Rose Atoll NWR / MNM - pifsc.noaa.gov · Rose Atoll NWR / MNM American Samoa 1. Rose Atoll The...
Transcript of Rose Atoll NWR / MNM - pifsc.noaa.gov · Rose Atoll NWR / MNM American Samoa 1. Rose Atoll The...
Ex-ManagerFrank Pendleton
Rose Atoll NWR / MNMAmerican Samoa
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Rose AtollThe Oldest bit of Samoa on the
youngest end of the Archipelago
Rose Atoll
Manu’aTutuila
Vailulu’uSeamount Tongan Trench
UpoluSavai’i
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Rose Atoll: the only Atoll in the Samoas
• Atoll: a reef that encircles a lagoon.
How an Atoll Forms (Millions of Years)
Volcano grows
Volcano sinks
Reef grows
Millions of years
Rose Atoll
Crustose Coralline Algae Reef
Rose Island
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Rose Atoll National Wildlife Refuge• 1973 Cooperative
Agreement FWS-ASG
• Protect Seabirds, Sea Turtles, Giant Clams...
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Rose Atoll National Wildlife Refuge• 2.6 sq mi
• Max depth 98 ft
• Max elevation 10 ft
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Rose Atoll Marine National Monument
• 2009 (Presidential Proclamation)
• 50 nautical miles (13,451 sq. miles)
• Closed to Commercial Fishing
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Rose Atoll Marine National Monument• FWS has management responsibility for the Monument and Refuge
• NOAA is responsible for fishery related activity outside of the Refuge
• Sanctuary overlays area outside of the Refuge
• ASG is a Cooperating Agency (DMWR & DOC)
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The Jin Shiang Fa
1993
• 100,000 gallons of diesel fuel • 300 tons iron / debris• Cyanobacteria
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Iron• High levels near the
wreck site
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Algae / Cyanobacteria
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Algae / Cyanobacteria
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Clean up 1993 - 2009
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Algae/Cyanobacteria Surveys
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Coral Surveys
Jim Maragos
CRED
Corals and other Calcifiers
• Over 200 species
• Corals grow and break
• CCA cements reef together
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Fish• Over 200 Species
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Sharks• Black tips and gray reef sharks are common
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Wildlife of Rose
• Giant Clams (Faisua)• Rare on populated islands• Thrive on Rose Atoll
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Average Surface Currents
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Biogeographic Assessment Of the Samoan Archipelago, NOAA Tech Memo NOS NCCOS 132
Rose Atoll
Pelagic Larval Duration from Tutuila
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Biogeographic Assessment Of the Samoan Archipelago, NOAA Tech Memo NOS NCCOS 132
Rose Atoll
Pelagic Larval Duration from Tutuila
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Biogeographic Assessment Of the Samoan Archipelago NOAA Tech Memo NOS NCCOS 132
Rose Atoll
Sea Turtles• Green Turtles
– Nest on Rose
• Hawksbills
– Juveniles in lagoon
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Nesting Green Turtles
4 nights inNov 2013
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Tagging Turtles
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NMFSDMWRFWSNPS
Hermit Crab
Surveys
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Hermit Crabs
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Rose Island 1939
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Rose Island 2007
2012 Just a few fading Pisonia
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• Largest population of nesting seabirds in American Samoa
Rose Atoll Birds
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That’s it!
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