NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program

1
NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program

• 9th National Conference on Science, Policy and
  the Environment
• December 8, 2008
• Kacky Andrews, Program Manager

2
What Led to the CRCPs Creation?

• 1995 Major worldwide bleaching event ?
  coral mortality on a global scale
• 1997 International Year of the Reef ?
  popular and political awareness
• 1998 E.O. on Coral Reef Protection ?
  government mandate for action
• 2000 Coral Reef Conservation Act ? funding
  expansion of mandate

3
What is the Purpose of the CRCP?

• MISSION
• To support effective management and sound science
  to preserve, sustain, and restore valuable coral
  reef ecosystems for future generations

4
Brief History of CRCP Existence

• Implements Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000
• Appropriations for the program began in FY01 and
  have consistently averaged around 26 M since its
  inception
• The CRCP operates as a matrix program spanning
  across 4 NOAA Line Offices NOS, NMFS, OAR, and
  NESDIS
• CRCA Reauthorization making progress

5
What Does the CRCP Do?

• Supports Management Implementation
• Research Modeling
• Mapping Monitoring

• Education Outreach
• Coordination

6
CRCP External Review

• Purpose To obtain independent assessment of
  effectiveness and recommendations for improvement
• 7 experts in management and science
• Big take home messages
• Narrow and sharpen priorities
• Reduce assessments and increase on-the-ground
  conservation activities

7
CRCP Roadmap for the Future

• Response to recommendations
• 7 guiding principles
• Primary objective address coral reef management
  needs
• Extensive internal and external comment
• 3 priority threats

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Priority Threat Adverse Effects of Fishing
9
Priority Threat Land-Based Sources of Pollution
10
Priority Threat Climate Change
11
Threat-based Working Groups

• Charge to each Panel
• Recommend long-term goals (20 years) for
  addressing threat
• Recommend objectives (5 years) for reaching goals
• Suggest performance measures for all objectives
• Prioritize goals and objectives

12
Timeline for Working Groups

• Formed in October updates posted on web
• Draft goals and objectives by end of March
• Comment period open month of April
• Finalized goals and objectives by end of May
• WE NEED YOUR INPUT

13
Worth Conserving
Any Questions?