*EPF105 12/11/00
Text: Commerce Secretary Mineta on Coral Reef Preservation
(Announces four initiatives to protect coral reefs) (1700)

Decrying the destruction of coral reefs, U.S. Commerce Secretary Norman Mineta December 11 highlighted four efforts to prevent damage and better preserve coral reefs.

Mineta characterized the damage to coral reefs as a crisis.

"We cannot continue to count on coral reefs to support billions of dollars in recreation and tourism, while at the same time allowing them to be devastated by pollution, coastal development, and over fishing," he said.

The four coral reef preservation initiatives are:

-- Creation of the Tortugas Ecological Reserve, encompassing a coral reef wilderness at the southern tip of Florida;

-- Approval by the International Maritime Organization of the first internationally recognized "no anchoring" zone for large ships in designated coral reef areas;

-- A new collaboration between the U.S. and Australia to study coral reef bleaching; and

-- The ongoing work of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force, in place since 1998 to lead government efforts to protect and manage reef ecosystems.

Secretary Mineta also emphasized how every citizen can help advance the cause of reef preservation by insisting upon environmentally sustainable practices from commercial enterprises that tap reef resources.

Mineta's statement came as the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force issued a report on its progress implementing the National Action Plan for protection of these ocean ecosystems.

Following is the text of Mineta's remarks, as prepared for delivery:

(begin text)

Remarks by Secretary of Commerce Norman Y. Mineta

Responses to the Global Coral Reef Crisis

December 11, 2000

Washington, D.C.

[As Prepared For Delivery]

I want to thank Dr. (Clive) Wilkinson (global coordinator of the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network) for authoring this important new report. Your efforts to increase monitoring of coral reefs have been outstanding. It is shocking that two-thirds of the world's reefs may be dying, and that 30 percent of the world's reefs are already gone.

This coral reef crisis is not just something happening in far away places. It is also happening right here at home. Many U.S. reefs are in serious shape.

In Florida, some reefs have lost over 95 percent of their coral since 1975. Even under ideal conditions, it would take more than a human lifetime for these reefs to recover.

And over the past 20 years, some of Hawaii's most common reef fish have decreased in number by 60 percent.

We cannot continue to count on coral reefs to support billions of dollars in recreation and tourism, while at the same time allowing them to be devastated by pollution, coastal development, and over fishing.

We cannot continue to count on jobs and food from coral reef fisheries, while allowing destruction of the habitats that these fish need to feed and reproduce.

We cannot continue to expect coral reefs to defend coastal communities from pounding waves and storms, while allowing the living coral walls to be crushed by boats and anchors.

Obviously, the loss of reefs threatens our economic prosperity. It also undercuts the promise of medical cures that may come from the vast biodiversity of our coral reef ecosystems.

Yet while we are discovering potentially lifesaving medicines, we are also finding new diseases that are killing the corals themselves.

Today, I am very pleased to highlight four new U.S. efforts to address the coral reef crisis. Before I do, I want to make very clear that our future success in stemming and reversing the coral reef crisis depends on strong partnerships. These partners include government and private organizations -- here at home and abroad.

Now for some good news for coral reef conservation. First, I am very pleased to announce the release of the final plan to establish the Tortugas Ecological Reserve. This new Reserve will protect a spectacular coral reef wilderness at the southern tip of the Florida Keys. At 151 square nautical miles, the reserve will be among the largest no-take areas in the world.

The lush coral reefs of the Tortugas are some of the healthiest in the United States. This area is upstream from all other coral reefs in the Florida Keys, making it a critically important nursery area that "seeds" the rest of the Florida Keys.

Release of the final Tortugas Reserve Plan is an historic milestone for this community-led effort. During the past two years, NOAA has worked with local commercial and recreational fishing interests, divers, scientists, conservationists, fishery management councils, federal agencies, the State of Florida, and citizens. Implementation of the Tortugas Ecological Reserve is pending final approval by the State of Florida.

The locally-driven and fully open process that developed the Tortugas Ecological Reserve Plan is an excellent model for how to design and establish marine protected areas by involving the full array of stakeholders.

