Despite the loss of half of the world’s coral reefs due to stressors like climate change and ocean acidification, Cynthia Hunter remains optimistic.
“50% of the corals are still with us, which means they may have some resistance or some reliance on these stressors,” said Hunter, a coral reef ecologist at UH Mānoa,
Climate change and ocean acidification are stressors that hinder coral growth and survival.
“The changes that we are seeing are increasingly used to be every other decade, now every decade,” Hunter said. “With rising temperatures because corals have been living at 1-2 degrees from their temperature limits.”
Climate stressors are not the only threat to coral reefs; human activities, such as overfishing, are crucial to the problem.
Professor Mark Hixon, a UH marine biologist and member of “Fish Pono,” highlights the critical role herbivores play in maintaining healthy reefs.
“Herbivore fish play a crucial role in maintaining healthy coral reefs by eating seaweed, which allows new coral to grow,” Hixon said. “Without these fish the seaweed would overgrow and suffocate the coral reefs.”
Many of these important fish are being overfished, especially around Hawai’i, putting the reefs at risk.
The “Fish Pono” movement, which Hixon is a part of, involves scientists, fishermen, and community members who care about protecting our herbivores, educating people about how important these fish are for the health of coral reefs.
“It’s a long going struggle between those who have a short-term perspective, you know ‘catch the fish now’ and those who have a long-term perspective ‘save the reefs now so that we can have more fish in the future,” Hixon said.
They said that stricter fishing regulations are necessary to save herbivores and support coral health.
“We know what it takes to be pono,” Hunter said, referring to a Hawaiian term that means doing things the right way.
The community can help by contacting local authorities, signing petitions, and talking to fishermen to raise awareness about the importance of herbivores.
A new bill that could help enforce fishing regulations is making its way through the legislature, bringing hope for change.
“If this bill passes, it will do a huge amount to stop illegal fishing at night,” Hixon said.
Both Hixon and Hunter said that it’s not too late to turn the tide. By supporting efforts to regulate fishing, raising awareness, and getting involved in local movements, the community can help safeguard the future of coral reefs and the lives they support.
“If we keep going down this road, chaos on this planet,” Hunter said. “People won’t have enough to eat, people won’t have clean water, governments will collapse.”