Staghorn corals (genus acropora ) are a critical component of shallow reef areas of the northern mariana islands

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service awarded $500,000 in project grant funding under the State Wildlife Grants Program (CFDA 15.634) to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Department of Lands and Natural Resources, effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2028. This three-year award supports direct management and conservation of staghorn corals (genus Acropora) in the Maagaha Marine Conservation Area (MMCA) through four integrated service delivery components: restoration activities via transplantation of Acropora species to augment existing coral populations and improve reef habitat; threat reduction through removal of marine debris impacting corals and other species of greatest conservation need; mitigation of human-caused threats via replacement of damaged infrastructure and installation of mooring anchors, lines, floats, and zone markers; and community stewardship fostering through educational signage and outreach materials.

The project pilot tests an active management strategy for shallow water reef areas (0-12 meters depth) that, upon successful demonstration, could be deployed across up to six additional marine protected areas throughout the Northern Mariana Islands. The coral transplantation efforts are designed to establish feasibility for broader habitat rehabilitation and restoration of corals, including federally listed species, in highly trafficked shallow water reef ecosystems that provide critical food security and economic benefits to the Commonwealth.

Their health is essential to functional and self-sustaining reef communities that, in turn, provide food and economic benefits to the commonwealth and its people. With increasing threats from human activities, storms and other catastrophic events, rising sea-surface temperatures, disease, and pollution, there is a need for the cnmi division of fish and wildlife to manage and conserve coral species actively, particularly in marine areas that are under its jurisdiction, i.e., marine protected areas. This project proposes to directly manage acropora species of greatest conservation need in the maagaha marine conservation area (mmca) through:1. Restoration, through transplantation of acropora species to augment and enrich existing populations and improve reef habitat, including other marine sgcns 2. Threat reduction, through the removal of marine debris that impact corals and other marine sgcns 3. Mitigation of continuing threats from human activities, through replacement of damaged infrastructure and additional installations of mooring anchors, lines, floats, and zone markers intended to avoid or minimize continuing impacts to corals and other sgcns AND4. Fostering mmca (and thus, coral community) stewardship, by engaging the local and visiting community through educational signages and outreach materials. This multi-dimensional approach will pilot a more active management strategy that could be deployed in up to six other marine protected areas in the cnmi. The success of coral transplantation efforts will demonstrate the feasibility of broader application to rehabilitate habitat and restore corals, including federally listed species, in highly trafficked shallow water reef areas. In the cnmi, waters 0-12 meters in depth surrounding the eight islands in the cnmi, including saipan, are included in the currently proposed critical habitat for acropora globiceps . The updated active management of the mmca will support the health of reef communities in the saipan lagoon and contribute to the recovery of cnmis marine ecosystem-based tourism economy.