Elkhorn And Staghorn Corals Receive Expanded Protection

We have some great environmental NGO neighbors here in San Francisco. Take for instance, the Center for Biological Diversity, our next door neighbor on the 6th floor of our building. Last year, a petition by the Center earned the Elkhorn (Acropora palmata) and Staghorn (Acropora cervicornis) corals their current status as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, and a Center lawsuit compelled the Fisheries Service to propose granting the species federally protected habitat.

Readers will recall that Elkhorn and Staghorn corals, once incredibly abundant and an important component of reef assemblages in the Caribbean, have been reduced to shadows of their former glory. Rising sea surface temperatures, a byproduct of human exacerbated climate change, has been the main culprit. But localized reef threats such as sediment smothering from coastal development, anchor damage, and nutrient pollution have compounded the risk levels throughout the Caribbean basin.

Building upon the momentum initiated by the Center for Biological Diversity, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said yesterday that it would prohibit all commercial activities involving Elkhorn and Staghorn corals. The new rules prohibit anyone from importing, exporting or directly taking the corals. Boats must avoid anchoring or grounding their vessels on corals or dragging fishing gear on them. The regulations also prohibit damage to coral habitat and any discharge of pollutants or contaminants that harms the species.

While these protections will only cover Elkhorn and Staghorn species in US waters and the insular Caribbean, it's a much needed and timely additional protection. The challenges, of course, is protecting not only on paper but in practice. And that's where managed marine areas come into play.