The US Territory of Guam

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The US TerritoryofGuam

• Jason Biggs

University of Guam Marine Laboratory
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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

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Major Environmental Issues

• U.S. Military buildup
• Renewable energy
• Fishing vs. Marine Preserves
• Pollution waste management

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Military build-up

• infrastructure strain
• habitat destruction
• development in
• anticipation

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Pollution

• ½ of beaches were unsafe in 2001
• solid waste
• Tanguisson
• Cocos Lagoon

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Marine Preserves
Are they working?
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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.

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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.

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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

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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

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Who wants to know?

• UOG
• GBB
• DAWR
• EPA
• NWS
• Banks
• GU Bureau of Planning CZM
• GU Visitors Bureau

• Guam Shell club
• Guam Fishermens Co-op.
• Guahan Napu Inc.
• TASI

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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