Coral Reef Conservation Fund 2014 Awards Announced

19 Projects to be Supported by NOAA and NFWF

January 15, 2015, WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is pleased to announce the recipients of the Coral Reef Conservation Fund 2014 awards. These projects will address the rapid declines seen in coral health globally. An estimated 19 percent of the world’s reefs have been lost in the last 30 years, and projections put up to 40 percent of remaining reefs at risk over the next 50 years.

The projects announced today will promote coral conservation by reducing land-based sources of pollution, advancing coral reef fisheries management and improving watershed management planning for domestic coral reefs. Project locations range from the Pacific Ocean to the Caribbean Sea and all seek to increase the local on-the-ground capacity for long-term coral reef conservation.

Since 2000, NFWF has responded to the alarming decline in both the quantity and productivity of the world’s coral reef ecosystems through multiple coral conservation initiatives that aim to improve management, increase public awareness, and reduce threats to coral reefs both domestically and internationally.

“We’re proud to be a part of this partnership with NOAA’s Coral Program that over the last thirteen years has brought over $30 million to protect and conserve coral reefs across the globe,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF. “These grants allow managers to address the threats facing coral reefs and improve local management to reverse the trajectory of decline that reefs are seeing world-wide.”

The 19 grants announced today total $1.19 million, and will be matched by more than $1.49 million in additional support from the grantees. The Coral Reef Conservation Fund is primarily supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Additionally, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. provided contributions to two projects in the Caribbean: The Central Caribbean Marine Institute was awarded $69,982 to enhance capacity for coral reef resilience management in the Cayman Islands and the CARIBSAVE Partnership was awarded $35,000 to establish coral nurseries in Jamaica.

“The Coral Reef Conservation Fund 2014 awards represent the latest in our long partnership with NFWF to conserve coral reefs and advance the science needed to support sound coral reef management decisions," Jennifer Moore, acting deputy program manager for the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program, said. "We look forward to working with the grant recipients to address some of the challenges facing coral reefs and build on-the-ground resources and capacity."

The Coral Reef Conservation Fund was created to assist NOAA in implementing the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, and is managed by NFWF in partnership with the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program. To date, the Foundation has awarded close to $15 million in federal and non-federal funds and leveraged over $19 million in matching funds for more than 300 coral conservation projects in seven U.S. states and territories and 36 countries.

About National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources.

About National Fish and Wildlife Foundation  

A nonprofit established by Congress in 1984, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation sustains, restores and enhances the nation's fish, wildlife, plants and habitats.  Through leadership conservation investments with public and private partners, NFWF is dedicated to achieving maximum conservation impact by developing and applying best practices and innovative methods for measurable outcomes.  Since its establishment, NFWF has awarded grants to over 4,000 organizations in the United States and abroad and leveraged – with its partners – more than $618 million in federal funds into more than $2.3 billion for on-the-ground conservation.  For more information, visit www.nfwf.org.

2014 Coral Fund grant recipients. For more detailed information on each of the projects, click here.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, “Evaluation and Fisher Education of Coral No-trap Areas (FL)”
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
Coral Reef Conservation Fund 2014 Grant: $72,961 Partner Contributions: $72,961

Point 9, “Digital Deck Expansion for Fisheries Data Reporting (PR)”
Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands
Coral Reef Conservation Fund 2014 Grant: $75,000 Partner Contributions: $75,000

Coral Bay Community Council, Inc., “Sediment Run-off Reduction in Coral Bay St. John (USVI)”
Coral Bay, St John, US Virgin Islands
Coral Reef Conservation Fund 2014 Grant: $67,010 Partner Contributions: $67,146

The Coral Reef Alliance, “Outreach and Adaptive Management for the West Maui Fishery Management Area (HI)”
Kahekili Herbivore Fisheries Management Area, Hawaii
Coral Reef Conservation Fund 2014 Grant: $30,000 Partner Contributions: $50,000

Protectores de Cuencas, Inc., “Acceleration of Watershed Restoration Efforts in Puerto Rico”
Puerto Rico
Coral Reef Conservation Fund 2014 Grant: $75,000 Partner Contributions: $75,000

Ridge to Reefs, Inc., “Stormwater planters to treat contaminated runoff in Guánica (PR)”
Puerto Rico
Coral Reef Conservation Fund 2014 Grant: $75,000.00 Partner Contributions: $85,000

University of Hawaii – Manoa, “Threshold and pollution reduction targets tool-kit for coral managers (HI)”
Maui, Hawaii
Coral Reef Conservation Fund 2014 Grant: $88,326 Partner Contributions: $163,020

University of Hawaii, “Setting Nutrient Thresholds With Coral & Microbial Genomics”
Hawaii
Coral Reef Conservation Fund 2014 Grant: $73,996 Partner Contributions: $73,996

Oceans Applied Research, LLC., “Science for management and stewardship in the Caribbean”
Eastern Caribbean, Grenada, St. Vincent
Coral Reef Conservation Fund 2014 Grant: $80,000 Partner Contributions: $110,000

MPA Enforcement International LLC., “Enhancing Enforcement Capacity in Priority Caribbean MPAs”
Caribbean
Coral Reef Conservation Fund 2014 Grant: $69,649.62 Partner Contributions: $69,661

Micronesia Conservation Trust, “Micronesia Socioeconomic Monitoring Team & Data Compilation”
Palau, Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia
Coral Reef Conservation Fund 2014 Grant: $50,000 Partner Contributions: $50,000

Conservation Society of Pohnpei, “Enhancing management of herbivorous fish in Pohnpei LMMAs”
Micronesia
Coral Reef Conservation Fund 2014 Grant: $40,000 Partner Contributions: $40,500

Conservation International Foundation, “Improving Coral Conservation Management Capacity in Samoa”
Samoa
Coral Reef Conservation Fund 2014 Grant: $59,580 Partner Contributions: $59,666

The University of Guam, “Coral monitoring and ecosystem-based management in Kosrae”
Federated States of Micronesia
Coral Reef Conservation Fund 2014 Grant: $49,335 Partner Contributions: $51,000

Hatohobei Organization for People and Environment, “Building Resilient Micronesian Coastal and Marine Resources”
Republic of Palau and Yap, Federated States of Micronesia
Coral Reef Conservation Fund 2014 Grant: $45,880 Partner Contributions: $64,700

Wildlife Conservation Society, “Building Management Capacity in Taka Bonerate MNP, Indonesia”
Indonesia
Coral Reef Conservation Fund 2014 Grant: $74,952 Partner Contributions: $75,000

Fauna & Flora International, Inc., “Crafting Opportunities in Reef Areas for Life Necessities”
Philippines
Coral Reef Conservation Fund 2014 Grant: $40,000 Partner Contributions: $42,000

Central Caribbean Marine Institute, “Enhancing Capacity for Coral Reef Resilience Management in the Cayman Islands”
Caymen Islands
Coral Reef Conservation Fund 2014 Grant: $69,982 Partner Contributions: $298,911

The CARIBSAVE Partnership, “Establishing Coral Nurseries in Jamaica”
Jamaica
Coral Reef Conservation Fund 2014 Grant: $35,000 Partner Contributions: $35,000