Second, I am pleased to announce that last week, the International Maritime Organization -- the world's governing body for international shipping -- approved a U.S. proposal to establish the first internationally recognized "no anchoring" zones for large ships.

The IMO's actions will allow all nations to protect sensitive habitats by marking these areas on all international navigational charts. The first "no anchoring" zones will protect U.S. coral reefs within the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in the Gulf of Mexico.

Anchors can do serious damage to coral reefs. Large ship anchors are usually bigger than cars. And much of the damage is actually caused by the anchor chain sweeping back and forth -- crushing the reef in its path as the ship moves on the surface with waves and wind.

This brief video shows the awful damage that anchors can do.

As you can see, an anchor can destroy in seconds thousands of years of coral reef growth.

With strong support from the shipping industry, many other nations and the International Maritime Organization, ship pilots will be directed to safe anchorage areas away from the coral reefs.

I especially want to thank the Chamber of Shipping of America and their colleagues in the shipping industry for their support.

My third announcement concerns achieving a better understanding of the major threats to coral reefs. Today the United States and Australia will sign an important agreement to study coral reef bleaching and the effects of climate change on coral reefs.

This is a critical area of research. Beginning in 1997, coral reefs all over the world began turning white or "bleaching," a sign that the corals were under very serious stress.

Dr. Wilkinson's report concludes that the 1998 bleaching event destroyed approximately 16 percent of the world's reefs in just nine months, and in some parts of the western Pacific, 90 percent of the shallow corals were lost.

The new collaboration between U.S. and Australian scientists will improve our understanding of the causes, consequences -- and possible solutions -- to these global threats to coral reefs.

Finally, I want to acknowledge the leadership and accomplishments of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force, and the numerous organizations working to sustain our reefs.

In response to the growing coral reef crisis, President Clinton established the Coral Reef Task Force in 1998 to lead U.S. government efforts to protect and manage reef ecosystems. The Task Force includes the heads of eleven federal agencies and the Governors of seven states and territories.

In May, the Task Force unveiled the first-ever U.S. National Action Plan for Coral Reef Conservation. The plan is a detailed roadmap for what the U.S. must do to address the most pressing threats to coral reefs.

Since May, Task Force members working with many non-governmental partners have made significant progress in implementing the National Action Plan, as highlighted in its new status report.

I am very pleased that several members of the Task Force could be here to answer questions about their important efforts. Special thanks go to Lelei Peau, Deputy Director of the America Samoan Department of Commerce, for coming so far to represent the state and territory members of the Task Force. These important partners are on the front lines in protecting our coral reefs.

I would like to end with one final point: Everyone has a role to play in protecting coral reefs. Individual citizens can do many things to get involved. We can participate in reef clean-ups. We can help monitor coral reef health. We can help prevent pollution and boat anchors from destroying reefs. And one of the most important things we can do, is be informed consumers.

The Coral Reef Task Force has found that the U.S. is the world's number one importer of coral and coral reef fish. We love coral reefs so much, we import coral reef species to have in our aquarium, on our coffee tables, and as jewelry.

Before we buy coral reef products, each of us should ask if the products were collected in ecologically sound and sustainable ways. Next time we go on a dive trip to coral reefs, ask what the operator does to be sure that they are not harming the reefs they depend on. By being informed consumers, we can help protect coral reefs.

The World Wildlife Fund, the Coral Reef Alliance, the National Geographic Society, the Professional Association of Dive Instructors, and the Marine Aquarium Council are leading efforts to get people involved in protecting coral reefs. The Commerce Department and NOAA look forward to continuing to work together with our partners to ensure the survival of the world's coral reefs.

When I became Commerce Secretary in July, I set the establishment of a new ocean ethic as one of my prime objectives. I believed the President's direction to further ocean exploration and conservation was right and important as we decided the future agenda of this country. Technology has created a whole new set of opportunities to dive deeper, discover new species, and share this information more widely, more quickly, and in more detail. I wanted to be sure that future Secretaries of Commerce will include ocean stewardship among their top priorities.

Today's announcements -- as well as our previous ocean accomplishments -- go a long way toward realizing my goal and marking a new era of ocean conservation and exploration. Thank you.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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