National SG Federal Agencies Federal Agencies Federal Agencies Federal Agencies Federal Agencies Federal Agencies Federal Agencies Federal Agencies Federal Agencies Research Needs Assessment State Agencies State Agencies State Agencies State Agencies State Agencies State Agencies State Agencies State Agencies State Agencies ORMP ORMP ORMP ORMP Coral Reef Ecosystem Plan Coral Reef Ecosystem Plan Coral Reef Ecosystem Plan Coral Reef Ecosystem Plan Coral Reef Ecosystem Plan NGOs NGOs NGOs NGOs NGOs NGOs NGOs NGOs Shipping Companies Shipping Companies Shipping Companies Shipping Companies Shipping Companies Shipping Companies Shipping Companies HAMER HAMER HAMER HAMER HAMER HAMER

7. Ocean Observing Needs from HiOOS Stakeholders Workshop • Information on physical and meteorological data for safe harbor operation • Understand how physical and meteorological data can be used for optimal vessel route • Understand 3-Dimensional marine environment • Understand the status and trends of near shore water quality and state • Understand the impact of sea level rise • Information on high resolution models (e. g. wave model and circulation models)

8. Ocean Observing Needs from HiOOS Stakeholders Workshop • Information on real-time physical oceanographic data (e. g. current, wave, temperature and water-level) • Apply understanding to spill response, dispersion modeling to oil spill, sewage spill, pathogen spill • Information on the impact of storms on water quality • Information on the status and trends of long-term water quality

9. U.S. Territory of American Samoa

10. Status • Prioritized Research Needs: • Near-shore fisheries • Current state of the environment • Human population growth • Climate change

11. Ocean Observing Needs • Coral reef mapping and monitoring • Information for creating marine management areas (3D, ocean currents, physical characteristics, bottom habitat type) • Lidar data of near-shore terrestrial habitat • Ocean currents and current flow modeling, more accurate wave energy data • Water quality monitoring after storms • Real-time oceanic data (SST, Density, Salinity, winds, etc.) • Coastal erosion rates

12. Ocean Observing Needs • Tsunami inundation and flood zone maps • Daily ocean report • Textbooks/publications unique to our island environment • Sea level rise • Navigation corridors that account for migration routes and instrumentation, interisland oceanic currents • Dispersion modeling for spill response • Higher resolution and more accurate weather forecasts

13. U.S. Territory of Guam

14. Status • Research Needs • Developing a supply of safe, sustainable seafood (through community-based MPA’s and better institutional communication/coordination) • Monitoring and oversight of impacts related to military build-up • Data collection related to pollution and marine currents that affect pollution

15. Ocean Observing Needs • Data collection regarding surface and sub-surface currents and the generation of models associated with: • Identifying “sources and sinks” of marine populations • Predicting the extent and duration of pollution plumes • Increasing the efficiency and success of rescue efforts • Navigation efficiency and hazard mitigation • Real-time/Near-real-time sea surface conditions and forecasts (waves, temp., surf, etc.) • Typhoon-related impact predictions and real-time monitoring

16. Republic of Palau

17. Status • Research Needs • Trends and impacts of coral bleaching • Watershed management, including full inventory of terrestrial vegetation species • Gaps in near shore and pelagic fishing data

18. Ocean Observing Needs • Near shore currents and small-scale circulation patterns • Accurate, long-term information related to climate change: sea level and temperature changes, flooding, droughts, frequency and damage from storms, coastal erosion, changes in terrestrial and marine habitats and communities

19. Republic of the Marshall Islands

20. Status • Research Needs • Down scaling of sea level rise impact effects, including run-up modeling • Monitoring of Illegal Unregulated Unreported • fishing • Higher resolution and more accurate weather forecasts • Establishment and monitoring of MPA’s • Assessing and monitoring coastal erosion • Economic development including aquaculture

21. Ocean Observing Needs • Data on climate change and sea level rise • Water quality is a big issue, but little laboratory or analytical capacity exists on island for this. • Information on coastal processes, natural hazards and coastal erosion

22. Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands

23. Status • Prioritized Research Needs • Near-shore environmental characterization • Bathymetry (0-40 m) • Currents • Habitats • Ecosystem-based fisheries management • Climate change and coastal systems • Predictive Environmental Modeling

24. Ocean Observing Needs • Ecosystem/Environmental health, health of living resources • Sustainable fisheries • Climate change and variability (including sea level rise) • Safe navigation in support of Transportation/Commerce • Natural hazard prediction and mitigation (including weather forecasts) • Public safety/health (including water quality)

25. Federated States of Micronesia

26. Status • Research Needs • Issues related to coastal development and • impacts • Watershed management • Near shore fishing-monitoring and management • Coastal erosion and sea level rise impacts

27. Ocean Observing Needs • Need a means of managing data, providing access and a data base. • Water pollution is a growing issue, both for the environment and human health. • Coastal erosion and sea-level rise are critical issues throughout the islands. The ability to track and forecast trends is needed, as are methods to mitigate and prepare coastal communities to deal with these issues.

28. Top Regional Research Needs • Effects of, and adaptation for climate change and sea level rise • Near shore and pelagic fisheries monitoring and management • Improved access to all data • Hazards-prediction, warning and mitigation for all natural disasters • Sustainable economic development for marine and coastal resources • Monitoring and management of protected areas (marine and terrestrial)

29. Next Steps • Hawaii: Developing draft report, public comment on report, finalizing report • Guam, Palau, FSM, RMI: Prioritizing research needs and finalizing reports • Incorporating sub-regional reports into larger Insular Pacific regional report

30. Mahalo!