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NOAA FISHERIES NATIONAL HABITAT PLAN 1'"7 and B, @Qk Tj, SH (.,,.yon-d 221 U54 N63 1996 Acknowledgment The NOAA Fisheries, Office of Habitat Conservation objectives are done collaboratively. Many other Federal agencies such as the Department of the Army's Corps of Engineers, the Department of Energy, the Department of the Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service, the Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency work in partnership to restore and conserve the Nation's habitats. In addition, there are numerous non-governmental organizations and volunteer groups which also participate in these efforts. The Office of Habitat Conservation wishes to acknowledge these partners and their valuable contributions. NOAA Fisheries Office of Habitat Conservation 1315 East West Highway Silver Spring, Maryland 20910 (301) 713-2325 (301) 713-1043 (fax) http:Hkingfish.ssp.nmfs.gov/rschreib/habitat.htmI Cover photograph by Tom Blagden, Jr. Scene of tidal marsh along the Wando River in Francis Marion National Forest, South Carolina. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NOAA FISHERIES NATIONAL HABITAT PLAN 1997 and Beyond Property of CSC Library U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Michael Kantor, Secretary National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration D. James Baker, Under Secretary National Marine Fisheries Service Rolland A. Schmitten, Assistant Administrator for Fisheries Office of Habitat Conservation December 1996 US DEPARTMENT of commerce N0AA Coasted Services Center Library 2234 South Hobson Avenue Charleston, SC 29405-2413 Dear Friends and Colleagues: One of the greatest challenges to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is to ensure both the Nation's economic prosperity and healthy coastal environments forfuture generations. This complex mission is evident in the National Marine Fisheries Service's (NOAA Fisheries') work to protect, conserve, restore, and create habitatforfish and protected resources. Twenty-five years of NOAA Fisheries leadership have set the stage for NOAA to renew its commitment to habitat science and management programs and to the partnerships that are so vital to successful stewardship. This publication is an important milestone in those efforts. I congratulate NOAA Fisheries on completing thisfirst National Habitat Planfor its National Habitat Program. My appreciation begins with NOAA Fisheries leadership, Rolland A. Schmitten and Nancy Foster, and extends to the entire National Habitat Program, encompassing scientists and managers from around the Nation. The plan and this summary are vibrant symbols of our obligation to the public, the resources, and our colleagues who share our commitment to the habitats of living marine resources. This plan marks 2 years of extensive work with our partners to determine future directionsfor NOAA Fisheries habitat programs. The dialogue with the general public, the environmental community, industry, state governments, and other Federal agencies will continue. Now, I ask that you join us as we shi our attentions to implementation. NOAA recognizes the value ofpartnership. We invite your ideas and encourage your assistance. I am proud to witness this milestone. Please join us in the pursuit of our mission! D. James Baker Under Secretary U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 2 0 40F7 2 The National Habitat Program Mission The National Habitat Program strives to protect, 'e., < < 0 z W conserve, restore, and create habitats and ecosystems vital to self-sustaining populations of living marine resources under NOAA Fisheries LLI W stewardship. Qd E 0 Vision 0 0 Healthy resources require viable habitat. The NOAA Fisheries envisions healthy, self-sustaining habitat for living marine resources. This vision requires expanded efforts to protect, conserve, restore, and create habitats and associated ecosystems. Success will increase habitat quality and quantity, with benefits to resources and constituents. National Habitat Program priorities reflect agency priorities related to riverine, estuarine, coastal, and oceanic habitats that are essential for anadromous and marine species. Strategic Outcomes Tributary to Ammonoosuc River, a salmon stream in central New Hampshire. * Protect and conserve habitats from human-induced degradation. * Restore degraded habitats. < 0 z 4A * Create habitats to sustain higher resource ages 15WIcS productivity. E (RI ,J4 0 L J School children discussing their efforts to restore stream quality in Santa Rosa, California. 14A of'! A@' 3 C: Q co C )@ Itl Artist's rendering of an oyster reef, revealing ecological connections vital to habitat health. The National Habitat Plan will -- * Implement a common agency vision of Develop scientific and management achieving national living marine resource capabilities to expand agency initiatives into management objectives, and translate that cumulative, secondary, and indirect impacts vision into agency resource allocations. within an ecosystem (or watershed/drainage basin) context. * Coordinate environmental research and management to address key habitat issues in Establish effective lines of communication riverine, estuarine, coastal, and oceanic areas. with constituents to learn about their efforts and to discuss the NOAA Fisheries mission, * Emphasize proactive approaches with vision, strategic goals, priorities, and progress. benefits to living marine resources and their habitat, including an increased connection & with fishery and protected species management. * Pursue interagency and public-private CO partnerships to leverage technical capabilities and fiscal resources, resulting in increased .60 effectiveness. ---CCU Ca * Fully implement the new "essential fish habitat" provision of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act Spawning sockeye salmon. to increase fish productivity for the benefit of the Nation. 