ReefRegulations

Laws and Regulations About Coral Reefs

Worldwide laws concerning coral reefs

• Wildlife Protection Act of 2010
  • The Wildlife Protection Act of 2010 refers to a package of legislation enforced by by the Government of India in 1972. This act established specific protected plants and animals, with hunting and collecting of these specific animals mainly outlawed. This act also provides protection of wild animals and plants. This act covers the whole of India, excluding the State of Jammu and Kashmir, both having their own wildlife acts. Schedule I and II of the act provide absolute protection of the species> Schedule III and IV provide penalties for those that break the act. Schedule VI prohibits cultivation and planting of wild species.
    • Hunting
      • Under the act, hunting of any wild animal specified by the specific schedules I, II, III, and IV are prohibited.
      • If the killing of a wounded animal is in good faith or in protection of oneself the person shall not be an offense.
      • If any animal is killed or wounded in defense of a person it shall become government property.
      • One is only allowed a permit to hunt or collect wildlife if it is for education, scientific research, or scientific management.
      • At any time, the Chief Wildlife Warden or the officer may revoke ones license if they deem it necessary.
    • Ownership
      • After this act was declared, every person having control, custody, or possession of any captive animal or plant must declare to the Chief Wildlife-Warden or the authorized officer the number and description of the animal or plant, and where they took possession of the animal or plant. If the Chief of Wildlife Warden sees fit, they may issue a certificate of ownership to said party that they deem is in lawful possession of the animal or plant in question.
    • Penalties
      • Penalties can be enforced by the Forest Department, the Police, the Central Bureau of Investigation, or customs. Any person that goes against these laws set forth may be convicted and punished to imprisonment for a term up to three years or a fine up to twenty-five thousand rupees. If the punisher sees it fit, they may be punished with both. If Scheduled I or Part 11 of Schedule 11 is broken, the person may be convicted up to six years in prison or five thousand rupees. Any person that breaks Chapter VA can be punished up to seven years in jail with a fine of five thousand rupees. Any person that breaks Section 38J of the act may be imprisoned up to six months with a two thousand rupee fine. The least substantial punishment is the revocation of ones license.
• Endangered Species Act
  • The Endangered Species act of 1973 was signed into law on December 28th under the presidency of Richard Nixon. Nixon declared that conservation efforts in the U.S. aimed at preventing the extinction of species were inadequate and that a new act needed to be made. He called the 93rd Congress to develop a comprehensive endangered species legislation. Hence, the Endangered Species Act was born. Its purpose is to protect and recover imperiled species and the ecosystems on which they depend on. It is administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Commerce Department's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). The Fish and Wildlife Service is primarily in charge of terrestrial and freshwater organisms, while the Fish and Wildlife Service is in charge of marine wildlife such as whales and anadromons fish.
    • preventing extinction
      • Both the Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service are required to create an Endangered Species Recovery Plan outlining goals, tasks, costs, and estimated timelines for the recovery of endangered species. The FWS has a policy of their plan being completed within three years of it being set, while the NMS does not have a specific timeline.
    • listing process
      • Under the ESA, species may be listed as either endangered or threatened. If listed as endangered, the species in question is in danger of extinction throughout all of its life. If listed as threatened, the species is likely to become endangered within the near future. All species of plants and animals, excluding pest insects, are eligible for listing on the endangered or threatened lists. Under the ESA, species included subspecies, varieties and distinct population segments.
    • what is a critical habitat?
      • After a species living in that a habitat is endangered or threatened, the area it lives in may be designated a critical habitat if it is critical to its survival. The ESA decides what constitutes as a critical habitat or not. Even though a site may be designated a critical habitat, it does not mean that it can no longer be developed on or can still be used for recreational activities.
    • penalties
      • There are different degrees of offense for breaking laws under the Endangered Species Act. The most punishable offenses are trafficking and any act of knowingly taking away an endangered species from its natural habitat. Fines can go up to $50,000 or imprisonment up to one year, while civil penalties are up to $25,000 per violation of the law. Penalties may not be executed, though, if they were proven to be broken under self defense. Licenses may also be revoked as punishment.
    • proposed endangered species list of coral reefs
      • Atlantic/Caribbean
        • Boulder star coral (Montastraea annularis)
        • Elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) *
        • Mountainous star coral (Montastraea faveolata)
        • Pillar coral (Dendrogyra cylindrus)
        • Rough Cactus Coral (Mycetophyllia ferox)
        • Staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis) *
        • Star coral (Montastraea franksi)
      • Pacific
        • Acropora jacquelineae
        • Acropora lokani
        • Acropora rudis
        • Anacropora spinosa
        • Euphyllia paradivisa
        • Millepora foveolata
        • Pocillopora elegans - E Pacific*
    • Proposed Threatened Species of Coral Reefs
      • Atlantic/Caribbean
        • Lamarck's Sheet Coral (Agaricia lamarcki)
        • Elliptical Star Coral (Dichocoenia stokesii)
      • Pacific
        • Acanthastrea brevis
        • Acanthastrea hemprichii
        • Acanthastrea ishigakiensis
        • Acanthastrea regularis
        • Acropora aculeus
        • Acropora acuminate
        • Acropora aspera
        • Acropora dendrum
        • Acropora donei
        • Acropora globiceps
        • Acropora horrida
        • Acropora listeria
        • Acropora microclados
        • Acropora palmerae
        • Acropora paniculata
        • Acropora pharaonis
        • Acropora polystoma
        • Acropora retusa
        • Acropora speciosa
        • Acropora striata
        • Acropora tenella
        • Acropora vaughani
        • Acropora verweyi
        • Alveopora allingi
        • Alveopora fenestrate
        • Alveopora verrilliana
        • Anacropora puertogalerae
        • Astreopora cucullata
        • Barabattoia laddi
        • Caulastrea echinulata
        • Euphyllia cristata
        • Euphyllia paraancora
        • Isopora crateriformis
        • Isopora cuneata
        • Millepora tuberosa
        • Montipora angulate
        • Montipora australiensis
        • Montipora calcarea
        • Montipora caliculata
        • Montipora dilatata/ flabellata/ turgescens
        • Montipora lobulata
        • Montipora patula/ verrilli
        • Pachyseris rugosa
        • Pavona diffluens
        • Pectinia alcicornis
        • Physogyra lichtensteini
        • Pocillopora danae
        • Pocillopora elegans - Indo-Pacific
        • Porites horizontalata
        • Porites napopora
        • Porites nigrescens
        • Seriatopora aculeate brevis

