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Home , Marine life, Maro Reef, Maui, Ocean fisheries, Saddle wrasse

the Livi ng Reef Restoring the health of our reefs is essential if we are to create a sustainable future for our s.

Today, many scientists, fishermen, local communities, and are working to restore our marine resource s – through enhanced management, stepped- ’s cultural traditions and our island up enforcement, and a new spirit of cooperation that way of are intimately tied to the . serves the greater good. When we allow our reefs to degrade, we lose the important ecological and economic services they provide, as well as is a a big part of the collective natural and cultural heritage living , of our . The quality of our environment and the and a living reef gives our islands life. quality of our own are diminished. So, too, is the quality of life that we pass on to our children. It is both protector and provide r– a reservoir of food as well as a buffer against the destructive It is time we take care of our , and not just take power of the sea. Hawaii’s coral reefs and near- from it. Healthy, living reefs are in everyone’s best interest. We all have a stake in their future, for in many shore are home to more than 7,000 ways, they determine ours. marine life form s– a quarter of them found nowhere else in the world. This spectacular diversity can still be seen in the protected waters of the Northwestern , but in the main Hawaiian Islands, , sedimenta - tion, alien , , and other threats are degrading our reefs. Scientists estimate that our nearshore have declined by 75% over the last century. Fishermen tell us there are “way less .” Existing just below the surface of the ocean, out of ordinary sight, coral reefs provide us with countless benefit s–from the fresh fish we eat to the surf we ride and the beaches we enjoy. are one of the oldest life forms on and coral reefs have existed for tens of millions of . They are home to such a rich diversity of life that The Ocean’s they rival rainforests as biological storehouses. Coral Supermarket reef communities fringe the entire Hawaiian archipel - Coral reefs occupy less than 1 percent of ago, sheltering us from the destructive power of the the ocean’s surface, yet they are home to sea. More than 300,000 acres of reefs surround the one quarter of the world’s fish species. main islands alon e–an area comparable in size to the Filled with crevices, holes, niches, and ifts from the Reef island of Kaua‘i. In more ways than we might realize, ledges, coral reefs provide shelter, breeding G our island lifestyle depends upon our coral reefs. areas, and lifelong for fish. They are “In more ways than we might realize, our nurseries for the newborn, secure hideaways island lifestyle depends upon our coral reefs.” for juveniles and adults, and abundant sources of food for fish, , and . Around the world, hundreds of millions of people rely on coral reefs for food. Here in Hawai‘i, fresh is an island tradition. Visit any local fish market, seafood emporium, or restaurant and you can enjoy the bounty of the reefs. , , , ‘opihi, limu, and tasty reef fish like kole and kumu are among the many delicacies our reefs provide to Hawaii’s people. ’s Breakwaters For the people of Hawai‘i and millions of others who live on tropical islands, coral reefs are nature’s breakwaters. They buffer the land and coastal inhabitants from the ocean, stabilize the shoreline, provide natural harbors, shelter nearshore homes from storms and big waves, and protect seashores from erosion. Without the protection of the reef, our beaches would be severely eroded and our coastlines would be in jeopardy. Subsistence and Recreation is a way of life in Hawai‘ i– part of our cultural heritage and our local culture. The reef provides food for subsistence fishing families in Hawai‘i, and is an important recreational activity for many others. Sharing our catch with and friends is an island tradition as old as fishing itself.

Underwater Parks As islanders, we snorkel in the coral at Kealakekua and ’s Cove, swim in reef-protected waters, scuba dive and fish reefs throughout the islands, and ride waves at dozens of reef-generated surf breaks. More than 7 million visitors come to Hawai‘i every , and almost all of them engage in these same ocean- related activities. It is estimated that Hawaii’s offshore reefs contribute more than $350 million a year to the state’s economy, or about $1 million a day.

