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OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
PRESS RELEASE
(for immediate release – Thursday, March 13, 2008)
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Gov. Togiola returns from historic Rose Island trip
(UTULEI) - Governor Togiola Tulafono today returned from a scientific voyage aboard the NOAA ship Hi’ialakai, which was conducting coral reef ecosystem monitoring surveys around Rose Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in support of NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program. 
These surveys are part of NOAA’s Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP), which conducts benthic habitat mapping, ecosystem assessment and long-term monitoring, and oceanographic observing throughout the U.S. Pacific Islands, including each of the islands of American Samoa every two years. These surveys are led by the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division of NOAA’s Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center in Honolulu.
In preparation for this research cruise, Governor Togiola and Lelei Peau, Commerce Deputy Director, became certified SCUBA divers. The Governor participated in various safety drills and exercises and nightly scientific planning meetings discussing the accomplishments of each day and plans for the following day.
Each day at Rose Atoll, the ship launched five small boats, which were used to conduct extensive diving operations to observe the fish, corals, and other marine life of the reefs. The Governor and Mr. Peau observed the beautiful coral reefs of Rose Atoll and many of these operations first hand by snorkeling with the Chief Scientist Dr. Rusty Brainard and his colleagues at CRED as they conducted their work. They witnessed the deployments and recoveries of Coral Reef Early Warning System and Sea Surface Temperature buoys, subsurface temperature recorders, Autonomous Reef Monitoring - Structures, Ecological Acoustic Recorders, and towed- diver surveys of benthic composition, invertebrates, and large fish. The Governor was amazed and impressed as the towed divers flew by surveying large portions of the reef each day.
The Governor was impressed by the professionalism of the scientists performing these dives, as well as the spectacular beauty of the corals, giant clams, and reef fish near some coral pinnacles inside the lagoon. The Governor has been an avid free-diver for much of his life.
The Governor and Lelei Peau were taken ashore to Rose Island with Refuge Manager Don Palawski of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Refuge on Tuesday morning. During their morning tour of Rose Island, the Governor discovered the historic Monument installed by the U.S. Navy 80 or so years ago fallen over and mostly buried in the sand. The Governor suggested that we should work to uncover this monument and reposition it so that it would stand upright. The Governor devised a plan to seek the assistance of Dr. Brainard and the officers, crew, and scientists to assist in unearthing the 3-foot concrete pillar and then using leverage to raise the monument to an erect position. Upon unearthing the monument, a circular brass plate was discovered on top of the monument that was inscribed with "U.S. Navy Survey".
In addition, to this unique find, the Governor also identified three different green sea turtle tracks that led to areas where the turtles dig up the soil to lay their eggs. Many of these rare green sea turtles use Rose Island for their nesting site and return year after year. In addition to the turtles, there are hundreds of thousands of seabirds that nest on this island. The sooty terns were particularly numerous during this visit with upwards of one hundred thousand birds making their home on this 14-acre island. These birds literally fill the sky overhead as one approaches and the noise of their calls to their mates is deafening.
Rose Atoll is nearly square with each side being approximately 1.5 miles in length. One of the most striking features of Rose Atoll is the pink hue of the fringing reef, caused by a crustose coralline algae that is also the primary reef-building species at the atoll.
During the evening, Governor Togiola met with many members of the scientific party and ship's crew to learn more about NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program and the Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program. After observing the dedication, hard work, and professionalism of all on board, the Governor stated before leaving that he has a completely different understanding of and appreciation for the work that went into the production of the Coral Reef Ecosystem Monitoring Report for American Samoa: 2002 - 2006.
Governor Togiola Tulafono disembarked the NOAA ship Hi’ialakai this morning (Thursday March 13) via launch to the M/V SILI which was scheduled to transport him to Ta'u Island by this afternoon. The Governor's participation on the cruise was an important milestone for coral reef conservation and management in the region. He successfully witnessed and learned a tremendous amount about the coral reef ecosystems under his jurisdiction and became much more knowledgeable about the value of NOAA's Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program.
---americansamoa.gov---
(Press Release written by Lelei Peau and sent from Hi’ialakai)
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