33 CoralCoral ReefReef ’sSaipan’s DiveDive && CoralCoral ReefReef CoralCoral ReefsReefs FriendlyFriendly TipsTips SnorkelSnorkel SitesSites Friendly Friendly Acropora and Distichopora corals 1. Wing Beach 1. Wing Beach 18 2. Pau Pau Beach The CNMI has some of the most beautiful 3. Eagle Ray City 17 1 and diverse coral reefs in the world, 4. B-29 Wreck Marpi 5. Chisen Wreck DiveDive providing excellent recreational diving 2 3 and snorkeling opportunities. These coral 5 4 16 15 San Roque reefs are home to many forms of sea life. 6 They are also important to the islands because they provide food, protect Talafofo beaches from typhoon damage and erosion, 7 Look but don’t touch 16. Grotto support the economy, and help to maintain 17. Spotlight the environmental health of the oceans. 18.

Chalan Lau Lau 8 Kagman Snorkel San Jose Lau Lau Snorkel 9 13 EndangeredEndangered 14 Pink clownfish in anemone, Hecteractis magnifica San Antonio 11. Obyan Beach 10 12. Naftan Point Coral reefs are the largest biological Naftan 13. Lau Lau Beach structures on earth, created by tiny plant- 14. Forbidden Island 11 15. Bird Island like animals called polyps. Corals may Stay off the bottom seem sturdy, but in fact they are quite 12 fragile and vulnerable, and are in need of

6. Managaha Island protection. Physical destruction, over 7. Lighthouse Buoy harvesting, habitat loss, global climate 8. Ice Cream Seamount change, coastal development, and 9. Dimple Seamount pollution contribute to the loss of coral 10. Rock Cake reefs. It is estimated that nearly 27 percent of the world’s reefs are already Protect destroyed, and another two-thirds will be Coastal Resources Management Office Protect Coastal Resources Management Office lost within 30 years if P.O. Box 10007 2nd Floor Morgen Bldg. they are not protected. Don’t litter San Jose, Saipan, MP 96950 Tel: 670-664-8300/01 “Our Reefs, Fax: 670-664-8315 CNMICNMI Our Future!” www.crm.gov.mp

1 CreatureCreature ChecklistChecklist WhatWhat havehave youyou seen?

1. Giant Clams 2 AtAt thethe BeachBeach These colorful clams make some of their food from sunlight harvested by algae living in their Look but don’t touch fleshy mantles. Giant clams are overharvested and 3 4 endangered in many parts of the world. • Do not touch, hold onto, stand on, or break • Do not disturb any beach morning glory or corals. Corals are very delicate. Some corals 2. Bluespine Unicornfish other plants on the beach. These plants help can even sting or cut you. The Chamorros call this fish tataga, meaning prevent erosion and preserves the natural • Do not take anything living or dead out of the “to cut”, probably referring to the defensive beauty of the beach. www.b-horizons.com water, except for recent garbage. knife-like spine near its tail. It is a highly prized • Avoid harassing, handling, chasing, riding or food fish in the CNMI. • Driving or parking on the beach is illegal. 5 feeding marine animals. 6 Park all vehicles at designated parking areas. • Fishing while SCUBA diving is not allowed. 3. Spotted Eagle Ray One of the diving highlights in the CNMI, these graceful rays can usually be seen in numbers at Eagle Ray City.

4. Green Sea Turtle www.b-horizons.com OOnn aa BoatBoat This sea turtle is the most commonly sighted turtle

in the CNMI, and is the largest of all hard-shelled 9 sea turtles. It is an endangered species protected

under CNMI law.

Stay off the bottom 7 a • Vessels should be secured by using a mooring • Maintain good buoyancy control, finning and 5. Spotted Boxfish buoy. If moorings are unavailable, anchors should This colorful reef fish is a male. Females are black with body control to avoid damaging corals. only be dropped on sandy bottoms. • Move slowly. Stirring up sediments can choke white spots. Their bodies are made up of hard plates, and kill corals. and they can produce a toxic chemical which deters • Vessels should be kept at least 20 feet away from predators. • Secure all equipment to avoid dragging and 10 coral reefs. snagging. 8 6. Spotted Garden Eels • Vessels should be inspected before departing for From afar, these eels look like shoots swaying in the any leaking oil or fuel. Use a bilge sock to absorb 9. Mushroom Corals currents. Come closer and they disappear into the sand. contaminants. These free-living corals look like the underside of mushrooms, and have the unique ability 7. Pincushion Star to move from place to place. This basketball-shaped creature is a relative of the starfish. Sometimes, tiny shrimps can be seen on them. 10. Sea Cucumbers Don’t litter These worm-like creatures swallow sand to eat nutrients and 8. Octopus bacteria. By cleaning the sand, they perform an important • Don’t leave anything. Take your garbage with This master of camouflage is a common reef inhabitant function in coral reef ecology. you, or use a trash bin when available. that usually hides in crevices and holes during the day. • Do not discard cigarette butts carelessly. “Dive, Snorkel, Protect!” • Bring extra plastic bags to pick up trash at the beach. Photos by Erica Cochrane, CNMI Marine Monitoring Team, Thomas Jundt, J. CoralCoral ReefReef FriendlyFriendly CNMICNMI D. Moreno, Qamar Schuyler, and Kathy Yuknavage.