National Marine Fisheries Service, Habitat Conservation Division: Essential Fish Habitat, South East Florida Coral Reef Initiative and Land- Based Sources of Pollution effects on Critical Fisheries Habitats
Essential Fish Habitat The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act requires federal agencies to consult with the National Marine Fisheries Service when projects may affect Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) as defined in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). Regulations for implementing the EFH requirements of the Act are found at 50 CFR 600 in the Federal Register. Reviews include projects within or adjacent to Lake Worth Lagoon. 2
U. S. Coral Reef Taskforce The U.S. Coral Reef Taskforce was created by Executive Order in 1998 to address growing concerns regarding the status and trends of coral reef ecosystems within U.S. jurisdictions. Outcomes of the U.S. Coral Reef Taskforce included: Federal management of coral reef resources through the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program and partnerships with state and territory partners Creation of a Local Action Strategy (LAS) to address coral reef conservation issues at the state and local levels in each of the jurisdictions that have coral reefs 3
South East Florida Coral Reef Initiative The Florida LAS was developed with a focus on the northern extent of the Florida Reef Tract. Management of coral reef resources was already well developed in the Florida Keys, Marquesas and Dry Tortugas Management of coral reefs north of the Florida Keys was ad hoc or non-existent. Threats to coral reef resources were considered to be greater on the northern third of the Florida Reef Tract. 4
South East Florida Coral Reef Initiative Region-SEFCRI 5
Southeast Florida Coral Reefs 6
NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program Support Coral Reef Management Liaison positions funded in each jurisdiction. Management Liaisons work with partners, such as the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, CRCP and other state and local partners to administer grant funding to address coral reef threats and management needs. Coral Reef Fishery Liaisons were recently added to most jurisdictions to address the need for fisheries expertise in coral reef management. 7
SEFCRI Focus Areas Awareness and Appreciation (AA) Maritime Industries and Coastal Construction Impacts (MICCI) Fishing, Diving and Other Uses (FDOU) Land-Based Sources of Pollution (LBSP) 8
NOAA CRCP/SEFCRI/LBSP LBSP activities currently underway include: Drafting a literature review and synthesis of LBSP effects on critical fisheries habitats in southeast Florida Reviews of watershed scale planning to conserve coral reef resources including Watershed Protection Plans and similar documents (e.g. St. Lucie River WPP, Loxahatchee River Management Plan, Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserve Management Plan and the Lake Worth Lagoon Management Plan 9
LBSP Examples Falling Tide at Boynton Inlet Photo Credit : Palm Beach County 10
Port Everglades Reef Resources and Pollution 11
Outfall pipes in Southeast Florida 12
Critical Fisheries Habitats Mangroves Seagrasses Oysters Habitats Soft Bottom-Estuarine and Marine Nearshore and Offshore Hard Bottom Worm Rock/Reef Coral Reefs 13
LBSP Threats to Critical Fisheries Habitats Mangroves-Nutrients, Water quantity-inundation, Hydrocarbons Seagrasses-Nutrients, Turbidity, Biocides Oysters Habitats-Sedimentation, Hydrocarbons, Pathogens, Pharmaceuticals, Biocides, Salinity Soft Bottom: Estuarine and Marine-Sedimentation, Biocides, Water Clarity, Nutrients- Biological Oxygen Demand/Low Dissolved Oxygen Nearshore and Offshore Hard Bottom- Nutrients, Sedimentation, Turbidity, Biocides, Coral Reefs-Nutrients, Sedimentation, Turbidity, Pathogens, Biocides, Pharmaceuticals, Hydrocarbons, 14