Marine Resources Assessment for the Marianas Operating ... - SPREP

AUGUST 2005 FINAL REPORT
EO 13089 on Coral Reef Protection (60 FR 30769) was issued in 1998 “to preserve and protect the
biodiversity, health, heritage, and social and economic value of U.S. coral reef ecosystems and the
marine environment.” The EO directs all federal agencies to protect coral reef ecosystems to the
extent feasible and instructs particular agencies to develop coordinated science-based plans to
restore damaged reefs as well as mitigate current and future impacts on reefs, both in the U.S. and
around the globe (Agardy 2000). This order also establishes the interagency U.S. Coral Reef Task
Force, co-chaired by the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Commerce through the
Administrator of the NOAA.
EO 13158, Marine Protected Areas (65 FR 34909) of 2000 is a furtherance of EO 13089. It created
the framework for a national system of marine protected areas (MPAs). MPAs are defined in EO
13158 as “any area of the marine environment that has been reserved by federal, state, territorial,
tribal, or local laws or regulations to provide lasting protection for part or all of the natural and cultural
resources therein.” This EO strengthened governmental interagency cooperation in protecting the
marine environment. It also calls for strengthening management of these existing areas, creating new
ones, and preventing harm to marine ecosystems by federally approved, conducted, or funded
activities (Agardy 2000). Currently, the NOAA is redefining the criteria used to designate MPAs and
has recently reclassified all existing MPAs as “marine managed areas.” A more in-depth discussion
on the NOAA’s process of redefining MPAs is included in Chapter 5.
1.4 METHODOLOGY
1.4.1 Literature and Data Search
A thorough and systematic search for relevant scientific literature and data was conducted. Once
identified, information vital to the production of this MRA report was obtained, reviewed, and catalogued.
Of the available scientific literature (both published and unpublished), the following types of documents
were utilized in the assessment: journals, periodicals, bulletins, monographs of scientific and professional
societies, theses, dissertations, project reports, endangered species recovery plans, stock assessment
reports, EISs, FMPs, and other technical reports published by government agencies, private businesses,
or consulting firms. The scientific literature was also consulted during the search for geographic location
data (geographic coordinates) on the occurrence of marine resources within the study area.
To investigate the physical environment and habitats of the study area, to summarize the occurrence
patterns of marine mammals and sea turtles, to depict areas identified as EFH and HAPC, and to
determine the locations of maritime boundaries, commercially navigable waterways, marine managed
areas, and diving sites, information and literature were collected from the following sources:
Academic and educational/research institutions: University of Guam Marine Laboratory, Scripps
Institute of Oceanography, Texas A&M University, University of Hawai’i, James Cook University, New
England Aquarium, Centre de Recherches Insulaires et Observatoire de l’Environment, Smithsonian
Institution, Waikiki Aquarium, The Nature Conservancy-Pacific Island Countries Program;
University on-line databases: DIALOG (e.g., Oceanic Abstracts, Enviroline, Pollution Abstracts,
Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts, Life Science Collection, Zoological Record Online, Water
Resources Abstracts, National Technical Information Service, Federal Register, Dissertation
Abstracts, BIOSIS Previews), First Search (e.g., BIODigest, BiolAgrindex, GenSciIndex, the
Government Printing Office), Cambridge Abstracts;
The Internet, including various databases and related websites: NOAA, NOAA Fisheries, Ocean
Biogeographic Information System (OBIS), Ocean Planning and Information System (OPIS), U.S.
Geological Survey (USGS), U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), General Dynamics Advanced Information
Systems, Veridian Corporation, Elsevier, Allen Press, Blackwell-Science, Pacific Islands Fisheries
Science Center (NOAA Fisheries-PIFSC), FishBase, ReefBase, Reef Environment Education
Foundation, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), FR, Pacific Daily News, Marine Turtle
Newsletter, Proceedings of the Annual Sea Turtle Symposium, University of Florida Sea Turtle
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