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FISHING
PRESSURE
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Many nearshore fish stocks in the main Hawaiian Islands have
decreased in the past 100 years. This is due, in part, to the
steady increase in the island population and resulting strain
on marine resources. Minimal information exists on the status
of most reef fish populations.
- Fishing in Hawaii includes commercial,
subsistence and recreational fishing. Until recently, only data
from commercial fishing has been comprehensively collected.
ALIEN SPECIES
- Alien species
are often voracious predators that outcompete native species,
or transmit parasites and diseases. In field experiments, miniscule
pieces of alien seaweed, Hypnea musciformis, increased
up to 200% in weight in just one week!
URBAN DEVELOPMENT
and AGRICULTURE
- The most significant
threats to our reefs result from human activities, particularly
sediment, chemical and nutrient runoff from lawns, agriculture,
golf courses, construction sites, storm drains, cesspools and
septic tanks.
Sediment runoff smothers coral causing the reef to starve to
death, as it no longer can manufacture food from sunlight.
- Sediment runoff
smothers coral causing the reef to starve to death, as it no
longer can manufacture food.
- Herbicide, pesticide
and other chemical runoff do not just kill plants and animals
in a yard or field, but will also kill marine life throughout
a reef.
- Fertilizer runoff from urban
lawns, golf courses and agricultural fields, as well as domestic
sewage, are common sources of nutrients from land-based activities.
These nutrients can encourage rapid growth of algae that crowd
out corals and kill reefs.
STEPPING
OR ANCHORING ON CORAL REEFS
- Coral is a living
animal. Stepping on a reef can damage or kill it. Shallow, calm
waters produce the most fragile corals. These corals are often
in the same areas frequented by snorkelers and other ocean users.
MARINE DEBRIS
- Discarded fishing
gear, such as monofilament fishing line can damage coral and
possibly kill it.
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