Cooperative Efforts Protecting Coral Reef Ecosystems NOAA and
Efforts to produce comprehensive digital maps of all shallow coral reef ecosystems by 2009 are well underway. U.S. shallow coral reef ecosystems that are mapped and characterized increased from 35 to 66 percent from 2002 to 2004. NOAA, working with state and territory partners, is leading the first comprehensive inventory and assessment of all U.S. coral reef protected areas. NOAA, the U.S. Geological Survey, and academic partners are also mapping priority moderate-depth coral reef ecosystems identified by regional fishery management councils as important habitat for many commercial fish species. Since 2002, five of the seven U.S. states or territories with coral reefs have instituted new or revised fishery regulations to help restore and sustain coral reef fisheries. Fourteen new coral reef-protected areas were established in federal waters and several jurisdictions, including the U.S. Virgin Islands, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Florida, and American Samoa.
Cooperative Efforts Protecting Coral Reef Ecosystems
NOAA and
U.S. Coral Reef Task Force partners are improving coral reef conservation efforts from federal to local levels according to a new report. The report, “Implementation of the National Coral Reef Action Strategy: Report on U.S. Coral Reef Agency Activities from 2002 to 2003,” highlights the activities of Task Force members and partners.Efforts to produce comprehensive digital maps of all shallow coral reef ecosystems by 2009 are well underway. U.S. shallow coral reef ecosystems that are mapped and characterized increased from 35 to 66 percent from 2002 to 2004. NOAA, working with state and territory partners, is leading the first comprehensive inventory and assessment of all U.S. coral reef protected areas. NOAA, the U.S. Geological Survey, and academic partners are also mapping priority moderate-depth coral reef ecosystems identified by regional fishery management councils as important habitat for many commercial fish species. Since 2002, five of the seven U.S. states or territories with coral reefs have instituted new or revised fishery regulations to help restore and sustain coral reef fisheries. Fourteen new coral reef-protected areas were established in federal waters and several jurisdictions, including the U.S. Virgin Islands, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Florida, and American Samoa.