Amata Welcomes NOAA Coral Reef Grants

Pago Pago – Wednesday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata welcomed notification of three grants affecting American Samoa from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), including one directly for American Samoa. NOAA is announcing their Coral Reef Conservation funding for 2020, with one grant of about $500,000 specific to American Samoa, and two other efforts that include American Samoa.

NOAA is providing $497,021 to American Samoa Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources for the coral reef conservation cooperative agreement, requiring a territory match of $49,588 from ASG.

"Congratulations to our Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources, their leadership and everyone involved," said Aumua Amata. "Thank you to NOAA and Administrator Dr. Neil Jacobs for this federal support as they work with local input on these efforts, along with the Director of this program for NOAA, Jennifer Koss. Thank you to Director Va'amua Henry Sesepasara and Deputy Director Selaina V. Tuimavave."

The focus of two other grant projects will include American Samoa. These are a $700,000 grant to The Nature Conservancy (a nonprofit NGO) for coral reef preservation efforts in seven locations to include American Samoa; and a $1,153,496 for similar purposes through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation as a public private partnership. These awards build on long-term project partnerships with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and The Nature Conservancy.

The overall NOAA national announcement was for $10.5 million for studies and coral reef conservation in seven U.S. states and territories, along with international projects elsewhere in Caribbean and Pacific islands. The matching support from various entities brings that total up to $17 million.

"Americans are intrinsically connected to the nation's coral reefs through tourism and recreation, coastal flood and storm protection, and seafood production," said Jennifer Koss, director of the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program. "We are proud to support the nation's blue economy by funding research and activities that help sustain coral reef ecosystems by reducing local threats and advancing conservation strategies."

The NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program's mission is to protect, conserve, and restore coral reef resources by maintaining healthy ecosystem function.

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