National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Draft Business Plan for U.S. Coral Reefs

Transcription

1 National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Draft Business Plan for U.S. Coral Reefs June 11, 2009 NFWF US Coral Reefs Biz Plan.indd 1 8/11/09 5:38:52 PM

2 What Is a Business Plan? A business plan serves two broad, primary functions. First, it provides specific information to those (e.g., prospective investors) not familiar with the proposed or existing business, including its goals and the management strategy and financial and other resources necessary to attain those goals. Second, a business plan provides internal guidance to those who are active in the operation of the business, allowing all individuals to understand where the business is headed and the means by which it will get there. The plan helps keep the business from drifting away from its goals and key actions through careful articulation of a strategy. In the context of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation s conservation efforts, business plans represent the strategies necessary to meet the conservation goals of Keystone and other initiatives. Each business plan emphasizes the type(s) and magnitude of the benefits that will be realized through the initiative, the monetary costs involved, and the potential obstacles (risks) to achieving those gains. Each of the Foundation s business plans has three core elements: Conservation Outcomes: A concrete description of the outcomes to which the Foundation and grantees will hold ourselves accountable. Implementation Plan with Strategic Priorities and Performance Measures: A description of the specific strategies that are needed to achieve our conservation outcome and the quantitative measures by which we will measure success and make it possible to adaptively revise strategies in the face of underperformance. Funding and Resource Needs: An analysis of the financial, human and organizational resources needed to carry out these activities. The strategies and activities discussed in this plan do not represent solely the Foundation s view of the actions necessary to achieve the identified conservation goals. Rather, it reflects the consensus or majority view of the many federal, state, academic or organization experts that we consulted with during plan development. In developing this business plan, the Foundation acknowledges that there are other ongoing and planned conservation activities that are aimed at, or indirectly benefit, keystone targets. This business plan is not meant to duplicate ongoing efforts but, rather, to strategically invest in areas where management, conservation, or funding gaps might exist in those broader conservation efforts. Hence, the aim of the business plan is to support the beneficial impacts brought about by the larger conservation community. Draft June 11, 2009 i

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4 Summary The Coral Reef Ecosystem business plan describes a comprehensive 10 year strategy to guide NFWF s conservation investments to achieve measurable results that will reverse the declining health trends and increase live coral cover on select reef systems in U.S. waters. In the most recent assessment about half of the coral reef resources in U.S. (including the Freely Associated States) were considered to be in poor or fair condition. 1 In the Caribbean, only 25% of reefs are in good condition 2 live coral cover has declined to as low as 8% in some locations and key reef-building species (Acropora palmata and A. cervicornis) were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in In the U.S. Pacific corals are faring better, with 69% of reefs reported to be in good or excellent condition. 3 Ultimately, the amount of coral that is alive is the most direct indicator of the health of coral reefs. Although every U.S. jurisdiction requires coral reef conservation investment, this business plan will focus initially on Puerto Rico as a pilot geography to test the logic and evaluation structure of the Foundation s Coral Reef Ecosystem Initiative. As milestones for Puerto Rico are met and financial resources for investment increase, this business plan will be expanded to include activities for additional geographies in the U.S. The Foundation will focus initially on three sites to address key threats to Puerto Rican reefs: Culebra, Guanica/La Parguera, and Sardinera Bay. Recognizing that a strategy to increase live coral cover will be complex, this business plan describes a four-pronged approach to address the diversity of issues that need attention in order to promote an increase in live coral cover: 1. Reduce land-based run-off of sediments, pollution and nutrients to coral systems; 2. Increase herbivorous reef fish stocks through improved fisheries management; 3. Reduce direct impacts to coral reefs from resource users through public education, outreach, better management and enforcement of restricted areas; and 4. Increase real-time monitoring to conduct diagnostic assessments and monitoring to better measure success of conservation actions and track progress to goal. It is estimated that a new investment of $10 million over10 years in Puerto Rico is projected to produce a 30% increase in live coral cover. It is estimated that an investment of $80 million over 10 years would be needed to produce a 30% increase in live coral cover for the most significant sites at each location where reefs are currently in fair or poor condition throughout the United States. 1. Waddell, J.E. and A.M. Clarke (eds) The State of Coral Reef Ecosystems of the United States and Pacific Freely Associated States: NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NCCOS 73. NOAA/NCCOS Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment s Biogeography Team. Silver Spring, MD. 569 pp. 2. Waddell, J.E. and A.M. Clarke (eds) Waddell, J.E. and A.M. Clarke (eds) Draft June 11, 2009 iii

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6 Contents What Is a Business Plan? i Summary...iii Conservation Need...1 Conservation Outcomes Implementation Plan...8 Identified Risks Funding Needs Evaluating Success Long-Term Foundation Support Ancillary Benefits Acknowledgements Draft June 11, 2009 v