Sandmakers We can thank our living reefs for Hawaii’s white, sandy beaches. Beach sand is created from coral fragments ground down by wave action. Coral is also ground up into sand by parrotfish, which feed on soft, thin coral and excrete pul - verized in their waste. The native marine Halimeda is yet another source. It deposits /limestone in its leaves, which break down and become sand. No Reef, No Surf In Hawai‘i, the quality of the surfer’s wave is dependent on the shape of the reef. Because there is no (a gradual decline from the shoreline to the deeper ocean) around the Hawaiian Islands, ocean swells approach the shore unhampered. Most of the waves that surfers ride are formed when the swells hit reef s– rising, breaking, and curling. Rising out of the monotony of the Master Builders open ocean, the coral reef appears like Coral reefs are the planet’s largest living structures, reaching the dimensions of ’s 92,000 square-mile a submerged metropolis, its structure a Great Barrier Reef. The raw material of this construction is he Architecture riot of form and color. the calcium that polyps take in from the sea and convert T to an external limestone . One generation of coral Vast branching orchards give way to sleek plateaus. colonies builds atop the last, creating the foundation of a of the eef Rivulets of tiny grains wend their way into serpentine vast underwater architecture. R canals. Imposing monuments are capped off by every - thing from jagged turrets to rows of domes in the shape of cauliflower . The entire reef pulsates with the comings and goings of thousands of marine creatures. A Symbiotic Relationship They drift past in great schools, dart furtively in and out of At the core of the coral reef is a remarkable exchange labyrinthine passageways, and hide out in cracks and of “goods and services” between two different life crevices and dark, cavernous holes. Forget the idea of the form s– one and one . The coral , ocean as a watery voi d– in reality, it is a finely integrated one of the simplest of all , is little more cosmos and the coral reef, more than anything, is what than a tube, capped with a and fringed keeps it alive and vibrant. with stinging . The polyp has many reproductive strategies, but it mostly makes new life by cloning itself. This produces colonies of genetically identical polyps attached to one another. The polyps nourish themselves with their very own internal gardens of single-celled algae known as . The algae keep the polyps healthy by con - verting the sun’s energy into carbohydrates and . In return, the algae reap fertilizer and food from the polyps, released in the form of dioxide and other waste products. Up to a million algae can live inside a single polyp. Scientists call this cooperative arrangement a “symbiotic relationship.” Darwin’s Point Coral reefs form rings around volcanic islands. Why this is so remained a mystery until the 19th century, when Charles Darwin proposed an explanation ife Like confirmed by scientists today. The process begins when corals encrust onto a newly cooled . Reef expansion proceeds in shallow and warm L owhere Else where the corals can access the sunlight they need. Over the millennia, the reef continues to build upward while the volcano slowly sinks into the sea. Eventually, N this leaves only an , a ring of reef enclosing a . Pearl & Hermes Atoll Over evolutionary time, Hawaii’s

N O R T isolated Pacific location gave rise Lisianski H W E S Island T E R N to one of the world’s unique coral Island H A W A I I Gardner A N reef communities. Pinnacles I S L A N D S The first corals and marine creatures Charles Darwin Necker floated here on ocean currents and then Island Island hunkered down to begin life anew, 2,500 miles from the nearest continental land Kaua‘i This constructive artistry of nature is illustrated by the way mass. Strong currents and cooler tempera - O‘ahu Ni‘ihau reef formations in Hawai‘i vary between the youngest and Moloka‘i tures at the northern edge of the tropics oldest ends of the chain. On the island of Hawai‘i, at the La-na‘i presented challenges for the new species, youngest end, coral colonies are still coalescing on the Hawai‘i Kaho‘olawe which depend on warm, shallow water. submerged slopes of active volcanoes. Moving northwest, Out of hundreds of genera of coral, just five more developed fringing reefs encircle the older islands of came to dominate in Hawai‘i. Within these Maui, Moloka‘i, L a-na‘i, O‘ahu, and Kaua‘i. hardy groups, remarkable species evolved that were adapted to the new . Finally, marking the spot where magma first erupted from the Earth’s molten core and heralded the existence of the mid-Pacific chain some 50 million years ago, there are the and of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Their embrace of blue extends 1,200 miles to Kure Atoll. Beyond Kure, the land is subsiding so fast it outpaces coral growth, and the reef is literally drowning. This end point, which paradoxically was once the Yellow tangs and convict tangs eat the beginning of the volcanic chain, is known as Barrier Reef Atoll algae off the back of a green sea . the Darwin Point. Illustration adapted from Larry Friesen, Saturdays.net This moray isn’t eating his dinne r— he’s getting his teeth cleaned by a scarlet cleaner . This tailored attunement of species Bandit to a specific place is called endemism . Angelfish Endemic No other coral reefs of similar size and Apolemichthys arcuatus ea Life expanse on the planet have a higher Hawaiian S rate of endemism than Hawaii’s. Monk Seal ‘ı-lioholoikauaua, Monachus schauinslandi

Saddle hin a-lea lauwili, duperreyi

The downside of Hawaii’s endemism is that there is no replacement pool should our corals and marine life perish. This vulnerability underscores one of nature’s hard-won lessons: that the rarest of creatures are sometimes the most valuable.

