[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 2793]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



          INTRODUCTION OF CORAL REEF CONSERVATION LEGISLATION

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                       HON. ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA

                           of american samoa

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 14, 2000

  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today with my 
good friend from New Jersey, the Chairman of the Fisheries 
Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans Subcommittee, Mr. Saxton, to 
introduce bipartisan legislation to authorize a coral reef conservation 
program.
  For many people, coral reefs are distant marine environments that 
they might never come in contact with unless they are fortunate enough 
to go on a tropical vacation. For too long now, as a Nation we have 
enjoyed the biological wealth provided by coral reefs, but failed in 
our obligations to devote the resources necessary to protect these 
vital treasures. While these precious ecosystems appeared to be in 
balance until not long ago, today human activities have significantly 
altered that balance--much to the detriment of the corals, and much to 
the demise of people who depend on coral reefs to sustain their 
communities and economies.
  Unlike many other members of Congress, I come from a place where the 
coral reefs are essential to the very fabric of everyday life. Until 
recently, those of us from the Pacific islands have literally lived off 
our reefs and the surrounding local lands. We have recognized for 
generations that coral reefs form the fundamental building block of an 
intricate marine food chain, providing nutrients, food and habitats for 
a tremendous diversity of fish and other marine animals. And 
intuitively, we have all come to appreciate that without healthy coral 
reefs, our abundance of marine resources might soon come to a sudden 
end.
  Unfortunately, the sad reality is that we have discovered that the 
coral reefs we depend on are under numerous threats. These threats come 
from many sources, including polluted run off, increased siltation, 
mining, and destructive fishing practices, notably the use of dynamite 
and cyanide, to name only a few. We have even come to appreciate that 
the decline in coral health could be linked to global climate change, 
and events such as El Nino.
  But with recognition of the problem, and with increased resources to 
address it, we can begin to reverse the degradation of our coral reefs 
and achieve a sustainable balance towards the long-term conservation of 
these important marine ecosystems. Several recent activities, including 
the initiation of the International Coral Reef Initiative, the 
development of U.S. Coral Reef Initiative and the International Year of 
the Coral Reef, were all good beginnings. And just last week, the U.S. 
Coral Reef Task Force published a national action plan to conserve 
coral reefs. It is vital that we continue this positive momentum.
  As the Senior Democrat on the Subcommittee on Fishery Conservation, 
Wildlife and Oceans, I have enjoyed working collaboratively with 
Chairman Saxton and his able staff to address my concerns and issues 
raised by other Democrats in order to develop this consensus 
legislation.
  The legislation we introduce today addresses many of the priorities I 
consider essential to any comprehensive coral reef conservation bill. 
Perhaps most significant, the legislation would codify the Coral Reef 
Task Force established under Executive Order 13089 to give this panel 
the authority it needs to address the myriad of problems confronting 
coral reefs today.
  Importantly, this legislation would require the Task Force to 
initiate fundamental baseline research and management activities, most 
notably, the mapping of all coral reef resources in the U.S. Exclusive 
Economic Zone (EEZ). The bill would provide to the Task Force, through 
a National Program coordinated by the Department of Commerce, up to $5 
million per year for 4 years to initiate this and other baseline 
activities, especially the development of comprehensive coral reef 
monitoring and assessment programs. It is expected that scientists and 
resource managers will gain from this previously unavailable 
information new insights regarding how human activities and other 
environmental factors are contributing to the degradation of coral reef 
ecosystems, and optimistically, how this degradation might be reversed. 
To ensure the continued comment from a broad range of interests 
involved in the management of coral reefs, it is anticipated that those 
Regional Fishery Management Councils established under the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act which have corals 
within their jurisdiction, would be involved.
  Of equal significance, this legislation would also authorize a coral 
reef conservation grant program to assist States and local communities 
in the protection, conservation and sustainable use of their coral reef 
resources. The bill would provide up to $10 million per year for 4 
years for coral reef conservation grants and it is expected that these 
grants will help improve local capabilities, raise local public 
awareness, and promote the long-term conservation and restoration of 
coral reef ecosystems. I am also pleased that this legislation would 
ensure the equitable distribution of grant funds to applicants in the 
Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, the Gulf of Mexico and the Carribean Sea.
  Allow me to close by simply saying that while this bill is not 
perfect, it is a fair and honorable compromise. The bill would 
establish a targeted, focused and locally-driven coral reef 
conservation program; importantly, a program grounded in science and 
built upon the ground-breaking and successful work of the Coral Reef 
Task Force. I commend Chairman Saxton for his leadership and commitment 
to coral reef protection, and I thank my Democratic colleagues on the 
Fisheries Subcommittee who have worked with me throughout these 
negotiations.

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