The Mariana Islands are a unique part of the United States

A traditional fisherman throws his net outside the workshop venue.Guam and Saipan are both islands in the Mariana Archipelago and belong to two different US territories. Guam is it's own territory at the southern end of the island chain, and Saipan is part of the Commonwealth for the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), which includes all the other islands. IAN traveled to Guam and Saipan to conduct report card workshops for the Mariana Islands. This is the fifth report card for the NOAA Coral Reef Report Card project, following the pilots in American Samoa and Florida. Heath, Caroline, and Alex facilitated the workshops with about 25 participants. The Mariana Islands have not only a rich diversity in coral reefs, but also a fascinating history of colonization by many groups, from the Chamorros to the Americans.