Banded Spiny Today, about 25 percent of Lobster Hawaiian corals are found nowhere Masked ula, ula poni, ula hiwa, Angelfish Panulirus marginatus else in the world. The same is true ( above, male below) of roughly a quarter of the 7,000 Genicanthus personatus marine creatures supported by Chocolate Chip Hawaii’s coral reefs. loli, Holothuria sp.

Species photos © David Liittschwager and Susan Middleton Konohiki Under the traditional system, the ali‘i (chiefs), held all land “in trust” as gifts from the gods, and apportioned use rights within each ahupua‘a to their representatives, or konohiki , who were responsible for proper Ancient Ties to the Reef protocol in how resources were to be managed. The konohiki enforced seasonal kapu linked to religious observances, but they would also – put in place or remove kapu based on close observation of local ‘Apapa (coral reefs) and the inshore ocean world were conditions. The konohiki were guided by centuries of passed-down knowledge, often in proverbs such as Pala ka hala, momona ka of enormous importance to ancient Hawaiians. ha–‘uke‘uke : when the pandanus fruit ripens, the is fat [with The major source of protein in the Hawaiian diet was seafood, so ]. The wisdom and authority of konohiki were considered absolute. careful management of ocean resources was essential. The Hawaiians affectionately referred to inshore areas as the “meat bowl” and fished or foraged in the shallows or on the reefs daily Lawai‘a nui (Hawaiians today often refer to the reef as the “ box”). Knowledge of the ocean fisheries and reefs, and their resources Women did the bulk of the gathering, accompanied by children was embodied in the lawai‘a nui, a select group of fishing who soon learned the skills to tease lobster and octopus from experts whose ranks included both chiefs and commoners. For their holes, pry shellfish from the rocks, identify the tastiest limu these men, fishing was a science that carried with it a vast (), and trap fish with basket and net. Yet even with a legacy of knowledge. The lawai‘a nui knew all the different pre-contact population estimated as high as 1 million peopl e– types of fish, their habitats and food preferences, spawning Loko i‘a comparable in size to our population toda y–the Hawaiians and migration patterns, as well as the various The development of loko i‘a (fishponds) allowed techniques for catching them. Together the konohiki harvested from the sea in a manner that sustained healthy and Hawaiians to extend and control the bounty of the and lawai‘a nui , as well as a wide range of other resilient fish populations and reef life. Their approach to caring reefs. Hawaiians developed a sophisticated system practitioners in environmental matters, worked for resources was both spiritual and highly practical, and based of aquaculture by walling in areas of inshore water, to implement the long-term management on a simple conservation ethic: usually around where entered and use of their ahupua‘a . the sea. Gates allowed water to circulate and pua (young fish) to enter while keeping undesirable Ina malama ‘oe i ke kai, fish (such as larger predators) out. As the pua matured and became too large to escape from the malama no ke kai ia ‘oe , they were harvested for food. The fish that If you care for the ocean, the ocean will care for you. were not big enough to harvest were released back on to the reef where they would and replenish the food supply. The fishpond was thus part of the larger ahupua‘a system in which resources were sustainably managed from the mountains to the sea. Kapu! Coral is a living animal, and a coral reef The kapu system was an important way that Hawaiians conserved resonates with life. But like any living system, resources. Placing a resource under kapu (proclaiming the taking of it suffers from prolonged exposure to it as taboo) at certain times of the year acknowledged that the things that sustained were gifts from the gods. Kapu were placed or disturbance and stress. lifted according to an understanding of natural cycles (seasonal and lunar If the threats are not removed, a reef becomes cycles, and the corresponding reproductive cycles of marine life), and close susceptible to invasion, disease, fragmentation, observation of local conditions. Reefs were much affected by changing wave and even death. Biologists tell us this is conditions from summer to winter, and the effects of the on currents already happening in the main Hawaiian and . By observing the peak spawning cycles of fish or when sea urchins Islands, and that