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Evaluate Management Effectiveness
- Classify coral reefs
- Develop testable hypotheses
- Define data collection protocols
- Biological sampling
- Screen attributes to define metrics
- Determine appropriate sampling effort
- Define data protocols
- Validate decision processes
- Define biocriteria
- Implement monitoring programs
- Diagnose causes of degradation
- Evaluate management effectiveness
- Communicate results
To properly evaluate whether management programs are working, two types of monitoring are sometimes confused. Compliance monitoring records whether management actions were accomplished, e.g., were sediment abatement procedures implemented, were construction permits issued, or was the wastewater treatment facility operated according to protocols.
Compliance monitoring is important, but is very different from effectiveness monitoring which answers the question, "Did biological condition improve as a result of management actions?" To determine whether management actions were effective, we need to ask different types of questions. For example, did coral cover increase in areas with sediment abatement procedures? Have best management practices reduced the sediment entering the water from construction sites? Or did the incidence of coral disease increase near the outfall from the treatment facility?
Modify management decisions or actions to accomplish biological goals.
The goal of effectiveness monitoring is to determine whether management actions are making a difference for coral reefs. To do this, the biological measures used to assess reef condition (number of coral or fish species, algal cover, etc.) should match the indicators defined in the water quality standards to list sites as impaired. Only indicators that have been documented as sensitive to human influence should be included in this type of monitoring.
Predictions for climate change represent a potentially devastating threat to coral reefs, and the temptation is to focus monitoring on measures of coral bleaching or sea temperature. Although this information is critically important, local managers can do little to influence carbon emissions policy at the international level. In order to keep their own management programs relevant and funded, they must address local solutions and demonstrate that local regulatory actions do protect coral reefs.