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 Photos Copyright: Jennifer Podis
A recent study found that our natural and artificial reefs generate $4.4 billion in economic benefits annually to Southeast Florida, including $505 million in benefits to Palm Beach County. It was very clear from this study that reefs play a key role in the local economies and need to be managed to maintain this benefit. Unfortunately local reefs have been declining over time and this is particularly evident based on recurrent algae blooms. Improved reef management is essential for protecting this important natural economic resource. Coincidentally, an effort was underway to improve the management of reefs in the United States. Background: In 1998, the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (CRTF) was established by Presidential Executive Order. Chaired by Secretaries of Commerce and Interior, the CRTF is composed of heads of 11 federal agencies and 7 governors of states, territories and commonwealths. In 2000, the Coral Reef Conservation Act was adopted, and among other things, this Act mandated National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to provide funding for initiating local level efforts for coral reef protection. In October 2002, the CRTF met in Puerto Rico and passed a resolution aimed to improve implementation of the National Action Plan to Conserve Coral Reefs. This resolution identified problems for implementation and recommended solutions. Among these recommendations were to develop Local Action Strategies. 
In May 2003, a group of interagency marine resource professionals (state, regional, local and federal) familiar with the Southeast Florida coral reefs north of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary met in Davie, Florida, to begin a local effort. The purpose of this "Local Action Strategy" (LAS) is to develop a 3-year plan of proposals that are strategic, focusing on a few specific issues, rather than comprehensive, for collaborative action among the local, state, and federal agencies and all interested individuals. Ultimately, specific projects will be developed that can be implemented in the three-year time period, targeting either causes or effects of problems affecting local coral reef ecosystems. This is not to be another document to collect dust on a shelf. 
Southeast Florida Action Strategy Team: The team, named Southeast Florida Action Strategy Team (SEFAST) chose to address 4 focus areas, as follows:
The first draft LAS was introduced at a publicly-noticed stakeholders' meeting held in Davie in May. Subsequently, additional stakeholders' meetings were held in West Palm Beach and in Broward County. After each public meeting the focus groups met to revisit their document and incorporate comments received from stakeholders, and after the December, 2003, public meeting, the focus group met to also prioritize the issues for funding. This draft LAS and priorities was presented to the CRTF at their meeting in February of this year in Washington. Recognizing the importance of this effort and the necessity for closer coordination, DEP relocated the Coral Reef Program Manager position to Miami, and Chantal Collier was brought aboard from California in the late summer to head up the SEFAST efforts. First Year Projects: Initial funding from NOAA and DEP became available in October of this year to begin the first priority projects. The funded projects that are beginning are as follows: Awareness and Appreciation: The first priority for this focus group is to inventory existing coral reef outreach and education programs and products so as to not duplicate efforts of other organizations and agencies. In conjunction with that, the group will conduct a needs assessment using a representative sample of Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Martin County citizens to identify effective messages and tools to help determine where eduaction and outreach efforts should be focused. Using the results of the inventory and needs assessment, an educational campaign targeting elected officials, divers, fishers, boaters, and visitors in the four-county area will be developed and implemented.  Fishing, Diving and Other Uses: This focus group's project will be to survey the laws and regulations pertaining to reef protection and also survey the compliance and enforcement efforts and results by the regulatory agencies responsible for implementing the existing laws/regulations. This information should help direct further efforts toward increasing staffing and resources for compliance/enforcement, modifying agency focus, and/or rule making.  Land-Based Sources of Pollution: This focus group's effort must start at the bottom by finding out: 1) what water quality data for the reefs exist; 2) what data identifying links between pollution and reef community impacts exists; and 3) what agencies/programs address this topic. Also, developing and instituting an appropriate and consistent water quality monitoring program throughout the 4-county area must begin as soon as possible. Compiling all of this information will allow for the development of a mass budget for pollution inflow. As sources and relative contributions are identified, future projects will be designed to reduce pollution at its source, with the largest contributors being the highest priority. This will be an opportunity to share information and resources with the federal CERP project which is intended to reduce freshwater discharges and improve water quality.  Maritime Industry and Coastal Construction Impacts: This group is implementing 3 projects. One project parallels the Fishing, Diving group's project in looking at laws/regulations and compliance/enforcement efforts but slanted more towards construction projects, such as, beach construction, dredge and fill, beach nourishment. These 2 priority projects will be dovetailed in implementation. Another project for this group is to develop a more effective process to immediately salvage corals, etc. after a disaster event has occurred, such as a ship grounding. The third project is to identify innovative technologies, construction practices and procedures that minimize reef impacts and to develop some standardized criteria/methods for mitigation. What's Next? Implementation of the first year's priority projects began in October, 2004 when funds became available. In addition, SEFAST members met in October and again after the public meeting held in November, 2004, to prioritize and budget projects for years 2 and 3 and to finalize the Local Action Strategy. Palm Beach County ERM staff has participated in this effort from the beginning and will continue involvement in most of the projects and considers the Land-Based Sources of Pollution to be the highest priority. You may access the SEFAST documents and project descriptions, the most current and past versions, at DEP's web site on: www.dep.state.fl.us/coastal/, and you can still provide comments on these documents to: coral@dep.state.fl.us. For more information on the CRTF, visit www.coralreef.gov/. Other links: |
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 Coastal Resources |
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Lakes,
Estuaries and Lagoons |
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Mosquito Control |
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Natural Areas |
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Permitting and Regulation |
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