National Coral Reef Action Strategy

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; United States Coral Reef Task Force

Coral reefs are some of the most biologically rich and economically valuable ecosystems on Earth. They are also in serious jeopardy, threatened by an increasing array of impacts from overexploitation, pollution, habitat loss, invasive species, diseases, and climate change. The rapid decline and loss of these valuable marine ecosystems has significant social, economic, and environmental consequences in the U.S. and around the world. Action is needed on a wide variety of fronts to address the coral reef crisis, especially on issues of global proportions such as the impacts of climate change, increasing coastal development and persistent over-fishing of reef systems. This document, A National Coral Reef Action Strategy, was produced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in cooperation with the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (Task Force), to fulfill the requirements of the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 (CRCA) (P.L. 106-562; 16 U.S.C. 6401 et seq.) and help track implementation of The National Action Plan to Conserve Coral Reefs (U.S. Coral Reef Task Force 2000). The Task Force National Action Plan was the first national blueprint for U.S. action to address the loss and degradation of U.S. and international coral reef ecosystems. Based on extensive input from government and non-government organizations, scientists, resource managers, stakeholders and the public, the Nationa l Action Plan: (1) identified key threats and issues driving the loss and degradation of coral reefs, (2) established thirteen major goals to address these threats, and (3) outlined objectives and priority actions needed to achieve each goal.