New charter document for GCRMN

[Coral Health and Monitoring Program]

The new charter document of the GCRMN can be found at: 

	http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/gcrmn/gcrmn.html 

and is also included here: 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

        The Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) 

INTRODUCTION 

Coral reefs around the world are being damaged and destroyed at an 
increasing rate. But we cannot be precise about how much and where, 
because of the special difficulties of monitoring underwater. Thus, there 
is a need to assess how, where and why damage is occurring and determine 
the best methods for prevention. 

By harnessing the interest and skills of all users in reef assessment and 
management, the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) has been 
established to tackle these problems and to provide valid management data. 

The GCRMN's major product will be the facilitation of networks of people 
trained to look closely at coral reefs and to monitor their progress over 
time. This will also provide knowledge and data on reef status and trends. 

Essentially, the GCRMN is a bottom-up network which aims to tap into the 
current knowledge about coral reefs in order to advance reef management. 

BACKGROUND 

Global reef monitoring has been discussed seriously for some time. When 
the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) was launched at the United 
Nations Global Conference on Sustainable Development of Small Islands 
Developing States in Barbados in 1994, there was renewed emphasis on 
monitoring coral reefs. In 1995 ICRI called on many nations to commit 
themselves towards increasing research and monitoring of reefs to provide 
the data for effective management. 

IOC,UNEP,WMO and IUCN have joined forces to co-sponsor the GCRMN, which is 
hosted jointly by AIMS (Australian Institute of Marine Science) and ICLARM 
(International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management). These 
bodies, along with the ICRI Secretariat, form the GCRMN Management Group. 
Advice is provided by a widely representative Scientific and Technical 
Advisory Committee (GCRMN-STAC). 

WHERE IS GCRMN LOCATED 

The GCRMN will function through fifteen independent networks, or 
sub-nodes, in six regions around the world. These networks will contain 
many different groups of people, all collaborating to monitor coral reefs 
and share data. 

The regions are: 

   * Western Indian Ocean islands and East African States 
   * Middle East Gulfs (those countries bordering the Red Sea around to the 
     Persian/Arabian Gulf) 
   * South Asia (India, Sri Lanka and Maldives) 
   * East Asian Seas (from Burma/Myanmar and Japan to Indonesia/Philippines 
   * Pacific Island states 
   * Caribbean and Intra-Americas, including countries with reefs bordering 
     the Atlantic Ocean 

Regions will be divided by the participant countries into smaller 
sub-nodes, each of which will employ a team of trainers and database 
operators to assist a small group of countries Funding for each of these 
sub-nodes will be requested from country, development bank and agency 
donors, with the responsibility of funding monitoring to devolve to the 
countries, after about five years. Donors are invited to assist in 
developing the networks and funding proposals in regions where their 

Regions will be divided by the participant countries into smaller 
sub-nodes, each of which will employ a team of trainers and database 
operators to assist a small group of countries Funding for each of these 
sub-nodes will be requested from country, development bank and agency 
donors, with the responsibility of funding monitoring to devolve to the 
countries, after about five years. Donors are invited to assist in 
developing the networks and funding proposals in regions where their 
interests are paramount.  interests are paramount. 

Thus, the GCRMN will emphasise the involvement of local communities. 
Wherever possible, the GCRMN will use existing organisations and networks, 
integrate existing monitoring programmes, and maintain flexibility to 
incorporate different methods of monitoring, other than the standard 
methodology. 

GCRMN OBJECTIVES 

The GCRMN aims to improve management and sustainable conservation of coral 
reefs for people by assessing the status and trends in the reefs and how 
people use and value the resources. It will do this by providing many people 
with the capacity to assess their own resources, within a global network, 
and to spread the word on reef status and trends. 

In summary, the core objectives are: 

   * To link existing organisations and people to monitor biophysical and 
     social, cultural and economic aspects of coral reefs within interacting 
     regional networks. 

   * To strengthen the existing capacity to examine reefs by providing a 
     consistent monitoring program, that will identify trends in coral reefs 
     and discriminate between natural, anthropogenic, and climatic changes. 

   * To disseminate results at local, regional, and global scales by 
     providing annual reports on coral reef status and trends to assist 
     environmental management agencies implement sustainable use and 
     conservation of reefs. Data will also aid preparation of predictive 
     global climate change models for the GOOS Coastal Zone Module. 

HOW DOES THE GCRMN WORK? 

The strategy to establish the global network is to employ a team of 
monitoring trainers in each GCRMN sub-node and use this team to train 
similar trainers in participating countries. The training will continue 
throughout the region with the focus on monitoring by local communities. 

Monitoring will continue over time at key national sites, to gather data 
and develop skills. Experienced marine institutes will assist in training, 
establishing of databases and problem resolution. 

A range of reef types will be monitored along line transects, assessing 
easily recognisable lifeforms and total fish counts, with specific counts 
of 'target' fish of commercial or recreational value. As people gain more 
experience, monitoring will be upgraded using the same methods, but to 
species level. Local communities will be questioned on their use and 
knowledge of reef resources and how management may be improved. The 
Network will be responsive to reef users and provide information back in 
an understandable format. Much of the monitoring will be in current or 
planned Marine Protected Areas and adjacent unprotected areas. This will 
be coordinated with the World Bank, IUCN/CNPPA, and GBRMPA Global 
Representative System of Marine Protected Areas project. 

Monitoring data will be accumulated in each sub-node for distribution 
within the region and to ReefBase (ICLARM, Manila). These will be 
combined, by the GCRMN Coordinator, into annual global reef status 
summaries and disseminated to international forums, organisations and the 
media. 

Two special monitoring projects will be supported by the GCRMN: a pilot 
programme undertaken simultaneously by research institutes around the 
world to give a snapshot of reef status; and the development of a tourist 
monitoring programme coordinated through tourist operators. 

   * Ensure that your organisation or country is informed of the GCRMN and 
     its objectives. 

   * Inform the GCRMN Coordinator about organisations and individuals who 
     wish to be part of the International Coral Reef Initiative and the 
     GCRMN. 

   * Recommend the possibility of funding by donors to assist a sub-node or 
     country, or through the direct funding of training workshops or 
     publications. 

   * Assist us to provide training or equipment to countries to monitor and 
     operate their own databases. 

For further information, please contact: 

Dr Clive Wilkinson Coordinator, 
Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network 
c/o Australian Institute of Marine Science 
PMB No. 3, TOWNSVILLE MC 4810 
AUSTRALIA 
Tel: +61 77 534 372 or +61 77 724 314 
Fax: +61 77 722 808 or +61 77 725 852 
e-mail: c.wilkinson at aims.gov.au 

or 

Dr John McManus 
ReefBase Project Leader 
International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management, 
MCPO Box 2631 
0718 MAKATI, Metro Manila 
PHILIPPINES 
Tel: +63 2 818 0466 or +63 2 817 5255 
Fax: +63 2 816 3183 
e-mail: j.mcmanus at cgnet.com