1. Approval of February minutes
2. Officer Reports
President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Editor
MAC/USCRTF Rep
Public Relations
Web
3. Committees
Membership
4. Old business
Return of Corporate Seal
Re-Incorporation
M13 Status Report
5. New business
Chat on Reefs
AMDA/MASNA joint meeting
6. Open Discussion
7. Adjournment
The meeting was called to order at 9:10 p.m. ET
Approval of February minutes
Tabled
Officer Reports
President – Nancy Swart
Follow up with Dallas regarding bid
Working with AMDA
Vice-president – Dennis Gallagher
Continue work on M13
Cleaning up loose ends on M12
Corporate memberships delayed
Secretary – Cindy Jones
Absent
Treasurer – Dave Adkins
Treasury at $15,500.00
Three of four M12 speakers unpaid - trying to locate addresses
Editor – Nancy Swart
MS to be mailed in next few days
MAC/USCRTF Representative – John Brandt
Attended USCRTF meeting in Washington, DC February 20, 2001 - Report follows:
The United States Coral Reef Task Force held their 6th meeting on February 28th 2001 at the Department of the Interior Building in Washington DC.
The recent presidential election brought about some changes in the task force positions. This meeting allowed new members to introduce themselves. Several members of Congress made opening statements. Of note was Congressman Abercrombie of Hawaii who set the tone for the meeting by passionately stating that "protecting coral reefs is not a partisan issue", and that "coral reefs have no advocate unless they have you".
A Status of Coral Reefs Report delivered by Dr. Steven Miller of University of North Carolina revealed that significant damages occurred on reefs worldwide in recent years due to bleaching events. Dr. Miller reports that in 1998 there was a global loss of 16% of all reef corals due to bleaching. He stated that 50% of that loss would not recover. On the brighter side, the task force was able to make remarkable strides in the fiscal year 2000. Just before leaving office President Clinton created the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Reserve. The reserve is a vast underwater tract of protected reefs. On the horizon is another initiative for a large protected area in the Tortugas.
Lack of funding was a sore point made throughout the 5th meeting in American Samoa in August 2000. Now the situation has reversed, Congress has given very generous appropriations to the USCRTF for the fiscal year 2001. The Department of the Interior heads the list of those receiving funds, with $10 million given to them.
There is little to report with issues relating to the marine aquarium industry. Trade in live corals continues to be monitored, and improved methods of inspection of imports have been developed.
Public comment was varied, but a recurring message is that the task force needs to call more on independent scientists for assistance and guidance.
Ongoing projects that the task force is working on include developing a national strategy for dealing with abandoned vessels and debris that negatively impacts coral reefs.
Additionally, the task force has recently prepared a Progress Report to the Nation, which will be distributed this month.
The four-hour meeting concluded with the announcement of future meetings of the USCRTF in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in September 2001 and in the Territory of Guam in February 2002.
MAC - Best practices are now online
Public Relations – Connie Hannon
Talk on starting a new club on reefs.org March 18 at 9ET
Sent materials to scholarship applicant
Mailed MASNA brochures and applications to prospective members
Set up links and sent emails
Web – Nancy Swart
Routine updates
Set up Java Chat room
Membership – Connie Hannon
5 new members
Total clubs 14
Total individuals 35
Old Business
Return of Corporate Seal – should be received by March 17 or 18
Re-incorporation – officially Inc. but still waiting on paperwork
M13 Status report
To get menus from hotel
Tom to get mailings done
Registrations at about 75 and 10 booths sold
Chat on reefs - Dennis and Connie to host
AMDA/MASNA - Joint meeting in April
Scholarship/Fundraising - Tim Tucker elected as Director
There being no further business the meeting adjourned at 10:58 p.m.
