NOAA Fisheries Service Habitat Conservation

Ecosystem Assessment Division

2005 General Coral Reef Conservation Awards

The General Coral Reef Conservation Program is a matching grants program within the broader NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Grant Program authorized by the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000. The program funds coral reef conservation projects that are consistent with the goals of the Act and the National Action Plan to Conserve Coral Reefs. In 2005, NOAA provided $489,031 to support universities and non-governmental organizations for projects that preserved, sustained and restored coral reef ecosystems, promoted wise management and sustainable use, developed sound scientific information about coral reef resources, or increased public awareness. Fourteen awards were made under the General Coral Reef Conservation Program leveraging a total of $767,161.

Monitoring and Assessment of Coral Reefs or Reef Resources

• Pacific Marine Resources Institute, in collaboration with the Florida Institute of Technology and the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Division of Environmental Quality, will produce scientifically rigorous maps of coral reef habitats in CNMI with an emphasis on characterizing spatial distribution of habitat types within the Saipan Lagoon. This information will serve as a baseline for future long-term monitoring, and will assist in land-based pollution control management activities, fisheries studies, Marine Protected Area (MPA) designs, and overall management policy.

Marine Protected Areas and Associated Management Activities

• Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii was awarded funds to quantify long-term movements of heavily targeted coral reef fishes. Fish movements are being tracked by equipping them with small, long-life (2 year) transmitters that are detectable by small underwater receivers deployed along the Kona coast of Hawaii Island. The results from this study will help better define habitat requirements of targeted coral reef fishes in relation to the current MPA design and will provide valuable information to resource managers, who are tasked with designing new MPA’s or improving the existing MPA sites.
  
• The University of Miami will:

1. Conduct a literature review and synthesis to identify metrics and models to assess population- and community-level changes within MPA's, and to assess their application to marine fishery ecosystems;
2. Organize a spatially synoptic, long-term fishery-independent database from the Florida Keys on coral reef fish abundance, size structure, species composition, and environmental covariates to facilitate analysis of fish community dynamics in relation to physical and biological habitats, exploitation, and spatial zoning;
3. Develop a robust statistical estimation framework to objectively assess differences in the metrics, and to discriminate between changes due to reserve establishment versus other processes or confounding factors; and,
4. Apply the quantitative metrics, models and statistical framework identified in (1-3) to the database, particularly emphasizing the Dry Tortugas region in the Florida Keys.
   
• The University of Puerto Rico (UPR)will determine the actual status of coral reef-associated fisheries within La Cordillera Natural Reserve (LCNR) in northeastern Puerto Rico and will identify the community expectations of and support for the designation of no-take MPA's within the reserve boundaries. Specifically, UPR will:

1. Quantitatively assess the actual status of coral reef-associated fisheries and benthic communities within LCNR;
2. Develop a participatory model to involve local fisher communities and other stakeholder groups in a decision-making process aimed at suggesting candidate no-take MPA sites within LCNR; and
3. Develop a interdisciplinary data matrix using a combination of biological, ecological, regional, impacts, pragmatic, social, and economic criteria to rank priority candidate no-take MPA sites.

The project will identify areas of convergence between different stakeholder groups, rank candidate no-take MPA sites, evaluate the preferred methods of public participation within and between community groups, and determine community expectations of no-take MPA benefits and costs. UPR will use this information to devise and prioritize strategies to maximize coral reef-associated fisheries protection while enabling public participation and maximizing community support for no-take MPA's.

• Palau Conservation Society will work to:

1. Enable Kayangel State Conservation Officers to patrol boat traffic in the state's waters (especially around Ngeruangel Reserve) in a cost-effective manner through the use of a radar system;
2. Facilitate discussions among Kayangel, Ngarchelong, Ngaraard and Ngardmau States to explore options for cooperative enforcement activities;
3. Assist Sonsorol State in establishing protected area(s) at Merir and possibly Fanna Islands; and
4. Assist Sonsorol State in developing a monitoring and management program for protected areas and in building local capacity to monitor and manage the areas.
   

