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

AUGUST 2005 FINAL REPORT
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Department of the Navy (DoN) is committed to demonstrating environmental stewardship while
executing its national defense mission. The United States (U.S.) Navy (Navy) is responsible for
compliance with a suite of federal environmental and natural resources laws and regulations that apply to
the marine environment, including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Marine Mammal
Protection Act (MMPA), the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act/Sustainable Fisheries Act (MSFCMA/SFA), and Executive Order (EO)
13089 on Coral Reef Protection. The Navy Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMPACFLT) implemented
the marine resources assessment (MRA) program to develop a comprehensive compilation of data and
literature concerning the protected and managed marine resources found in its various operating areas
(OPAREA). The information in this MRA is vital for planning purposes and for various types of
environmental documentation such as biological and environmental assessments (EA) that must be
prepared in accordance with the NEPA, MMPA, ESA, and MSFCMA/SFA.
This MRA documents and describes the marine resources in the U.S. Pacific Fleet military ranges and
training areas located in the waters off of Guam, Tinian, and Farallon de Medinilla, including Warning
Area W-517. The MRA report for these areas, which is collectively known as the Marianas MRA study
area, is provided in both paper and electronic form.
The geographical representation of marine resource occurrences in the Marianas MRA study area is a
major constituent of this MRA. A geographic information system (GIS) was used to store, manipulate,
analyze, and display the spatial data and information accumulated for the Marianas MRA study area.
Ninety-six GIS-generated map figures are included in this assessment. Metadata (documentation of the
GIS data) were also prepared for each GIS file associated with this MRA report.
The introduction to the report discusses the purpose and need of the MRA, the location of the study area,
the environmental legislation that is applicable to the study area, and the methodology used to assess the
marine resources of the study area. The introduction is followed by an overview of the marine
environment and habitats found in the study area. Here the report describes the physical environment,
physical and biological processes, and living organisms associated with the various habitats of the study
area. Detailed maps are provided to depict the physical environment, nearshore benthic habitats, and
human-made substrates (artificial reefs, shipwrecks, and fish aggregating devices [FADs]).
The MRA report next provides detailed information on marine mammals, sea turtles, fishes, and
invertebrates of the study area. The discussion on marine mammals focuses on the occurrences of
marine mammals in the study area differentiating the threatened and endangered marine mammals from
the non-threatened and non-endangered species. The MRA section on sea turtles provides a general
description of the life history of sea turtles, an account of the sea turtles that occur in the study area, and
detailed information on the dynamics of each sea turtle species within the study area. Detailed seasonal
occurrence maps (dry versus wet seasons) are provided for the marine mammals and sea turtles.
The chapter on fish and fisheries provides detailed information on fishes and invertebrates by essential
fish habitat (EFH) management unit (bottom, pelagic, crustacean, and coral reef ecosystem). An overview
of the fisheries in the study area discusses the pelagic, bottomfish, and reef fisheries, as well as ports,
fishing areas, and fishing tournaments. For each location of the study area, detailed figures depict the
EFH for all life stages of bottomfish and designated habitats of particular concern (HAPC), the EFH for all
life stages of pelagic fishes, the EFH for all life stages of crustaceans, and the EFH for currently and
potentially harvested coral reef taxa and designated HAPC.
The MRA report also includes a review of the marmite boundaries in the study area (territorial waters,
contiguous zone, and exclusive economic zone [EEZ]), navigable waterways and commercial shipping
lanes, managed marine areas (MMAs), and recreational self contained underwater breathing apparatus
(SCUBA) diving sites. The MRA report ends with recommendations on what work needs to be done to
address data gaps and enhance the current knowledge on the marine resources of the study area
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