Coastal resource development and management in the U.S.Pacific islands

Maragos, J

Evaluated the distribution, importance, status, and use of important coastal resources throughout the scattered islands of the United States - controlled tropical Pacific to offer recommendations to conserve these resources in relation to future economic development. The coastal resources in the State of Hawaii and the United States "flag" territories of Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands have been heavily developed and degraded by urbanization, plantation agriculture, military construction and warfare, with some losses being irreversible. However, all these areas are experiencing improved living standards, adequate government support and services (with the possible exception of American Samoa) and all have instituted Federally-sponsored coastal zone management (CZM) programs to manage coastal development and conservation. All four CZM programs are working satisfactorily, given the extent of remaining coastal resources issues. Other isolated United States island "flag" possessions in the Pacific similarly lack the need for much CZM, given the status of existing programs to conserve natural resources and the lack of much development on them.