4 The National Habitat Plan The four major Plan elements are described on the following pages. The description for each element includes examples of recent successes < 0 and highlights of future plans. Together, the successes reiterate the historic 0 strength of the National Habitat Program while a_ our plans reflect new priorities. Readers may request the full document for further details. Beach seining in Alaska. Protect and Conserve 0 Assess human-induced impacts at levels ranging Z, from sites to ecosystems, provide scientifically based advice to reduce or eliminate those a_ impacts, and form partnerships to protect and conserve habitats of living marine resources. -7::- Track natural habitat trends for perspective and to assess progress. Installing canal plug in Louisiana bayou. ca Restore and Create E 4-- 0 Restore and create habitat, thereby reversing the 0 W net loss occurring from continued growth and w development or resulting from natural events. LE 0 < '6 < -C 0 0- z Understand Obtain, interpret, and share scientific information needed to manage important habitats, increase awareness of habitat values, and enhance the agency's role. Transplanting seagrass plugs to test success. .Q@@ Operate VF Support those actions by developing agency C policies, pursuing partnership agreements, :1 0 C.) leveraging funds, sharing staff, and other C: @5 0 0) CL creative solutions that improve effectiveness and 6 E 0 efficiency. -=L 4W'M@ a_ z aw 4W Negotiations on sustainable development. 5 PROTECT AND Key recommendations: CONSERVE Integrate habitat with fishery management Protecting and conserving existing habitat is and protected species activities; significantly less costly than restoring or creating Seek and implement legislative mandates that habitat. While traditional approaches have been *expand opportunities to protect and conserve successful, habitat losses are mounting and the habitat; overall health of many species continues to decline. Regional and national priorities could Review institutional agreements and seek include: closer integration with other resource * . management initiatives; new policies on improvements based on this Plan and evolving recurring issues or threats; stronger legislative priorities; mandates such as the essential fish habitat Establish national and regional policies and provisions of the Sustainable Fisheries Act of guidance; 1996; improved use of long-term, large-scale recommendations such as hydropower license Pursue partnerships to leverage funds and conditions and conservation plans; and greater *increase success, especially on an ecosystem or focus on cumulative/secondary effects. Our watershed basis; broad mission offers many partnership opportunities and will relate closely to our Redirect National Habitat Program focus to ecosystem/watershed approach. Four examples proactive approaches; illustrate how this element will assess habitat quantity and quality issues related to human impacts and natural events. *Use special teams to address priority issues. 0 2 4 t5 Coastal marsh monitoring in Chesapeake Bay, a Habitats of endangered sea turtles also need partnership protection effort. conservation. 6 HABITAT CONSULTATION efforts ranging Success Stoty from permit reviews for small projects to grand plans to maintain habitat values for special HO US TON SHIP CHANNEL BENERML management areas. The Plan calls for: USES PLAN is the result of a successful Continued emphasis on wetland, waterway, collaboration between the Port of Houston *and hydropower permit reviews; and seven state and federal agencies, including NOAA Fisheries. From 1990 - 1995 the Increased focus on ecosystems or watersheds; Beneficial Uses Group developed a list of sites where beneficial use of material dredged from Full implementation of essential fish habitat the widening and deepening of the Houston provisions. Ship Channel would result in improvements to aquatic resources habitat. The interagency Two success stories highlight the potential to plan to create 4,250 acres of intertidal. habitat influence hundreds of acres and important over the next 50 years has the broad support of habitat values, often in combination with the federal agencies, state agencies, Congress, restoration and creation initiatives. local citizens, and environmental groups. Rolland A. Schmitten, A pilot project initiated in 1993 involved NOAA's Assistant pumping approximately 1.6 million cubic Administrator for yards of dredged material into a diked area on IL Fisheries, has urged < Atkinson Island. Marsh vegetation was planted < increased use of 0 Z innovative consultative in test plots designed to evaluate the wedand practices. functions of the site are planned in the corning years. This 220-acre "living laboratory" serves P example of how collaboration among as an CL federal and state agencies can benefit both commerce and natural resources. Z5 Port of Houston demonstration marsh on Atkinson Island. 