This document constitutes the seventh in a series of coral monitoring reports required by the U.S. Corps of Engineers (USCOE) permit, which was issued to IOTA Partners for the archeological excavation of the Santa Margarita, a Spanish galleon which sank on Rota's fringing reef in 1601.

You shall implement a monitoring program during this project to assess the impacts of the salvage work on adjacent coral colonies. Monitoring shall include visual observations of the project area as well as measurements of water turbidity near the water surface and above the seafloor at locations determined by DEQ. Turbidity levels must be measured prior to the start of in-water work for comparison purposes. You must obtain photographs of coral colonies up current and down current of the project site at similar depths. To the extent possible, these coral colonies should include the same species. Copies of the data obtained will be sent to the Corps, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Services, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and CNMI Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) as soon as possible, and in all case, within seven days of the sampling date. The initial data report will include a map of the sampling locations. You must submit a final data summary no less than one week after completion of the in-water work.

Per specific requirements from above permit language, Special Condition 3 required the establishment of a monitoring plan to examine the health of adjacent corals at two permanent sites throughout the duration of the project. As discussed in previous monitoring reports, four permanent coral reference sites were identified and marked with rebar for easy identification by divers: two sites were positioned up-current from the "project site area" while two sites were situated down-current. These two sites were further delineated into shallow and deep water. Coral colonies at each reference site are photo-documented for use by the regulatory agencies in determining their general health (Figure 1). The purpose of this condition was to be able to identify early on, impacts to reference corals and thus provide the opportunity for specific data collection to determine whether the impacts were originating from project related activities. If further research correlates coral impacts to project activities, then additional mitigative measures would be developed and implemented.

This report will focus on coral monitoring issues associated with USCOE permit conditions while the water quality aspect of this permit condition are fully addressed by the Section 401 Water Quality Certification issued by the Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ) on February 5, 1999. Field personnel who obtain water samples and turbidometer used to measure water quality have all been previously approved by the DEQ. Compliance with the Section 401 WQC is assumed to cover the turbidity related requirements identified in the USCOE permit conditions.

II. ASSESSMENT OF REFERENCE CORALS

Photographs of live corals were taken on July 12, 2003 and December 28, 2003 from the four reference sites. Representative corals found at each reference site are shown in each section below as figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 for the 2003 season. In addition, specific pre-excavation visual observations were made at the reference sites on June 22, 2003. The following qualitative assessments were made from photos taken on July 12, 2003 and December 28, 2003.

A. UP-CURRENT DEEP:

Photographs of the corals at this reference site are shown below in 3.1 through 3.4. There appears to be no substantial changes in coral health from the 2002 monitoring report relating to excavation (photo 3.1 taken July 12, 2003). However, as evident from previous 2001 and 2002 notes and photos of the island wide coral bleaching event, some branches of Stylophora sp. (photo 3.3 taken December 28, 2003) have show gradual declining health while Acropora sp. (photos 3.2 and 3.4 both taken December 28, 2003) appears to be thriving.

B. DOWN-CURRENT DEEP:

Photographs of the corals at this reference site are shown below in 4.1 through 4.4. There appears to be no substantial changes in coral health from the 2002 monitoring report. Photographs 4.1 and 4.4 were taken on July 12, 2003 while photographs 4.2 and 4.4 were taken on December 28, 2003.

C. UP-CURRENT SHALLOW:

Photographs of the corals at this reference site are shown below in 5.1 through 5.4, taken December 28, 2003. There appears to be no substantial changes in coral health from the 2002 monitoring report.

D. DOWN-CURRENT SHALLOW:

Photographs of the corals (Stylophora sp., Acropora sp. and Porites sp.) at this reference site are shown below in 6.1 through 6.4, taken December 28, 2003. There appears to be no substantial changes in coral health from the 2002 monitoring report.

III. MITIGATION MEASURES IMPLEMENTED

A. SEDIMENT PLUME CONTROL:

IOTA continued to use a sediment tent system to minimize the effects of any sediment plume generated by project related activities. A new tent material approximately 60 feet by 30 feet was deployed on June 16, prior to the 2003 work season. The sediment tent was secured onto a rope frame secured to boulders along the reef and sand pit. The tent itself sits over the sand pit. Due to water movement and sometime strong surges, the tent was constantly monitored and maintained to minimize damage to the structure. Photographs of the 2003 sediment tent, taken on June 16 and June 22, can be seen in figures 7.1 and 7.2.

B. OTHER MEASURES:

In the later part of the 2002 and all of the 2003 dive season, IOTA took further measures to minimize damage to the coral reef by suspending all of their hydraulic hoses just beneath the water surface. Sections of hoses were held just beneath the water surface using plastic floats. Previously, the hoses rested on the bottom which tended to rub against rocks and or coral with strong water movement (i.e. surges). This alternate method avoids potential damage to corals. Although when deployed, constant monitoring was required to make sure sections do not sag too low and rub on the sea floor. When this occurred, another float was attached to lift it off the bottom. This creative method of deployment is more labor intensive but in the long run, further minimizes damage to the coral reef from the project. Photographs from the 2003 season of the suspended hoses can be seen in figures 8.1 and 8.2.