About the Coral Reef Advisory Group
Mission:
To protect and conserve coral reefs for the benefit of the people of American Samoa, the United States, and the rest of the world.
Coral Reef Advisory Group member agencies work together by mutual consensus to manage coral reefs in American Samoa by planning achievable programs, identifying and collaborating with other partners, obtaining funding for projects, tracking project compliance, promoting public awareness, and developing local capacity for eventual self-sustainability.
The American Samoa Coral Reef Advisory Group (CRAG) is the working body of the Coral Reef Initiative. The Coral Reef Advisory Group is a formalized collaboration of five different agencies in the Territory, all of which have links to the coral reef environment and management: the Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources (DMWR), the Department of Commerce (DOC), American Samoa Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA), the American Samoa Community College (ASCC), and the National Park of American Samoa. The group receives its mandate via the Governor's Office as a functioning advisory task force.
Since its conception, the Coral Reef Advisory Group has undertaken many successful management and science activities. Through close collaboration and cooperation, CRAG has enhanced management effectiveness and continually strives for ever better alignment with non-Coral Reef Advisory Group entities that have common interests in coral reef conservation. We utilize innovative and creative opportunities educate local landowners, fishermen, children and cultural leaders on the importance of resource preservation not only for ourselves, but for future generations as well.
The Coral Reef Advisory Group has identified four key threats to American Samoa's coral reefs and has addressed these issues with specifically targeted Local Action Strategies: climate change, population pressure, fisheries management, and land based sources of pollution. For more information on the specific Local Action Strategy projects, please follow the links above.
