T he nation's 12 National Marine Sanctuaries are "beginning to demonstrate notable successes in protecting valuable parts of the ocean," according to a report released by the National Academy of Public Administration. But "some sanctuaries are still without enough resources, authority, or community support to protect their valuable marine environments."
Protecting Our National Marine Sanctuaries is the first independent assessment of the National Marine Sanctuary Program, based on field interviews at all 12 sanctuaries, at NOAA headquarters and with over 200 divers, fishermen, teachers, scientists, community leaders, and agency officials. For 25 years, the program has protected delicate ecosystems and historical sites along U.S. coastlines. Today, it protects 18,000-square miles of ocean along the Florida Keys, California, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Washington, Hawaii and American Samoa.
The report says that the sanctuary program is "fundamentally well conceived" and that sanctuaries are finding "new and more effective ways to establish a physical presence on the water, establish and enforce regulations, nourish public understanding of the sites and the threats they face, and encourage research." Despite many successes, the program is "far from fulfilling its potential," and needs to "focus attention on results rather than on process." And it must reverse an unnecessary and unproductive posture of fearing a strong sanctuary advisory council." The program has had a tiny budget with only a few staff members at many sites. It is buried inside an organization (NOAA) with "very different traditions, constituencies, and culture" than the sanctuaries' "place-based, comprehensive civic approach."
The next steps for the sanctuary program, the report states, are to reach out more confidently to communities to:
The program also needs more funding and "more competent performance." Congress approved a budget increase from $14 to $23 million for fiscal year 2000, plus $3 million for visitor centers and other improvements. For 2001, the administration is requesting $35 million.
The report is by Dewitt John, director of the Academy's Center for the Economy and the Environment under the direction of an expert panel chaired by Jonathan Howes of the University of North Carolina, with Jerry Schubel, President of the New England Aquarium, Professor John Kirlin of Indiana University, and Nancy Tosta, a consultant. Protecting our Marine Sanctuaries, Order #00-01, is published by the National Academy of Public Administration. Copies may be purchased for $20 plus shipping by calling NAPA publications at (301) 617-7801.
Editor's Notes: With 33 full time employees and an annual budget of $2.5 million, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary has the largest staff and budget of all in the U.S. Reef Relief staff and scientists met with Dewitt John and appreciate this work. His profile on the FKNMS notes that "Virtually everyone in the Keys agrees that conditions at the coral reefs....have gotten steadily worse over the years. There are fewer fish, more diseases in the coral, and fewer days of crystal clear water. The sanctuary staff is working hard to deliver what it has promised and win public acceptance by moving beyond the six years of controversy (which everyone agrees was too long) into a phase of focusing on action."
To date, the sanctuary has established fines for anchoring violations and litigated large ship groundings; created the Area to be Avoided through the International Maritime Organization to keep large ships off the reef, and established no-take zones marked with yellow buoys, enforced by the Florida Marine Patrol officers. The US EPA has funded research through the Water Quality Protection Program and this year, dedicated funding for a sewage treatment facility in a hot spot in Marathon.
John acknowledges "Staff at NOAA headquarters and in the sanctuary have invested a great deal of time in extensive interagency coordination for the South Florida ecosystem." Yet the $7.3 billion plan to restore water quality and flows in South Florida and the Everglades, "does not fully address the causes of the problems at the reef, and it is unlikely that any of the $7.3 billion will find its way to the Keys. In short, lots of planning about water quality but little action yet."
In addition, he notes that "The management plan that it took so long to write was not really a strategic plan; it did not set priorities or define a clear approach to handling the sanctuary's many responsibilities." There is no joy in telling you we told you so. Hopefully, the credibility of this publication and its sponsor, the National Academy of Public Administration, will lead to a new appraisal that will manage to protect our ailing coral reefs.
F or over two months, we cruised with a Sun Mar dry composting toilet aboard our new sailboat Magic Dragon. It was always a delight when locals found out that at least one of the cruising boats wasn't crapping in their waters. The bottom line about any toilet is that they stink. It's not that the toilet stinks, it's what we put in them that stinks. This understood, it's not hard to imagine the challenge of containing one's waste material in a container, with an open lid, (a toilet seat covers the opening), in the small bathroom (head) on a boat. For a house boat or for a boat at the dock, composting toilets work perfect. For cruising it is another story, not impossible, just call yourself "Norton" and get into it.