people are causing most produced eggs or seaweed produced , Hawaiians would avoid harvesting of the damage. Overfishing, pollution, at times that disturbed these natural cycles. sedimentation, heavy recreational use, An Intimate Knowledge of Place and the introduction of alien species The Hawaiian ahupua‘a system of land management are all activities that jeopardize allowed for local control over resources. Each island was the long-term health of our reefs. divided into ahupua‘a, typically wedges of land running Hawai‘i is not alone. Coral reefs in at from an apex at a high point on the island to the least eighty countries are threatened, and out to the far edge of the reef. Each ahupua‘a sustained and within the next fifty years the a community of extended familie s– ‘ohan a – linked by inter - majority may be damaged beyond repair. marriage and the span of generations living in that place. Thus The good news is that coral reefs are each community intimately knew the land and adjacent resilient. If we act in time, we can still marine world that sustained them. heal our troubled waters and bring our reefs back from the brink. Wise Management The ways in which limu (seaweed) were used illustrates just how thoroughly Hawaiians knew and utilized the resources of Kinship with the Ocean the reef. Hawaiian names for over 60 kinds of edible limu have Hawaiians revered the ocean and its been recorded, including limu kala which was needed to begin myriad life forms with a of being the Ho‘oponopono ceremony (to make things right or just) in bound in a reciprocal relationship, through times when conflicts or problems were addressed in a family the major gods and through ‘ aum a–kua limu kala or community. Seaweed was also used as medicine, for ritual (ancestral family guardians), which took marine forms such as shark or , sea Troubled purification, and as a lei worn by dancers. But seaweed, sometimes affectionately called ka i ‘a lauoho o ke kai (the urchin or . This spiritual kinship long-haired fish of the sea), was primarily an essential part of the was constantly affirmed through taking care aters diet, along with fish and poi . It was a particularly important source of fishing shrines, making ritual offerings, W of protein and vitamins for women, for whom several foods, and gathering from the ocean only what including certain types of fish, were kapu . was needed. 40,000 HAWAI‘I COMMERCIAL CATCH OF 35,000 COASTAL MARINE SPECIES

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5,000 Coastal Development Alien Species Recreational Overuse and Natural Disasters MOI Improper coastal development is one of the A host of threaten Hawaii’s Simply stepping on a reef can damage or kill Pollution Coral bleaching can occur when a coral reef Coral reefs are subject to damage from storms, MOANA greatest threats to our reefs, creating runoff of coral reefs. Alien algae, seaweed, coral, fish, coral. Coral trampling by uninformed snorkelers, Man-made trash in the ocean, or marine debris, experiences a change in high wave action, unusually heavy (which KUMU 0 sediment and pollution that covers and chokes and other foreign introduce disease divers, surfers, and other marine recreational is harmful to reefs and marine life. Marine due to global warming, exposure to air or pollu - causes shallow reefs to be inundated with fresh 1949 1955 1964 1973 1982 1991 2000 coral. In Hawai‘i, where the terrain slopes and out-compete native species for food and users can cause severe localized damage to debris enters the ocean from ships and from tion, or a change in salt content. This bleaching water), and extreme low tides. Healthy coral Source: State of Aquatic Resources dramatically seaward, no place is more than 29 space. Alien algae already dominates K a-ne‘ohe reefs. So can improper boat anchoring and land, where it is washed out to sea via rivers, causes the corals to lose algae that provide reefs can usually recover from a natural event miles from the coast. Most development is Bay and O‘ahu’s south shore, as well as the south mooring. With so many people utilizing our streams and storm drains. Lost, abandoned, and them with nutrition. Corals can survive if the such as a hurricane or a heavy storm. However, Declining Catch within three miles. Many kinds of runoff damage shores of Maui, Moloka‘i, and Kaua‘i. Ships from coral reefs, the damage adds up. Eight million discarded fishing gear such as monofilament bleaching is brief, but not if it is prolonged. the addition of human-created stresses can Hawaii’s coral