(CN) — The National Marine Fisheries Service issued a proposed rule Wednesday to designate 16 islands as critical habitat for five Indo-Pacific coral species listed under the Endangered Species Act, a move mostly linked to climate change.
A designation of critical habitat requires federal agencies to ensure their actions don’t destroy or negatively impact those areas, or pose any risk to species listed under the Endangered Species Act. The designation potentially could focus preservation efforts among others, including state and local governments, individuals and private organizations.
Many coral species have experienced population loss and continue to face threats like ocean warming, diseases, the effects of fishing and land-based pollution.
“We determined that these species are likely to become endangered throughout their ranges within the foreseeable future as a result of a combination of threats, the most severe of which are related to climate change,” the fisheries service stated in a report.
The islands include Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, the northwestern Hawaiian Islands and the Pacific Remote Islands Area. Together, they encompass almost 100 square miles.
Emily Jeffers, senior attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity, said coral reefs are at a precarious point as ocean water warms and becomes more acidic, making it more difficult for coral to build its calcinate carbonate structures. It’s no exaggeration to say they could disappear within this lifetime.
“They’re really the keystone species,” Jeffers added. “Without coral reefs, you lose the habitat for hundreds or thousands of other species. There’s just a whole lot of threats to corals and it’s just important that we protect their habitat."
While greenhouse gas emissions are the main driver behind the corals’ condition, other steps must be taken to ensure they survive, Jeffers said. That includes the critical habitat designation.
According to Jeffers, Wednesday’s proposed rule stems from legal action her organization filed against the federal agency. A settlement was reached and the fisheries service must finalize the proposed rule issued Wednesday by December 2024.
The Center for Biological Diversity sued in 2019 because the service hadn’t promulgated critical habitat for the coral. The agency then issued a proposal in 2020. However, Jeffers said that proposal was never finalized, leading to another lawsuit this year.
The fisheries service said it withdrew the 2020 proposal and issued Wednesday’s rule based on public comment and new information.
“Our team at the NOAA Fisheries Pacific Island Regional Office is appreciative of the feedback from the territories and the local communities,” said Dawn Golden, assistant regional administrator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Fisheries Pacific Islands Regional Office, in a statement. “Their involvement and input led to the refinement of the proposed rule. This new proposal is a reflection of their valuable data and input throughout this process.”
The depth that the critical habitat designation would affect depends on what type of coral species is present. The minimum range is zero to 33 feet. The maximum is zero to 164 feet.
The proposal would create no new regulations affecting fisheries. Instead, only federal agencies would be affected. Others could be affected if they receive money, permits or authorization from the federal government.
People can give public comment on the proposed rule between Thursday and Feb. 28 at www.regulations.gov.
“Conditions are really in a crisis mode right now,” Jeffers said. “We need to pay close attention to how they’re doing.”
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