7 Nancy Foster, Deputy Success Story Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries, and Adak U_ BA TIQUITOS LA GO ON RES TOR,4 TION lead NOAA < 0 Z PROJECT is the largest lagoon and wetland Interagency Working k2w- restoration effort in southern California. Group on the Dredging Process. representative to the Nearly 500 acres of non-tidal habitat is being dredged at a cost of $55 million to reestablish tidal flushing and recreate marine and .02 estuarine habitats that were lost decades ago. = California halibut and other important I recreational and commercial species will benefit from the restored lagoon habitats. The DREDGING AND DREDGED MATERIAL project is being completed by the Port of Los DISPOSAL offer the agency tremendous Angeles at NOAA Fisheries' request to offset opportunities to influence habitat quality and port-related habitat impacts. quantity. Two successful ventures in Chesapeake Like the Bolsa Chica agreement, this project Bay highlight the role NOAA Fisheries hopes to underscores the importance of diligent play in future dredging decisions: negotiations and environmental creativity. NOAA Fisheries will pursue more proactive Construction of this innovative, award- *opportunities; winning project began in 1995 with extensive .i&Beneficial use goals and NOAA Fisheries work on bridges and roadways, continued management plans will form the basis of throu .gh 1996 with dredging and shoreline efforts to conserve and protect valuable stabilization, and is expected to be completed habitats. in early 1997. W 4 Ap 0-1 lj_ 4 4ft j @Tm @, @ 0 L) V W k, VFW Ir t 1941, 2 C) Batiquitos Lagoon looking east into restoration site. Clamshell dredge commonly used in nearshore dredging operations. 8 Success Story 2 DREDGED MATERIAL DISPOSAL SITE designations involve contentious ecological, economic, social, and legal issues. When U_ Maryland began its search for a new disposal site, NOAA Fisheries recommended an innovative approach to minimize contention while focusing efforts to identify high-value resource areas. User group tensions decreased and the approach identified several potential disposal sites. This procedure could serve as a model for how agencies, industries, and citizens can collaborate on siting challenges associated with aquaculture facilities, municipal docks, sand extraction sites, and other permitted activities that often affect Northerly perspective of eroding land in the Poplar habitat. Island complex, showing sunken barges which protect remaining uplands. Oyster Bar Bounderies Historical Extents of SAV High Perennial Waterfowl Concentration Areas Success Story Recreational Fishery Areas. POPLAR ISLAND HABITAT High Relief Bottom Areas Spawning Reaches Important Commercial Finfishing Areas RESTORATION PROJECT was the first (< 2ppt. 10-yr mean) Soft Clam Harvest Areas large-scale, beneficial - -use project involving Chesapeake Bay dredged materials. Clean _ materials that are dredged from upper-Bay navigation channels will be used to restore an eroding island and create fish habitats. Lessons learned should prove useful where shoreline erosion is a major cause of habitat loss. Habitat values associated with the Project will also offset lost Bay bottoms affected by maintenance dredging. NOAA Fisheries contributed to project design and baseline monitoring and will continue to provide ecological oversight. High-value living resource areas in northern Chesapeake Bay identified in dredged material disposal discussions. MITIGATION BANKS offer opportunities to Success Story protect lands to offset the unavoidable impacts of development that affect wetlands and SANDY ISLAND MITIGATION BANK waterways. NOAA Fisheries participated in the offered an early opportunity to implement the White House Wetlands Working Group to 1996 White House guidance. NOAA Fisheries establish mitigation banking guidance and is signed an interagency Memorandum of now actively applying the guidance around the Agreement with its partners in South Carolina Nation: and Federal agencies representing regulatory, * NOAA Fisheries co-sponsored training to construction, and development interests. A establish common mitigation banking $14 million, 9,000 acre mitigation bank was practices; established in 1996 to offset unavoidable environmental impacts of highway NOAA Fisheries provided fish habitat construction projects in South Carolina. The *perspective. agreement will protect wetlands and adjacent uplands with outstanding fish and wildlife value. This agreement will serve as a model elsewhere for mitigation banking and agency partnerships. E2 cc I 2'o) .1, LU yt Cr 0 C/) Western and eastern views of the Huntington Wetlands Mitigation Project (California) where a levee was removed from the Santa Ana River to restore tidal flushing. 