The purposes of this chapter are—

(1) to preserve, sustain, and restore the condition of coral reef ecosystems;

(2) to promote the wise management and sustainable use of coral reef ecosystems to benefit local communities and the Nation;

(3) to develop sound scientific information on the condition of coral reef ecosystems and the threats to such ecosystems;

(4) to assist in the preservation of coral reefs by supporting conservation programs, including projects that involve affected local communities and nongovernmental organizations;

(5) to provide financial resources for those programs and projects; and

(6) to establish a formal mechanism for collecting and allocating monetary donations from the private sector to be used for coral reef conservation projects.

(Pub. L. 106–562, title II, § 202, Dec. 23, 2000, 114 Stat. 2800.)