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8 The Initiative Through this initiative, we will stabilize the decline and increase coral cover on reef systems in U.S. jurisdictional waters to a level that ensures their resistance to climate change and continued existence. Conservation Need Coral reefs are among the most biologically diverse and economically important marine ecosystems on earth, 4 providing habitat for over one million aquatic species and supplying coastal protection, food, income, and recreational services estimated at $375 billion/year in Unfortunately, coral reefs are also one of the most threatened ecosystems on earth. The extinction risk of corals has increased dramatically in the decade following the 1998 mass bleaching event, and now one-third of all reef-building coral species are threatened with extinction, according to IUCN Red List criteria. 6 As a group, this makes corals at higher risk of extinction than any terrestrial group of species except amphibians. The primary anthropogenic threats to coral reefs include: Poor water quality due to runoff from coastal development, inadequate infrastructure, and agricultural practices that can restrict coral feeding and reproduction and increase competition from algae; Overfishing of key species guilds such as herbivores and large predators that disrupts the balance of coral and algae on reefs; and Increased water temperatures, CO levels, and storm frequency/intensity from global climate change that can weaken coral health and 2 growth. Coral reefs are found in several places under U.S. and Freely Associated States (FAS) jurisdiction (Table 1). Representatives of these jurisdictions and federal agency leadership comprise the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force that is a driving force in coral conservation in the United States. The Task Force commissions a regular assessment of the state of reef ecosystems in the U.S. In the most recent assessment, half of the coral reef resources in U.S. and FAS jurisdictions were considered to be in poor or fair condition. 7 In the Caribbean, only 25% of reefs are in good condition coral cover has declined to as low as 8% in some locations and key reef-building species (Acropora palmata and A. cervicornis) were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in Reefs located near populated areas are subject to more intense localized threats that reduce corals resilience their ability to recover from stresses, such as temperature-induced bleaching, disease, and storms. This may explain why in contrast, 69% of reefs in the U.S. Pacific are reported to be in good or excellent condition. 8 These reefs that experience less pressure from humans have shown signs of recovery after bleaching events, which supports the theory that reducing localized anthropogenic threats such as pollution and overfishing can improve corals resilience to global stressors like climate change and ocean acidification. 4. U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Framework for Action. August ( final_2008.pdf) 5. Costanza, R., et al The value of the world s ecosystem services and natural capital, Nature 15 May Carpenter, K. E., et al Waddell, J.E. and A.M. Clarke (eds) Waddell, J.E. and A.M. Clarke (eds) Draft June 11,

9 Table 1. List of U.S. coral jurisdictions and Freely Associated States that are the initial geographic focus of the Foundation s Coral Initiative. Atlantic/Caribbean/Gulf of Mexico: U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) Puerto Rico Navassa Island Southeast Florida Florida Keys 6. Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGB)/Gulf of Mexico Pacific Ocean: 7. Main Hawaiian Islands (MHI) 8. Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) 9. American Samoa 10. Pacific Remote Island Areas (PRIA) 11. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) 12. Guam Freely Associated States (FAS): 13. Republic of Palau, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), and Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). The differences between the status of the Caribbean and Pacific reefs suggest that priority threats are site specific. Although every U.S. jurisdiction requires coral reef conservation investment, this business plan will focus initially on Puerto Rico as a pilot to test the logic and evaluation structure of the Coral Reef Ecosystem Initiative (Coral Initiative). As milestones for Puerto Rico are met and financial resources for investment increase, this business plan will be expanded to include activities for additional geographies. Puerto Rican Reefs The main and offshore islands of Puerto Rico are surrounded by a mosaic of coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangrove forests that provide critical habitat for fish and invertebrates. Many of the coral reefs are easily accessible at less than 20 meters in depth, but there are also notable deep coral formations. The Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER), the University of Puerto Rico, and the U.S. National Coral Reef Monitoring program have conducted annual assessments of representative reef sites in Puerto Rico since Figure 1 illustrates reef bottom composition over time at a number of these sites taken from the 2008 State of Coral Reef Ecosystems report. All but one reef tract in this study has experienced declines in coral cover and stable or increasing algal populations. Monitoring has also revealed that one of the most important reef building species for Puerto Rico, Montastraea spp., has been in sharp decline. Coral dependant fishes are also in steep decline throughout the Puerto Rican Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). A recent study of Puerto Rico s targeted fish stocks showed that of the 25 species studied, only three were not overfished beyond levels at which the species can reproduce and replenish stocks (Figure 2). Although several fisheries laws are in place, managers must work with poor information sometimes more than a decade old enforcement capacity is extremely low, and violations must pass through a complex state process that is outside of the purview of the enforcement agency. 2 June 11, 2009 Draft

10 Figure 1. Annual trends of (a) percent total coral cover, (b) percent cover by benthic algae, and (c) percent cover by Montastraea annularis from coral reefs monitored as part of the U.S. National Coral Reef Monitoring Program in Puerto Rico García-Sais, J.R., R. Castro, J. Sabater, M. Carlo, R. Esteves, and S. Williams Monitoring of coral reef communities from natural reserves in Puerto Rico: Isla Desecheo, Rincon, Guanica, Ponce, Caja de Muerto and Mayaguez, Final Report submitted to the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources of Puerto Rico. San Juan, PR. 194 pp. Draft June 11,

11 Figure 2. Comparative spawning potential ratio (SPR) analysis for 25 exploited reef fish species from the Puerto Rican coral reef ecosystem for the period Dark bars indicate overfished stocks, open bars indicate stocks that are above the 30% SPR standard, and shaded bars indicate that stocks are within ±3% of the SPR standard. Asterisks denote species with unreliable estimated rates of fishing mortality. 10 Major threats to Puerto Rican reefs as indicated by management and stakeholders include: Trends toward less restrictive zoning regulations has resulted in a surge in coastal development and a decrease in water quality due to sediment runoff; Large, commercially important reef fish have been completely overfished; however, there are some positive results in protected areas; Lack of capacity in state management for training, enforcement, monitoring, and outreach has resulted in paper parks and mistrust among resource users; and Shallower waters are registering increased temperatures, even in winter months, and the incidence of coral bleaching and disease has increased. 10. Ault, J. S., S.G. Smith, J. Luo, M. Monaco, and R. S. Appeldoorn Length-based assessment of sustainability benchmarks for coral reef fishes in Puerto Rico. Environmental Conservation 35 (3): June 11, 2009 Draft