10 RESTORE AND Fisheries leadership role in restoration and 0 creation projects offers the opportunity to CREATE promote this important component of the National Habitat Program. Habitat restoration and creation complement protection and conservation in our efforts to The ecological, socioeconomic, and cultural retain habitat function and value. While challenges of restoration and creation are protection and conservation are more cost immense. NOAA Fisheries considers community effective, restoration is evolving as a valid needs and environmental ethics when setting technique to reverse habitat loss. NOAA priorities. .2 -cc L -WAWA& 71, Ob Marsh revegetation component of Exxon Bayway oil spill restoration effort in New York City. Key Recommendations: Establish habitat restoration and creation as Use restoration opportunities to improve and integral strategies in resource and ecosi, share technical expertise with government and management; private partners. 0 Emphasize restoration in the natural resource damage assessment process; HABITAT RESTORATION AND Innovative underwater coral reef CREATION include a complex mix of agency reconstruction work after vessel groundings activities. The Oil Pollution Act, the in the Florida Keys; Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, and the Extensive urban harbor restoration efforts National Marine Sanctuaries Act enable the following chemical contamination in Puget government to compensation through Sound, with ecosystem impacts to restoration damages for impacts resulting from anadromous fish and legal implications for oil spills, toxic chemical contamination, and tribal treaty rights; physical injuries. New partnerships with oil spill response and Our mandate is to restore, replace, or acquire *clean-up agencies to initiate restoration resources equivalent to those injured. NOAA activities shortly after each event. is a national leader in the legal, economic, and ecological challenges of restoration. Each project involves partners from local, state, regional, and federal agencies, and strong public We are an active partner in about $1 billion in participation. This extensive experience enables restoration projects, including: NOAA Fisheries to improve restoration techniques and to expand capabilities at both the Complex efforts to remove PCBs and restore local and regional levels. ecological health and economic vitality to New Bedford Harbor (Massachusetts); AWK-Z A @ip!@Mp Of VI Contaminated stream below debris dam at the Iron Mountain Mine Superfund site, California. 12 Success Story _0 Q) Z U) 2 0 THE MIVALEC OWENMAITLAIVD AND THE MIVELPIS ran aground in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary in October < 1989. Both groundings and salvage efforts 0 caused extensive coral reef injuries. NOAA recovered Through legal settlements, funds to restore both grounding sites. Working with our partners in the U.S. Army 4 Corps of Engineers, NOAA stabilized the reef structures at the two sites, prevented Example of extensive coral reef damage after secondary injury from loose coral rubble, and grounding and salvage efforts. recreated the three-dimensional habitat necessary to hasten natural recovery. At the smaller MIVElpis site, limestone rock and O.T Z 5 0 0 sand were placed into the damaged area to restore the natural landscape. More extensive 2-5 damage at the MIVMaitlandsite required that 40 concrete units be constructed on land for placement into the crater. In an unique a_ 0 application of ocean engineering, non- separable concrete was poured between the units to fuse them and to connect the new structure to the surrounding reef. Engineering team deploying concrete blocks to restore structural integrity to the reef _0 P 00 U) 0 -25 :2 O.C 0 Restored reef ecosystem, with sediments over concrete blocks (note block edge visible under sediments) and marine life returning. 13 COASTAL WETLANDS PLANNING, Promoting sediment deposition to enhance PROTECTION, AND RESTORATION ACT i0wetland accretion; OF 1990 (CWPPRA) includes major commitments to protect and restore the Nation's Revitalizing barrier island habitats to protect wetlands. Louisiana receives highest priority inland wetlands. since the state has about 40% of the coastal wetlands in the lower 48 states and is The Louisiana projects are heavily dependent experiencing about 80% of the nation's coastal upon cooperation with local industry, parish wetland loss. A state/federal task force is now governments, land owners, and partners in state implementing a state-wide strategy to slow and federal agencies. Projects include a wide wetland loss and to create new habitat by: variety of restoration activities. CWPPRA reaffirms the importance of partnerships, Reversing hydrological alterations; financial leverage, local participation, and other facets that underlie the National Habitat Plan. 0 @5 Louisiana coastal wetlands, revealing natural change and cumulative effects of human activities. 14 Success Story Success Stoty THE MYRTLE GROVE DIVERSION BIG ISLAND, located at the mouth of the project is one example of local/state/federal Atchafalaya River, was created with dredged cooperation to restore wetland functions. material from the Atchafalaya River Under the Coastal Wetlands Planning, navigation channel. Although no spoil has Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA), a been deposited on the island since the mid- federal/state task force has been awarding 1980s, the location and height of the island funds to implement wetland restoration prevents the river delta from expanding and projects since 1991. NOAAFisheries creating new wetlands along the western side coordinates several large-scale projects to of the river's main channel. protect and restore wetlands such as the Myrtle Grove project along the Mississippi A 500-foot wide, 10-foot deep