CSI on Coral ReefsCSI on Coral Reefs

CRIME SCENE DO NOT CROSS CRIME SCENE DO NOT

Dave GulkoDave GulkoLead, ICRI Committee on Coral Reef Lead, ICRI Committee on Coral Reef

Enforcement & InvestigationEnforcement & Investigation

The ICRI Committee on The ICRI Committee on

Coral Reef Enforcement and InvestigationCoral Reef Enforcement and Investigation

For A Short-Term Human For A Short-Term Human Impact Event On Coral Impact Event On Coral

Reefs - How Do We Reefs - How Do We Determine Causality & Determine Causality &

Responsibility?Responsibility?

• Landing Scrape from Kayak

• Foot Damage from Entry/Exit

1). For a wide variety of coral reef impact incidents, the people most likely to respond have no formal training or tools for conducting legally-defensible investigations

2). There are no recognized standards for conducting such investigations

1). For a wide variety of coral reef impact incidents, the people most likely to respond have no formal training or tools for conducting legally-defensible investigations

The Problem:

Background• IMPAC October 2005; Geelong, Australia

• ICRI Late October 2005; Belau– A Committee is formed…

• USCRTF Early November 2005; Belau

• Florida Forensics Workshop January 2006– Brainstorming and a meeting of minds…

Committee Make-up

• ICRI Secretariat

• US (USAID, NOAA, USFWS)

• Japan

• Australia (GBRMPA)

• England

• Indonesia

• Samoa• Mexico• IUCN/CORDIO• SPC• Solomon Islands• Belau• CBD• Philippines

Plus an oddball or two like myself….

Working Sub-Group

• Coral Reef Resource Managers

• Ex-homicide Detective & CSI Advisor

• Wildlife Forensic Laboratory

• ERA Specialists

• Coral Reef Restoration Specialist

• Coral Reef Enforcement Specialist

• Coral Reef Ecotoxicologist

Use of Investigations to Maximize

• Negotiation • Restoration• Mitigation • Identification• Mediation of Responsible• Litigation Parties (RPs)• Prosecution

Who Are We Talking About

• Marine Enforcement Officers

• Environmental Assessment Specialists

• Litigators

• Natural Resource Managers & Biologists

• Coral Reef Researchers

What Are We Talking About

• Basic Investigation Training & Strategies

• Handling of Data as Evidence

• Providing Ecological & Resource Impact Analysis to Support Prosecution

• Getting the Word Out

• Judicial Education

How Do You Investigate Impacts on Coral Reefs?

• Scientific Experimentation

• Monitoring

Homicide:The ‘CSI’ Approach

• Science driven by legal needs

• Strong burden on documentation

• Strong burden on “Chain-of-Custody”

Homicide:The ‘CSI’ Approach

• Existing International Acceptance

But how do you translate terrestrial techniques to an underwater world?

• 63 Applicants, 21 Countries & Islands

• Marine Enforcement, Lawyers, Res. Mgrs, Scientists, MPA Mgrs, NGOs, Forensic Scientists

Post-ITMEMS Pilot Field Training Workshop:

Coral Reef CSI

Draft Toolkit

• Cookbook Approach

• High & Low Tech

• Translatable

CSI Field Kit

• Most Items Can Be Made

• High & Low Tech

• Porttable, Self-Contained

The Regional Workshop Approach:

• Experienced CR CSI Instructors

• Asst CR CSI Instructors from Region

• Regional Participants: Multi-country, Multi-agency, Multi-discipline

Committee Goals

• To design a set of draft protocols and techniques for investigating short-term events on coral reefs.

• To conduct a pilot field training workshop at the upcoming ITMEMS, October 2006.

• To use results to produce an international toolkit and field CSI kits.

• To conduct regional field training workshops in 2007 & 2008.

How Can One Get Involved? How Can One Get Involved?

Potential Regional Training Workshops (2007 - 2009): What are each region’s needs & concerns?

• Red Sea• East Africa• South Asia• Southeast Asia• Indonesia/Philippines• Australia

• South Pacific Islands• Central Pacific Islands• Central/South America• South Caribbean Islands• Eastern Caribbean Islands• Florida (ICRS 2008)

Basic Assumptions of CR Investigations

• Going to Court• Limitations: Time, Scale, Resources• Ecological Complexity• Remoteness of Operation• Two Types of Investigations:

– Cause Known, Impact Unknown (ex. Vessel Grounding)

– Cause Unknown, Impact Known (ex. Fish Kill)

So what is CSI on Coral Reefs So what is CSI on Coral Reefs specifically…specifically…

The Pre-Assessment• Fuel

• Alien Spp.

• Chemicals

• Physical Damage

• Recovery Damage

• Anchor Damage

• Rare Spp.

• Protected Spp.

• Fragile or Protected Habitats

The Pre-assessment: Setting A Impact Scene Perimeter, An Event Perimeter,

& Defining Habitat/Subhabitats

Reef Holes

Massive Corals

Reef Flat

Reef Crest

Reef Slope

Deep Reef

The Impact Assessment

The Biological Assessment

• Modified REAs

• Impact & Control