16 U.S.C. § 6403

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Current through P.L. 118-106 (published on www.congress.gov on 10/04/2024)

Section 6403 - National coral reef resilience strategy

(a) In general

The Administrator shall-

(1) not later than 2 years after December 23, 2022, develop a national coral reef resilience strategy; and

(2) review and revise the strategy-

(A) not less frequently than once every 15 years;

(B) not less frequently than once every 5 years, in the case of guidance on best practices under subsection (b)(4); and

(C) as appropriate.

(b) Elements

The strategy required by subsection (a) shall include the following:

(1) A discussion addressing-

(A) continuing and emerging threats to the resilience of United States coral reef ecosystems;

(B) remaining gaps in coral reef ecosystem research, monitoring, and assessment;

(C) the status of management cooperation and integration among Federal reef managers and covered reef managers;

(D) the status of efforts to manage and disseminate critical information, and enhance interjurisdictional data sharing, related to research, reports, data sets, and maps;

(E) areas of special focus, which may include-

(i) improving natural coral recruitment;

(ii) preventing avoidable losses of corals and their habitat;

(iii) enhancing the resilience of coral populations;

(iv) supporting a resilience-based management approach;

(v) developing, coordinating, and implementing watershed management plans;

(vi) building and sustaining watershed management capacity at the local level;

(vii) providing data essential for coral reef fisheries management;

(viii) building capacity for coral reef fisheries management;

(ix) increasing understanding of coral reef ecosystem services;

(x) educating the public on the importance of coral reefs, threats and solutions; and

(xi) evaluating intervention efficacy;

(F) the status of conservation efforts, including the use of marine protected areas to serve as replenishment zones developed consistent with local practices and traditions and in cooperation with, and with respect for the scientific, technical, and management expertise and responsibilities of, covered reef managers;

(G) science-based adaptive management and restoration efforts; and

(H) management of coral reef emergencies and disasters.

(2) A statement of national goals and objectives designed to guide-

(A) future Federal coral reef management and restoration activities authorized under section 6402 of this title;

(B) conservation and restoration priorities for grants awarded under section 6410 of this title; and

(C) research priorities for the reef research coordination institutes designated under section 6412(b)(1)(B)¹ of this title.

(3) A designation of priority areas for conservation, and priority areas for restoration, to support the review and approval of grants under section 6410(e) of this title.

(4) Technical assistance in the form of general templates for use by covered reef managers and Federal reef managers to guide the development of coral reef action plans under section 6404 of this title, including guidance on the best science-based practices to respond to coral reef emergencies that can be included in coral reef action plans.

(c) Consultations

In developing all elements of the strategy required by subsection (a), the Administrator shall-

(1) consult with the Secretary of the Interior, the Task Force, covered States, and covered Native entities;

(2) consult with the Secretary of Defense, as appropriate;

(3) engage stakeholders, including covered States, coral reef stewardship partnerships, reef research institutes and research centers described in section 6412¹ of this title, and recipients of grants under section 6410 of this title; and

(4) solicit public review and comment regarding scoping and the draft strategy.

(d) Submission to Congress; publication

The Administrator shall-

(1) submit the strategy required by subsection (a) and any revisions to the strategy to the appropriate congressional committees; and

(2) publish the strategy and any such revisions on public websites of-

(A) the Coral Reef Conservation Program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and

(B) the Task Force.

¹See References in Text note below.

16 U.S.C. § 6403

Pub. L. 106-562, title II, §204, as added Pub. L. 117-263 title C, §10001(a), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3933.

EDITORIAL NOTES

REFERENCES IN TEXTSection 6412 of this title, referred to in subsecs. (b)(2)(C) and (c)(3), probably should be a reference to section 6411 of this title which relates to reef research coordination institutes and coral reef research centers. Subsec. (b)(1)(B) of section 6412 of this title probably should be a reference to section 6411(a)(1) of this title which requires the designation of reef research coordination institutes. Section 6412(b) does not contain a par. (1)(B).

PRIOR PROVISIONSA prior section 6403,Pub. L. 106-562, title II, §2046403,, 114 Stat. 2801, related to coral reef conservation program, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 117-263 title C, §10001(a), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3931.

Administrator: The term "Administrator" means the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
National Coral Reef Resilience Strategy: The term "National Coral Reef Resilience Strategy" means the National Coral Reef Resilience Strategy in effect under section 6403 of this title.
Secretary: The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Commerce.
Task Force: The term "Task Force" means the United States Coral Reef Task Force established under section 6451 of this title.1So in original. A closing parenthesis probably should precede the period.
appropriate congressional committees: The term "appropriate congressional committees" means the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives.
conservation: The term "conservation" means the use of methods and procedures necessary to preserve or sustain native corals and associated species as diverse, viable, and self-perpetuating coral reef ecosystems with minimal impacts from invasive species, including-(A) all activities associated with resource management, such as monitoring, assessment, protection, restoration, sustainable use, management of habitat, and maintenance or augmentation of genetic diversity;(B) mapping;(C) scientific expertise and technical assistance in the development and implementation of management strategies for marine protected areas and marine resources required by Federal law;(D) law enforcement;(E) conflict resolution initiatives;(F) community outreach and education; and(G) promotion of safe and ecologically sound navigation and anchoring.
coral reef ecosystem services: The term "coral reef ecosystem services" means the attributes and benefits provided by coral reef ecosystems including-(A) protection of coastal beaches, structures, and infrastructure;(B) habitat for organisms of economic, ecological, biomedical, medicinal, and cultural value;(C) serving as centers for the promulgation, performance, and training of cultural practices representative of traditional ecological knowledge; and(D) aesthetic value.
coral reef ecosystem: The term "coral reef ecosystem" means-(A) corals and other geographically and ecologically associated marine communities of other reef organisms (including reef plants and animals) associated with coral reef habitat; and(B) the biotic and abiotic factors and processes that control or significantly affect coral calcification rates, tissue growth, reproduction, recruitment, abundance, coral-algal symbiosis, and biodiversity in such habitat.
coral reef: The term "coral reef" means calcium carbonate structures in the form of a reef or shoal, composed in whole or in part by living coral, skeletal remains of coral, crustose coralline algae, and other associated sessile marine plants and animals.
coral: The term "coral" means species of the phylum Cnidaria, including-(A) all species of the orders Antipatharia (black corals), Scleractinia (stony corals), Alcyonacea (soft corals, organ pipe corals, gorgonians), and Helioporacea (blue coral), of the class Anthozoa; and(B) all species of the order Anthoathecata (fire corals and other hydrocorals) of the class Hydrozoa.
resilience: The term "resilience" means the capacity for corals within their native range, coral reefs, or coral reef ecosystems to resist and recover from natural and human disturbances, and maintain structure and function to provide coral reef ecosystem services, as determined by clearly identifiable, measurable, and science-based standards.
restoration: The term "restoration" means the use of methods and procedures necessary to enhance, rehabilitate, recreate, or create a functioning coral reef or coral reef ecosystem, in whole or in part, within suitable waters of the historical geographic range of such ecosystems, to provide ecological, economic, cultural, or coastal resiliency services associated with healthy coral reefs and benefit native populations of coral reef organisms.