12 Conservation Outcomes The first step in the development of the Coral Reef Conservation Initiative s business plan is to establish a clear, measurable, and pragmatic goal. The Foundation s Board of Directors determined that the conceptual goal for the Initiative should be to improve the health of coral reef ecosystems in the U.S. Healthy coral reefs are among the most biologically diverse and economically valuable ecosystems on earth. In fact, coral ecosystems provide such a variety of ecosystem services and functions that defining a healthy reef can be a daunting task. Healthy Reefs for Healthy People: A Guide to Indicators of Reef Health and Social Well-being in the Mesoamerican Reef Region 11 mapped the complexity of this definition for the Mesoamerican reef in the Caribbean by providing 58 indicators to assess ecosystem structure and function, the driving forces of change, and social and governance issues. While comprehensive, clear, and measurable, it is impractical for the Foundation to adopt 58 different indicators as the goal that will drive an outcome focused conservation initiative. The goal of the Coral Initiative is to increase live coral cover in U.S. waters. Ultimately, the amount of coral that is alive is the most direct indicator of the health of coral reefs. In fact, percent live coral cover is an indicator that is used to measure the status of the health of coral ecosystems in most, if not all, monitoring protocols including AGRRA 12 and Reef Check 13 and is one of the four resource indicators used by NOAA 14 to assess the state of coral reef ecosystems in the U.S. This goal will focus the Foundation s investments on reducing the factors that are obstacles to the growth of live coral cover. Recognizing that a strategy to increase live coral cover will be complex, with a number of steps to be monitored over a period of time, the Initiative will adopt a number of interim indicators to monitor progress towards the ultimate goal (Figure 3). For example, in a geography where a depleted population of herbivorous fish is giving algae a competitive advantage over coral for the available substrate, the Foundation may invest in a strategy to restore the herbivore population. Although significant increases in live coral cover can be observed in as little as three years as a result of herbivore population interventions, interim indicators of progress such as increases in fish biomass, reduction in percent algal cover, and number of coral recruits over time will be used to track whether the anticipated ecological responses that will lead to an increase in percent live coral cover are being realized. It is estimated that a new investment of $10 million over 10 years in Puerto Rico is projected to produce a 30% increase in live coral cover. It is estimated that an investment of $80 million over 10 years would be needed to produce a 30% increase in live coral cover for the most significant sites at each location where reefs are currently in fair or poor condition throughout the United States. Funding needs are anticipated to start with Puerto Rico and then scale up as we expand the geographic focus of the investments. We expect that reductions in specific anthropogenic stressors over five years across three reef tracts identified for the Puerto Rico pilot will have the following benefits: Increased resiliency of important reef building corals to environmental stressors. Studies have proven that in areas of minimal human impact, corals are able to recover from bleaching events in less than a year, even when bleaching affects 80% or more of the reef area. In addition to accelerating corals recovery time from bleaching events, we would expect to see a decrease in the prevalence of diseases in these areas as water quality improves; and 11. McField, M and Kramer, P.R Healthy Reefs for Healthy People: A Guide to Indicators of Reef Health and Social Wellbeing in the Mesoamerican Reef Region. 12. The Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment (AGRRA) Program is an international collaboration of scientists and managers aimed at determining the regional condition of reefs in the Western Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. ( 13. Hodgson, G A Global Assessment of Human Effects on Coral Reefs. Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol. 38, No. 5, pp ( 14. Waddell, J.E. and A.M. Clarke (eds) Draft June 11,

13 Increased fish biomass, particularly of the important functional grazers and predators. As habitat is maintained and increases and as fishing pressure decreases we predict biomass across all managed fish stocks to increase. In Puerto Rico this would include several species of grouper, parrot fish, and conch, for example. 6 June 11, 2009 Draft

14 Draft June 11, A logic framework is a diagram of a set of relationships between certain factors believed to impact or lead to a conservation target. Logic frameworks are typically composed of several chains of logic whose arrows are read as if-then statements to help better understand how threats contribute to conservation target declines. Logic frameworks are used to define the conservation problem (salmon and green), assess limiting factors (orange), and prioritize key strategies (yellow). Figure 3. Logic Framework Goals, Threats, and Strategies the Coral Initiative

15 Implementation Plan The Foundation s Coral Initiative will be focused in waters of the United States (Territorial seas and EEZs) and Pacific Freely Associated States and will seek to build on current coral conservation efforts, such as the Local Action Strategies 15 of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force All Island Group and the NOAA Coral Program Strategic Working Groups, when appropriate. Key Strategies have been identified to help build local capacity for management, planning, enforcement and implementation of projects to address the key threats of unsustainable fishing practices, land-based run-off and other significant barriers to achieving the goal. Specific activities that address threats are described for each strategy, although we expect implementation efficiencies across threats, such as planning for a marine protected area to include management for multiple uses. The Foundation will pilot the new strategy for coral reef conservation in Puerto Rico by investing in conservation across a number of representative reef sites around the territory and by looking for positive solutions to the most significant anthropogenic threats territory-wide. There are a number of sites around Puerto Rico that are representative of its coral reef ecosystems and have been historically monitored for percent coral cover and other attributes (Table 2). The Foundation will focus on these sites for mitigation and assessment of progress toward the overall goal for the territory. This will allow the Foundation to capitalize on an existing selection of representative Puerto Rican reefs and realize a cost and time savings in having pre-existing baseline information. While all of these representative sites will be included in the initiative, in the initial years the Foundation will employ an incremental approach so that future sites can benefit from outcomes and lessons learned. Table 2. Baseline live coral cover measured at various sites around Puerto Rico. For precise numbers please contact respective authors. Reef Average 2007 % Cover Source of % cover info Cabo Rojo 18 Hernández et al 2009 In preparation a Caja de Muertos 10 García et al 2008 b Culebra 12 Hernández et al 2009 In preparation Derrumpadero 14 García et al 2008 Desecheo 19 García et al 2008 Fajardo 11 Hernández et al 2009 In preparation Guanica 9 García et al 2008 La Parguera 10 Weil 2009 personal comm. c Mayaguez 24 García et al 2008 Mona 8 Hernández et al 2009 In preparation Rincon 25 García et al 2008 Estimated Average 14.50% Notes: a. Hernández et al In preparation. b. García-Sais, J., R. Appeldoorn, T. Battista, L. Bauer, A. Bruckner, C. Caldow, L. Carrubba, J. Corredor, E. Diaz, C. Lilyestrom, G. García-Moliner, E. Hernández-Delgado, C. Menza, J. Morel, A. Pait, J. Sabater, E. Weil, E. Williams and S. Williams The State of Coral Reef Ecosystems of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. pp In: Waddell, J.E. and A.M. Clarke (eds) c. Weil, E University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez. Personal communication. 15. Local Action Strategies (LAS) are a U.S. Coral Reef Task Force-led initiative to identify and implement priority actions needed to reduce key threats to valuable coral reef resources in each U.S. coral reef jurisdiction. ( 8 June 11, 2009 Draft

