Report on the Status of Marine Protected Areas in Coral Reef Ecosystems of the United States: Volume 1: Marine Protected Areas Managed by U.S. States, Territories, and Commonwealths

摘要

This report, the Report on the Status of Marine Protected Areas in Coral Reef Ecosystems of the United States Volume 1: Marine Protected Areas Managed by U.S. States, Territories, and Commonwealths, was developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in conjunction with federal, state, territory, and commonwealth partners on the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (CRTF). It was produced to help fulfill the goals and objectives of the U.S. National Action Plan to Conserve Coral Reefs (2000) and the National Coral Reef Action Strategy (2002), and also helps to advance the goals of Executive Order 13158 on MPAs. Goal number five in the National Coral Reef Action Strategy calls for improving the use of marine protected areas in coral reef ecosystems. Objective number one under this goal area is to conduct and support nation-wide, state and territory assessments of the effectiveness and gaps in the existing system of U.S. Coral Reef MPAs. This report directly addresses that objective by providing an inventory and assessment of existing MPAs that have been established and are managed by the governments of the seven coral reef states and territories. It illustrates the goals and objectives of these areas; describes current efforts to manage them; recognizes common challenges to successful management; and, identifies actions that can increase the effectiveness of MPA initiatives.