Rose Atoll NWR / MNM - pifsc.noaa.gov · Rose Atoll NWR / MNM American Samoa 1. Rose Atoll The Oldest bit of Samoa on the youngest end of the Archipelago Rose Atoll Manu’a ... •Max

Ex-ManagerFrank Pendleton

Rose Atoll NWR / MNMAmerican Samoa

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Rose AtollThe Oldest bit of Samoa on the

youngest end of the Archipelago

Rose Atoll

Manu’aTutuila

Vailulu’uSeamount Tongan Trench

UpoluSavai’i

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Rose Atoll: the only Atoll in the Samoas

• Atoll: a reef that encircles a lagoon.

How an Atoll Forms (Millions of Years)

Volcano grows

Volcano sinks

Reef grows

Millions of years

Rose Atoll

Crustose Coralline Algae Reef

Rose Island

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Rose Atoll National Wildlife Refuge• 1973 Cooperative

Agreement FWS-ASG

• Protect Seabirds, Sea Turtles, Giant Clams...

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Rose Atoll National Wildlife Refuge• 2.6 sq mi

• Max depth 98 ft

• Max elevation 10 ft

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Rose Atoll Marine National Monument

• 2009 (Presidential Proclamation)

• 50 nautical miles (13,451 sq. miles)

• Closed to Commercial Fishing

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Rose Atoll Marine National Monument• FWS has management responsibility for the Monument and Refuge

• NOAA is responsible for fishery related activity outside of the Refuge

• Sanctuary overlays area outside of the Refuge

• ASG is a Cooperating Agency (DMWR & DOC)

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The Jin Shiang Fa

1993

• 100,000 gallons of diesel fuel • 300 tons iron / debris• Cyanobacteria

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Iron• High levels near the

wreck site

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Algae / Cyanobacteria

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Algae / Cyanobacteria

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Clean up 1993 - 2009

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Algae/Cyanobacteria Surveys

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Coral Surveys

Jim Maragos

CRED

Corals and other Calcifiers

• Over 200 species

• Corals grow and break

• CCA cements reef together

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Fish• Over 200 Species

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Sharks• Black tips and gray reef sharks are common

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Wildlife of Rose

• Giant Clams (Faisua)• Rare on populated islands• Thrive on Rose Atoll

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Average Surface Currents

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Biogeographic Assessment Of the Samoan Archipelago, NOAA Tech Memo NOS NCCOS 132

Rose Atoll

Pelagic Larval Duration from Tutuila

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Biogeographic Assessment Of the Samoan Archipelago, NOAA Tech Memo NOS NCCOS 132

Rose Atoll

Pelagic Larval Duration from Tutuila

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Biogeographic Assessment Of the Samoan Archipelago NOAA Tech Memo NOS NCCOS 132

Rose Atoll

Sea Turtles• Green Turtles

– Nest on Rose

• Hawksbills

– Juveniles in lagoon

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Nesting Green Turtles

4 nights inNov 2013

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Tagging Turtles

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NMFSDMWRFWSNPS

Hermit Crab

Surveys

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Hermit Crabs

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Rose Island 1939

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Rose Island 2007

2012 Just a few fading Pisonia

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• Largest population of nesting seabirds in American Samoa

Rose Atoll Birds

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That’s it!

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