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Branch of
Environmental Assessment (BEA)
Executive
Order 13089 - Coral Reef Protection
President Clinton issued Executive Order (E.O.) 13089 (63
FR 32701-32703 (1998)) on Coral Reef Protection on
June 11, 1998, as part of the Monterey National Ocean
Conference. The order established the interagency
U.S. Coral Reef Task Force, co-chaired by the Secretary of
the Interior and the Secretary of Commerce through the
Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration. The U.S. Coral Reef Task Force is charged
with developing and implementing a comprehensive program of
research and mapping to inventory, monitor, and “identify
the major causes and consequences of degradation of coral
reef ecosystems.” The first meeting of the Task Force was
October 19-21, 1998 at Biscayne Bay National Park.
The Order also directs Federal Agencies to expand their own
research, preservation, and restoration efforts.
The MMS carries out the mission of E.O. 13089 by
supporting directed research and developing proper
mitigation measures in order to protect these fragile and
biologically rich ecosystems.
E.O. 13089 - Other MMS-Sponsored Studies Related to Coral
Reefs
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Larval Dispersal: The MMS is
supporting a study of the long-distance dispersal of
coral larvae originating from the Flower Garden Banks by
plotting water movement and circulation patterns using
satellite-tracked buoys. Information from this study
will be used to evaluate the potential role of the
Flower Garden Banks as a larval source for coral reefs
in the waters off Florida and Mexico.
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Effects of an Oil Spill on Coral Reefs: The MMS
supported a study of the effects of spilled crude oil on
coral reefs following the accidental rupture of a
storage tank at a coastal refinery in Bahia Las Minas,
Panama. This 5-year study examined affected habitats
along more than 80 km of oiled shore, including coral
reefs. A general decline in the health of coral reefs
at control sites was observed during this study. This
was consistent with trends observed across the
Caribbean. |
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