16 Having consulted with local experts and coral managers and assessed potential for public-private partnerships, the Foundation will focus on three sites initially from the list above that present timely opportunities to address key threats to Puerto Rican reefs: Culebra, Guanica/La Parguera, and Sardinera Bay. The first two sites are subjects of coral reef investment and conservation efforts already identified as priorities while the third, Sardinera Bay, provides a unique opportunity for a public-private partnership to address a key coral conservation issue impacting many of the island jurisdictions. Culebra recently completed a Foundation-sponsored planning document with stakeholder input for a protected area that is closed to fishing. Continuing support for the implementation of this plan will allow the Foundation to address the issue of management capacity for enforcement of a closed area and to assess the causes and impacts of terrestrial inputs on reefs. In La Parguera reefs suffer minimal direct terrestrial impacts but experience significant fishing pressure and downstream sediment run-off from a nearby watershed. Here the Foundation will implement new management strategies to increase herbivory and evaluate the reef s ability to recover once this function is restored. Finally, Sardinera Bay is a unique opportunity to examine threats to reefs from development, a rising concern in Puerto Rico, and work to find positive solutions that can be transferred across the territory. These locations together provide opportunity to test the logic and anticipated impacts of identified strategies that can then be used to adapt the plan as needed and take successful models and indicators to other locations. Key Strategy 1: Reduce land-based run-off to coral systems In 2002, at the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development, the U.S. was part of an effort to launch the White Water to Blue Water Initiative. This initiative, and others like Ridges to Reefs, promote the importance of going across agency jurisdictions to link terrestrial ecosystems to those of the sea. Watershed management planning and terrestrial run-off mitigation have become key components of coral reef conservation, as evidenced by land-based pollution comprising one entire threat based-working group, out of three total that were convened to set the NOAA Coral Program s goals for coral reef conservation. Strategy 1a: Increase Capacity for [Watershed] Management For many jurisdictions, local government institutions in partnership with federal agencies and stakeholders have already begun to identify priority needs for research and conservation through the establishment of Local Action Strategies (LAS) for land-based run-off. The Foundation begins the planning process by updating the progress on these priorities and by reaching out to state and federal officials, such as Regional Coordinators for the NOAA Coral Program and local natural resource agencies, for additional priorities and current data and capacity gaps. In Puerto Rico, the most current LAS is significantly out of date, and with a recent change in administration, it is unlikely to be updated soon (personal communication with DNER). Fortunately, most of the research and assessment work needed to begin on-the-ground runoff mitigation has already been completed for the areas on which the initiative is initially focusing. Only one focus area will need a diagnostic assessment of the watershed to determine sediment and nutrient contributors to the system so that a baseline can be established to measure the results of applying new techniques to development practices. Activity A: Apply the GIS sediment yield model to the watershed(s) that feed into Sardinera Bay to determine priority road segments to target for mitigation and to provide baseline sediment levels for these reef systems. Strategy 1b: Stakeholder Engaged Watershed Management Plan Implementation Some jurisdictions have already completed watershed management plans for priority watershed or have plans to complete them as part of their Local Action Strategies. These plans identify priority gaps and actions for mitigating specific problems within a watershed. The Foundation will assist in implementing watershed management plan recommendations to improve water quality on targeted reefs. Draft June 11,

17 A Watershed Management Plan was recently completed in October of 2008 for the Guanica Watershed. 16 The plan listed several mitigation steps to decrease sediment and nutrient loading into Guanica Bay that impact reefs down current. While agriculture is no longer a growing enterprise in Puerto Rico, historical modifications to the land and current agricultural practices are still having a profound negative impact on reef systems downstream. In the Guanica watershed these modifications included filling a lagoon for agricultural use that had historically served as a settlement pond and filter for this watershed. This land was never used for farming and has been prioritized for restoration in order to restore the ecosystem services that it once provided. Increased rainfall has also significantly eroded stream banks that had lost their vegetation, flushing nutrients, pollutants and sediment from upland agriculture down to the reefs. Recent research indicates that the sediment plumes from the Guanica watershed are negatively impacting the nearby outer reefs of La Parguera. 17 Recent research at the mouth of the Guanica watershed has also identified significant levels of chromium and other pollutants that require further investigation. 18 Activity A: Restore a historical lagoon to act as a settlement filter and conduct stream bank restoration in the Guanica watershed to reduce sediment run-off to reefs downstream. Strategy 1c: Increase Capacity for [Watershed] Enforcement The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the primary regulatory agency for managing potential pollutants and other terrestrial run-off. As with many agencies, enforcement officers and oversight in coral jurisdictions are stretched thin, particularly in the territories. Increased enforcement capacity is needed to prevent land-use conversion without permitting and regulation compliance. Only one federal officer from EPA is available to review and approve permits or issue citations for all of Puerto Rico, USVI, and parts of the Eastern U.S. states. This has resulted in unpermitted development moving forward without prior approvals and activities going unchecked without citations. 19 By increasing the number of enforcement officers with training on current laws and permits for development, these infractions would decrease and the laws already in place to ensure responsible development could be implemented. Activity A: Increase the capacity of the DNER to identify and fine unpermitted development through training and other resources. Increase the oversight of permits and violations on Culebra to reduce the incidence of unpermitted development practices in this watershed. Strategy 1d: Infrastructure Improvement Projects Vegetation removal and unpaved roads cause increased erosion and high sediment yield rates that degrade coral reefs and seagrass beds. Foundation funded research on the island of St. John has shown that unpaved roads can erode at rates up to 10,000 times higher than on undisturbed hillslopes. 20 As this sediment reaches the reefs it settles on coral polyps and prevents their ability to feed, eventually smothering and killing them. Other nutrient and pollution sources from increased development and tourism come from insufficient infrastructure that cannot accommodate the increased number of homesteads or the influx in tourists in high volumes over short periods of time (i.e. cruise tourism). Sewage outfalls, for example, can have a significant impact on reefs, because 16. Center for Watershed Protection Guanica Bay Watershed Management Plan. Ellicott City, Maryland. October Walsh, J.P. and F. Pagan Transport of Watershed-based Materials. Talk at the Coral Reef Ecosystem Studies: Integrating Science & Management in the Caribbean meeting, February 2009, Lajas, Puerto Rico. Caribbean Coral Reef Institute. 18. Pait, A.S Distribution of Contaminants. Talk at the Coral Reef Ecosystem Studies: Integrating Science & Management in the Caribbean meeting, February 2009, Lajas, Puerto Rico. Caribbean Coral Reef Institute. 19. Lucking, Mary Ann Coralations. Personal communication. 20. Potter, B Erosion Control Strategy for the Fish Bay Waters. Island Resources Foundation. Final Report submitted to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. June June 11, 2009 Draft

