Learning about survival, sustainability of NMI’s natural resources

I am Phillip Johnson, a Coral Reef Initiative intern working under the CNMI’s Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. As far as I know, I am the only off-island intern in the program. Thus a significant part of my internship experience is the chance to live and work in a completely different environment. Besides my internship projects, I am grateful for the opportunity to visit and explore a beautiful island such as Saipan.

My internship responsibilities are divided into three main projects, centered on the DFW’s commitment to ensure the long-term survival and sustainability of the CNMI’s natural resources for future generations. The first project I completed was an update to the CNMI fishery checklist. The checklist serves as a record for all the verified fish species found in the CNMI. Beginning with the CNMI progress report from 1982-1986, the checklist has been updated regularly through different research agencies and projects. I incorporated data from the 2007 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s latest survey of fish. Thus, the checklist serves as a rigorous data set that provides a baseline and shows temporal trends in the CNMI’s fish species assemblages. By tracking species presence data through time, DFW researchers can more accurately estimate any changes in species composition and develop the appropriate management response.

I was also responsible for updating the DFW’s website. In many ways this was a completely new challenge for me. I have a background in biology and environmental science, so Web programming was a brand new field for me. Fortunately, I was able to grasp the fundamentals of Adobe Dreamweaver CS3 and some of the languages used by the Internet, such as HTML, CSS, and PHP. The website needed a cosmetic, structural, and content update to modernize its appearance and increase its professional quality. Some of the new content includes wildlife and bird posters, a staff directory, updated information about Saipan’s marine protected areas, and updated hunting and fishing regulations. Not only is the webpage more aesthetically pleasing, but it now makes the entire division more transparent in their research, outreach, and enforcement activities. Please browse around and look at the new information at http://www.dfw.gov.mp.

Finally, I was also able to get out into the field and sample some of Saipan’s freshwater habitats. Our sampling consisted of three methods. The first, minnow traps, are small nets placed into the water that congregate and trap fish. Secondly, we used dip nets, which require active netting to catch fish and invertebrates. Finally, we also used electrofishing. Electrofishing works by applying a specific amount of electricity in a designated shape and pattern to stun fish. Once fish are stunned, they are easily netted, counted, and released with relatively little harm. Electrofishing has become a standard practice in many part of the U.S. for sampling a diverse array of fish species.

Our work is one of DFW’s first freshwater invasive species investigations. An invasive species is a non-indigenous species that harms the ecology or environment of the habitats they invade. Invasive species are one of the leading causes of extinctions worldwide. Economists estimate the control of and damage from invasive species in the U.S. alone is $138 billion annually. Therefore, invasive species are a serious ecological and economic drain on the world’s resources.

Invasive species are a major concern here in the CNMI, primarily due to the brown tree snake’s effect on Guam’s native birds. There is an entire section of the DFW whose sole purpose is to prevent the brown tree snake from establishing itself in the CNMI. However, the state of the CNMI’s freshwater ecosystems is relatively unknown, although there does appear to be evidence of Tilapia, Mollies, and invasive snails in our ecosystems. In order to prevent a highly damaging species from establishing here on Saipan, the DFW has decided to start monitoring for invasive species in the freshwater habitats around the island.

Our sampling took us around the entire island, from highly modified drainages like the Garapan drainage in front of the Fiesta Hotel, to very pristine environments like the Talafofo watershed. In the more natural watersheds, we found at least two species of shrimp, gobies, Rock Flagtail, and marine toads. In the disturbed drainages, we found at least two species of Tilapia, Sailfin Mollies, Ramshorn Snails, and Milkfish. Altogether, our results followed a pattern that we expected, in that those areas most disturbed by humans had the most invasive species. Conversely, the more natural areas had less non-native and invasive species.

Currently, I am starting the second year of a two-year master’s program in Environmental Science and Management at the University of California, Santa Barbara, with emphasis in coastal marine resource management. After graduating, I plan to focus on a career working for the government or a non-profit organization working on fisheries and marine management issues. I have had an enormously positive experience here on Saipan and hope to be back sooner rather than later.