clarionreef
Advanced Reefer
- Location
- San Francisco
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 4, 2006
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) NOAA06-052
Contact:
Ben Sherman, NOAA Public Affairs
(301) 713-3066, Ext. 178
U.S. CORAL REEF TASK FORCE ANNOUNCES NEW CONSERVATION INITIATIVES
AIMING AT REDUCING ILLEGAL AQUARIUM TRADE IN REEF FISH; NOAA RULES ON NEW PROTECTIONS FOR THREATENED CORAL SPECIES
The U.S. Coral Reef Task Force announced a new coral reef conservation initiative aiming for stronger enforcement of aquarium reef fish trade harvesting regulations, and endorsed designating 2008 as “International Year of the Coral Reef” at its semi-annual meeting today.
At the meeting, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced the listing of elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) and staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis) as threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. NOAA announced the proposed listing in March, 2005. Since then, NOAA received public comments and finalized the rule to add the two marine species to the Endangered Species list. The final ruling will be published next week in the Federal Register.
“This listing is highly significant for coral reef conservation, as these are the first coral species to be listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act,” said retired Navy Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. "It is extremely important that we protect corals as they are a major source of ocean life."
The panel, which dealt with a variety of issues in the day-long meeting, received results of the task force's Local Action Strategy initiative and the findings of international collaborative assessment of recent Caribbean coral bleaching and heard an update on the proposal to designate the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem as the nation’s 14th national marine sanctuary. Kameran Onley, assistant deputy secretary of interior, also assumed co-chairmanship of the task force representing the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI).
The task force approved two resolutions during the business meeting. The first resolution called on the task force to examine the use of cyanide and other poisons in the collection of reef fish on the global market. Although illegal in most countries, the use of cyanide to capture reef fish alive is widespread, and is driven by the lucrative, growing and largely unregulated international trade in live reef food fish and marine aquarium industry. The U.S. is the number one market for coral reef fish for the aquarium trade. Previous studies estimate that most live reef fish entering into international trade and imported into the U.S. are collected with the use of cyanide, and thus are illegal.
The study will research field-based cyanide detection tests for use by enforcement authorities. Tests capable of producing reliable results several weeks after exposure to cyanide could also aid the U.S. in restricting suspected illegal imports.
The panel also endorsed declaring 2008 “International Year of the Reef.” The year-long campaign would include events and initiatives hosted by a wide range of government and nongovernmental organizations. A range of significant international events are planned for 2008, including the quadrennial International Coral Reef Symposium—the world’s largest meeting on coral reef science and management—to be hosted by the United States in July, the release of global and U.S. reports on the condition of coral reef ecosystems, and the 10th anniversary of the task force.
The task force received two informational reports, the first on the status of local action strategy implementation in each of seven task force jurisdictions. The report noted that the initiative leveraged approximately $24.8 million to implement more than four hundred coral reef conservation projects involving numerous stakeholders across the seven jurisdictions.
As far as the reform of the aquarium trade goes...does this mean that the US Coral Reef Task force believes the current groups engaged in this are not getting the job done...or... do they just want to add some extra help?
Steve
May 4, 2006
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) NOAA06-052
Contact:
Ben Sherman, NOAA Public Affairs
(301) 713-3066, Ext. 178
U.S. CORAL REEF TASK FORCE ANNOUNCES NEW CONSERVATION INITIATIVES
AIMING AT REDUCING ILLEGAL AQUARIUM TRADE IN REEF FISH; NOAA RULES ON NEW PROTECTIONS FOR THREATENED CORAL SPECIES
The U.S. Coral Reef Task Force announced a new coral reef conservation initiative aiming for stronger enforcement of aquarium reef fish trade harvesting regulations, and endorsed designating 2008 as “International Year of the Coral Reef” at its semi-annual meeting today.
At the meeting, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced the listing of elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) and staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis) as threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. NOAA announced the proposed listing in March, 2005. Since then, NOAA received public comments and finalized the rule to add the two marine species to the Endangered Species list. The final ruling will be published next week in the Federal Register.
“This listing is highly significant for coral reef conservation, as these are the first coral species to be listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act,” said retired Navy Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. "It is extremely important that we protect corals as they are a major source of ocean life."
The panel, which dealt with a variety of issues in the day-long meeting, received results of the task force's Local Action Strategy initiative and the findings of international collaborative assessment of recent Caribbean coral bleaching and heard an update on the proposal to designate the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem as the nation’s 14th national marine sanctuary. Kameran Onley, assistant deputy secretary of interior, also assumed co-chairmanship of the task force representing the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI).
The task force approved two resolutions during the business meeting. The first resolution called on the task force to examine the use of cyanide and other poisons in the collection of reef fish on the global market. Although illegal in most countries, the use of cyanide to capture reef fish alive is widespread, and is driven by the lucrative, growing and largely unregulated international trade in live reef food fish and marine aquarium industry. The U.S. is the number one market for coral reef fish for the aquarium trade. Previous studies estimate that most live reef fish entering into international trade and imported into the U.S. are collected with the use of cyanide, and thus are illegal.
The study will research field-based cyanide detection tests for use by enforcement authorities. Tests capable of producing reliable results several weeks after exposure to cyanide could also aid the U.S. in restricting suspected illegal imports.
The panel also endorsed declaring 2008 “International Year of the Reef.” The year-long campaign would include events and initiatives hosted by a wide range of government and nongovernmental organizations. A range of significant international events are planned for 2008, including the quadrennial International Coral Reef Symposium—the world’s largest meeting on coral reef science and management—to be hosted by the United States in July, the release of global and U.S. reports on the condition of coral reef ecosystems, and the 10th anniversary of the task force.
The task force received two informational reports, the first on the status of local action strategy implementation in each of seven task force jurisdictions. The report noted that the initiative leveraged approximately $24.8 million to implement more than four hundred coral reef conservation projects involving numerous stakeholders across the seven jurisdictions.
As far as the reform of the aquarium trade goes...does this mean that the US Coral Reef Task force believes the current groups engaged in this are not getting the job done...or... do they just want to add some extra help?
Steve