18 they significantly increase the level of nutrients in the water, allowing algae to out-compete coral colonies. Other studies have found that the estrogen from unabsorbed birth control pills in waste water may serve as a reproduction blocker in some coral species. 21 Puerto Rico has experienced increasing development pressure to accommodate an expanding tourism and second home market over the last several decades. The territory s basic infrastructure like roads and waste disposal has not kept pace with increased population and visitation levels. For example, Guanica Bay has seen significant levels of urbanization since the 1950 s which has resulted in both an increase in impervious surfaces that leads to increased storm water runoff and an increase in population resulting in increased sewage discharge. The trend in the last 10 years has been a move toward individual septic tanks in rural communities to central sewers and upgrading sewage treatment plants to accommodate secondary treatment. Unfortunately, secondary treatment only provides for minimal nutrient reduction. Past research suggests that a critical threshold for nitrogen may be 14 parts per billion (ppb) whereas primary and secondary treated sewage falls between 30,000 and 40,000 ppb, or approximately 20,000 times the safe limit for coral systems. 22 Activity A: Create re-grading and water diversion structures on poorly planned and unpaved roads in Culebra that have been identified as having high sedimentation inputs to Culebra s reefs. Activity B: Address sewage waste infrastructure deficiencies in the Culebra and Guanica watersheds through improved sewage systems and disposal alternatives. Strategy 1e: New Innovations for Reducing Run-off to Reefs In addition to increasing the implementation and enforcement of current laws, peer and market pressure to use coral friendly business practices that have been proven economically feasible are needed to entice land users to reduce their impacts. The Foundation s Coral Reef Conservation Fund has a long history of funding grass-roots innovations in partnership with industry, including biogas digesters to address pig waste, technologies to reduce sediment and nutrient run-off from banana and taro farms, and wastewater wetlands/gardens for hotels and communities. Puerto Rico provides us with a unique opportunity to test several mitigation efforts such as settlement traps, buffers, etc. into a scheduled new development on Sardinera Bay to assess the best combination of methods to sustain the reefs that attract developers clientele. Coffee plantations have also been identified in the Guanica watershed as needing enhanced conservation methods such as shade-grown or cover crops to reduce sediment and nutrient run-off. 23 Activity A: Work with owner of a new hotel development in Sardinera Bay to identify potential threats and mitigation measures that will result in positive models for the territory. Activity B: Work to introduce shade-grown coffee practices to a coffee plantation in the Guanica watershed to reduce the sediment and nutrient inputs to reefs downstream. Key Strategy 2: Increase herbivorous reef fish stocks Continuous pressure on specific fish stocks that are popular as trophy fish, food in restaurants, or food for the table has upset the balance for stock populations on the reefs and the important ecological services they provide. Herbivorous fish are key grazers on the reef that keep algal populations low enough for corals to compete for space. Unsustainable harvest of these functional grazers and 21. Downs, C Biomarkers and Disease. Talk at the Coral Reef Ecosystem Studies: Integrating Science & Management in the Caribbean meeting, February 2009, Lajas, Puerto Rico. Caribbean Coral Reef Institute. 22. Lapointe, B.E Nutrient thresholds for bottom-up control of macroalgal blooms on coral reefs in Jamaica and southeast Florida. Limnology and Oceanography, 42: In: Center for Watershed Protection Center for Watershed Protection Draft June 11,

