Marine Monuments: A Vision for Communication and Collaboration
December 21, 2010 in Partner Feedback by Bill Chandler
Click to see enlarged map.
Marine Conservation Biology Institute (MCBI) first became interested in the work of the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) while advocating for the protection of a collection of islands, atolls, and surrounding waters in the Pacific Ocean.
As friends and partners of USFWS, do you have any ideas on how enhanced communication and collaboration can occur both within the monuments and at other USFWS protected areas?
By 2009, four extraordinary marine national monuments — Papahānaumokuākea, Marianas Trench, Pacific Remote Islands, and Rose Atoll — were established. Together these monuments encompass greater than 335,000 square miles. For information on the importance of these biologically and historically significant areas, please visit our website at: http://www.mcbi.org/what/national_monuments.html
The monuments are managed collectively or in part by the USFWS, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the State of Hawaii. In addition, the US Coast Guard plays a major role in enforcement. USFWS has primary authority over the Marianas Trench, Pacific Remote Islands, and Rose Atoll Marine National Monuments established in 2009. Although USFWS has a history of managing remote island refuges in the Pacific, this is the first time it has had to oversee large ocean monuments. With many partners involved, communication and collaboration is invaluable and must occur at every level especially between conservation partners familiar with managing marine areas.
Papahānaumokuākea’s co-management plan was issued in 2008, while the latest three monuments management plans were directed to be completed by January 2o11 as indicated in the presidential proclamations. However, managers report that this goal will not be met. The failure to complete the monument management plans on time is largely due to disagreements between NOAA and USFWS over boundaries and legal authorities—disagreements that pre-date creation of the monuments. As the agency that has clear overall authority for managing the newest monuments, USFWS is responsible for ensuring that better communication and collaboration occurs among its partners. USFWS can begin by catalyzing a resolution of the jurisdictional disputes in order to move ahead with the necessary regulations and plans to protect these places.
Once this jurisdictional dispute is resolved, continued collaboration among the partners must continue. The coordinated management plans must include a realistic multi-agency budget that can ensure effective and efficient conservation of the resources. Also, the USFWS needs a vessel to coordinate joint agency management, research, and monitoring cruises on a routine basis, something that is currently lacking.
As USFWS continues to develop its new vision, MCBI encourages the agency to find more avenues for better communication and collaboration among its partners.
William Chandler, MCBI Vice President for Government Affairs
Hi Bill,
Very nice to see your comments here on the webpage. And equally nice to read that you are still engaged with the Pacific Monuments. We need interested and engaged partners to help us move forward – I’m glad you are there. It was discouraging, but not surprising, to read that problems with our agency partners continue to impede progress in these important areas. I trust that you will continue to do what you can to help – just as I realize that our managers will do the same. Thanks again for your input – I’m glad to see the monuments receive the emphasis they need and deserve.