#Status of Coral Reefs 2002 - International Coral Reef Action Network

Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2002
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
All countries and states are partners in MAREPAC, which aims to coordinate activities and
avoid duplication of effort, fill gaps in areas of need and use time and financial resources
efficiently and wisely. There is a need for a forum for states to present their priorities for
monitoring and plan future directions. There is considerable expertise across the region
and this needs to be harnessed in a coordinated manner to assist all states and raise the
capacity in-country for more effective coral reef monitoring and conservation.
American Samoa
The coral reefs in American Samoa have been recovering from natural stresses, but the
fisheries resources have not been recovering. The recovery of the corals will be enhanced
if there are healthy populations of grazing and herbivorous fishes. These have been lost
due to overfishing on Tutuila. Other major factors causing serious harm are reduced
water quality near populated areas, and destruction of turtle nesting beaches.
• There is a need to expand coral reef monitoring efforts, but focus the objectives.
Most monitoring efforts so far have been ecological in focus, but there is a need
to address the questions faced by coral reef managers: ‘Is overfishing occurring’;
‘Is sediment from poor land-use practices harming the reef’. Consequently,
monitoring programs must clearly identify the intended user of the data, and
the parameters to measure to provide the information. A monitoring program
in American Samoa should be: achievable with local staff, although off-island
expertise may be needed; sustainable even with staff changes; comparable to
other programs; and open to community input and management.
• Improved land-use practices are needed to slow the impacts that are currently
damaging water quality. Some progress has been made in Pago Pago Harbor,
but the coral reefs there have not fully recovered nor is swimming safe or fish
uncontaminated. Fish and sediments in the harbour need to be tested for
toxicity at regular intervals.
• A regional network of MPAs needs to be created to protect coral reef resources
across the region. For example, tagging data show green sea turtles nest in
American Samoa and migrate to both Fiji and Tahiti to feed.
• A recent ban on scuba-assisted fishing has been established, but there is a need
for monitoring of its effects. The ban appears to have been enforced and the lack
of large fishes indicates that time is required to show results. Village-based
management and monitoring of reef fisheries resources should be encouraged.
CNMI
The CNMI has established a long-term marine monitoring program to provide data for
conservation efforts.
• There is a need to ensure that agencies collaborate to collect and analyse
monitoring data within a monitoring program that has sound objectives and
establishes repeatable protocols for data collection, storage and analysis. An
interagency team should be established to assess methods and design a
workable monitoring program.
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