reefs provide us with fish for coral reefs: discharge (even if treated), around the world bring alien marine species to people annually flock to Waik -ıkı- Beach, and the line, buoys, gill nets and traps, can collect, Thus far, Hawaii’s coral reefs have recovered severely diminish their ability to survive. both food and the aquarium trade. But fertilizers ( encourage the growth of Hawai‘i on their hulls and in their ballast water. declining health of that reef reflects the severe entangle, and damage coral and marine mam - from brief episodes of coral bleaching. But if increasing numbers of people are fishing, algae that crowd out the reefs), herbicides and People who empty exotic fish from their salt- overuse. Even islet off Maui, which is mals and , cutting into them, wounding the trend in rising water continues, and they’re using more sophisticated gear, insecticides from homes and golf courses, and water aquariums into the ocean can compound accessible only by boat, receives half a million them, and ultimate ly killing them. What’s more, any future damage could be permanent. vessels, and technology to increase their oil, grease, and toxic chemicals from city streets the problem. visitors each year. plastic doesn’t easily degrade and can harm catch. As a result, we are harvesting marine and storm drains. The effects are especially and other marine life for years to come. life faster than it can be replenished pronounced in harbors and bays, such as Land-based sources of pollutants, such as sedi - through natural growth and reproduction. Ka-ne‘ohe Bay on O‘ahu, where stream flow has ment, nutrients, products, pesticides, Studies show that are 20 to 25 been diverted and there is less natural flushing and sewage also threaten ocean life. percent of what they were a century ago, action from the tides and currents that normally and that the aquarium trade in west cleanse coral reefs. Hawai‘i has increased six-fold in the past twenty years.

Beach photo © David Liittschwager and Susan Middleton Encourage Responsible Support Community-Based Stop the Influx and Spread Fishing Marine Management of Aquatic Invasive Species 1 Some fishing methods are kinder to 3 Coastal communities as diverse as Maunalua in 5 Invasive marine species in our are causing irrepara - the ocean environment than others. east and Miloli‘i in south Kona are taking ble harm to our native , human health, and If we return to the traditional responsibility for managing the ocean resources on economy. At least 19 species of algae, 34 species of marine Hawaiian way of catching only which their lifestyles depend. Many communities , and 287 species have been introduced what we need and caring for ocean are participating in the state Department of Land to Hawai‘i, some purposefully (e.g. for food fish) and some life, we can help ensure that future and Natural Resources’ (DLNR) Makai Watch accidentally (e.g. through hull fouling and in ballast water). generations can use and enjoy our program, informing snorkelers, kayakers, fishers, Several of these have become unwanted and expensive oceans as we have. Everyone who boaters, and other ocean users of ocean resource pest s–for example, Salvinia molesta , which cost nearly $1 uses our oceans must take responsi - protection laws. They then work to ensure compli - million to remove from Lake Wilson, and the invasive algae, bility for caring for them as well. By ance with those laws and chart the progress of Gracilaria salicornia , which has invaded beaches through - knowing and following the regulations their efforts, monitoring human use and biological out the islands. In September 2003, the state released its and taking only what is needed, we can change over time. In its first year, the Makai Watch Aquatic Invasive Species Management Plan , with recom - ensure fish for today and for tomorrow. program attracted the interest of nearly 30 mendations for closer collaboration, new policy, research, communities. Their efforts must be encouraged and outreach to ensure the prevention, early detection, Protecting Invest Onshore to Protect Offshore through supportive state laws and funding. To start and rapid response to invasive aquatic species. While some In March 2006, lack of sewer maintenance and limited capacity led or join a Makai Watch program in your coastal progress has been made, we need to continue to fund the a 2 to the dumping of 48 million gallons of raw sewage into the Ala community, go to www.hawaii.gov/dlnr. recommendations made in that plan, which was endorsed Priceless Wai