Johnston, L. (ed.), Okano, R., Johnston, S., Benavente, D., Iguel, J., Camacho, R., Houk, P. (contribs.)

Long-term marine monitoring program

2014

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

Office of the Governor's Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ)

25

Final Report, October 1, 2011- September 30, 2014

"Despite being substantially understaffed during most of this award period, the marine monitoring team (MMT) managed to conduct 74 biological surveys at 52 long-term monitoring sites across Saipan, Tinian, Aguigan, and Rota. Standardized data was collected on coral, fish, algae, non-coral macroinvertebrate, and seagrass assemblages across the various marine habitats and management areas in the CNMI, including marine protected areas, species reserves, and priority watersheds. In addition to the standard long-term monitoring efforts, the MMT conducted over 100 additional surveys in support of related projects including a study on coral reef resilience, a rapid bleaching assessment, and an expedition to the remote northern islands, among others. Here we report on these activities. We highlight general trends across sites and summarize a recently completed analysis of decadal trends in coral reef disturbance and recovery dynamics. We also present data collected to date at two of the priority watersheds. The data collected and analyzed by the MMT provides crucial information on the environmental and anthropogenic causes of reef decline, the factors contributing to reef resilience and vulnerability, and the effectiveness of specific management activities. This information then feeds back to support adaptive management strategies."

FY2011 CRCP Project ID 20645; Project Title: Domestic Coral Reef Conservation Grant Programs; Principal Investigator: Jenny Waddell ~ FY2011 CRCP grant NA11NOS4820009

NOS/Office for Coastal Management (OCM)

NA11NOS4820009