The State of Coral Reef Ecosystems of the United States and Pacific Freely Associated States: 2002

Called for by the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force’s (USCRTF) National Action Plan to Conserve Coral Reefs, this is the first biennial report on the condition of coral reefs. It is the scientific baseline for subsequent reports on the health of U.S. coral reef ecosystems that are to be used by NOAA and others to evaluate the efficacy of coral reef conservation and management practices. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Ocean Service led the development of this report. It was authored by 38 experts and supported by 79 contributors from government agencies and non-governmental organizations across the nation and internationally. Over 100 Task Force members and other notable scientists have reviewed this document

Watersheds and coral reefs: conservation science, policy,\ud and implementation\ud

Coral reefs worldwide are being degraded by human-induced disturbances, resulting in ecological, economic, and cultural losses. Runoff and sedimentation are among the greatest threats to the coastal reefs surrounding high islands and adjacent to continental landmasses. Existing\ud scientific data identify the key stressors, synergisms, and outcomes at the coral reef ecosystem, community, and population levels. These data demonstrate that marine protected areas alone may be insufficient for coral reef protection; integrated watershed management practices are also needed. Gaps in the effectiveness of environmental policy, legislation, and regulatory enforcement have resulted in the continued degradation of US and Australian reefs. Several Pacific islands, with intact resource stewardship and traditional leadership systems, have been able to apply research findings to coral reef management policies relatively quickly. Three case histories in Micronesia provide insight into how social sciences and\ud biophysical data can be combined to manage human behaviors responsible for coral reef destruction