Canal, where it quickly flowed into the waters off Waik -ıkı-. by more than a dozen public and With a resident population of 1.3 million and 7 million Hawaii’s coral reefs generate more than $350 million private agencies. You can help visitors arriving annually, the number of people making of income annually in recreation, fishing, aquarium While never before this large, sewage spills have become common - Develop the State’s by learning how to demands on Hawaii’s reefs reflects what economists capture, research, and other uses. By comparison, place in Hawai‘i, and their impacts are degrading our reefs. During Capacity to Ensure Legal atural sset heavy rains, sewage often combines with wastewater discharge, 4 Compliance identify our most N A call the tragedy of the common s–too many people investment in understanding and regulating the growing storm water, fertilizers and pesticides, and other sources of non- For a state with the nation’s fourth longest coast - common aquatic trying to get what they want out of the same limited demands on our reefs is minimal. Given that our reefs point pollution as it flows to the sea. If we want to protect and line, Hawaii’s enforcement capacity is underfunded invasive species, natural resource. are the natural and economic assets on which our restore Hawaii’s reefs, we need long-term investment in effective and understaffed. The result is that natural resource and reporting lifestyle and tourist-based economy rely, are we invest - violations often go undetected and unpunished. new infesta - Because Hawaii’s coral reefs are a valuable and essential sewage treatment facilities and an integrated system for preventing ing enoug h–and are we investing in the right system s– other land-based sources of shoreline pollution. You can do your A renewed commitment to marine resource man - tions to part of our economy, our lifestyles, and our cultural to safeguard these priceless and irreplaceable pieces of part by replacing cesspools, ensuring that your septic system is agement must go hand in hand with a renewed DLNR. Check heritage, we as a community must make difficult choices our natural heritage? installed and functioning properly, using non- commitment to resource enforcement. The taking your nets, about who gets what from them. Since the end of the toxic cleaners and detergents, properly of a female lobster out of or the killing anchor chain konohiki system, we have allowed a free market philoso - The choices we make about our unique marine assets disposing of toxic chemicals, motor of an endangered sea turtle or monk seal results and line, phy to govern what happens on our reefs. Although our will demonstrate our real values. On our reefs, the oil, and other , and not in the irreplaceable loss of a precious public boat hulls, society has instituted rules regarding use of the ocean’s desire for short-term profits competes with the long- putting anything down the resource. To help, know the laws and report vio- and all other resources, they have proven inadequate, and are often - term survival of a natural and cultural asset that must be lations to the Division of Conservation and ocean gear to Some natural resources are classified as public storm drai n–which flows times ignored. As a result, many of our reefs are now carefully managed to yield benefits now and for future unimpeded onto our reefs. Resource Enforcement at 643-DLNR (643-3567), ensure that you goods, things that we all share and feel entitled severely depleted. Unlike traditional Hawaiians, whose generations. Here are six important investments we can and start or join a Makai Watch program in your are not unintention - to use for fre e–for example, our beaches and conservation ethic and kapu system allowed them to make in our reefs to ensure a sustainable future. coastal community. ally spreading alien take only what they needed, we lack effective incentives species from place to our reefs. Unfortunately, our reef resources are and adequate compliance with laws to conserve near- place. Don’t release non-native becoming increasingly scarce public goods. shore marine life. animals, , or algae into the wild. Create Nursery Areas for Fish A Track Record of Success Produced by Ultimately, if we want to protect our fishing heritage in 6 Hawai‘i, we need to begin restoring our nearshore reef fish Pohnpei, Federated States of populations. To do this, our best hope lies in providing Micronesia When government officials in Pohnpei established seven nursery areas for fish to grow large enough to reproduce