Local Action Strategies

In 2002, the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force adopted the "Puerto Rico Resolution" which calls for the development of three-year Local Action Strategies (LAS) by each of the seven member U.S. States, Territories and Commonwealths. These LAS are locally driven roadmaps for collaborative and cooperative action among Federal, State, Territory and nongovernmental partners, which identify and implement priority actions to reduce key threats to valuable coral reef resources.

The goals and objectives of the LAS are linked to those found in the National Action Plan to Conserve Coral Reefs, adopted by the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (Task Force) in 2000. From the 13 goals identified in the National Action Plan, the Task Force identified six priority focus areas for immediate local action: overfishing, land-based sources of pollution, recreational overuse and misuse, lack of public awareness, climate change and coral bleaching, and disease. Additional focus areas were identified in some jurisdictions.

Florida, Hawaii, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands created specific Local Action Strategies for select locally relevant threats, using the six priority focus areas as guides. Applying a collaborative decision-making process based on local needs, concerns and capacities, each jurisdiction developed strategies that contain a variety of projects designed for implementation over a three-year period (FY2005-2007).

Update:
Currently, the Task Force is working with the jurisdictions to begin implementing their LAS by inventorying opportunities, identifying resources, gaps and needs, and seeking ways to increase funding and support.

A series of fact sheets were produced to provide an overview of the LAS development process and to highlight the goals, objectives and project examples for each of the seven States and Territories. Individual pdf files for each of the eight fact sheets are available to download for reproduction and distribution.

The point of contact, LAS fact sheets, and draft LAS documents for each jurisdiction are provided below.

LAS OVERVIEW
LAS General Information Fact Sheet

America Samoa
Lelei Peau
American Samoa Department of Commerce
Lelei.Peau@noaa.gov
LAS fact sheet

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Fran Castro
Division of Environmental Quality
francastro@deq.gov
LAS fact sheet

Florida
Chantal Collier
Office of Coastal and Aquatic Managed Areas
Chantal.Collier@dep.state.fl.us
LAS fact sheet
LAS document

Guam
Vangie Lujan
Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources
vange@mail.gov.gu
LAS fact sheet

Hawaii
Robert Nishimoto
Department of Land and Natural Resources
Robert.T.Nishimoto@hawaii.gov
LAS fact sheet
Recreational Impacts to Reefs LAS Document

Puerto Rico
Aida Rosario
Department of Natural and Environmental Resources
arosario@drna.gobierno.pr
LAS fact sheet

U.S. Virgin Islands
Janice Hodge
Division of Coastal Zone Management
janice.hodge@dpnr.gov.vi
LAS fact sheet

(top)