                                
            United States Department of the Interior
                                
                   FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
                   Pacific Islands Ecoregion
              300 Ala Moana Boulevard, Room 3-122
                           Box 50088
                    Honolulu, Hawaii  96850

In reply refer to: Pl-01-195  

David L. Mitchell, LTC, U.S. Army
Deputy Chief of Staff for Host Nation Affairs
Headquarters, Pacific, Department of the Army
Fort Shafter, Hawaii 96858

     Re:  Biological Assessment of Marine Resources for the Republic of the Maldives, 
                         Indian Ocean   


Dear Lieutenant Colonel Mitchell:

Enclosed is the report of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) and the National Marine
Fisheries Service (NMFS) for the above referenced assessment.  In August, 2001 biologists from
the Service and NMFS were invited to participate in a Disaster Preparedness Mitigation
Assessment (DPMA) mission to the Republic of the Maldives.  The DPMA mission was
sponsored by the U.S. Department of the Army at Fort Shafter, Honolulu, Hawaii.  The leader of
the DPMA mission to the Republic of the Maldives was Colonel John Sanford, U.S. Army.

The purpose of this biological assessment was to evaluate the government's capability to respond
to threats to the marine habitat of the Republic of the Maldives.  Information compiled in this
report may be used by the Republic of the Maldives for planning purposes to avoid or minimize
impacts to marine biological resources.

If you have questions regarding this survey report, please contact Marine Ecologist Kevin Foster
by telephone at (808) 541-3441 or by facsimile transmission at (808) 541-3470.


                                             ____________________                         ____________________
                                             Paul Henson, Ph.D                            Charles Karnella, Ph.D
                                             Field Supervisor                             Administrator
                                             Ecological Services                          Pacific Islands Area Office
                                                  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service                    National Marine Fisheries Service

cc: FWS-Office of International Affairs, Arlington
      John Sanford, U.S. Army
      NMFS-PIAO, Honolulu
      USEPA-RegionIX, San Francisco
                               CC: ADDRESSES
  FOR SECRETARIAL USE ONLY - DO NOT INCLUDE WITH CORRESPONDENCE

FWS-Office of International Affairs, Arlington
          Felicia Mathis
          Department of the Interior
          U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
          Assistant Director, International Affairs
          1849 C Street, N.W. Room 3245
          Washington, D.C. 20240

John Sanford, U.S. Army
          John Sanford, Colonel
          19659 NE 176th Street
          Woodinville, WA 98072

NMFS-PIAO, Honolulu
          Charles Karnella
          National Marine Fisheries Service
          Pacific Islands Area Office
          U.S. Department of Commerce
          1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Suite 1110
          Honolulu, HI 96814-4700

          John Naugton
          National Marine Fisheries Service
          Pacific Islands Area Office
          U.S. Department of Commerce
          1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Suite 1110
          Honolulu, HI 96814-4700

          Alan Everson
          National Marine Fisheries Service
          Pacific Islands Area Office
          U.S. Department of Commerce
          1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Suite 1110
          Honolulu, HI 96814-4700

USEPA-Region IX, San Francisco
          John McCarroll
          Pacific Insular Areas Program
          U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX
          75 Hawthorne Street (CMD-5)
          San Francisco, CA 94105

