§ 6401 — Purposes

The purposes of this chapter are— (1) to conserve and restore the condition of United States coral reef ecosystems challenged by natural and human-accelerated changes, including increasing ocean temperatures, changing ocean chemistry, coral bleaching, coral diseases, water quality degradation, invasive species, and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing; (2) to promote the science-based management and sustainable use of coral reef ecosystems to benefit local communities and the Nation, including through improved integration and cooperation among Federal and non-Federal stakeholders responsible for managing coral reef resources; (3) to develop sound scientific information on the condition of coral reef ecosystems, continuing and emerging threats to such ecosystems, and the efficacy of innovative tools, technologies, and strategies to mitigate stressors and restore such ecosystems, including evaluation criteria to determine the effectiveness of management interventions, and accurate mapping for coral reef restoration; (4) to assist in the preservation of coral reefs by supporting science-based, consensus-driven, and community-based coral reef management by covered States and covered Native entities, including monitoring, conservation, and restoration projects that empower local communities, small businesses, and nongovernmental organizations; (5) to provide financial resources, technical assistance, and scientific expertise to supplement, complement, and strengthen community-based management programs and conservation and restoration projects of non-Federal reefs; (6) to establish a formal mechanism for collecting and allocating monetary donations from the private sector to be used for coral reef conservation and restoration projects; (7) to support rapid, effective, and science-based assessment and response to exigent circumstances that pose immediate and long-term threats to coral reefs, including— (A) coral disease outbreaks; (B) invasive or nuisance species; (C) coral bleaching; (D) natural disasters; and (E) industrial or mechanical disasters, including vessel groundings, hazardous spills, and coastal construction accidents; and (8) to serve as a model for advancing similar international efforts to monitor, conserve, and restore coral reef ecosystems.