19 the top predators that keep herbivore predators in check have combined to reduce grazing to levels that are too low to control rising algal populations. Healthy populations of functional fish grazers are even more important to Caribbean reefs since the widespread die-off from disease of a key urchin grazer in the 1980s that has yet to recover to levels that can help to control algae. Strategy 2a: Increase Capacity for [Fisheries] Management For many jurisdictions, local government institutions in partnership with federal agencies and stakeholders have already begun to identify priority needs for research and conservation through the establishment of Local Action Strategies (LAS) for Fisheries Management. The Foundation begins the Initiative planning process by updating the progress on these priorities and by reaching out to state and federal officials like Fishery Management Councils, Regional Coordinators for the NOAA Coral Program, and local natural resource agencies for additional priorities and current data and capacity gaps. The Caribbean Fisheries Management Council (CFMC) recently held a workshop to identify research gaps that would hamper their mandate to establish annual catch limits for five key species complexes by 2010 and an additional 20 management units by One of the initial species groups with a deadline of next year is a key herbivore unit composed of 10 species of parrot fish for which the Council lacks even the most basic life history parameters to set an allotment. 25 In addition to this high priority research item, the CFMC identified eight additional research and assessment priorities to help them manage fisheries at sustainable levels to maintain their function on reefs. Activity A: Provide support/capacity to the Caribbean Fisheries Management Council for it to develop sustainable fisheries benchmarks (annual catch limits) and management plans for fish guilds that are key to coral health. Activity B: Provide incentives for key fisheries stakeholders to adopt sustainable fisheries practices and educate them on the importance of protected areas and limits on large predators and herbivores to reef health. Strategy 2b: Stakeholder Engaged [Fisheries] Management Plan Implementation Fisheries Management Plans can take many forms and implement a variety of tools such as seasonal or area closures, gear restrictions, catch limits on size or amount, limited entry, and moratoriums. These plans may be specific to a species or group of species and sometimes they are focused around a particular geographic area that may be a priority for biological, social, or political reasons. The Coral Initiative Business Plan prioritizes for implementation those plans that have high community and industry engagement or look to engage these stakeholders since the conservation community believes that this will lead to higher levels of compliance and political will for implementation. Puerto Rico has recently established two Marine Protected Area management plans with heavy stakeholder involvement that include fisheries restrictions. While this process has not been without real challenges and conflict between stakeholders, there were a number of lessons learned by incorporating the community and socio-economic factors into marine area planning. Also, researchers are concerned about declines in key functional grazers on the reefs in La Parguera, where the number of boats can soar to 200 on the weekend in a relatively small reef area. The site has been identified as a priority location to begin the marine area planning process to include management of fishing pressures in addition to other marine uses. 26 Activity A: Foster community driven planning for management of La Parguera to include effective restrictions on the harvest of herbivores and large predators. 24. SEDAR Caribbean Data Evaluation Workshop National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 25. García, J University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez. Personal communication. 26. Valdes-Pizzini, M. and R. Appeldoorn Human Dimensions. Talk at the Coral Reef Ecosystem Studies: Integrating Science & Management in the Caribbean meeting, February 2009, Lajas, Puerto Rico. Caribbean Coral Reef Institute. 12 June 11, 2009 Draft

20 Strategy 2c: Increase Capacity for [Fisheries] Enforcement Even when appropriate planning and management actions are implemented, a change in detrimental behavior is uncertain without the threat of penalty for non-compliance. Unfortunately, just as the enforcement staff is stretched thin for land-based permitting and citations, marine use and fisheries enforcement staff is often further burdened with a larger geographic area and less ability to detect infractions in progress. In order to maintain a level of enforcement presence that will result in compliance with regulations, additional officers, deputy groups, surveillance technology, and training are often required. The recently developed marine protected area management plan for Culebra is expected to be approved by the state in In order to implement the actions in the plan, including fishery area closures, a significant presence must be maintained to educate users on the new regulations and to penalize violators so that behavioral change is encouraged and the positive benefits of the changes can be realized. 28 Unfortunately, the resources of the state are limited to maintain this level of presence. The Foundation has successfully funded a community deputy enforcement program in Hawaii in partnership with NGOs and the State that could serve as a successful model for this location. Activity A: Increase management capacity for enforcement of the no-take fishery management area on Culebra through a community deputy enforcement program. Strategy 2d: Outreach and Education to Fishing Communities Just as increased enforcement and prosecution provide a negative incentive for behavioral change, education of the fishing community on new regulations and the potential benefits of these regulations to their livelihood can be a positive incentive for compliance. Education on current levels of decline, the life history of targeted catch, and the positive results of tools and management actions implemented in other regions (for example closed areas) can also reduce potential conflict in the management planning and implementation process. No priority needs for Outreach and Education to fishing communities were identified for the locations chosen in Puerto Rico at this time. However, it is anticipated that as the Culebra plan proceeds in implementation and the La Parguera plan is established, that activities may be established under this strategy in the future. Key Strategy 3: Reduce direct impacts from resource users While land-based run-off and unsustainable fishing practices are the priority threats that for mitigation under this business plan, it is expected that each location will have site-specific threats that could prevent the realization of goals if not addressed. Depending on the needs of each location and the advice from local experts, additional actions will be taken to mitigate these impacts when assessed as significant threats to the goal or opportunities to reaching the goal faster or more efficiently. These threats may include marine-based pollution from boat discharge, direct mechanical damage from anchors, collection, or human contact, invasive species, and overuse from cruise tourism. Strategy 3a: Stakeholder Engaged [Marine] Management Plan Implementation As noted above for watershed and fisheries management plans, stakeholder involvement in marine area management planning is critical for identifying all user groups and increasing the level of compliance for implementation. As we continue to move to ecosystem-based management and Ridge to Reef management strategies, watershed, fisheries, and other marine use planning will be combined by priority geographies. As we have identified the need to engage terrestrial user groups and fishing communities in the generation of these plans above, we acknowledge the need to include other marine users and stakeholder here. 27. Rosario, A Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources. Personal communication. 28. Lucking, Mary Ann Coralations. Personal communication. Draft June 11,

21 The chosen marine area management plans prioritized for implementation in this business plan are based on geographic reef areas supporting multiple uses. Activity A: Management Plan generation to include user impacts like the carrying capacity of boating tourists in La Parguera. Activity B: Increase awareness of visitors through interpretive trails, recreational use zoning demarcation, and maps of no anchoring zones in Culebra. (shared activity with Strategy 3b) Strategy 3b: Outreach and Education to Community and Visitors Even those who come to enjoy reefs through recreation can have a direct impact on the survival of reef tracts. Recreational boaters that flock to popular snorkel and dive sites can drop anchors on reefs and discharge waste and oil into the water. Both local and foreign tourists can also cause damage from ignorance if they are unaware of the impact of touching coral or feeding fish, or that their sunscreen can inhibit coral reproduction, as was discovered in a recent study at a popular U.S. Virgin Islands tourist destination. 29 Some impacts are even more direct. Puerto Rican officials report regular incidences of tourists bringing home pounds of live and dead coral from reefs as souvenirs. 30 In the implementation plan for Culebra, a number of outreach and education activities are prioritized to assist in changing negative behavior from local community members, more distant recreational visitors, and out-of-state tourists. Key issues identified were notification of new zoning restrictions and mooring buoy locations once implemented and best practices for visitors to avoid damage when visiting reefs. Activity A: Increase awareness of visitors through interpretive trails, recreational use zoning demarcation, and maps of no anchoring zones in Culebra. Activity B: Increase community understanding of their impact to coral reefs through the Culebra Youth Conservation Corps. Key Strategy 4: Increase real-time monitoring to track progress to goal Relatively accurate measurement of project benefits will require 1-2 years of pre-implementation monitoring and 3-5 years of post-implementation monitoring to determine ecosystem responses to mitigation efforts. As corals are long-lived, slow growing animals, a thoughtful monitoring regime is needed to detect near-term markers of progress. By design, this Business Plan focuses on preestablished sites, most of which have permanent transects in place for long-term monitoring (La Parguera and Culebra). Additional funding is needed to build on these data and conduct site specific monitoring for projected system response parameters, as determined by activity. Activity A: Implement a diagnostic assessment and monitoring approach at all three sites to identify key coral stressors and monitor indicators that relate to our mitigation efforts. 29. Downs, C Waddell, J.E. and A.M. Clarke (eds) June 11, 2009 Draft

