U.S. Coral Reef Area Management Challenges Report

1. Coral Reef Protected Area Status Report Presentation to the 10th Meeting of U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Bill Millhouser NOAA’s National Ocean Service October 6, 2003

2. Coral Reef Protected Area Status Report Overview: • Assessment of coral reef and associated habitat protected areas in U.S. waters. • Focus on 7 USCRTF jurisdictions – local and federal sites. • Highlight characteristics of individual Marine Managed Areas (MMAs). • Explore opportunities and potential mechanisms to address management challenges.

3. Coral Reef Protected Area Status Report • Goals: • To document all U.S. coral reef MMAs and summarize various characteristics of individual MMAs. • To identify MMA goals and discuss the challenges to and opportunities for effective MMA implementation.

4. Coral Reef Protected Area Status Report • Goals: • To perform a qualitative cross-comparison of different management approaches and MMA characteristics. • To document the status of MMA efforts relative to the USCRTF goal of strengthening the network of coral reef MMAs.

5. Coral Reef Protected Area Status Report • A Collaborative NOAA Effort: • Coral Reef Conservation Program • MPA Center – National Inventory of Marine Managed Areas • National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science – Spatial analysis • Special Projects Office – Spatial analysis • International Program Office - Effectiveness indicators

6. Coral Reef Protected Area Status Report • Data Collection – Coral Questions: • Are management plans being implemented? • Which components of the management plan are not being implemented? • Are regulations enforced effectively? • What are the challenges to effective implementation of the protected area? • What types of education and outreach programs are being implemented for the area?

7. Coral Reef Protected Area Status Report * Pending final review by jurisdictions

8. Coral Reef Protected Area Status Report • Preliminary Results from 40 state/ territory coral reef protected areas* : • USVI - 25 areas • Guam - 6 areas • American Samoa - 9 areas * Federal data not yet available

9. Coral Reef Protected Area Status Report • Preliminary Results-Management Goals: • Multi-purpose (recreation, natural resource protection, navigation…) – 45% • Fisheries Management – 30% • Natural Resource Protection – 15% • Coral Specific Protection – 5% • Reducing Pollution – 2.5% • Endangered Species – 2.5%

10. Coral Reef Protected Area Status Report • Preliminary Results-Management Plans: Management Plan – 63% • Implemented – 18% • Not implemented – 45% No Management Plan – 37% • Actions implemented – 17% • No actions implemented – 20%

11. Coral Reef Protected Area Status Report • Preliminary Results - Challenges to Effective Implementation: • Human Capacity • Enforcement • Funding

12. Coral Reef Protected Area Status Report • Next Steps: • complete MMA inventory and coral data collection for all state and federal sites • compare major challenges and identify recommendations for potential solutions • perform spatial analysis of coral reef coverage and MMAs • complete draft of report with full review by NOAA, states, territories, MMA managers and federal partners • publish, present to USCRTF, and distribute in 2004

13. Coral Reef Protected Area Status Report For more information: Bill Millhouser Bill.Millhouser@noaa.gov 301-713-3155 x189 Dana Wusinich-Mendez Dana.Wusinich-Mendez@noaa.gov 301-713-3155 x159 http://www.coralreef.noaa.gov http://www.mpa.gov