A TEAM of marine biologists from the Division of Environmental Quality and the Coastal Resources Management is set to conduct marine surveys on Rota next week. Their goal is to detect the effects of land pollution sources to the marine systems.
Peter Houk, DEQ marine biologist, yesterday said the survey will also test pollution management strategies that have been put in place on Rota since a similar survey was conducted in 1999.
The results of the previous survey will be released in the next few days, according to DEQ spokeswoman Rebecca Snider.
This year’s marine monitoring will take place on June 10 to 14.
The six reef sites that will be surveyed are Talakaya or Mayor’s Beach, Coral Gardens Sanctuary, Sasanhaya Bay, West Harbor, the Santa Margarita excavation site or the North and South Iota, and, one site located near Rota Golf Course. (See illustration)
Seven members of the CNMI Nearshore Coral Reef Monitoring team from Saipan and others from the DEQ and CRM offices on Rota will conduct the four-day survey.
The activity is funded through the Coral Reef Initiative Grant signed recently by Gov. Juan N. Babauta and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Houk said the activity will monitor the selected sites for changes over time, or between 1999 and the present year.
“We use the marine habitat to assess various regions for pollution loads. Mainly, we are looking for non-point source pollution and associated nutrients that may come from land,” he said.
The survey will also determine other disturbances that could potentially affect coral reefs like the crown of thorns starfish outbreaks and bacterial diseases.
“We use our marine surveys to understand whether or not marine systems are being hurt in response to pollution sources, and also to test pollution management strategies that have been put in place,” said Houk.
One example of a pollution management strategy that has been put in place is a ponding basin created to catch polluted rainfall runoff and clean it before it reaches the ocean.
Frances Castro, manager of DEQ’s non-point source pollution section, said CRM and DEQ marine biologists will conduct a presentation on the health of selected marine sites.
The presentation will be held on the night of June 12. Castro said that while the location has not yet been named for this meeting, signs are going to be posted at all major Rota stores next week.
“We encourage residents to attend the presentation. They would learn much about their marine environment, its problems and solutions,” Castro said.
