Guam National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan

Guam National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan
Chapter 3. Management Direction
3.1 Overview
In developing the management direction for the CCP, the Service reviewed and considered a
variety of resource, social, economic, and organizational aspects important for managing the
Refuge. These background conditions are described more fully in Chapters 4, 5, and 6. As is
appropriate for a national wildlife refuge, resource considerations were fundamental in designing
alternatives. House Report 105-106 accompanying the Improvement Act states "…the
fundamental mission of our System is wildlife conservation: wildlife and wildlife conservation must
come first." The planning team reviewed scientific reports and studies to better understand
ecosystem trends and the latest scientific recommendations for species and habitats. The Service
met with staff from local, territorial, and Federal agencies, and elected officials to ascertain
priorities and problems as perceived by others.
Our management direction has a number of components. In addition to the specific strategies
outlined in the following section, there are a number of assumptions and programs that apply to
most or multiple goals and objectives. The following list is intended to describe some of these
cross-goal strategies.
• Implementation Subject to Funding Availability: Actions as described will be implemented
over a perioed of 15 years as funding becomes available. Projects are listed in Appendix C.
• Refuge Revenue Sharing Payment: Annual payments to the Government of Guam under
the Refuge Revenue Sharing Program will continue according to the established formula
and subject to payments authorized by Congress.
• Refuge facilities that are available in support of Refuge management are depicted in
Figure 2. No additional administrative facilities are planned or included in the CCP.
• The Refuge has a pack-it-in, pack-it-out policy. Trash that is left by visitors is picked up
by Refuge staff as it is encountered.
• Take of humphead wrasse and bumphead parrotfish will be discontinued based on
evaluations and information provided by NOAA. We will work to change the Code of
Federal Regulations for fishing at Guam Refuge to implement this change.
• Marine debris is removed from beach and marine environments when it is encountered.
Anchoring marine vessels in Refuge waters is strictly prohibited to protect coral
communities.
• Sea turtles and seabirds are known to be attracted to artificial lights at night. Seabirds
will fly into street or building lights leading to injury and often death. Young sea turtles
can become disoriented after hatching and crawl toward artificial lights instead of heading
to the ocean. All unnatural nighttime lighting on the Refuge has been eliminated from the
Refuge’s administrative site to protect turtles and nocturnal seabirds. There will be no
new unnatural lighting in the future.
Chapter 3. Management Direction 3-1