at The Nature Conservancy of Hawai‘i Hawai‘i State Department of a rate that exceeds the rate of extraction. When given a safe marine reserves in 1997, the idea did not have community Suzanne Case, Executive Director Land and Natural Resources support. But after one community began seeing increased 923 Nu‘uanu Avenue Peter Young, Chairperson haven in which to grow and reach full maturity, fish repro - Honolulu, HI 96817 Kalanimoku Building duce at much healthier rates, and are able to replenish fish fisheries as a result of setting aside their fishing area, Phone: (808) 537-4508 1151 Punchbowl Street others soon followed suit. Studies of these community- nature.org/hawaii Honolulu, HI 96813 stocks faster and further from their home range. The Fax: (808) 587-0390 process of designating nursery areas must be based on based reserves showed that in less than two years the Email: [email protected] the best available science and credible local knowledge, of rabbitfish and parrotfish increased by 17% and must involve fishers, local communities, scien - and 80%, respectively, while outside of the reserves there In cooperation with Special Thanks - tists, and government agencies to ensure that the was a 45% decrease in rabbitfish and a 95% decrease in Malama Hawai‘i Eric Co Eric Conklin Executive Producers long-term economic and environmental needs of parrotfish. Today, Pohnpei has 11 marine reserves, including Gerry Davis Kim Hum, The Nature Conservancy Emily Fielding the state and its residents are met. all seven of the originally designated areas. Athline Clark, DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources Larry Friesen Project Director Cindy Hunter Grady Timmons, The Nature Conservancy William Kostka Guam Trina Leberer Cultural Consultants Deb Matsukawa Two years after establishing Marine Reserves in Guam, Kep a- Maly, Kumu Pono Associates Manuel Mejia Dr. Sam Gon III, The Nature Conservancy fishermen reported seeing fish species they hadn’t seen in Bill Raynor more than 20 years. In two of the five areas designated as Designed by Anne Rosa Ostrander-Chu: Daphne Chu, Steve Shrader, Alea Schechter reserves, fish populations increased by 113% and 115%, while Karyn Yasui Lau, Lauren Tamura and Lauren Hara Naomi Sodetani the overall species increased in all five areas. In memory of Steve Shrader Keoki Stender Bill Walsh Contributing Writers Pam Weiant Paul Berry Pam Frierson Kona Coast, Island of Hawai‘i Liza Simon This brochure is printed In 1999, the State of Hawai‘i set aside 35% of the Kona John Wythe White on Appleton Coated Utopia Two, which is coastline as Replenishment Area s–a move designed Photography/Visuals elemental chlorine free. to stabilize reef fish populations threatened by the aquari - Bishop Museum David Boyton Contains 10% Post-Consumer Recovered Fiber Bigger Fish = More Fish um trade. After just five years, populations of yellow tangs, Kendra Choquette Larger, older fish reproduce faster and better than smaller, a prized aquarium fish, were up 111% and populations of Claudia Christman Eric Co younger fish. The eggs of older fish are also healthier, and chevron tangs were up 107%. Also up were the number of Tami Dawson, Photo Resource Hawaii therefore more likely to survive into adulthood. aquarium fish collectors, who are now collecting more fish Katie Doka David Fleetham, Oxford Scientific and making more money in west Hawai‘i than ever before. Sergio Goes John Hoover David Liittschwager and Susan Middleton Twain Newhart Short-Term Closures Do Not Work Jez O’Hare Science and experience have shown that short-term closures are not successful at replenishing fish David Olson, Photo Resource Hawaii 6" = 90,000 eggs per year 12 "=180 million eggs per year - - Franco Salmoiraghi, Photo Resource Hawaii populations over the long term. For example, at the Waik ıkı/Diamond Area, David Schrichte, Photo Resource Hawaii For example, a typical six-inch A 12-inch weke, on the other stocks do increase in the year that the area is closed to fishing. However, those increases are immediately NOAA/Northwestern Hawaiian Islands reef fish such as the weke ‘ula hand, spawns four to five David Ulrich (weke) spawns once a year, times per year, releasing offset when the area is re-opened the following year. More disturbing is the data that indicates that the Mitchell Warner releasing 90,000 eggs. 45,000,000 eggs each time. fish (both size and abundance of fish) within the Fisheries Management Area is actually getting James Watt

smaller over the long term. Cover photo: James Watt