US Coral Reef Task Force Meeting Highlights

(UTULEI) - After four intensive days of workshops and meetings, the 18th meeting of the United States Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) came to a close on Thursday.

The USCRTF meets twice a year to provide members with a forum for coordinated planning and action to preserve and protect U.S. coral reefs among federal agencies, state and territorial governments, and nongovernmental partners. The theme of this Task Force meeting was Bridging Culture and Science for Conservation.

The week of meetings began with a workshop on translating traditional knowledge into management facilitated by Senator HC Pulefa’asisina Palauni Tuiasosopo. The workshop provided recommendations to the USCRTF on ways to support the integration of traditional knowledge into the management of U.S. coral reefs.

During the Task Force member updates on Thursday, Governor Togiola Tulafono affirmed the commitment of the American Samoa Government to do its share to address the adverse impacts of global warming and resulting climate change. Governor Tulafono has issued an Executive Order, which will result in a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions produced by ASG.

The Executive Order covers the following:

● Requiring ASG vehicles have a minimum fuel efficiency rating of 20 MPG.
Begin purchasing hybrid vehicles rate of 5% increasing to 50% by model year 2017.

● Prohibit the importation of vehicles more than 10 years old.

● Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact florescent bulbs.

● ASG appliance and electronic purchases will have an USEPA Energy Star approval.

● Prohibit the importation of high phosphorous detergents, effective October 1, 2007.

The Task force voiced its full support for Governor Togiola’s executive order on climate change and commended the governor’s strong leadership in bringing the forward critical issues to better protect and manage coral reefs.

The co-chairs went further to commend the governor and American Samoa’s recent announcements to further the protection of coral reef ecosystems and acting as a leader in coral reef conservation and management issues.

Governor Togiola announced on Thursday that the Territory’s Marine Protected Area (MPA) Network strategy has been finalized and adopted. The MPA Network Strategy was developed to link American Samoa’s MPA programs and agencies together to be more effective in protecting and managing the marine resources and aims to develop regional partnerships to better protect our coral reef ecosystem.

The goal of the MPA Network Strategy is to effectively coordinate existing and future MPAs to ensure the long-term health and sustainable use of the American Samoa’s coral reef resources. Since the fishes and corals of our reef ecosystems in the Territory do not restrict themselves to political borders, Governor Togiola has stated that there is a need to look beyond the borders of American Samoa to truly protect and manage the territory’s marine resources.

Starting this year, Governor Togiola intends to work together with the government and the people of independent Samoa, to develop a regional coral reef conservation initiative in order to achieve common goals and address shared concerns.

At the end of Wednesday afternoon’s special session on “Conserving Coral Reef Ecosystems: A Regional Approach,” DMWR director Ufagafa Ray Tulafono committed the department to begin the process of public hearings and consultations to protect all of the largest reef fish species in American Samoa, which includes all species of shark, Giant Trevally, Giant Groupers, Bumphead Parrotfish and Bumphead Wrasse. These are rare species that are at risk from exploitation.

Nikolao I. Pula, co-chair of USCRTF presented a check from the US Department of the Interior and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for more than $300,000 supporting American Samoa’s Coral Reef Initiative staff positions and projects

A number of people dedicated to the preservation and conservation of coral reefs received awards recognizing their efforts by the Task Force today.

Among them were Asterio Takesy, Executive Director of the Secretariat for the Pacific Regional Environment Programme, Dr. Peter Craig of the National Park of American Samoa, Karolyn Braun former Marine Science Program Director at the American Samoa Community College, Lelei Peau, Deputy Director of the American Samoa Department of Commerce and Chair of the Coral Reef Advisory Group, Tavita Togia of the National Park of American Samoa, American Samoa Community member Ivona Ballard. The Governor’s Coral Reef Advisory Group also received an award from the Task Force that was presented to the directors of its five member organizations.

Other US Coral Reef Task Force meeting highlights include a workshop on using the research and results of economic valuation of coastal resources to support management, a field trip to Sailele, one of DMWR’s Community-based Fisheries Management sites and receptions each night hosted by the Governor, the U.S. Coast Guard, Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary and the American Samoa Department of Commerce, and the Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources.

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US Coral Reef Task Force Meeting Highlights