U.S. Department of the Interior: Ocean, Great Lakes and Coasts

13/03/2025

10/03/2025

The 50th meeting of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force will take place from May 12-16, 2025 and will be hosted at the U.S. Department of the Interior in Washington, D.C. Come join us at the business meeting, which will be held on Thursday, May 15th and is open to the public.

https://coralreef.gov/

U.S. Department of the Interior: Ocean, Great Lakes and Coasts

19/12/2023

Today the United States released its Extended Continental Shelf (ECS) outer limits, spanning seven regions. Learn more about this interagency effort and what it means for the conservation and management of our diverse marine ecosystems and resources. DOI Bureaus are part of the U.S. Extended Continental Shelf Task Force, an interagency body led by the Department of State that has spent 20 years working to map these areas. Learn more: https://www.state.gov/announcement-of-u-s-extended-continental-shelf-outer-limits-2/

06/12/2023

The U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) approved a resolution that designates coral reefs along U.S. states and territories as natural infrastructure. This resolution makes it easier to direct federal funding, particularly infrastructure, hazard mitigation and disaster recovery monies, to reef conservation and restoration to protect people 👪, property 🏠, & livelihoods 🎣.
Read the resolution:https://www.coralreef.gov/assets/meeting47/pdf/Resolution47.2_Coral-Reefs-As-Natural-Coastal-Infrastructure_10-20-23.pdf U.S. Department of the Interior Office of Insular Affairs NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program USGS Coastal and Ocean Science USGS Natural Hazards Science National Park Service FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency

In October 2023, the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) approved a resolution that designates coral reefs along U.S. states and territories as natural infrastructure. This resolution makes it easier to direct federal funding, particularly infrastructure, hazard mitigation and disaster recovery monies, to reef conservation and restoration to protect people 👪, property 🏠, & livelihoods 🎣.

Read the resolution:
https://www.coralreef.gov/assets/meeting47/pdf/Resolution47.2_Coral-Reefs-As-Natural-Coastal-Infrastructure_10-20-23.pdf

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) USGS Coastal and Ocean Science FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency U.S. Department of the Interior: Ocean, Great Lakes and Coasts

27/11/2023

Upcoming Seminar: Islands and Invasive Species: Urgent Issues and Opportunities for Action

On December 12, from 12:15–1:45 p.m. ET, join the DOI's Office of Policy Analysis for the seminar where panelists will discuss how islands are vulnerable from the impacts of climate change and invasive species, hear stories of success and the challenges faced by islands in the race to safeguard native species, cultural heritage, food security and human health and wellbeing.
For more background about DOI and the "Islands We Serve" please visit: https://www.doi.gov/oia/islands
Learn more: https://www.doi.gov/ppa/seminar_series
Tune in here on Dec. 12, from 12:15 to 1:45 p.m. ET: https://teams.microsoft.com/convene/meetings?url=%2Fl%2Fmeetup-join%2F19%3Ameeting_ZjFkZGM3ODQtNDU5OC00YWZiLWI2ZmItMmU0MDQ0YTk4YzJk%40thread.v2%2F0%3Fcontext%3D%257B%2522Tid%2522%253A%25220693b5ba-4b18-4d7b-9341-f32f400a5494%2522%252C%2522Oid%2522%253A%2522d423da4d-dcfa-4f28-ad3f-e2308a9eab49%2522%252C%2522IsBroadcastMeeting%2522%253Atrue%252C%2522role%2522%253A%2522a%2522%257D%26btype%3Da%26role%3Da%26anon%3Dtrue&tenantId=0693b5ba-4b18-4d7b-9341-f32f400a5494&deeplinkId=9febc043-06f7-4234-b6e7-6187e3521ab4
For more information, please contact the Office of Policy Analysis at [email protected].
U.S. Department of the Interior

07/11/2023

U.S. Department of the Interior's Technical Assistance Program (TAP) Grants Announcement Now Open to U.S. Insular Areas.
The announcements for funding for TAP, Maintenance Assistance (MAP), Coral Reef and Natural Resources (including Invasive Species projects) (CRNR), and Brown Tree Snake (BTS) programs are open with a deadline of March 15, 2024.

“We try to support as many well-deserving projects as possible and encourage all to apply early for Fiscal Year 2024 funding,” said Assistant Secretary for Insular and International Affairs Carmen G. Cantor. “Applications that address climate change, energy, and natural resources are still being given priority consideration.”

