Transcript Background

The US Territory
of
Guam
Jason Biggs
University of Guam Marine Laboratory
Background
• unincorporated US territorial possession (DOI)
• High Island, strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean
• Size: 541 km2
• EEZ: ~218,000 km2
• Population: 175,877 (Jan. 2008 est.)
• GDP $2.5 billion; GDPper capita $28,860 (2007)
– 2006 unemployment rate 6.9%
– 12% increase in immigrant alien workers last 6 mo. (28% TLF)
• Ethnicity: Chamorro 37.1%, Filipino 26.3%, other Pacific islander
11.3%, white 6.9%, other Asian 6.3%, other ethnic origin or race 2.3%,
mixed 9.8% (2000 census)
• Economy: Tourism and Military spending
Insert relevant photo of your location
Insert relevant photo of your
location
Major Environmental Issues
•U.S. Military buildup
•Renewable energy
•Fishing vs. Marine Preserves
•Pollution – waste
management
Military build-up
• infrastructure strain
• habitat destruction
• development in
anticipation
Pollution
• ½ of beaches were
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unsafe in 2001
solid waste
Tanguisson
Cocos Lagoon
Marine Preserves
Are they working?
Yes & No
• The Preserves are a HUGE success.
• People are still getting caught.
• 1.5 DAWR agents patrolling part time.
• Guam is one of last Pacific strongholds for
SCUBA-fisherman.
Storm Surge, Tsunamis,
Sea Level Rise, and Erosion
• Given the immediate need for policy and
action pertaining to the military build-up,
pollution, rising energy costs, and
struggles surrounding fishing rights,
although deemed interesting, Guam does
not foresee an immediate need for
modeling the loss of land.
But...
When the sea level does rise, we should
already have the tools necessary to exist
in this changed environment.
 i.e., salt tolerant taro
Data Collection – WHO?
• US Navy- Bathymetric, macro-current
• UOGML- Biological, ~current, uptake
• DAWR- Fish creel, endangered/invasive spp.
• UOG CNAS- Watershed, aqua-, agri-, outreach
• NPS- current
• Guam EPA- Water quality, etc.
• WERI- Hydrology, water chem., etc.
• UOG/NWS- Communication/Modeling
• NOAA- Guam Coral Reef Atlas, Satellite Imagery
Who wants to know?
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UOG
GBB
DAWR
EPA
NWS
Banks
GU Bureau of
Planning CZM
GU Visitor’s
Bureau
• Guam Shell club
• Guam Fishermen’s Co•
op.
Guahan Napu Inc.
• TASI
What do they want?
• Capacity
• Circulation Models w/ incorporate
– Larval Dispersal
– Pollution Outfall
• Underwater surveys beyond SCUBA depths
• Efforts to explore alternative energy
– wave-energy
• Resource Management/Bioremediation
Training