22 Identified Risks Significant complexities and mistrust between user groups and the state management agency in some of the jurisdictions can make implementation of project activities slower and more challenging than expected. Island time can also move at a slower pace for implementation than some of the mainland jurisdictions. The Foundation has developed a formal risk assessment methodology that will be applied to the Coral Initiative in the near future. Below are some of the specific potential risks that have been identified to date for Puerto Rico: Partners unable to come up with significant funding to implement large watershed projects; Major storms, disease or bleaching event dwarfs our progress/efforts when considered across all sites; Political will to carry out increased enforcement even with capacity improvements; reports of corruption by some enforcement personnel exacerbates this concern; Willingness of developers to implement mitigation strategies at increased cost to construction budget; and NFWF has been unable to contract with the Territory in the past due to financial stability issues, and capacity of NGOs is less-developed in PR Draft June 11,

23 Funding Needs The following table describes the estimated funding needed to implement the activities listed above for near-term projects to increase the percent live coral cover in target locations. The table does not represent an exhaustive list of all budgetary needs identified by agencies and other partners, but rather the total amount for projects that are priorities in the near future, and for which plans have already been developed or are in the process of being developed. The budgets in these tables represent significant steps toward reaching the long-term funding need. Key Strategy 1: Reduce land-based run-off to coral systems Potential Lead Group Strategy: Action Cost Timeframe To Be Determined To Be Determined 1a: Sediment modeling and identification of key road segments, Sardinera Bay watershed 1b: Restore water flow to lagoon and streambank restoration, Guanica watershed $160, $1-3,000, Department of Natural and Environmental Resources and Environmental Protection Agency 1c: Increased enforcement capacity, Culebra watershed $200,000 annually To Be Determined 1d: Sedimentation management improvements to priority road segments, Culebra watershed $3-10,000, Department of Natural and Environmental Resources 1d: Identify and implement mitigation of solid and sewage waste, Culebra and Guanica watersheds $600,000 annually Department of Natural and Environmental Resources To Be Determined 1e: Introduce shade-grown coffee practices, Guanica watershed 1e: Innovative best practices for coral friendly development, Sardinera Bay watershed $100, $1,000, June 11, 2009 Draft

24 Key Strategy 2: Increase herbivorous reef fish stocks Potential Lead Group(s) Strategy: Action Cost Timeframe To Be Determined 2a: Support for the Caribbean Fisheries Management Council to develop sustainable annual catch limits and management plans for fish guilds that are key to coral health. $300,000 annually a:Incentives and education for key Fisheries Stakeholders to adopt sustainable fisheries practices University of Puerto Rico and Department of Natural and Environmental Resources 2b:Creation of a stakeholder driven plan for La Parguera watershed $150, Coralations and Department of Natural and Environmental Resources 2c: Increased enforcement capacity for protected areas, Culebra watershed $500,000 annually To Be Determined 2d: Outreach on benefits of closed areas for fish biomass, Culebra and La Parguera watersheds $250,000 annually Key Strategy 3: Reduce direct impacts from resource users Potential Lead Group(s) Strategy: Action Cost Timeframe University of Puerto Rico and Department of Natural and Environmental Resources 3a: Management Plan generation for La Parguera See Key Strategy Department of Natural and Environmental Resources 3b: Increase visitor awareness in Culebra $100,000 annually To Be Determined 3b: Increase community understanding through the Culebra Youth Conservation Corps Key Strategy 4: Increase real-time monitoring to track progress to goal Potential Lead Group(s) Action Cost Timeframe Haereticus Environmental Laboratory, University of Puerto Rico and Department of Natural and Environmental Resources Diagnostic monitoring of mitigation sites $300,000 annually Total: $16,360,000 $25,360,000 Draft June 11,

