[Coral-List] Caribbean Acropora spp. and Scientific Research

[Todd Barber]

Hi Sarah,

Even the permits required today are too difficult/costly and involve an 
enormous amount of un-necessary tracking/paperwork to be practical for those 
of us working regularly with A. palmata and A. cervicornis.  Reef Ball 
Foundation has successfully worked in hundreds of projects with these 
species in countries around the world...but we almost never do so in US or 
US territorial waters....(an exception being some early scientific work in 
Puerto Rico).

In most countries...we simply get a blanket permit for our organization and 
volunteers as supervised by our experts and then can use our field judgement 
on a case by case basis....in this country that's just not possible. 
Perhaps it is something to consider?

Thanks,

Todd R. Barber
Chairman, Reef Ball Foundation
www.reefball.org
252-353-9094

Skype name: toddbarber
Cell Phone 941-720-7549

3305 Edwards Court
Greenville, NC 27858

Inbox protected by ClearMyMail
www.ClearMyMail.com {c2509d95650d4b87a5a76fe30c468363}




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Sarah Heberling" <Sarah.Heberling at noaa.gov>
To: <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
Sent: Wednesday, March 25, 2009 3:45 PM
Subject: [Coral-List] Caribbean Acropora spp. and Scientific Research


> Hello Coral-Listers:
>
> Recently, I learned of a mis-perception floating around that /Acropora
> palmata/ and /A. cervicornis/, which are listed species under the U.S.
> Endangered Species Act (ESA), are now considered by some in the
> scientific research world to be "off-limits" because of new protections
> afforded under the ESA.  THIS IS FALSE!!  Now is a time when these
> imperiled Caribbean coral species need more attention than ever to
> increase our understanding of the mechanisms affecting these species'
> continued survival.
>
> To clarify:
> In general, any permits needed in the past to conduct scientific
> research on /A. palmata/ and /A. cervicornis/ are the same permits
> needed for today and into the future.  No additional ESA permits are
> necessary.
>
> A guide to permits needed by scientific researchers for conducting
> research on either of these species is available on our website here:
> http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/pdf/ResearchPermitKey.pdf.
>
> A Spanish version of this guide is also available:
> http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/pdf/ResearchPermitKeySpanish.pdf.
>
> If either you (the scientific researcher) or the permitting agency with
> which you are dealing has questions, please contact either Jennifer
> Moore (jennifer.moore at noaa.gov) or me (see contact info below).
>
> -- 
> Sarah E. Heberling
> NOAA Fisheries Service
> Phone: (727) 824-5312
> Fax: (727) 824-5309
> Email: Sarah.Heberling at noaa.gov
> Web: http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/esa/acropora.htm
>
> "What good is a used up world; and how could it be worth having?"
>
> _______________________________________________
> Coral-List mailing list
> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
>
>