NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program

Clown fish live symbiotically with sea anemones.
Photo credit: Andy Bruckner.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) supports effective management and sound science to preserve, sustain and restore valuable coral reef ecosystems.

of special note...

Public Comment Opportunity: Threat-based Working Groups' Draft Goals and Objectives.

Pacific CREIOS Workshop Report Available

Coming Soon: Free Web Seminar on Coral Bleaching

21st U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Meeting

Public Comment Opportunity: Threat-based Working Groups' Draft Goals and Objectives. In 2007, the CRCP underwent an external review by a panel of recognized experts in coral reef resource science and management to provide an independent assessment of the CRCP's effectiveness in meeting its goals and to suggest recommendations for future improvement. In response to the panel's report, (pdf, 1.09 mb) the CRCP developed a Roadmap for the Future (pdf, 247 kb), laying out new principles and priorities for the future of the Program. According to this new Roadmap, the primary objective of the CRCP will be to address strategic coral reef management needs and the CRCP will narrow its focus by emphasizing efforts on understanding and addressing the top three global and national threats to coral reef ecosystems: fishing impacts, land-based sources of pollution and climate change.

In order to implement the proposed changes, the CRCP has put into place three working groups to provide recommendations on the strategic goals and objectives the Program should work towards in the next 5-20 years in order to effectively address each of these top three threats. These threat-based working groups were established in early October. In addition, a cross-threat International Working Group was established. The working groups have now delivered their draft goals and objectives. These draft goals and objectives will be available for public comment until April 24, 2009. Public comments will be utilized to create the final goals and objectives which will be available on May 29th.

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Pacific CREIOS Workshop Report Available. The CRCP is reviewing and revising long-term plans for its monitoring, mapping, and assessment activities, collectively known as the Coral Reef Ecosystem Integrated Observing System (CREIOS), to ensure they are cost-effective, aligned with management needs, and allow for the timely delivery of required products and services to all essential users, given funding constraints. As a first step in a strategic planning effort to strengthen the link between science and management goals, the Pacific CREIOS workshop was held in Hawai`i last November to address needs of coral reef managers in the U.S. Pacific States and Territories. A similar workshop will take place in May 2009 examining the mapping, monitoring, and data needs of managers in the Atlantic/Caribbean region.

The Pacific workshop was successful in determining priority information needs for managers, and highlighted important issues of concern for the Pacific jurisdictions, including the need for increased technical capacity, improved information and data dissemination, and improved communication of scientific information to general audiences. The outcomes of the workshop were compiled into a Workshop Report, which is now available. The report will be used by the CRCP in examining its portfolio of mapping, monitoring, and assessment activities, and will also be used as a preamble to the identification of priorities and the capacity assessments for each location.

Coming Soon: Free Web Seminar on Coral Bleaching. Join CRCP scientists and education specialists, along with staff from the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) for a free Web Seminar on April 30. This is the second seminar in a series entitled 'The Heat is On!: Climate Change and Coral Reef Ecosystems.' This seminar will focus on the concept of coral bleaching and touch on cutting edge satellite technology. The presenters will share their science expertise, answer questions from the participants, and provide information regarding Web sites that students can use in the classroom. These Web Seminars are designed for educators of grades 5-12. Click here to learn more, register for this seminar, or view archives of the Ocean Acidification seminar held on April 2.

21st U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Meeting. During the week of February 23, the 21st meeting of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) was held in Washington, D.C. The U.S. Department of the Interior, as co-chair of the USCRTF, served as the official host of this meeting. This meeting, the first in the new administration, provided a unique opportunity to begin shaping the administration’s coral reef conservation agenda and to foster a strong leadership presence for these issues. Agendas, presentations, and public comments from the meeting are now available on the meeting's Web page.

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May 06, 2009

new publications...

Coral Reef Habitat Assessment for U.S. Marine Protected Areas

Economic Values of Coral Reefs, Mangroves, and Seagrasses: A Global Compilation 2008

Demographic Baseline Report of U.S. Territories and Counties Adjacent to Coral Reef Habitats

Socioeconomic Monitoring Guidelines for Coastal Managers of the Western Indian Ocean: SocMon WIO

SEM-Pasifika: Socioeconomic Monitoring Guidelines for Coastal Managers in Pacific Island Countries

Draft NOAA Deep-Sea Coral and Sponge Research and Management Strategic Plan

Proceedings of the International Cyanide Detection Testing Workshop

The State of Coral Reef Ecosystems of the United States and Pacific Freely Associate States: 2008

Roadmap for the Future: A plan for developing CRCP direction through 2015

Implementation of the National Coral Reef Action Strategy: Report to Congress (2008)