25 Evaluating Success All conservation investments are made with a desire to have something change. Monitoring tells us whether that change is occurring. Evaluation tells us whether the combined set of investments being made are being designed and implemented to maximize that change. The Foundation will work with outside experts to prioritize proposals based on how well they fit in with the results chains and priorities identified in this plan. Success of funded projects will be evaluated based upon success in implementing proposed activities and achieving anticipated outcomes. As part of each project s annual (for multi-year awards) and final reports, individual grantees will provide a summary of completed activities and key outcomes directly to NFWF. These would likely include outcome metrics identified at the initiative scale. Periodic expert evaluation of all investments funded under this initiative will occur and will help grantees to monitor key indicators to ensure that data across individual projects can be scaled up to programmatic and initiative levels. Findings from monitoring and evaluation activities will be used to continuously learn from our grantmaking and inform future decision-making to ensure initiative success. The Coral Initiative will adopt a number of interim institutional, behavioral, and ecological indicators to monitor progress towards the ultimate goal of increasing live coral cover. For example, in a geography where a depleted population of herbivorous fish is giving algae a competitive advantage over coral for the available substrate, NFWF may explore management tools that would help restore the herbivore population. Although significant increases in live coral cover can be observed in as little as three years as a result of herbivore population interventions, 31 interim indicators of progress such as increases in fish biomass, reduction in percent algal cover, and number of coral recruits over time will be used to track whether the anticipated ecological responses that will lead to an increase in percent coral cover are being realized. The results chains provided for each threat category below outline several interim milestones and specific points for evaluation monitoring. At the time of this draft, these metrics are still being developed in conjunction with the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program. While the majority of ecological indicators will be standardized across jurisdictions, some place-based indicators may be used to monitor socio-economic and political progress. As we are piloting this Plan and evaluation process in Puerto Rico, all of the indicators and milestones below are based on the activities under this pilot which will be revised and expanded upon if needed as the initiative expands to other locations and jurisdictions. Land-Based Run-off Restoration will proceed in the first five years by pursuing projects that have already been identified as priorities in selected sites and that have the highest likelihood of success. Thus, we need to make predictions of those benefits as potential restoration projects are prioritized and then test those predictions as restoration proceeds. Changes in sedimentation and nutrient loading rates resulting from a decrease in unpermitted activities will be predicted through an assessment of the number of unpermitted developments in a given watershed. Further, new practices such as buffers and settlement ponds for approved new development activities will be monitored for their ability to reduce inputs from entering nearby coral systems as well as their cost effectiveness. Milestones: There are a few process milestones that this Business Plan will track to ensure that strategies are moving forward as planned. Progress toward capacity building for improved watershed management will include an intermediate milestone of X% of the watershed assessed for contributions of sediment and nutrients to the system. Progress toward implementation of watershed management plans will target XX% of the identified priority implementation actions being complete by 31. Hughes, T. et al Phase Shifts, Herbivory, and the Resilience of Coral Reefs to Climate Change. Current Biology 17, , February 20, June 11, 2009 Draft

26 year XX. Results of these actions will be measured by monitoring rate of associated habitat conversion, and rate of sediment and nutrient run-off to the system. Longer-term progress will evaluate specific aspects of water quality on the target reefs, the algal/coral ratio, recruitment and ultimately, percent live coral cover. Indicators: Once predictions are made and restoration projects prioritized, current sedimentation rates are best monitored at tons/year for gross assessment of mitigation success or mg/cm 2 /day to determine when rates reach a level that is sustainable for coral reefs. Immediate success of implementation activities to increase enforcement capacity will be measured by the number of violations issued and pre- and post-training assessments on the number of new unpermitted development activities. Unpermitted conversion of associated habitats like mangroves will also be used as an indicator of the effectiveness of increased enforcement. Legal construction impacts will be measured through sediment traps as outlined above, levels of key nutrients like nitrogen, and cost-effectiveness of implementing positive mitigation efforts. Results will be reported based on the levels of specific nutrients and pollutants tied to these activities, the coral-macroalgae ratio, reproductive success of corals, and percent of households/facilities with inadequately treated sewage, as appropriate. Draft June 11,

27 Figure 4. Results chain of key strategies, intermediate milestones, and goals for addressing land-based threats. A results chain is a chain of logic that illustrates how a specific strategy is presumed to reach a particular conservation outcome. Results chains are used to develop a suite of indicators to show progress at different stages in the initiative. 20 June 11, 2009 Draft

28 Unsustainable Fishing Practices Fisheries restoration in Puerto Rico will proceed in the first five years by pursuing projects that fill necessary research gaps to increase protection of key functional species and increase the capacity to enforce laws already in place. Therefore, for sites such as Culebra and later La Parguera, site-specific fisheries goals and predictions have been or will be laid out through a stakeholder process with representation from managers and key user groups Milestones: There are a few process milestones that the Business Plan will track to ensure that strategies are moving forward as planned. Progress toward capacity building for improved fisheries management will include an intermediate milestone of XX of the species unit group ACLs being based on sound science by year XX. Progress toward implementation of fisheries management plans will target XX% of the identified priority implementation actions being complete by year XX. Results of these actions will be measured by monitoring harvest and recovery of key species and change in bottom cover using the indicators below. As additional information gaps are filled on priority species, intermediate milestones are expected to be created for these ecosystem responses as appropriate. Indicators: Success for a large portion of the proposed strategies will depend on behavioral change of resource users. Socio-economic indicators, surveys on behavioral change, and rates of violations will be used to track acceptance of these activities as a component of implementation to allow for adaptation of incentives if needed. Progress toward the goal will be monitored directly by assessing herbivore biomass by fish species and guild as appropriate using standard fish census techniques. Ecosystem response will be monitored through the algal/coral ratio to evaluate whether functional grazing is being restored to the levels necessary to allow coral colonies to successfully compete for space. Draft June 11,

29 Figure 5. Results chain depicting strategies, intermediate results, and milestones in unsustainable fisheries threat reduction and long term outcomes. 22 June 11, 2009 Draft

30 Reduce direct impacts from resource users Coral conservation implementers have identified a handful for additional threats significantly hampering our ultimate outcomes and opportunities in education that will pave the way to more successful implementation. Milestones: There are a few process milestones that the business plan will track to make sure that strategies are moving forward as planned. Progress toward plan implementation and outreach strategies will be monitored initially by surveying social awareness and behavior and tracking compliance with established policies. As assessments of these site-specific threats are completed, we will modify the evaluation plan to look for direct percentage reduction of key threats. For example, we would look to see a XX% drop in anchor scaring in the target area after buoy demarcation and outreach. Indicators: Success for a large portion of the proposed strategies will depend on behavioral change of resource users. Socio-economic indicators, surveys on behavioral change, and rates of violations will be used to track acceptance of these activities as a component of implementation to allow for adaptation of incentives if needed. Progress toward the goal will be monitored directly by assessing direct physical damage in Culebra and water quality in La Parguera. Draft June 11,

31 Figure 6. Results chain depicting strategies, intermediate results, and milestones in marine user-based threat reduction in PR and long term outcomes. 24 June 11, 2009 Draft