Recent Coral Publications

Below is a sampling of publications generated by NOAA’s coral ecosystem activities. To access a complete list of NOAA coral ecosystem related publications, use the Coral Data & Publications (http://coris.noaa.gov/data/) search tool.

Proceedings of the International Workshop on Red Coral Science, Management, and Trade: Lessons from the Mediterranean

The International Workshop on Red Coral Science, Management, and Trade: Lessons from the Mediterranean was convened September 23-26, 2009 in Naples, Italy. Hosted by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Environment and NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program, the workshop provided an opportunity to discuss the best available science on the natural history of Mediterranean red coral (Corallium rubrum L.) as well as how it is managed throughout the region and utilized around the world. Attendees included scientists, managers, representatives of the coral fishery, manufacturing industries, policy makers, and environmental organizations from Europe, Africa, Asia, and North America. The workshop involved presentations on the biology, taxonomy, and status of populations, fisheries, existing management approaches, trade and other and threats, uses of Corallium, and major markets.

Report to Congress on the Implementation of the Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program 2008-2009

In 2010, NOAA released the second biennial Report to Congress and the public on the Implementation of the Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program 2008-2009. The report, prepared in consultation with the Regional Fishery Management Councils, summarizes activities initiated with fiscal year 2009 Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program funding. It also presents a brief synopsis of additional conservation actions that have taken place since the first Report to Congress was submitted in 2008.

Determining Thermal Capacitance for Protected Area Network Design in Palau

In 2003, NOAA and the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) joined forces with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the Palau Government to produce a heat stress model for use in protected areas network (PAN) planning for Palau’s coral reef ecosystems and to identify factors that might confer resilience to climate change. The work described in this Technical Report represents an important new tool for Marine Protected Area (MPA) design. Physical variables to build resilience against climate change and, in particular, coral bleaching are incorporated into MPA design. This project demonstrated that a simplistic physical model can be used to improve MPA planning to incorporate resilience against future coral bleaching events.

NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Integrated Observing System (CREIOS) Workshops Report

The workshop involved presentations on the biology, taxonomy, and status of populations; fisheries; existing management approaches; trade and other threats; uses of Corallium and major markets; possible conservation measures including a CITES listing; and detailed country reports. This information, plus the working group tasks and reports, are included here in the Proceedings of the First International Workshop on Corallium Science, Management, and Trade. 

Proceedings of the First International Workshop on Corallium Science, Management, and Trade

The NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) conducted two regional workshops in Hawaii (2008) and Puerto Rico (2009) to address its Coral Reef Ecosystem Integrated Observing System (CREIOS). NOAA scientists with technical expertise in mapping and monitoring coral reef ecosystems met with resource managers and local scientists from all U.S. coral reef jurisdictions, as well as representatives from Federal agencies and Fishery Management Councils.

Coral Health and Disease in the Pacific: Vision for Action

Recognizing the need for a strategic plan of action to combat a health crisis for Pacific Reefs, the Coral Disease and Health Consortium (CDHC) convened a workshop to help organize and coordinate a scientific effort focused specifically on coral health issues in the Pacific. The goal was to develop an action plan that would enable regional scientific efforts to detect, identify, characterize, and manage coral diseases in the Pacific.

Field Manual for Investigating Coral Disease Outbreaks

The Field Manual for Investigating Coral Disease Outbreaks is intended to serve as an operational guide to coordinate effective, informative responses by outbreak response teams to unusual incidents of coral disease or mortalities. It was developed as an aid to provide context and consistency for outbreak investigations and to help train coral disease outbreak response teams so that coordinated response operations can be executed.

Coral Reef Habitat Assessment for U.S. Marine Protected Areas

NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) partnered with the National MPA Center to obtain accurate digital boundaries for MPA sites in the five U.S. Coral Territories, Hawaii, and Florida from the Dry Tortugas to Biscayne Bay. This analysis is part of an ongoing effort by the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) to evaluate protection levels of coral reefs within Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and quantify the area of U.S. coral reef ecosystems protected in no-take reserves. It built upon information from the National MPA Center's Inventory of Marine Managed Areas (MMAs) and demonstrated that the percentage of coral reef ecosystem resources in MPAs and no-take MPAs varies dramatically by location.

Demographic Baseline Report of U.S. Territories and Counties Adjacent to Coral Reef Habitats

This report compiles and synthesizes information from existing sources focusing on recent demographic, economic, and population projection variables of each area’s resident population. Statistics and maps showing the extent of coral habitats in relation to these populations is also presented.

Proceedings of the International Cyanide Detection Testing Workshop

The Proceedings of the International Cyanide Detection Testing Workshop summarizes the outcomes of the workshop, including summary recommendations, working group reports, abstracts and white papers from speakers, and background information on cyanide fisheries.

Report to Congress on the Implementation of the Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program

In 2008, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released the first report to Congress on the Implementation of the Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program, called for in the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act of 2006 (MSRA).

Status of Caribbean Coral Reefs after Bleaching and Hurricanes in 2005

Produced by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN), this is a report from 70 coral reef scientists and managers documenting what happened to coral reefs due to the bleaching events and tropical storms of 2005.

Coral Disease and Health Workshop: Coral Histopathology II

The coral histopathology workshop was convened to establish a framework to systematically study coral pathologies by drawing upon the field of diagnostic medicine and pathology while using generally accepted nomenclature.

The State of Deep Coral Ecosystems of the United States

The State of Deep Coral Ecosystems of the United States provides an up-to-date assessment of deep coral ecosystems in U.S. waters including: the biology of deep corals and their associated species, their spatial distribution, the stressors that may threaten their survival, current management measures, and regional priorities for future research.

NOAA's Coral Reef Ecosystem Research Plan for Fiscal Years 2007 to 2011

The NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Research Plan is NOAA’s first agency-wide coral reef ecosystem research plan. Covering all coral reef ecosystems under the jurisdiction of the U.S. and Pacific Freely Associated States, the plan provides a national perspective on the research needed to address the range of stresses affecting the health of coral reef ecosystems, summarizes the management and other issues that will drive research at the regional level, and focuses on the use of research to guide effective implementation of ecosystem-based management strategies.

A Reef Manager’s Guide to Coral Bleaching

The Reef Manager’s Guide provides information on the causes and consequences of coral bleaching, and management strategies to help local and regional reef managers reduce this threat to coral reef ecosystems.

A National Coral Reef Action Strategy: Report to Congress (2002)

In September 2002, NOAA, in cooperation with the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force, released a report to Congress entitled A National Coral Reef Action Strategy. This document provides a nation-wide status report implementation of the National Action Plan and the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000.

Implementation of the National Coral Reef Action Strategy: Report to Congress (2005)

The first of the biennial progress reports required by the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 was released by NOAA in July 2005. Developed in cooperation with the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force, the report to Congress, entitled Implementation of the National Coral Reef Action Strategy: Report on the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Activities from 2002-2003, provides an update on activities undertaken to implement the National Coral Reef Action Strategy.

Implementation of the National Coral Reef Action Strategy: Report to Congress (2008)

The second biennial progress reports required by the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 was released by NOAA in June 2008. Developed in cooperation with the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force, the report to Congress, entitled Implementation of the National Coral Reef Action Strategy: Report on the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Activities from 2004-2006, provides an update on activities undertaken to implement the National Coral Reef Action Strategy.(top)