Marine resources assessment for the Mariana Operating Area : final report

Abstract

The Department of the Navy (DoN) is committed to demonstrating environmental stewardship while executing its national defense mission. The United States (U.S.) Navy (Navy) is responsible for compliance with a suite of federal environmental and natural resources laws and regulations that apply to the marine environment, including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act/Sustainable Fisheries Act (MSFCMA/SFA), and Executive Order (EO) 13089 on Coral Reef Protection. The Navy Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMPACFLT) implemented the marine resources assessment (MRA) program to develop a comprehensive compilation of data and literature concerning the protected and managed marine resources found in its various operating areas (OPAREA). The information in this MRA is vital for planning purposes and for various types of environmental documentation such as biological and environmental assessments (EA) that must be prepared in accordance with the NEPA, MMPA, ESA, and MSFCMA/SFA.