What is a LAS?

In 2002, the United States Coral Reef Task Force adopted the "Puerto Rico Resolution" which called for the development of Local Action Strategies (LAS) by each of its seven member U.S. states, territories and commonwealths: Hawaii, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Florida. These LAS are short-term, locally-driven roadmaps for cooperative action among federal, state, territory and non-governmental partners, which identify and implement priority actions needed to reduce key threats to valuable coral reef resources. Using a collaborative process based on local needs, concerns and capacities, each jurisdiction developed strategies that contain a variety of projects designed for implementation over a three to five year time period.

Click here to see: SEFCRI Map

In Florida, the SEFCRI Team identified four areas as the focus for immediate local action and divided into teams to address those threats:

• Land-Based Sources of Pollution
• Maritime Industry and Coastal Construction Impacts
• Fishing, Diving, and Other Uses
• Awareness and Appreciation

The focus teams worked for many months and developed the SEFCRI LAS – the local action strategy – comprised of specific actions meant to ensure the long-term survival of southeast Florida's coral reefs.

#1:
Corals off Broward County, FL Photo:
Dave Gilliam, National Coral Reef Institute