From NOAA

[Mike King]

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.

The second presentation focused on last fall's Caribbean coral
bleaching event. A team of scientists from NOAA, NASA, and DOI reported
on the initial impact assessment of the worst bleaching event on record
in the Caribbean. NOAA has led an international collaborative effort to
fully document the extent of the event, the second in a three-phase
response including initial response, near-term reporting and assessment,
and long-term monitoring. Preliminary results of more than 1,500
bleaching surveys from 100 researchers in 25 jurisdictions indicate
severe bleaching throughout the eastern Caribbean.

In the U.S. Virgin Islands, DOI reported that the bleaching event
was followed immediately by a severe outbreak of coral disease,
affecting major reef building species like brain and star corals.
Elkhorn coral bleached for the first time on record in the U.S. Virgin
Islands. Bleaching led directly to the death of many colonies. Of more
than 460 elkhorn colonies in the Virgin Islands National Park monitored
by the U.S. Geological Survey, approximately 45 percent bleached, 13
percent died partially, and 8 percent died completely.

“This event exemplifies our need to better understand the impact of
bleaching on corals,” said Timothy Keeney, deputy assistant secretary of
commerce for oceans and atmosphere and task force co-chair. “"The
near-term assessment and long-term reef monitoring will help us
effectively protect and manage resilient reef ecosystems that resist and
recover from bleaching events and other impacts."

In other actions the task force presented U.S. Senator Daniel K.
Inouye of Hawaii with a special Coral Champion award for lifetime
contributions to the conservation and management of coral reefs. An
additional six task force awards were presented to five individuals and
one research team for outstanding outreach and education, management,
and scientific research.

A Presidential Executive Order established the U.S. Coral Reef Task
Force in 1998 to lead U.S. efforts to preserve and protect coral reef
ecosystems. Through the coordinated efforts of its members, including
representatives of 12 federal agencies, the governors of seven states
and territories, and the leaders of the Freely Associated States, the
U.S. Coral Reef Task Force helps lead U.S. efforts to protect and manage
valuable coral reef ecosystems in the United States and internationally.
NOAA and the Department of the Interior co-chair the task force.

NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national
safety through the prediction and research of weather and
climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of the
nation's coastal and marine resources. Through the emerging Global Earth
Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA is working with its federal
partners, 61 countries and the European Commission to develop a global
network that is as integrated as the planet it observes, predicts and
protects.

On the Web: NOAA - http://www.noaa.gov
U.S. Coral Reef Task Force - http://www.coralreef.gov

 

[Kalkbreath]

Great! Now what?
Ban the trade because carribean elkhorn coral is dying?
I remember when the same bunch told us tourists were responsible for the dying corals. (heck I remember when "Global Cooling" was all the rage! And many of these same scientists were sure the corals were dying from Global cooling!)
What good is saving the reefs in the Philippines from the occasional MO cyanide fishermen , if the live coral is certain to die from soil run off and blast fishing?
Take a look at the Florida Keys over the past ten years;
Ever since the en-actment of protection zones and sactuaries designed to keep the public away from the dying corals.... the reefs have gone furture down hill.
Why waste all this effort on such a futile adventure?
Its like a band Aid on a terminally ill cancer patient.
Only its the "best scientific minds" advising a placebo!
Why is it the guys at Enron get prison terms for blowing pubic money ,
yet enviromental charlatans get pats on the back when they scew us?

 

[Anonymous]

here's a detailed email from coral-list:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 5, 2006
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) 06-R110

Contact: Kim Amendola – NOAA (727) 551-5707

ELKHORN AND STAGHORN CORALS LISTED IN THREATENED STATUS
NOAA hosting public information workshops in south Florida and Caribbean

NOAA Fisheries Service announced its decision yesterday to list elkhorn (Acropora palmata) and staghorn corals (Acropora cervicornis) as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The final rule will be published next week, and the listing will be effective 30 days after that date. This will be the first time a coral has been listed as endangered or threatened under the ESA. A species is considered endangered if it is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. A species is considered threatened if it is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future.

In response to a formal petition, a status review was initiated by NOAA Fisheries Service to determine whether these corals required ESA listing. The fisheries service convened the Atlantic Acropora Biological Review Team in June 2004. The members of this team are a diverse group of experts including coral biologists and ecologists; specialists in climate, water quality and coral disease, monitoring, restoration and taxonomy; regional experts in coral abundance/distribution throughout the Caribbean Sea; and state and federal resource managers.

The results of the team’s 10-month review led to the determination that a threatened listing was warranted for both elkhorn and staghorn corals because they are likely to become in danger of extinction throughout all of their ranges in the foreseeable future from a combination of factors. The primary factors include disease, temperature-induced bleaching, and physical damage from hurricanes. Other factors include damage from commercial and recreational activities, sediments and contaminants from land-based sources, and poor water quality.

“This is the first time a coral species has been listed as threatened in the United States,” said Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries Service Bill Hogarth. “As we look ahead, NOAA Fisheries Service is committed to recovering these species, but we cannot do that without help and participation from our constituents and resource users.”

Yesterday the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force recognized the Atlantic Acropora Biological Review Team for its dedication and efforts in compiling, editing and completing the status review for elkhorn and staghorn corals by presenting team members with an Outstanding Management award at the task force team meeting in Washington, D.C.

To gather information from the public, constituents, and resource users, the fisheries service will host seven conservation workshops throughout May. The workshops are designed to seek input from participants to help identify programs and activities that may affect these species, physical and biological features essential for conservation, and possible areas to designate as critical habitat.

These workshops are intended to be constructive brainstorming sessions where all interested members of the public are encouraged to attend and participate. The information gathered during these workshops will be considered in the development of any future conservation measures.

Workshops will be held between May 8 and May 25. More information on time, date and location of the workshops is available online, and regional announcements have been distributed. Comments and suggestions can also be submitted to NOAA Fisheries Service’s Southeast Regional Office via mail, fax, or email by Friday, June 22, 2006.

Elkhorn and staghorn corals are of the genus Acropora. Acropora is the most abundant group of corals in the world and once represented the most dominant reef building species throughout Florida and the Caribbean. They are found typically on shallow water reefs, live in high-energy zones with a lot of wave action, and are found in water temperatures from 66 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit. They have relatively high growth rates for corals and exhibit branching morphologies that provide important habitat for other reef organisms; no other Caribbean reef-building coral species are able to fulfill these ecosystem functions. At the current reduced abundance, it is highly likely that both these ecosystem functions have been greatly compromised.

NOAA Fisheries Service is dedicated to protecting and preserving our nation’s living marine resources and their habitats through scientific research, management and enforcement. NOAA Fisheries Service provides effective stewardship of these resources for the benefit of the nation, supporting coastal communities that depend upon them, and helping to provide safe and healthy seafood to consumers and recreational opportunities for the American public.

NOAA, an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of the nation's coastal and marine resources. Through the emerging Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA is working with its federal partners, over 60 countries and the European Commission to develop a global network that is as integrated as the planet it observes, predicts and protects.

On the Web:

NOAA www.noaa.gov

Conservation Workshop Information http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/protres.htm
(Click on Acropora Conservation Workshop Announcement)

Elkhorn Coral (Acropora palmata) Image http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/docs/07.jpg

Staghorn Coral (Acroporoa cervicornis) Image http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/docs/05.jpg

Elkhorn and Staghorn Coral Information http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/protres.htm

Endangered Species Act http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/laws/esa.htm

NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program
http://coralreef.noaa.gov/

U.S. Coral Reef Task Force
http://coralreef.gov/

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