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Coral Reefs What are Coral Reefs? Coral reefs, and their associated systems of mangroves and seagrasses, are the world’s most biologically diverse marine ecosystems. Reef building corals contain tiny cells of symbiotic algae that convert sunlight and nutrients into fuel for coral growth and production. Other types of corals that do not require warm water or sunlight are found in deep water, providing important habitats for commercial, recreational and other species. Coral reefs are unique and complex ecosystems that support the cultural, social and economic interests of the United States. Coral reef habitats have traditionally played a central role among many island peoples in the United States where community-based conservation, subsistence fisheries, and protected areas have been successfully managed for generations. Coral reef ecosystems are recognized for their range of benefits such as supporting economies by nurturing fisheries and providing for recreational and tourism activities, providing substances useful for medical purposes, performing essential ecosystem services that protect against coastal erosion, and providing a diversity of cultural and aesthetic values to many people and communities. For the last three decades, scientists have been documenting the decline of coral reef ecosystems amid increasing recognition of their value in supporting high biological diversity and their many benefits to human society.  Papahanaumokuakea
Photo by James Watt Coral reef ecosystems The world’s coral reefs are seriously threatened by over-exploitation, pollution, habitat destruction, invasive species, disease, bleaching and global climate change. Warming ocean temperatures have been blamed for mass coral bleaching events in the past decade, and this warming may lead to a rapid increase in the frequency and severity of coral bleaching in coming decades (Donner et al. 2005).The rapid decline of these ancient, complex and biologically diverse marine ecosystems has significant social, economic and environmental impacts in the island jurisdictions, nationally and globally. Coral reefs are among the most diverse, biologically complex and valuable ecosystems on Earth. Often called rainforests of the sea, coral reefs provide economic and environmental services to millions of people as valuable areas of natural beauty, sources of food, jobs and revenues, recreation and tourism and shoreline protection. "The United States has a significant national interest in protecting its coral reef ecosystems. The area of coral ecosystems within 10 fathom and 100 fathom depth contours respectively in tropical and subtropical water of the United States is 36,813 sq km and 143,059 sq km" (Rohmann et al. 2005). The majority of U.S. coral reefs making up the referenced areas are within State and Territorial waters. Coral reefs provide a wide range of valuable services to the nation and the world, including tourism, fishing, coastal protection, biodiversity, and natural heritage. But coral reefs are in peril. By 1997, an estimated 11 percent of the world’s reefs had been lost to a variety of human activities. The growing number of anthropogenic threats that have been identified include: shoreline development, polluted runoff from agricultural and land-use practices, over-fishing and over-exploitation, destructive fishing practices, dredging and shoreline modification, vessel groundings and anchoring, disease outbreaks and global climate change. These threats have been compounded by a lack of awareness and appreciation for coral reefs at local, national and global levels. It is estimated that an additional 32 percent of the world’s coral reefs are now seriously threatened.
Papahanaumokuakea
Photo by James Watt Threats The LAS goals and objectives are linked to the US National Action Plan to Conserve Coral Reefs adopted by the USCRTF in 2000. From the 13 goals identified in the National Action Plan, six threat areas were prioritized by the U.S. All Islands Committee as their focus for immediate local action: - land-based sources of pollution
- over-fishing
- lack of public awareness
- recreational overuse and misuse
- climate change and coral bleaching
- disease
In addition, management capacity building was identified as a key issue, and several jurisdictions have developed LAS to address other significant threats within their jurisdictions. These include population pressure in American Samoa, aquatic invasive species in Hawai’i, and maritime industry and coastal construction impacts in Florida (Table 1 – found in Action Strategies Section). Responses In response to the growing global environmental crisis, President William Jefferson Clinton issued the Coral Reef Protection Executive Order 13089 on June 11, 1998 (Appendix 3) recognizing the importance of conserving coral reef ecosystems. The Executive Order recognized that the existing U.S. Islands Coral Reef Initiative strategy covered approximately 90 percent of U.S. coral reef ecosystems and was a key element of the overall U.S. Coral Reef Initiative. The Executive Order also established the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF), which includes the major federal agencies responsible for coral reef conservation in the Federal government and members of the U. S. All Islands Coral Reef Committee (AIC) The AIC provides leadership for and coordination of strategic initiatives to strengthen the conservation and protection of coral reef ecosystems in the United States. The AIC implements policies and initiatives to conserve and protect coral reefs, and forms partnerships that strengthen stewardship of U.S. coral reef ecosystems. In 2007, the Committee adopted this Strategic Plan and Charter to guide its activities over the next five years. U.S. All Islands Coral Reef Committee’s Strategic Plan Goals The main goals of the Committee’s Strategic Plan (and strategies) are to facilitate and coordinate the following: Goal 1. Secure necessary funding and capacity to implement coral reef management plans. Strategies include: securing sustainable funding for coral reef conservation, strengthening jurisdictional management and capacity, and building Partnerships Goal 2. Provide leadership to focus the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force to meet our local and regional needs. Strategies include active participation in the USCRTF and Regional Initiatives, maximizing the U.S. All Islands Committee’s position by engaging jurisdictional Governors, effective advocacy and engagement of USCRTF members. Goal 3. Strengthen coral reef management through more effective communication and collaboration among the All Islands Committee (AIC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), Department of Interior (DOI), the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) and its steering committee, and the relevant Congressional delegations. Strategies include: strengthening organizational capacity and governance of the AIC Secretariat; coordination of Committee advocacy, improving communication with the USCRTF, strengthening communications; implementing and periodically reviewing Committee policies and processes Goal 4. Supporting each U.S. coral reef jurisdiction’s ability to define and implement plans and best practices to actively manage our coral reefs in a sustainable manner by 2013 Strategies include: Improved communication between scientists and managers, periodic reviews of the AIC strategic plan for improve coral reef management, sharing technical resources and services; and sharing strategic planning tools and mechanisms. Goal 5. Share information on coral reef management and Committee initiatives to foster coordination, nationally, regionally, and internationally. Strategies include: sharing research and data across regions and increasing regional collaboration and cooperation.
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