A collaborative initiative to conserve coral reefs in U.S. jurisdictions

The U.S. All Islands Coral Reef Committee (AIC) is a collaboration of marine resource managers from state, commonwealth, territorial agencies and freely associated states working together with federal agencies to conserve and protect coral reefs in the United States.

The Committee was established in 1994 by the governor-appointed Points of Contact (POCs) from the U.S. states, territories and commonwealths of American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, Guam, Hawai'i, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The State of Florida joined the Committee later. Affiliate Members of the AIC include the freely associated states of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau. The AIC was recognized as a key element of the overall U.S. Coral Reef Initiative in the Presidential Executive Order 13089 which established the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) in 1998.

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.

U.S. All Islands Coral Reef Secretariat was established in 2002 to provide policy support and coordination for the Committee's participation in the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force. With funding from the USCRTF, the Secretariat is a collaborative initiative that helps the jurisdictions to coordinate coral reef conservation initiatives with federal agencies and non-governmental partners.

Our Vision:

By ensuring coordination and cooperation within and between our jurisdictions and partners, we are able to manage and protect coral reef ecosystems and biological diversity for present and future generations to perpetuate cultural, environmental and economic values that are vital to our way of life.

Our Mission:

To fulfill this vision, we will continue to identify on-going coral reef management needs, establish priorities and seek necessary resources for coral reef management, share information and foster coordination locally, nationally, regionally, and internationally. As official representatives of our Governors for the coral reef initiative, we will strive to elevate awareness of coral reef issues, develop local capacity and partnerships; implement actions in a coordinated regional voice; develop policy and advocate for jurisdictional needs; and coordinate bottom-up, locally-grown initiatives to ensure long-term sustainable use of coral reefs.