WWF

• • Mission Statement
    • "We work to conserve the world’s most important natural places and significantly change global forces to protect the future of nature. Our experts are active at every level—from field work to government—conserving the largest tropical rain forests, the most remote areas of our planet, and the world’s most endangered species.
  • background
    • The World Wide Fund for Nature is an international non-governmental organization that works on research, conservation and restoration of the environment. It is the world's largest independent conservation program, covering more than 100 countries with 5 million supporters, and supporting 1,300 conservation and environmental projects. It derives 57% of its funding from individuals and bequests, 11% from corporations, and 17% of its funding is from government sources. It was set up on the behalf o endangered animals and was proposed by Victor Stolan, an environmental activist. He and his two partners Julian Huxley and Max Nicholson opened its first office on September 11, 1961.
  • approaches to conservation
    • Currently, WWF's strategy is restoring species or species groups that are important to people or their ecosystem, as well as reducing ecological footprints when it comes to carbon emissions, grazing land, cropland, water, forestry, and fishing. WWF works in a number of avenues such as law, NGOs, governments, farmers, banks, finance, businesses, and individual consumption choices to achieve its goals. WWF's connection to the government is solely that of a lobbyist and collaborator.
  • policy making
    • • The policies under WWF are made by board members who are elected on three-year terms. The National Council is an advisory group to the board, while the Executive Teams guide and develop WWF's strategies.
  • important programs and campaigns
    • Debt-for-Nature Swap
      • A debt-for-nature swap is an agreement which offers eligible countries the option to support local conservation activities in exchange for paying off debts.
    • Earth Hour
      • Earth Hour is one hour out of the whole year that encourages millions of people across the globe to turn of their lights for an hour as a show of concern for the environment.
    • Marine Stewardship Council
      • "The MSC's fishery certification program and seafood ecolabel recognise and reward sustainable fishing. We are a global organisation working with fisheries, seafood companies, scientists, conservation groups and the public to promote the best environmental choice in seafood."
• Global Coral Reef monitoring network
  • background
  • sponsors
  • how to get involved
    • training and workshops
• Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
  • background
  • regulation on trade
  • amendments
• International Coral Reef Initiative 1994 (ICRI) *1
  • background
  • amendments
    • what qualifies as a marine ecosystem
  • locations implemented
• Coral Reef Alliance
  • background
  • involvement
  • locations implemented
  • locations implemented

United States laws concerning coral reefs *2

Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 (CRCA) *3

• CRCA was established for the purposes of preserving and restoring coral reef ecosystems, promoting wise management and gaining better scientific information on the current condition of and threats to coral reefs. To serve these purposes, the act established four programs: the National Coral Reef Action Strategy, the Coral Reef Conservation Program, the Coral Reef Conservation Fund and the National Program.
• The National Coral Reef Action Strategy was developed to establish goals for research, monitoring and conservation, as well as addressing national and regional issues concerning coral reefs.
• The Coral Reef Conservation Program and Coral Reef Conservation Fund each finance research and conservation projects. The Conservation Program authorizes funding to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Secretary of Commerce and the Conservation Fund authorizes NOAA to provide funding to non-profit organizations for projects concerning coral reefs. By contrast, the Conservation Fund deals directly with non-profit groups to provide funding.
• The National Program assesses the conservation of coral reefs through monitoring and restoring damage. It also works to raise public awareness of problems and conservation efforts through educational programs. The program facilitates the cooperation of federal, state, and regional efforts that work to improve the same reefs.

Hawaiian laws concerning coral reefs

• National Marine Sanctuary Act
• regarding stony corals
• regarding sale of corals
• protected species of coral
• penalties

Floridian laws concerning coral reefs *4

• Southeast Florida Coral Reef Initiative
• penalties

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

• background
• divisions

Coral Reef Task Force

• background
• locations implemented
• goals

International laws concerning coral reefs

• Indian laws concerning coral reefs *5
  • species protected
• Australian laws concerning coral reefs
  • species protected
• Caribbean laws concerning coral reefs *6
  • species protected
  • Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA)

Sources

1. Drake, Susan F. "The International Coral Reef Initiative: A Strategy for the Sustainable Management of Coral Reefs and Related Ecosystems." Coastal Management. 4th ed. Vol. 24. Philadelphia: Taylor & Francis, 1973. 279-99. Print. Ser. 1996.

2. [[1]]

3. [[2]]

4. Craig, Robin Kundis. "Coral Reefs, Fishing, And Tourism: Tensions In U.S. Ocean Law And Policy Reform." Stanford Environmental Law Journal27.1 (2008): 3-41. Environment Complete. Web. 11 Feb. 2013.

5. [[3]]

6. "New Laws To Protect The Barrier Reef." Australian Maritime Digest 206 (2011): 15. Academic Search Complete. Web. 11 Feb. 2013.