#coral reefs
UH supercomputer study shows coral can’t flee warming, but urgent action can still protect them
Coral reefs are creeping away from the tropics in response to warming oceans, but the pace is too slow to beat the heat and escape impacts of climate change, according to a breakthrough study published June 6 in “Science Advances”.
Rep. Case reintroduces bill to protect coral reef ecosystems from destructive practices
US Rep. Ed Case reintroduces legislation aimed at protecting the world’s coral reef ecosystems by restricting the import of protected ornamental reef fish and coral species collected through destructive practices.
Maui Ocean Center touts marine conservation, but nonprofit says it repeatedly violates fish-taking permits with high mortality rates
Nonprofit For the Fishes said it has found that the Maui Ocean Center has repeatedly violated its special permits over the years, and that the state has allowed them to do so with minimal consequences.
Coral damaged by grounded yacht ready to return to Honolua Bay after recovering in nursery
More than 100 coral fragments were rescued from the bay over a year ago and coaxed back to life in the Maui Ocean Center Marine Institute’s saltwater tanks.
70,080 pounds of marine debris removed from Kuaihelani within the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument
A team of 12 from the Papahānaumokuākea Marine Debris Project, a Hawaiʻi-based nonprofit organization, returned to Honolulu, having conducted their first of three marine debris cleanups planned for 2024. The latest mission lasted 19 days, from April 15 to May 3, with crews removing a total of 70,080 pounds of marine debris and cleaning 10.7 miles of shoreline at Kuaihelani (Midway Atoll) in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands within Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.
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.
NOAA Fisheries proposes habitat protection for threatened corals in Northwestern Hawaiian Islands
NOAA Fisheries proposes new critical habitat designations for five threatened coral species in the Pacific Islands, focusing on areas essential for coral growth and resilience.
UH: Innovative coral sampling technique unlocks detailed biochemistry maps for reef health
University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa researchers have developed an innovative method for coral sampling, creating detailed biochemical maps that offer unprecedented insights into compounds crucial for reef health.
Nuisance alga spreading rapidly at Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument
Scientists have confirmed the presence of Chondria tumulosa, a nuisance alga that can overgrow coral reefs, within the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, raising concerns about its impact on Hawaiʻi’s coral reef ecosystems.
$2M in coral restoration grants awarded to US Pacific Islands
The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation awarded over $2 million in grants to support coral restoration in the US Pacific Islands, including Hawaiʻi, American Sāmoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam.
UH faculty, alumni support public education campaign to protect herbivore fishes, coral reefs
Fish Pono- Save our Reefs, a local public education campaign, aims to raise awareness on replenishing herbivore fish populations for healthy coral reefs.
UH Mānoa scientists develop strategy in coral selection for reef restoration
Scientists from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa have developed a strategy using a hedging approach to choose key coral species for future reef restoration.
US House passes ocean bills to protect reefs, marine animals and ecosystems
“Hawai’i’s oceans and coral reefs are in dire need of investment to sustain their future in the face of climate change,” said Suzanne Case, Chair of the Hawai‘i State Department of Land and Natural Resources.
State of Hawaiʻi Seeking Public Input on Proposed Fishing Rules for Reef Fish
The Hawaiʻi State Department of Land and Natural Resources is holding three virtual meetings in December to receive community input on proposed changes to statewide rules for select species of herbivorous reef fishes.
Insidious Coral Killer Invading Palmyra Atoll Reef
The reefs at Palmyra Atoll, a small outlying atoll in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, are being invaded by an insidious coral killer, according to a study published in Coral Reefs and led by University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa marine biology researchers.
Scientists Are Using High Tech Aerial Surveillance to Study Coral Reefs
Following the latest mass coral bleaching event in Hawaiian waters last fall, the Department of Land and Natural Resources is now using an equipment rich, aerial platform to map and access the health of reefs along the more than 700 miles of shoreline in the Main Hawaiian Islands.
Bill To Restore And Conserve Hawai‘i’s Coral Reefs Passes Key Committee
A bill that would help to restore Hawai‘i’s coral reefs, was approved by the Senate Commerce Committee. A new report found widespread coral reef bleaching across the state, including more than 75 percent of corals off West Maui.
UH Professor Contributes to Report on Coral Reefs and Climate Change
A new report released by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine stated, while the management of local and regional stressors threatening coral reefs is critical, these efforts on their own will not be enough in the face of global climate change.
VIDEO: Lahaina Watershed Flood Control Breaks Ground After 30 Years of Planning
By Wendy Osher [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtIfcpkJbgI[/youtube] The county broke ground today on the long awaited Lahaina Watershed Flood Control Project. The project is designed to divert floodwater from the heavily populated Lahainaluna, Puamana and the surrounding area. Maui Mayor Charmaine Tavares said that after 30 years of planning, a half a century of discussion, she is pleased […]
