Anatahan is a small volcanic island 32.4 square kilometers in size. Prior to this island's eruption on May 6, 2003, feral goats were creating severe erosion problems and the resulting sediment runoff was impacting the nearshore environment. A feral animal control program was started by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Northern Island Mayor's Office, with financial support from the U.S. Navy. Ash fallout from the 2003 eruption caused extensive damage to nearshore reef habitats, especially on the northern side. Although all surveyed locations during the 2003 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marianas Research and Monitoring Program (MARAMP) cruise contained a layer of ash covering the substrate, portions of the south shore and southeastern corner had only a veneer layer. Anatahan provides a unique opportunity to observe recovery and development of reef communities over the next several decades.
Cruises CoRIS Metadata Record Names
OES0307 cred_toad_anatahan_oes0307_2003
Resource Description: Digital video images that are geo-referenced to navigation files.