NOAA's Caribbean Coral Reef Institute (CCRI), inaugurated in May, 2005, is located at the the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez. The CCRI focuses exclusively on the acute problems of Caribbean coral reefs. Its main objective is to aid in the management and conservation of Puerto Rico’s coral reefs by providing timely, relevant information to the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources and the scientific community at large. CCRI projects include conducting habitat mapping of the western shelf of Puerto Rico, assessing the status of reef resources, and assessing fishery impacts.