[Coral-List] NOAA Seeking Public Input on new National Coral Reef Resilience Strategy

[Liz Fairey - NOAA Federal]

NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) has begun efforts to develop
a National Coral Reef Resilience Strategy (National Strategy) in accordance
with the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, as reauthorized and amended
by the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year
2023 <https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/hr7776/BILLS-117hr7776enr.pdf>
(Pub. L. 117-263, December 23, 2022, 136 Stat 2395; reauthorized CRCA). As
part of the National Strategy preparation, NOAA is seeking public input on
the elements, priorities, and objectives via this Federal Register Notice
<https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/04/06/2023-07195/notice-of-intent-to-conduct-scoping-in-preparation-of-the-national-coral-reef-resilience-strategy#addresses>
.

As part of this public scoping period, NOAA is seeking information relevant
to the development of the required elements of the National Strategy via
the comment porta
<https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/NOAA-NOS-2023-0043-0001>l by May 8,
2023. The final publication of the National Strategy will replace CRCP’s
current Strategic Plan (2018)
<https://coralreef.noaa.gov/about/resources/Handout_NOAA_CRCP_2022_508_OCM.pdf>
.

The National Strategy will include: 1) Discussion, 2) Goals and objectives,
3) Designation of priority areas; and 4) Technical Assistance.

1) The National Strategy discussion will: A) address threats to the
resilience of U.S. coral reef ecosystems; B) identify gaps in coral reef
ecosystem research, monitoring, and assessment; C) assess the status of
management cooperation and integration among federal and state managers; D)
outline the status of efforts to manage and disseminate critical
information, and enhancing interjurisdictional data sharing, related to
research, reports, data sets, and maps; E) address areas of special focus
see below); F) convey the status of conservation efforts, including the use
of marine protected areas to serve as replenishment zones developed
consistent with local practices and traditions and in cooperation with, and
with respect for the scientific, technical, and management and expertise
and responsibilities of, covered reef managers; G) support science-based
adaptive management and restoration efforts; and H) outline actions
management of coral reef emergencies and disasters.


The National Strategy may also address these areas of special focus:

   - improving natural coral recruitment;
   - preventing avoidable losses of corals and their habitat;
   - enhancing the resilience of coral populations;
   - supporting a resilience-based management approach;
   - developing, coordinating, and implementing watershed management plans;
   - building and sustaining watershed management capacity at the local
   level;
   - providing data essential for coral reef fisheries management;
   - building capacity for coral reef fisheries management;
   - increasing understanding of coral reef ecosystem services;
   - educating the public on the importance of coral reefs, threats, and
   solutions; and
   - evaluating intervention efficiency.

2) NOAA will develop a statement of national goals and objectives designed
to guide: future federal coral reef management and restoration activities;
conservation and restoration priorities for grants; and research priorities
that will be used by designated reef research coordination institutes and
research centers (see Section 212 of the reauthorized CRCA).

3) NOAA will designate priority areas for conservation, and priority areas
for restoration. These areas will also be given priority under the external
grant competitions.

4) NOAA will provide technical assistance by developing general templates
for area coral reef action plans, which will include guidance on the best
science-based practices to respond to coral reef emergencies.

Please contact Harriet Nash at Harriet.Nash at NOAA.gov if you have any
questions about CRCP’s preparation of the National Strategy. We look
forward to receiving your input during this scoping phase.





--
Liz Fairey (she/her)
NMFS Office of Habitat Conservation
NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program
1315 East West Hwy
Silver Spring, MD 20910
301-427-8632