channel will be River in Plaquernines Parish. Large siphon dredged just north of Big Island at a 45-degree pipes will divert approximately 2, 100 cubic angle to the navigation channel of the feet of water per second, distributing water Atchafalaya River. The project's main channel and sediments over 15,000 acres. When will graduate into several smaller channels completed, the $15 million project is designed to allow sediment and fresh water to anticipated to protect, enhance, and create once again reach the western side of the more than 10,250 acres of prime habitat for Atchafalaya River delta lobes, creating coastal and marine resources. approximately 300 acres of wetlands. More than 1,200 acres of marsh are expected to The Myrtle Grove project is strongly form naturally over the life of the project. supported by the state and Plaquernines and Jefferson Parishes. V oul NOAA Fisheries is the federal sponsor for 10 L other CVTPRA restoration projects. Each UJ 0 project is implemented with state cooperation for engineering, construction, monitoring, and operations/maintenance. 0 U_ 0 M, A t c h a f a7 1 1 a y AM -20 Big Island Restoration Project to create delta islands in z -WO, -.W- Louisiana. These large siphons will move fresh water and sediment from the Mississippi River to renourish and restore the productivity of the adjacent marshes. 15 ID COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION is an 15 integral component of all restoration projects. .41 The National Habitat Plan envisions local and regional participation to ensure that we achieve 7; r our goals of sustainable natural reosurces and economies. co Q Financial support and restoration assistance L helping dozens of communities and local groups to undertake small-scale restoration t 2 activities; .,., 41 Innovative, cost-effective pilot projects meet community needs and achieve effective restoration; Community restoration project in Palm Bay, Florida to Partnerships with non-governmental control exotic coastal vegetation. organizations, the public, and industry are often supplemented by local volunteers who help to restore habitat or to monitor effectiveness. 0 Z cc Al _J A16 At < P Community project to restore oyster reefs in Chesapeake Bay. 16 Mk UNDERSTAND *@-@Implement the National Habitat Research Plan; The Plan renews NOAA Fisheries commitment @'-4-Evaluate research and management to understand habitat functions and values and programs, inventory needs, and set priorities; to communicate that knowledge to others. Habitat research is a high priority that will be '1-44w-Share research results, technology, and pursued within the NOAA science hierarchy in information with partners and constituents; full cooperation with partners in academia, other agencies, and the private sector. The best *),--*-Package research results for managers, scientific information must be communicated to including synthesis documents and journal the public and private sectors so the agency can reports. pursue its habitat management and research objectives with the greatest prospects of success. Among our highest priorities are research on the RESEARCH includes a mix of basic ecological value of various habitats, studies of the investigations to understand natural functions effects of human activities on habitats, and the and applied effort to support resource effects of diminished habitat value on living management. Science and management marine resource populations. coordination begins with a process designed to identify habitat information needs, to compare needs with research capabilities, to review funding sources and partnership opportunities, ui and to prepare a plan to meet needs. NOAA Fisheries has planned regional and national meetings to implement the NMFS National Habitat Research Plan. The NOAA LL 20 0 '6 Fisheries Southeast Region has a long history of 0 science/management interaction that will be adapted to meet our needs elsewhere in the country. Our efforts will involve frequent Diver conducting research in Gulena Bay, Alaska, on interactions with partners in the private sector effects of pipeline ballast water on the biota. and elsewhere in government agencies. Research is a basic function of NOAA Fisheries and a vital component of the National Habitat Plan. The Plan lists recommendations for action, including: 17 A? Success Story U- < < io "THE HABITAT RESEARCH PLAN OF Z -V-0 THE NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE" was approved by NOAA Fisheries in 1995. The Plan encompasses '8 ca five areas of research needs: Understand the structure and function of natural ecosystems, their linkages, and their role in supporting and sustaining the abundance, distribution, and health of living marine resources; Fyke net sampling at a marsh created from dredged material In North Carolina. Quantify the response of habitats and living marine resources to natural and anthropogenic alterations; < 0 I--*- Develop and evaluate new techniques to restore or create productive habitats of living marine resources; co Develop indicators to simplify 2 determinations of habitat impacts or 0 CL recovery, Synthesize research and communicate findings to managers. Researchers quantify ecological effects of the January 1996 North Cape oil spill off southern Rhode Island. NOAA Fisheries has surveyed its "Management Information Systern@' to summarize existing habitat research activities according to the five research -0 Z needs. The resulting data base and accompanying narrative offers insights into geographic, species, and subject coverage. Once analyzed, the information will prove /* useful when assessing research and management needs, setting priorities, 'i Y@ 1 pursuing partnerships with academia and 06 other agencies, and allocating funds. Effects of vessel propellers on submerged vegetation in Florida. 