January 16, 2023 — A NOAA coral reef critical habitat designation in the CNMI would only affect federal actions on and near the waters of the Marianas, according to Lance Smith, a fishery biologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Smith met with Variety for a virtual interview on Jan. 12 to discuss a NOAA proposal to designate critical habitat for Acropora globiceps, a type of coral that is “sensitive” to ocean warming, ocean acidification, and coral bleaching, he said.
Smith said a critical habitat designation is established once a species becomes protected under the Endangered Species Act. The critical habitat is a location where the species can thrive.