#Coral Reefs
Someone planted non-native coral at Kaua‘i beach; state relies on community to report fishy goings-on
Members of Reef Guardians – an ocean conservation nonprofit based on Kaua‘i and in Santa Barbara, California – first uncovered the strange coral in 2021.
Big Island Now poll results: You can’t put a price on a healthy reef
Our latest poll asks, “Is an insurance policy for Hawai‘i’s coral reef worth it?” Out of 191 votes, 63 voted “You can’t put a price on the health of the reef.”
The Nature Conservancy unveils expanded insurance policy for Hawai‘i coral reefs
The Nature Conservancy first purchased statewide coral reef insurance in 2022. The new policy doubles the area covered – as well as the minimum payout following a damaging hurricane or tropical storm.
University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa reveals measurements of deepest coral found in channel off Maui
A University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa study, published in “Coral Reefs” and led by oceanographer Samuel Kahng, unveils the first-ever calcification rates from Leptoseris spp. corals in Hawaiian waters, highlighting their remarkable adaptations to low-light.
Public testimony ends June 2 for designating Pacific Remote Islands a National Marine Sanctuary
The last day to provide public testimony online about the National Marine Sanctuary designation is Friday.
UH researchers using artificial intelligence for reef conservation
By developing novel deep learning algorithms, coral ecologists in the UH Mānoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology are now able to identify and measure reef halos from space. The study was published recently in Remote Sensing of Environment.
Project aims to restore Waikīkī reefs with coral nurseries, $9M grant
This initiative is one of nearly 150 projects across 30 coastal and Great Lakes states and territories that were recommended to receive a total of $562 million.
Big Island divers unite with Aqualung, PADI for #DiveForEarthDay
Nonprofit Ho‘omalu Ke Kai and business Seasport Divers are behind the Kaua‘i cleanup efforts.
Pandemic drop in visitors to Molokini increased reef fish
The sudden drop in visitors to one of the world’s most popular snorkeling spots provided scientists with a unique opportunity.
UH researchers: Half of Earth’s coral reefs face death by 2035 in worst-case scenario
By 2055, it is projected almost all of the world’s coral reefs, or 99%, will face unsuitable environmental conditions.
UH Cancer Center Contributes to Latest National Sunscreen Report
The report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine also recommends the Environmental Protection Agency pursue an ecological risk assessment on all UV filters, which are chemicals added to sunscreen to absorb or block the sun’s UV radiation.
Council to Consider Measure That Proposes to Prohibit Non-Mineral Sunscreen
A bill that would prohibit some types of sunscreen on the Big Island in an effort to help protect the environment, especially coral reefs, has garnered the support of hundreds.
Understanding Coral Reef Connectivity Important to Focus Conservation Efforts
Local fisheries and their associated biodiversity benefit from the transfer of larvae between reefs, with some benefitting more than others, prompting recommendations to protect larval connectivity among coral reefs.
Bleached: Coral Damage in 2019 Compared to 2015
Summer of 2019 brought with it a bleaching event thought to rival the catastrophic consequences of four years ago when Hawai‘i lost more than half its live corals.
Citizen Scientists Use Ko‘a Card for Coral
The Pacific Island’s Ocean Observing System is looking for citizen scientists to help measure and improve coral health throughout the Hawaiian Islands.
West Hawai‘i ReefTeach Orientations Set
The Kohala Center’s Kahalu‘u Bay Education Center is holding two free ReefTeach orientations this month to educate members of the community on protecting reefs.
Legislation to Study Impacts of Sunscreen Chemicals on Coral Reefs
Sens. Mazie K. Hirono and Jeff Merkley introduced legislation to better inform the public about the effects that sunscreen chemicals have on coral reefs
Place-Based Management Can Protect Coral Reefs in a Changing Climate
Researchers have developed a new technology in Hawai‘i that identifies where coral reef ecosystems and associated fisheries are vulnerable to human activities.
Bacteria Surrounding Coral Reefs Change in Synchrony
The University of Hawai‘i reports that in coral reef ecosystems, amid stony corals, fronds of algae and schools of fish, microorganisms are essential for recycling nutrients.
STUDY: Are Hawaiian Corals Adjusting to Warmer Temperatures?
A team of researchers conducted a study of coral resiliency that showed some corals are better able to tolerate heat than similar corals tested in the 1970s.