18 OUTREACH is a vital extension of our research Success Story and management efforts. The Plan emphasizes activities with the greatest potential to influence habitat-related decisions, such as syntheses of THE SEVENTH AMERICAN FOREST research results or constituent meetings that CONGRESS typifies our efforts to work with generate recommendations for priorities and many interests to address complex issues. The funding levels: Forest Congress was convened in early 1996 to create a national dialogue on a shared Key recommendations: vision for America's forests. NOAA Fisheries participated in discussion groups involving Provide a continuous exchange of scientific industry, government, scientists, developers, expertise among science and management land owners, and interested citizens. The offices and decision makers within NOAA groups developed 13 vision elements and 61 and outside the agency; principles related to forest management practices extending into the next century. Develop educational and informational In addition to its lead role on fish habitat products and services to stimulate issues, the agency hosted an exhibit and participation; information booth to share NOAA Fisheries Pursue partnerships for outreach, education, experiences with the forest community. We publications, and other habitat initiatives. distributed a recent NOAA Coastal Ocean Program report on the effects of forest Our outreach effort will be based on close practices on anadromous fish streams, shared collaboration with our partners in the private information on habitat research and sector, academia, and other federal agencies. In management activities, and discussed the many instances, co-authorship or joint agencys keen interest in forest ecosystem sponsorship will enhance our efforts. Examples issues as related to trust resources and their include outreach programs for local efforts such habitats. as Superfund site restorations at Commencement Bay in Puget Sound, state-wide ventures like the .2 Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Program in Louisiana, and national 0 programs such as Coastal America. NOAA Z, Fisheries also supports schools and special interest groups interested in habitat issues. The agency exhibits at conferences and trade shows co with a primary goal of connecting with organizations and individuals who can make a direct contribution to habitat initiatives either alone or with NOAA Fisheries. Avg&& Participants debating forestry issues at the American Forest Congress. 19 441@) 0 P E R AT E Success Story This element includes broad initiatives that In KAWAIHAE BAY, HAWAII, NOAA provide crucial support to overall operations, Fisheries proposed and coordinated an both within the agency and with our colleagues unprecedented effort to transplant nearly 15 tons of live coral colonies from two sites elsewhere. Operational activities include about to be disturbed by construction of a initiating innovative, cooperative habitat small boat harbor. Besides being the worla's conservation efforts with fishery councils and first successful, large-scale coral transplant commissions, state agencies, federal agencies, effort, the agency also forged new industry, academia and tribal councils. These partnerships with local schools for the efforts are designed to expand NOAA Fisheries' restoration work and long-term monitoring. influence and involvement with coastal Volunteer divers were deployed from the watersheds and airsheds. This is done through Hawaii Prepatory Academy to lift coral from greater proactive involvement in such activities as the seafloor and transport the colonies to two remediating Superfunds and oil spill sites, new locations. Monitoring by the University developing monitoring programs, initiating of Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology will outreach programs and creating the necessary document survival and growth rates. resources to ensure full implementation of the essential fish habitat provisions of the This project confirmed the value of public- Magnuson-Stevens Act. private partnerships, in this case with two academic institutions. Funding from the Key recommendations: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ensured that the innovative engineering and biological -Ze) Work with constituents to identify research, steps would proceed smoothly. management, policy, and other priorities and to allocate resources; Z5 -Z@) Develop systems to monitor program U_ accomplishments and evaluate effectiveness; 0 4e) Develop and implement multi-year budget initiatives commensurate with program needs and incorporate into NOAA strategic plans; 4q* 00 0 -Ze) Expand the use of new technologies to 0 analyze information and communicate W, results. Fifteen tons of live coral colonies were successfully transplanted in Kawaihae Bay, Hawaii. 20 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 'WAIMOS", NWT OF e4* At" 5 3 6668 14100 1919