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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) held a 2-day workshop in Utulei, American Samoa in May 2015, to gain insight from local scientists and managers on marine ecosystem and fisheries research needs within the American Samoa Archipelago. This information will be incorporated into a NOAA Fisheries Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center American Samoa Marine Research Implementation Plan for 2017-2022. These plans aid PIFSC in identifying and prioritizing research activities. More than 60 people representing a broad spectrum of organizations in American Samoa, including resource managers, scientists, and local community members attended the workshop. Following a series of background presentations by scientists and others, workshop participants identified key topics for research that could be implemented in the next 5 years. They assembled a wide-ranging list of research priorities including threats to coral reefs from crown of thorns starfish (COTS) outbreaks, environmental contaminants, land-based nutrients, and coral bleaching; effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs); larvae seeding/spillover; occurrence, location, and seasonality of spawning aggregations; mapping of shallow near-shore marine environments using LiDAR and other technologies; and more This report is a synthesis of the workshop information and findings and details the discussions, results and prioritization process. This information will be incorporated into a Rose Atoll Marine National Monument (RAMNM) and American Samoa Archipelago Ecosystem and Fisheries Science Action Plan which will be used to guide marine ecosystem and fisheries research planning across the American Samoa Archipelago. |