• WildAid received funds to conduct threats- and needs- assessments for existing and proposed MPA's in the States of Chuuk, Kosrae, and Yap, Federated States of Micronesia. The assessment will:
  
  1. Document present or potential threats from unsustainable or illegal activities in these areas, including illegal trade in reef species;
  2. Describe current weaknesses in addressing such threats; and
  3. Make specific recommendations for strengthening protection of these areas.
     
• The Nature Conservancy (TNC) will build the capacity of the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) to manage and implement priority activities in the East End Marine Park (EEMP). TNC will work closely with USVI managers, local NGO's, and community stakeholders to coordinate EEMP activities associated with education and outreach, research and monitoring, and other management activities.

Coral Reef Fisheries Management

• The University of Guam will focus on science needed to improve management of the coralgrouper in Pohnphei. Activities included examination of minimum size of fish at reproductive maturity, a market analysis of the fishery, assessment and validation of age, growth, and mortality of the coralgrouper. The project will also continue to investigate movement patterns of reproductively active coralgrouper. Findings will be used to produce a comprehensive regional management strategy from managers to enhance MPA design and maintain populations of transient aggregation spawning species and coral reef biodiversity.
  
• The Environment, Inc., working with local groups and agencies in Palau will evaluate the effectiveness of a one year collaborative effort to protect the spawning, nursery, and feeding grounds of the rabbitfish, Siganus fuscescens (meas). This herbivorous fish is a top target food fish species, a culturally significant, flagship species, and a potential indicator species for pollution. The Environment, Inc will conduct community-based surveys combined with a national enforcement effort to protect the pre-spawning aggregations during the annual closed season for rabbitfish. This project will monitor and assess the population of rabbitfish and its habitat ( coral reef and seagrass beds) in Airai Bay, one of the largest spawning aggregation sites in Palau. The goal is to develop a long term management plan for rabbitfish and to establish an ongoing monitoring and education program in the community in collaboration with the national fisheries enforcement agency.

Coral Reef Restoration

• The University of Guam (UOG) will assess the distribution, abundance, and importance of Crown-of-Thorns starfish, Acanthaster planci, in Guam providing an update t data from 30 years ago and verification of observations indicating recent increases and possible outbreaks of these voracious predators. UOG will also design bait stations and traps using known feeding attractants for Acanthaster, as well as identify potential new alarm pheromones from Acanthaster, which could be used to keep the starfish out of certain sensitive reef areas. Both feeding cues in traps and alarm pheromones could give local fisheries agencies new tools for the management of chronic infestations as well as potential control of Crown-of-Thorns starfish mass outbreaks.

Increase Public Awareness

• Urban Arts will develop:
  
  1. A Coral Reef Educational DVD for screening on the cruise ships and airlines traveling to Puerto Rico – U.S. Virgin Islands from the U.S.;
  2. A PSA Coral Reef Video which will be broadcast on national television in Puerto Rico; and
  3. A Coral Reef Awareness Educational Campaign to reach the tourist traveling to Puerto Rico from the mainland US, including billboards at bus shelters and in airports from points of departure in Boston, New York, Baltimore-Washington DC, Atlanta, and Miami.
     
• Malama Kai will continue to work with there communities on the Island of Hawaii by:
  
  1. Helping the communities to organize and build capacity for coral reef management;
  2. Implementing conservation awareness and involvement programs including community monitoring of coral reef ecosystems,
  3. Continuing efforts to pilot community-based enforcement program at Miloli`i and expand this effort to another community; and
  4. Working with youth to collect and apply historical stewardship knowledge and information from kupuna (elders) to contemporary management efforts.
     
• Puerto Rico Agricultural Extension Service (PRAES) will develop a educational program, Long Life to the Coral Reefs, that includes a video with corresponding lessons for 4-H youth and/or K-6 students about protecting coral reef ecosystems in Puerto Rico. PRAES will implement the educational program, lessons, workshops, and field trips for at least six hundred 4-H youth and/or students.
  
• Oregon State University will develop a suite of public education and outreach materials for the Fagatele National Marine Sanctuary, American Samoa. Outreach material will include brochures, larger posters, and interactive CD-ROM with static images and photographs, interactive 3-D visualizations, movies, and education modules to be used by researchers, resources managers, instructors and students at the high school and college level.
  

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