This document presents a comprehensive overview of results from more than a decade of work by the NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) Biogeography Branch and the Department of the Interior National Park Service (NPS) to assess status and trends within and around federally managed marine protected areas (MPAs) of the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI). The report provides:
This report is the first time that an assessment of ecological performance has been conducted for multiple MPAs in the USVI. The information, data synthesis, interpretation and recommendations are intended to help focus management actions and goal setting, inform outreach products and adjust expectations regarding ecological performance for MPAs in the region. The data presented here provide important baselines required for tracking MPA performance through future monitoring efforts.
Citation: Pittman, S. J., Bauer, L., Hile, S. D., Jeffrey, C. F. G., Davenport, E., Caldow, C. 2014. Marine Protected Areas of the US Virgin Islands: Ecological Performance Report. NOAA Technical Memorandum, NOAA-TM-NOS-NCCOS-187. Silver Spring, MD. 89 p.
Marine Protected Areas of the US Virgin Islands: Ecological Performance Report (pdf, 10.0 MB)
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