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U.S. Department of the Interior:
Protecting the Nation's Coral Reefs

  • The Department of the Interior
  • US Fish & Wildlife Service
  • National Park Service
  • US Geological Survey
  • Office of Insular Affairs
  • Minerals Management Service
  • Conclusion/Contacts

    The Department of the Interior

    Coral reefs and associated seagrass and mangrove communities are among the most biologically complex and diverse ecosystems on Earth. They provide habitat to one-third of all marine fish species, build tropical islands, protect coasts from waves and storms, contain an array of potential pharmaceuticals, and support U.S. tourism and fishing industries worth billions of dollars. Coral reefs are also fundamental to the fabric of local communities, providing a source of food, materials, and traditional activities.

    The Florida Keys Coral Story: Then and Now.

    In 1959, this large Colpophyllia natans (a type of brain coral) had a star coral attached at left and a species of Diploria (another type of brain coral) on the right.
    In 1988, the star coral was missing following Hurricane Donna in 1960 (note cavity in foreground), but the Diploria at right remained.
    By the summer of 1998, most of the coral head has died and is infested with algae and sea whips.
    This series of photographs, taken by USGS scientists, demonstrates the value of long-term monitoring to establish base lines and trends.

    Over the past few decades, public awareness of the outstanding yet fragile character of these ecosystems has grown, prompting increased state and Federal efforts to protect and preserve the Nation's coral reefs. DOI protects these sensitive habitats at two dozen parks and refuges (fig. 1), collectively amounting to about 3,600,000 acres of coral reefs and other submerged lands. In addition, DOI conducts pioneering scientific research to determine the structure, function, status, and condition of our Nation's coral reefs. However, most of the Nation's coral reefs have not been mapped nor have their conditions been assessed or characterized.

    Recent evidence indicates that coral reefs are deteriorating worldwide, and many are in crisis. Symptoms include loss of hard corals, increased abundance of algae, diminished recruitment of coral larvae, reduced biological diversity, and a dramatic increase in bleaching episodes and disease outbreaks. Scientists and managers still lack critical information about the causes, but evidence suggests a variety of human forces, including population increases, shoreline development, increased sediments in the water, trampling by tourists and divers, ship groundings, poor water quality from runoff and inadequate sewage treatment, overfishing, and fishing with poisons and explosives that destroy coral habitat. These stresses act separately and in combination with natural factors, such as hurricanes and disease, to degrade reefs.


    Figure 1. DOI holdings with coral reefs; total area with coral reefs and other submerged lands is about 3,628,000 acres (ac). Shaded area is the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (200 nautical miles).

    DOI Holding Total Area (ac)Emergent Submergent
    National Wildlife Refuges (NWR); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
    1. Hawaiian Islands NWR 611,914 1,766 610,148
    2. Midway Atoll NWR 298,369 1,549 296,820
    3. Johnston Atoll NWR 119,337 681 118,656
    4. Kingman Reef NWR 483,705 3 483,702
    5. Palmyra Atoll NWR 515,912 680 515,232
    6. Howland Island NWR 32,550 455 32,095
    7. Baker Island NWR 31,736 405 31,332
    8. Rose Atoll NWR 39,066 15 39,051
    9. Jarvis Island NWR 37,519 1,086 36,433
    10. Guam NWR (Ritidian Point only) 772 371 401
    11. Key West NWR 208,308 2,019 206,289
    12. Great White Heron NWR 192,584 6,297 168,287
    13. Navassa Island NWR 364,950 1,285 363,665
    National Parks (NP), National Historic Parks (NHP), and National Monuments (NM); National Park Service
    14. War-in-the-Pacific NHP 1,960 958 1,002
    15. Kaloko-Honokohau NHP 1,161 661 500
    16. Kalaupapa NHP 10,797 8,797 2,000
    17. American Samoa NP 10,520 7,970 2,550
    18. Biscayne NP 181,500 9,075 172,425
    19. Dry Tortugas NP 64,700 39 64,661
    20. Salt River Bay NHP 912 312 600
    21. Virgin Islands NP 14,689 9,039 5,650
    22. Buck Island Reef NM 19,015 176 18,839
    23. Virgin Islands Coral Reef NM 12,708 0 12,708
    Office of Insular Affairs
    24. Wake Atoll 429,600 1,600 428,000

    In an effort to prevent further loss of coral reef ecosystems, Executive Order 13089 on Coral Reef Protection was issued in June 1998. The executive order directs the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force, co-chaired by the Secretaries of the Interior and Commerce, to develop and implement a comprehensive program of research and mapping to inventory, monitor, and "identify the major causes and consequences of degradation of coral reef ecosystems." The order directs Federal agencies to use their authorities to protect coral reef ecosystems and, to the extent permitted by law, prohibits them from authorizing funding or carrying out any actions that will degrade these ecosystems.

    DOI also works with domestic and international partners through the Coral Reef Initiative. Launched in 1994, this initiative aims at concerted global action to protect and monitor coral reefs around the world by building and sustaining partnerships, programs, and institutional capacity at the local, national, regional, and international level.

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