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

AUGUST 2005 FINAL REPORT
There is also a limited take zone being proposed for the waters around Tinian. The Tinian Fish Reserve,
proposed in 2003 under CNMI House Bill #13-110, is still under debate. CNMI House Bill #13-178, known
as the Fisheries Act, was also proposed in 2003 and called for the establishment of four MPAs in the
northern islands of the CNMI. These MPAs, which are currently included in the National MMA Inventory,
encompass ocean waters within a 1.6 km radius from the shore of the islands of Maug, Uracas, Asuncion,
and Guguan. Each of these islands, however, is located beyond the study area map extent.
5.4 SCUBA DIVING SITES
Guam and the CNMI are located in one of the richest sectors of the world’s ocean in terms of species and
habitat diversity. As a result, scuba diving and snorkeling have become popular recreational activities
throughout the region. In fact, some of the most popular destinations for SCUBA divers in all of the North
Pacific Ocean are located around these islands. There are over 78 dive sites located in the Marianas
archipelago that are particularly popular with divers (DoN 1999; Rock 1999; Hanauer 2001;
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Coastal Resources Management Office 2003; Michael
2004; Figure 5-5). Divers are attracted to the warm air and water temperatures found throughout the
year, the clear underwater visibility, the unique shipwreck dive sites, and the coral reef diversity (Hanauer
2001). The vast majority of dive sites around Guam do not fall within the boundaries of the Marianas MRA
study area, and the necessary infrastructure and access are not available for widespread diving along
Tinian and FDM (Hanauer 2001).
The island of Guam has grown into a popular dive destination for Japanese tourists, and is gaining in
popularity with divers from other Asian countries and the U.S. (Rock 1999) boasting over 50 dive sites
around the island (Franko’s Maps 2005). Major dive attractions include WWII shipwrecks and coral reefs.
Although the majority of dive sites are nearshore and in shallow water, most of the diving is done by boat
to increase the likelihood of seeing fish and other sea creatures and to prevent injury from the strong
undercurrents and rips found along the surf zone (Rock 1999). Popular reef dive sites include Shark Pit
along Agat Bay on the western coast and Tumon Bay and Gun Beach along the northwestern shoreline.
Apra Harbor is also a popular location for divers due to its wide range of wrecks and military debris.
Popular dive sites in Apra Harbor include the Tokai Maru, the Cormoran, the Kitsugawa, and the Seabee
Junkyard (Rock 1999; Hanauer 2001; Franko’s Maps 2005).
SCUBA diving in the CNMI is not as widespread as diving at Guam. The majority of accessible dive sites
can be found on Rota and Saipan. Divers often overlook Rota, even though the island contains what are
arguably the clearest waters in all of Micronesia (Rock 1999; Hanauer 2001). The majority of dive sites on
Rota lie along the southern shore (Hanauer 2001). Popular dive sites include the wreck of the Shoun
Maru, the underwater grotto at Senhnom Cave, and the Coral Gardens. Saipan also offers divers
excellent dive locations, although access to prime dive locations can be difficult (Hanauer 2001). Popular
dive sites on Saipan include the Grotto, the Bomber Wreck (B-29), and Banzai Cliff. Tinian shows promise
of becoming an excellent diving location with its clear water, low population pressure, and rocky coastline;
however, the island lacks the necessary infrastructure to gain widespread popularity with the diving
community (Hanauer 2001).
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