U.S. Coral Triangle Initiative

With support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Coral Triangle Initiative improves the efficiency and effectiveness of conservation efforts in the Coral Triangle, which encompasses nearly six million square kilometers of ocean, islands, and coastal waters in the Asia-Pacific Region. 

U.S. Coral Triangle Initiative
Healthy coral reefs in the Coral Triangle provide livelihoods for local communities and support a US $12 billion a year tourism industry in the region
U.S. Coral Triangle Initiative

The Coral Triangle is recognized as the most biologically diverse marine environment in the world. It is also home to over 360 million people, a third of whom depend on the Coral Triangle’s resources for their livelihoods and food security. As much as 90 percent of the reefs in the Coral Triangle are threatened by overfishing, population growth, unsustainable coastal development, pollution, and the increasing impacts of climate change.

In 2007, leaders of the six nations that make up the Coral Triangle ― Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste ― formed a partnership to launch the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security. The U.S. Coral Triangle Initiative’s regional teams draw on vast expertise to help the Coral Triangle countries apply cutting-edge science and innovative solutions to advance sustainable fisheries management, marine protected area management, and climate change adaptation.

PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES

The initiative works in 13 sites within the Coral Triangle, chosen for their biodiversity richness and economic importance.   It also works with the governments of the six countries to support environmentally-sound local, national and regional policies throughout the Coral Triangle.

The initiative provides assistance to develop and implement a 10-year plan that will help the Coral Triangle countries increase their adaptive capacity to climate change, adopt an ecosystem approach to fisheries management, and combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

PROGRAM RESULTS TO DATE

Through U.S. support, nearly 10,000 individuals from governments, non-governmental organizations, and communities have been trained in natural resources management. Over 20 communities in five countries are more effectively managing their local marine resources. In addition, 20 million hectares (an area slightly larger than Cambodia) of biologically significant coastal and marine areas are under improved management, while project staff helped officials develop and implement 93 policies, regulations, laws and agreements contributing to coastal and marine resources management.

PARTNERS

The U.S. Coral Triangle Initiative is implemented collaboratively by Tetra Tech ARD, the U.S. Department of Interior, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and The World Wildlife Fund. The Nature Conservancy, and Conservation International were part of the consortium until December 2013.