CORAL REEF BIOLOGICAL CRITERIA Using the Clean Water Act to Protect a National Treasure

Transcription

1 CORAL REEF BIOLOGICAL CRITERIA Using the Clean Water Act to Protect a National Treasure William S. Fisher Patricia Bradley U.S. EPA ORD EMECS9 Conference Baltimore, MD Photo image area measures 2 H x 6.93 W and can be masked by a collage strip of one, two or three images. The photo image area is located 3.19 from left and 3.81 from top of page. Each image used in collage should be reduced or cropped to a maximum of 2 high, stroked with a 1.5 pt white frame and positioned edge-to-edge with accompanying images. August 29, 2011

2 Coral Reef Ecosystems Ecological foundation for diverse communities Support multibillion dollar fishing & tourism industries Threatened by pollution, over-exploitation, climate change 1

3 Ecosystem Services Ecological value Habitat for fish and invertebrates Biodiversity Primary production Economic value Tourism Fishing Shoreline protection Bio-mining (drugs) 2

4 Management Options Marine Protected Areas fishing, boating, tourism restrictions Biocriteria and other CWA regulations watershed and waterbody pollutants Managing for resilience resilient populations and habitats seed areas spatial connectivity 3

5 Management Options Marine Protected Areas fishing, boating, tourism restrictions Biocriteria and other CWA regulations watershed and waterbody pollutants Managing for resilience resilient populations and habitats seed areas spatial connectivity 4

6 Biological Assessments for CWA Applicable in many CWA programs 404 permits & mitigation plans 401 certifications Dredging and ocean dumping permits NPDES permits & 301(h) decisions Permits for coastal development Biocriteria (water quality standards) 5

7 Biological Assessments for CWA Applicable in many CWA programs Applicable to anthropogenic stressors only 404 permits & mitigation plans 401 certifications Dredging and ocean dumping permits NPDES permits & 301(h) decisions Permits for coastal development Biocriteria (water quality standards) 6

8 Biological Assessments for CWA 404 permits & mitigation plans 401 certifications Dredging and ocean dumping permits NPDES permits & 301(h) decisions Permits for coastal development Biocriteria (water quality standards) Applicable in many CWA programs Applicable to anthropogenic stressors only Requires valid indicators (metrics) and a long-term monitoring program 7

9 Biological Assessments for CWA 404 permits & mitigation plans 401 certifications Dredging and ocean dumping permits NPDES permits & 301(h) decisions Permits for coastal development Biocriteria (water quality standards) Applicable in many CWA programs Applicable to anthropogenic stressors only Requires valid indicators (metrics) and a long-term monitoring program Thresholds (criteria) are designated based on expected or desired condition of the resource 8

10 Biological Criteria: CWA water quality standards Numeric values or narrative descriptions (i.e., thresholds) that are established to protect the biological condition of aquatic life inhabiting waters of a given designated use. 9

11 Biological Criteria: CWA water quality standards Numeric values or narrative descriptions (i.e., thresholds) that are established to protect the biological condition of aquatic life inhabiting waters of a given designated use. Like physical and chemical water quality criteria, biocriteria are enforceable by States and Territories under the CWA 10

12 Technical guidance for development of coral reef biological criteria Why we care What should be protected What should be measured Assessment protocols Setting thresholds Accounting for variability Causes of change Means to protect reefs 11

13 Technical guidance for development of coral reef biological criteria Why we care What should be protected What should be measured Assessment protocols Setting thresholds Accounting for variability Causes of change Means to protect reefs 12

14 Requirements Biological Assessments Relevant to management questions Scientifically (and legally) defensible Technically and financially feasible Provide direct link to regulatory action Rapid Bioassessment Protocols Rapid and cost-effective Scientifically valid and defensible for regulatory action Quick turnaround for management decisions Easy translation to management and public values Environmentally benign data collection 13

15 Bioassessment Protocol Assessment procedures for application to biocriteria and other CWA regulatory activities 14

16 Bioassessment Indicators Responsive to anthropogenic disturbances (CWA) Sufficient precision to distinguish change at the desired level Meaningful biological information Transparent to stakeholders Directly linked to regulatory decisions (e.g. biocriteria) EPA/620/R-99/005 (2000) Evaluation Guidelines for Ecological Indicators 15

17 Bioassessment Indicators Responsive to anthropogenic disturbances (CWA) Sufficient precision to distinguish change at the desired level Meaningful biological information Transparent to stakeholders Directly linked to regulatory decisions (e.g. biocriteria) EPA/620/R-99/005 (2000) Evaluation Guidelines for Ecological Indicators 16

18 Screening for Metrics Metrics indicators that respond only to human disturbance Stations Replicates Different habitat Industrial area Land Water Area of disturbance ~100 m 17

19 St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands Industrial docks = center of human disturbance 18

20 Candidate Metrics Total SA Average Colony Size ) ) Total SA (m Distance from dock (m 2 ) Average surface are Distance from dock (m) >= 20 ft < 20 ft Center of disturbance 19

21 7 # Taxa 6 Total SA Number of taxa Total 3D surface area (m 2 ) Living 3D surface area (m 2 ) Distance to docks (km) 2.4 Live SA Distance to docks (km) Average surface area (colony) Distance to docks (km) 6000 Colony SA Distance to docks (km) Distance from Center of Disturbance 20

22 Coral Condition and Land Use Are indicators valid at the watershed scale? Land Use / Land Cover converted to Landscape Development Intensity (LDI) 21

23 Coral Condition and Land Use Relation of watershed land use (LDI) and coral metrics r 2 =0.49, p=0.002 Metrics showing this significant trend: Colony SA Coral density Taxa richness 3D Total cover Oliver et al, MEPS 427: ,

24 Coral Condition and Land Use Relation of watershed land use (LDI) and coral metrics r 2 =0.49, p=0.002 Higher land use intensity Lower coral condition Metrics showing this significant trend: Colony SA Coral density Taxa richness 3D Total cover Oliver et al, MEPS 427: ,

25 Probabilistic Surveys in USVI to satisfy CWA reporting requirements 24

26 Cumulative Distribution Functions 25

27 Summary Biological criteria are enforceable water quality standards under CWA Require indicators and assessment methods that detect anthropogenic disturbances Several coral reef measurements capture human disturbances on local and watershed scales Methods can be used in regional monitoring programs to satisfy CWA reporting requirements Data are further used to determine reference conditions and thresholds for water quality impairment (criteria) 26

28 Thank you! 27