CNMI: FYI

Hafa Adai (pronounced HALF A DAY) is "Hello" in Chamorro, the native language of Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). And no, the language is not Chamorron, as was tactfully yet firmly pointed out to me by colleague John Calvo, Guam Representative to the West Pac Fisheries Management Council, when he remarked:

Rick, there is no "moron" in Chamorro!

Hafa Adai is basically used the same way as the word Aloha in the Hawaiian Islands. CNMI is a member of the US Coral Reef Task Force, an action group established in 1998 by Presidential Executive Order #13089 to lead U.S. efforts to preserve and protect US and territory coral reef ecosystems. While US coral reef states, Hawaii and Florida, face significant threats to their coral ecosystem health, they both possess significant infrastructure and funding to launch coral reef and MPA research, coral conservation awareness campaigns, and even initiate enforcement programs. US territories have all the same coral threats as US states, yet lack the infrastructure and funds necessary for effective conservation and ecosystem management.

On March 1, 2006, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Insular Affairs David B. Cohen testified before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources regarding the state of the economies and fiscal affairs of the Territories of American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam and the United States Virgin Islands. In his summary, he stressed that while there is room for optimism in the long run, all four territories faced serious fiscal difficulties. Each has very limited land and resources, a small population, and a limited pool of expertise to address the community’s critical needs. Each is located in an area that is highly prone to destructive typhoons, cyclones, or hurricanes, and each is relatively new to self-government.

For the CNMI, the per capita GDP is lower than that of any state. In 2005, the U.S. Census Bureau’s preliminary estimate of the CNMI’s GDP was $1 billion. With a total population of 75,066–concentrated on the three principle islands of Tinian, Rota, and Saipan–the per capita GDP was an estimated $13,350, a figure 50.9 percent of the lowest state per capita GDP, and 33.7 percent of the national per capita GDP.

The CNMI is experiencing declining revenues and government cutbacks. For fiscal year 2006, the outgoing Governor proposed a total budget of $213 million. This figure was revised downward to $198.5 million by the current Governor, with the consent of the Legislature. CNMI's economic challenges should be expected to result in continued fiscal tests as well. Continued downturns translate into reduced capacity for effectively managed marine ecosystems which are critical to CNMI resident livelihoods. Healthy reefs and associated ecosystems provide for increased protection from storms and tsunami, healthy fisheries, and a growing revenue from marine tourism such as diving, snorkeling, and ecotourism.

Like all coral states and territories, CNMI has a Local Action Strategy (LAS) to reduce key threats to coral reefs. But LAS activities do not come cheap. Toting the estimated LAS project implementation costs for reducing land-based sources of pollution and recreational damage to reefs while increasing fisheries management and outreach, awareness, and involvement campaigns leaves a tab of $4.96 million. And this still doesn't include the $2.49 million needed for coral resource management staff, training, and technical assistance.

Despite the seemingly daunting situation, the CNMI Coral Reef Task Force forges ahead, as the beautiful poster at the top of this post demonstrates. I had the pleasure of meeting and working with the CNMI team and other Pacific state and territory Coral Reef Task Force members during a NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Project workshop in Waikiki two years ago. A lot of young, motivated, and talented conservationists from small Pacific islands who, while realistic about their challenges, remain eager to learn, brainstorm, and discuss solutions rather than get mired in the limitations.