by Ken Quintanilla

Guam - In recognition for her untiring efforts to protect and conserve coral reef ecosystems in Guam, Micronesia, and the U.S., Guam Coastal Management administrator Vangie Lujan was presented with the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Award.

"There's a lot of impact and threats to our reefs," she said. "They're important for Guam because we rely so heavily on them - not just for food, we all enjoy fishing. They're a basis for our economy and tourism so it's a critical part for people to protect it."

With Lujan's leadership as chair for the U.S. All Islands Coral Reef Committee, they implemented the jurisdiction's local action strategies to reduce key threats to coral reef resources and implemented a strategic plan.