TAP, MAP, and CRNR funding is made available for short-term projects intended to meet the needs of the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as the freely associated states – the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau. Applications for TAP, MAP, and CRNR will be considered from Insular Area government entities, educational institutions, or non-profit organizations whose grant proposals directly benefit the four U.S. territories or the three freely associated states, in accordance with 2 CFR 200. Learn more: https://www.doi.gov/oia/financial-assistance

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Office of Insular Affairs

“We try to support as many well-deserving projects as possible and encourage all to apply early for Fiscal Year 2024 funding,” said Assistant Secretary for Insular and International Affairs Carmen G. Cantor.

31/10/2023

Hats off to Coral World Ocean and Reef Initiative - CWORI and CWORI’s coral restoration projects.
The coral world community links many different entities and capabilities together. The ocean does not obey political or national boundaries; marine resources flow across them and we need to manage them collectively.
Sharing information and collaborating across different coral reef ecosystems improves our understanding of these valuable ecosystems and sets us all up for successful resilience-based management.

Learn more about what is happening with coral reefs in the U.S. Virgin Islands: https://dpnr.vi.gov/coastal-zone-management/what-we-do/coral-reef-initiative/?fbclid=IwAR0iaPJ5AnQHLik7hRPl7eZJ-oHT0Lnc1OzgtzCr6e6bP1ybznLy08kCyDw
Office of Insular Affairs NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program

We’re headed to Coral World Ocean Park tonight to learn about their conservation and education initiatives, as well as Coral World Ocean and Reef Initiative - CWORI (CWORI)’s coral restoration projects.

Sharing information and collaborating across different coral reef systems improves our understanding of these beautiful ecosystems and sets us up for successful resilience-based management.

https://dpnr.vi.gov/coastal-zone-management/what-we-do/coral-reef-initiative/

U.S. Department of the Interior: Ocean, Great Lakes and Coasts

31/10/2023

The Bay is our Nation’s largest estuary and provides over $100 billion in annual economic value. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) works with Federal, State, local, and academic partners to provide research and monitoring and to communicate results to inform management for the Chesapeake and other important landscapes across the Nation. Here are some of the latest highlights. You can subscribe to this newsletter too!
https://www.usgs.gov/chesapeake-bay-newsletter/chesapeake-bay-activities-newsletter-july-september-2023
U.S. Department of the Interior

The USGS provides research and monitoring to better understand and restore the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed. Our technical reports and journal articles, which we translate into science summaries, provide the findings used by federal, state, and local decisionmakers to inform restoration and cons...

24/10/2023

The U.S. Department of the Interior is pleased to co-chair the US Coral Reef Task Force along with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This multi-agency partnership is having their 47th meeting in beautiful this week (October 21-28). The business meeting, which is open to the public, will be held Thursday, Oct.26th. Thank you to the USVI Department of Planning and Natural Resources for hosting!
Learn more: https://www.coralreef.gov/
NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program

11/10/2023

Did you know this week, October 8-14, is National Wildlife Refuge Week?
Observed during the second full week of October each year, we celebrate the great network of lands and waters that conserve and protect Americans’ precious wildlife heritage. There are nearly 200 coastal and marine refuges that can get you up close to unique coastal and ocean ecosystems and the amazing wildlife that rely on them. You can here on this map: https://www.fws.gov/our-facilities
Read more: https://www.fws.gov/story/national-wildlife-refuge-week

05/10/2023

Can the ocean store more carbon dioxide to help with climate change? USGS scientists are working to learn more.
Read the Science Snippet: https://ow.ly/L1hx50POpUl
📸: USGS scientists Sophie Kuhl and Kevin Kroeger work with National Park Service scientist Petra Zuniga to collect a soil core from a salt marsh site where the mineral olivine was applied to study its role in capturing carbon dioxide in tidal wetlands. The site is located along the Herring River at the National Park Service’s Cape Cod National Seashore in Massachusetts.
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Park Service Cape Cod National Seashore USGS Coastal and Ocean Science

Can oceans store more carbon dioxide to help with climate change? The USGS investigates!

Learn more in our Science Snippet: https://ow.ly/L1hx50POpUl

📸: USGS scientists Sophie Kuhl and Kevin Kroeger work with National Park Service scientist Petra Zuniga to collect a soil core from a salt marsh site where the mineral olivine was applied to study its role in capturing carbon dioxide in tidal wetlands. The site is located along the Herring River at the National Park Service’s Cape Cod National Seashore in Massachusetts.