The governor’s Coral Reef Advisory Group (CRAG) coordinates American Samoa’s coral reef management efforts and activities in collaboration with five different agencies (local and federal) focused on the vision “to protect and conserve reefs”.
IYOR Activities Plan
A proclamation was signed in May 2018, by the Governor, to declare 2018 as the American Samoa Year of the Reef.
Through working closely with our partners, the following events and activities have already taken place in support of IYOR:
- Chasing Coral screening for the local community college, April
- ‘Reduce Plastic Pollution’ outreach event, April
- Hosted a booth for a community outreach fair introducing students to marine science & related fields, May
- Hosted a community workshop to update a watershed management plan for Fagaaglu village, May
- Supported a Watershed Restoration Project hosted by our partner, May
- Supported our partners with putting together ‘Ocean Safety’ training for Leone village, May
Upcoming activities:
- Education and outreach to schools on ‘Ridge to Reefs’ systems and the installation of two murals in two elementary schools
- Release an ‘American Samoa Marine Debris’ brochure reporting on beach cleanups conducted by CRAG groups
- Host the 40th U.S. Coral Reef Task Force in August
- Host two more Chasing Coral screenings
- Participate in summer programs or camps hosted by our partners
- Participate in the ‘Coastweeks’ display fairs in September
- Marine debris cleanup with two villages
- Workshop on rain garden maintenance with schools and villages who have gardens already installed
- Release of a coral reef coloring book
- Release the ‘Climate Change Glossary’ with Samoan translation
- Coral reef monitoring including fish, benthic and coral bleaching around the island