CORAL REEF INITIATIVES FY 2001 President's Budget -$26 million Department of Commerce (NOAA) -$16 million Department of the Interior -$10 million
The President's Fiscal Year 2001 budget request to Congress includes a total of $26 million - an increase of $15.5 million over FY 2000 appropriations - specifically to implement recommendations of the United States Coral Reef Task Force (CRTF) and halt the rapid loss and degradation of coral reef ecosystems. If appropriated, this unprecedented funding would significantly strengthen federal,state, territory and non-governmental efforts to protect,restore and sustainably use valuable U.S.coral reefs.
The FY 2001 President's budget includes new funding requests of $10 million for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)and $5.5 million for the Department of the Interior (DOI). Funding will support critical needs and priority actions identified by the CRTF in the U.S. National Action Plan for Coral Reef Conservation including:
- reducing human threats from overfishing, pollution, vessel groundings and other impacts;
- increasing mapping and monitoring of coral reef;
- researching the causes of and solutions to coral reef decline;
- strengthening existing coral reef protected areas and establishing new reef reserves;
- funding state and territory coral reef initiatives for on-the-ground,local action;and
- restoring damaged reefs.
CORAL REEF INITIATIVES -FY 2001 BUDGET REQUEST |
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| Agency/Program | Request($millons) | Priority Areas |
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE (NOAA) |
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| National Ocean Service Ocean Resource Conservation &Assessment | $10.0 | Increase mapping; monitoring; research causes of reef decline; response and restoration; support for state and local efforts. |
| National Marine Fisheries Service Conservation and Management Operations | $5.0 | Reduce fisheries impacts;foster ecological reserves. |
| Resource Protection | $1.0 | Reef clean-up and recovery of at-risk reef species. |
TOTAL NOAA |
$16.0 | |
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR |
||
| Fish and Wildlife Service | $2.7 | Increase protection,monitoring and site acquisitions. |
| National Park Service | $3.6 | Improve management of special reef areas. |
| U.S.Geological Survey | $3.2 | Research and mapping of coral reefs. |
| Office of Insular Affairs | $0.5 | Support territory coral reef initiatives |
TOTAL DOI |
$10.0 | |
TOTAL |
$26 | Support CRTF National Action Plan |
FY 2001 FUNDING IS CRITICAL TO CORAL REEF CONSERVATION:
The FY 2001 request of $26 million is critical to addressing the most serious threats to U.S.and other coral reefs.This funding will implement priority actions recommended by the CRTF in the Atlantic, Caribbean and Pacific as part of the National Action Plan for Coral Reef Conservation. Funding will support joint efforts between NOAA, Department of the Interior and federal, state, territory, commonwealth and non-governmental partners to protect coral reefs. For example:
Map and Monitor Coral Reef Ecosystems
The FY 2001 request will increase the pace of coral reef mapping and improve monitoring of coral reef health in many areas.Less than 5 percent of all US coral reefs have been adequately mapped or monitored.In FY 2000, NOAA and federal, state partners launched initial coral reef mapping efforts in the U.S. Pacific and began building a national monitoring program for U.S. coral reefs.
Find Solutions to Reef Decline
The FY 2001 request will increase research and monitoring to identify the causes -and cures -for coral reef diseases and other human impacts. Funding will support competitive grants and partnerships to better study, understand and protect U.S.coral reefs. Research is needed to understanding the causes of reef decline and find the solutions to improve reef health. For example, research is urgently needed to determine the causes of disease "epidemics" now damaging many reefs.
Reduce Human Impacts on Reefs
The FY 2001 request will provide additional funding to States and Territories to help them reduce the impacts of run-off pollution,fishing and other threats to coral reefs. Over one-third of all U.S. coral reefs are in state and territory waters. These reefs are often the hardest hit by human impacts.
New funding will improve and expand coral reef protected areas. Funding will improve public education and basic monitoring in existing protected areas (e.g., National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, National Marine Sanctuaries)and help fishery management councils, local communities and other partners establish new coral reef protected areas such as ecological reserves.
New funding will be used to reduce the impacts of over-fishing and fishing gear on coral reefs. Funding will support actions by Fisheries Management Councils,fishing industry and other partners to help protect and sustainably manage coral reefs as essential fish habitats.
Response and Restoration
In FY 2001, new funding will help restore fragile coral reefs damaged by human impacts. Working with state, territory and other partners, new funding continue to build emergency response capabilities to minimize damages from chemical spills, vessel groundings and other events;provide funding and training to restore damaged reefs and promote natural recovery of reef ecosystems; and fund major reef clean-up efforts to remove thousands of tons of harmful debris from reefs of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.
For more information:Visit the CRTF web site at http://www.coralreef.gov/ or contact:
Roger Griffis Dept of Commerce/NOAA P:202-482-5034
roger.b.griffis@noaa.gov
Molly Ross Dept of the Interior P:202-208-6212
molly_ross@ios.doi.gov