We successfully cruised for two months experiencing the good and bad of living with a composting toilet and I'm not ready to "deep six" it yet. There are smells, leaks, and flies to deal with, but keep in mind that the composting system has a lot of room for improvement. The satisfaction of not dumping overboard is worth every bit of hassle that we encountered. We did eliminate a lot of them as we learned more about composting.
The big fear of smell inside the boat is unfounded if the exhaust fan is kept running constantly (drawing about four watts). On a boat with a large battery bank this is no problem. Solar or wind generators can handle this electrical draw on boats with alternative systems.
Smell outside of the boat is another story. The "start up" period for composting takes up to two weeks and this is when the smell is the strongest. Using enzymes, composting boosters, and a carbon filter in the exhaust system will reduce the smell during "start up" to a level that is not offensive. I am going to install one or two small ozone producers in the system, increasing the amount of O2 in the "hold", which will speed up the composting and help to eliminate odors.
Flies are a definite problem for the composting system. Finely ground up sea shells added to the mulch seemed to work best in eliminating the flies. Commercial brands of fly spray work well when sprayed into the air intake ports on the toilet, but are not absolutely necessary. Eliminating all of the liquids in the lower unit of the toilet reduces the fly problem as well. This was accomplished by pumping the liquid into an onboard holding tank before each sail; this also stopped any sloshing of liquids in the composter while underway (very important).
Installing an extension on the deck exhaust pipe (to be used while at the dock or at anchor) will help to increase the air flow in the system which will speed up the evaporation process.
Although not perfect, a cruising couple with a large enough vessel should consider joining the composting revolution. In the two months that we were in the Abacos, we heard a few horror stories about leaking holding tanks and broken toilets convincing me that with a few improvements, composting will become very popular.
Editors Note: SunMar dry composting toilets are available through the Reef Relief Environmental Store and cost under $1000. There are several designs and we will gladly send interested parties a catalog. Plans are underway to add this information to our website. To request a catalog today email us at: reef@bellsouth.net
I n 1997, Reef Relief's Craig and DeeVon Quirolo traveled to the Bay Islands of Honduras to work with the Guanaja Tourism Association to install 35 reef mooring buoys to protect the lush coral reefs that surround the island.
It was two years ago that Hurricane Floyd centered over the island for two days, virtually removing the rainforest canopy of this mountainous island and destroying the small settlements and resorts. Since that time, islanders have been rebuilding and Bayman Bay Club even sponsored Mission Guanaja to coordinate the recovery program.
|
Recently, Reef Relief received a request from Master Diver Giovanni, who is now President of the Tourism Association. The buoy program is in desperate need of a small workboat and the buoys are in need of a thorough maintenance and upgrading, although most of them weathered the storm. Reef Relief is willing to spearhead the effort, but we are asking interested parties to help us find someone willing to donate a small workboat and an outboard engine, plus funds for buoy components and supplies. |
Click Here to view Guanaja Reef Mooring Buoy Chart in English.
Click Here to view Guanaja Reef Mooring Buoy Chart in Spanish.
For further information, contact: Reef Relief
A s we go to press, the struggle by the people of the small Puerto Rican island of Viegues against the U.S. Navy continues. To date, over 200 protestors have been arrested for peaceful demonstrations. The island, except for a small corridor where people live, has been a training site for the military and our invitees from other countries for decades. Last year violence erupted when a civilian was included in the bombing casualties. Despite parades of hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans from all sectors of civilian society demonstrating opposition to the continued use of the site, President Clinton stepped in only to say that he will allow the use to continue with mock bombs until a referendum can be held once he is out of office. Of course, the deal is sweetened with promises of a million dollar payoff to the locals if they vote to allow the military testing to continue.
Dr. James Porter–Un-Ga. and others have surveyed the area, which contains some of the most pristine coral reefs in Puerto Rico. Their recommendations were not enough. Our concern is that the U.S. Navy is willing to sacrifice the esteem of the public, threaten the health and well-being of Puerto Ricans, and destroy very live coral bottom. This area is the largest sea turtle nesting site in Puerto Rico, and habitat to sperm whales and other marine mammals in addition to the coral reefs. It doesn't make sense. Especially since the President's U.S. Coral Reef Task Force is supposed to be promoting coral reef protection. Kudos to all involved in the struggle, including CORALation's Mary Ann Lucking, who continues to deliver vivid images of the ongoing battle to coral reef activists around the world in the hope that we will all take a stand against this nonsense.
To view related BBC news online:
Please register your opposition by writing
today to:
President Clinton
The White House
Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, D.C.
For more information you may contact Mary Ann Lucking, Project Coordinator for CORALations, by email at: corals@caribe.net
