BACKGROUND

The global risk to coral reefs continues to grow and under the status quo, coral reefs continue to decline at alarming rates. In a phrase, “we are not winning the war.” This situation challenges us to establish the most effective way of working together to achieve priority natural resource management outcomes–to affect positive change in our coral reef ecosystems.

INTRODUCTION

One of the AIC’s two overarching priorities is strengthening and improving integration between federal and jurisdictional partners in the management and conservation of our nation’s coral reefs. This priority is mirrored in goal #3 of our Strategic Plan for 2016-2020, which states, “Jurisdiction, FAS [Freely Associated States], and AIC feedback and priorities integrated into decisions made by the USCRTF [U.S. Coral Reef Task Force], federal agencies, and other decision makers towards resource-focused outcomes.”

CURRENT STATUS

We realize that the road towards meeting that goal successfully is a long one, but we are committed and well on our way. Here are two current efforts underway:

1) NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP)-Jurisdictions Integrated Partnership Building

The intent of this effort, which began in 2015, is to look beyond existing processes and develop a more targeted and successful planning and prioritization process that maximizes resources, efficiencies, and expertise, improves communications, transparency, and collaboration, and builds trust and respect. For more information, download our 1-pager (PDF, 475 KB).

2) Increasing federal-jurisdiction integration within the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF)

With the Task Force’s strategic planning effort currently underway and an increased focus on outcomes at the resource level, there is a need for a strengthened and more effective federal-jurisdictional partnership, and greater integration across the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF). This tenet is included in two new Task Force documents: Resolution 34.1 and the USCRTF Strategy, FY2016-2020.

(top)