III 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 300 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 22, 2008 

Received and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 

Transportation 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the necessity for the United States to maintain 

its significant leadership role in improving the health 

and promoting the resiliency of coral reef ecosystems, 

and for other purposes. 

Whereas coral reef ecosystems are among the world’s most 

biologically diverse and productive marine habitats, and 

are often described as the tropical rain forest of the 

oceans; 

Whereas healthy coral reef ecosystems provide the basis for 

subsistence, commercial fisheries, and coastal and marine 

tourism and are of vital economic importance to coastal 

States and territories of the United States including 

Florida, Hawaii, Georgia, Texas, Puerto Rico, the Virgin 

Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth 

of the Northern Mariana Islands; 

Whereas healthy coral reef ecosystems function as natural, 

regenerating coastal barriers, protecting shorelines and 


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coastal areas from high waves, storm surges, and accompanying losses of human life and property; 

Whereas the coral reef research community has long established that coral reefs are subject to a wide range of natural and anthropogenic threats, including climate change; 

Whereas the health of coral reef ecosystems is at serious risk 

due to a variety of human activities, both local and global; 

Whereas protecting and conserving coral reef ecosystems is 

an urgent issue, but they may be preserved if we act now; 

Whereas changing climate is potentially one of the most significant long-term influences on the structure and function of coral reef ecosystems, including the devastating 

effects of ocean acidification and rising ocean temperatures; 

Whereas a wide variety of destructive fishing practices, including the use of cyanide, other poisons, surfactants, 

and explosives, are contributing to the global decline of 

coral reef ecosystems; 

Whereas the United States has taken measures to protect national coral reef resources through the designation and 

management of several marine protected areas located in 

both the Pacific and Caribbean, through building local 

management capacity, and by supporting effective management and sound research to preserve, sustain, and restore valuable coral reef ecosystems; 

Whereas our Nation’s coral reef ecosystems provide benefit 

and opportunity to all, and conservation of these important resources requires the coordinated efforts of the 

many Federal agencies and State, territory, and commonwealth partners that comprise the U.S. Coral Reef Task 


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Force and our many nongovernmental, international, and 

academic partners; 

Whereas the United States, acting through its agencies, has 

established itself as a global leader in coral reef ecosystem stewardship by launching and remaining an active 

and engaged participant in the International Coral Reef 

Initiative, and by maintaining professional networks for 

the purposes of sharing knowledge and information on 

coral reef ecosystems, furnishing near real-time data collected at coral reef sites, providing a repository for historical data relating to coral reefs, and making substantial contributions to the general body of coral reef knowledge; and 

Whereas 2008 has been declared the ‘‘International Year of 

the Reef’’ by the coral reef research community and over 

40 national and international coral reef research, conservation, and academic organizations: Now, therefore, be 

it 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That the Congress recognizes the necessity 

3 for the United States to maintain its significant leadership 

4 role in improving the health and promoting the resiliency 

5 of coral reef ecosystems, by— 

6 (1) strengthening awareness about ecological, 

7 economic, social, and cultural values of coral reefs 

8 and associated ecosystems; 

9 (2) improving understanding of the critical 

10 threats to coral reefs and generating both practical 

11 and innovative solutions to reduce those threats; and 


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1 (3) initiating the prompt development and im2 plementation of effective management strategies for 

3 the conservation and sustainable use of those eco4 systems. 

Passed the House of Representatives May 21, 2008. 

Attest: LORRAINE C. MILLER, 

Clerk. 


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