Natural Resources Management Needs for Coastal and Littoral Marine Ecosystems of the U.S
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Technical Report HCSU-002 NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT NEEDS FOR COASTAL AND LITTORAL MARINE ECOSYSTEMS OF THE U.S. AFFILIATED PACIFIC ISLANDS: American Samoa, Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau Maria Haws, Ph.D., Editor Pacific Aquaculture and Coastal Resources Center/University of Hawai’i Hilo University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program 200 W. Kawili St. Hilo, HI 96720 Hawai’i Cooperative Studies Unit University of Hawai’i at Hilo Pacific Aquaculture and Coastal Resources Center (PACRC) 200 W. Kawili St. Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720 (808)933-0706 November 2006 This product was prepared under Cooperative Agreement CA03WRAG0036 for the Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center of the U.S. Geological Survey The opinions expressed in this product are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the U.S. Government. Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Technical Report HCSU-002 NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT NEEDS FOR COASTAL AND LITTORAL MARINE ECOSYSTEMS OF THE U.S. AFFILIATED PACIFIC ISLANDS: American Samoa, Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau Maria Haws, Ph.D., Editor Pacific Aquaculture and Coastal Resources Center/University of Hawai’i Hilo University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program 200 W. Kawili St. Hilo, HI 96720 CITATION Haws, M. (2006). Natural resources management needs for coastal and littoral marine ecosystems of the U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands: American Samoa, Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau. Hawai‘i Cooperative Studies Unit, Technical Report HCSU-002. University of Hawai‘i at Hilo. 399 pp. Hawai’i Cooperative Studies Unit University of Hawai’i at Hilo Pacific Aquaculture and Coastal Resources Center (PACRC) 200 W. Kawili St. Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720 (808)933-0706 November 2006 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary .................................................................................................... 1 Palau ........................................................................................................................... 13 Federated States of Micronesia ............................................................................... 91 Republic of Marshall Islands ................................................................................. 155 Commonwealth of Northern Marianas Islands ................................................... 243 Guam ........................................................................................................................ 321 American Samoa ..................................................................................................... 357 iii iv Executive Summary Executive Summary Maria Haws, Ph.D., Editor Pacific Aquaculture and Coastal Resources Center/University of Hawai’i Hilo University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program 200 W. Kawili St. Hilo, HI 96720 Phone (808) 933-0706 Fax (808) 933-0704 Email: [email protected] The views expressed herein are solely the authors’ and should not be attributed to their employer or others. iv 1 Executive Summary 2 Executive Summary EXECUTIVE SUMMARY BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION This report presents a summary of the research and management needs for natural resources of the U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands. These islands include three island groups which are affiliated politically with the U.S., Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, Guam, American Samoa and three independent nations which are freely affiliated with the U.S, the Republic of Palau, Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. This work is intended to orient the U.S. Geological Survey Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center’s (PIERC) biological research to support management of natural resources in coastal and littoral marine ecosystems (CLME) in Hawaii and the U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands. Although the focus of PIERC is on natural resources under stewardship of the Federal government and its local partners (including National Parks, United States Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS) Refuges, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) sanctuaries and reserves, State reserves and protected areas), research and management activities may be conducted in any Pacific basin location that provides information essential to management and conservation of CLM ecosystems. Moreover, science may address issues that span the waterline, that is, research may be required in both terrestrial and aquatic habitats in order to fully describe, understand, and predict the impact of resource management and usage on various components of the marine and coastal ecosystems. Figure 1. Map of Oceania 3 Executive Summary U.S. Federal Programs have taken leading and partnership roles in research and management of natural resources since the end of WWII when the U.N. designated these island areas as Trust Territories. The federal agencies’ presence and scope of work varies considerably between the island groups, with the highest level of presence and activity in Guam, American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI) where the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Department of Interior, NOAA, USGS, U.S. Coral Reef Task Force, various agencies of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and others play very similar roles to those executed within the U.S. in partnerships with local institutions. The same agencies are also active in the independent nations of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and Palau, although to a lesser extent and with local agencies perhaps tending to assume more of a leadership role. One key distinguishing feature between the two groups of islands is the existence of refuges, sanctuaries, parks and protected areas falling under jurisdiction and management of U.S. federal agencies in the three territorial island groups. Flora and fauna is also protected under U.S. regulations such as the Endangered Species Act. The independent nations lack these federally protected areas, and U.S. jurisdiction over flora and fauna comes into play only when importation to the U.S. or its territories occurs. Additional information about natural resource management programs in western Pacific can be found at the following websites: • The Office of Insular Affairs http://www.doi.gov/oia/ • The International Coral Reef Initiative http://www.icriforum.org/ • The U.S. Coral Reef Task Force http://www.coralreef.gov • The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service http://www.fws.gov/pacific/ • The U.S. Forest Service http://www.fs.fed.us/psw/ipif/ • The National Park Service http://www.nps.gov/pwro/piso/ It should be noted that the U.S. manages a number of small Pacific Islands including Palmyra, Baker, Howland and Jarvis Islands as well as Johnston and Rose Atolls and Kingman Reef through inclusion in the Pacific/Remote Islands National Wildlife Refuge Complex (USFWS). These areas are not covered in this report. The U.S. relationship to these islands is also influenced by the long-term presence of U.S. military bases at Guam and Kwajalein, RMI. The military is occasionally present at the other islands (e.g. ship transit, Engineer Battalion-Civic Action Team). The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is currently active in several areas, including Palau. Significant numbers of island residents serve in the U.S. military. As part of its environmental stewardship, the U.S. military assesses and manages potential impacts related to its activities. One long-standing issue is the fate of the nuclear-affected islands of the Marshall Islands contaminated by 57 atomic bomb tests and the fates of their peoples, flora, fauna and environments. 4 Executive Summary The U.S. and the Pacific Islands are also linked through shared economic, cultural and environmental matters in the region due to their common stakeholder populations. Immigration from the Pacific Islands to the U.S. has been high after WWII since residents have the right of free entry and work. Significant numbers of Pacific Islanders live in Guam and Hawaii, and increasingly at continental U.S. locations. Most of the islands also have fairly large populations of U.S. citizens originating from the States who have strong influences on environmental issues. Movement between geographic locations is fluid; cultural and economic ties are strong and affect resource management on both sides of the Pacific. Hawaii and Guam in particular are affected by the presence of Pacific Islanders, a fact recognized by additional economic support from the U.S. government for health, education and other services provided to immigrants. Environmental awareness, economic development and resource management initiatives must take into account the inextricably linked relationships of the peoples of the Pacific and U.S. into account. APPROACH This paper focuses on the Central and Western Pacific, which includes Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), American Samoa, and the Freely Associated Republics of Palau and of the Marshall Islands (RMI), and the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). Natural resources specialists with ample expertise and experience were selected